YouTube becoming increasingly professional

In 2006, Los Angeles producer Richard Van Vleet helped YouTube personality Ryan Higa and his friend Sean Fujiyoshi create their first feature-length film, “Ryan and Sean’s Not So Excellent Adventure.” In 2012, popular YouTuber Kevin Wu, better known as Kevjumba, released a movie titled “Hang Loose.” On Feb. 14 of this year, “Camp Takota” was released starring famous YouTubers such as Grace Helbig, Mamrie Hart and Hannah Hart. All of these films pulled their weight in revenue, drawing in their YouTube fan base.

Some shows are exclusively posted to YouTube, making the website as legitimate as cable television. And YouTube stars like Helbig and Hart can legitimately claim to be professional actresses.

All this publicity has undoubtedly added to YouTube’s already immense following. With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that this site has created online celebrities, some of whom go on to make these movies.  

Sophomore Saro Acharya also noticed an increasing trend of YouTubers making appearances in the movie industry.

“I think it's cool how a YouTuber, someone who started with just a webcam, is now producing a movie,” Acharya said. “It's interesting how YouTube has become a medium where anyone can share and post videos, how a kid with a camera in his room could be elevated to potential stardom.”

The most recent YouTuber movie is Camp Takota; the plans for this production announced at YouTube’s 2013 Vidcon event. That day, a Camp Takota booth was opened during the event, attracting hundreds of fans excited for the Youtubers involvement in the film. The movie got slightly positive reviews.

Camp Takota is about Elise Miller, a writer who has completed her first novel and is set to be engaged. When Elise accidentally loses her job and discovers that her fiance is cheating on her, Elise is forced to return to her childhood camp to take on a counselor position. There, she reunites with her two old friends. When the camp’s future is unsure, Elise and her friends must find a way to save it.

Sophomore Michelle Handoko attributes this trend of YouTubers going into movies to the rising popularity of weekly shows posted on YouTube. 

“It’s amazing now that there are directors and actors making movies and TV shows to be posted directly online, on to websites such as YouTube,” Handoko said. 

One example of this is WIGS, which is a network that airs short films only for YouTube. The channel is starting to expand, with some of its work available on different video sites.

The cast of WIGS has various stars that were recruited by the WIGS network, including Julia Stiles and Jennifer Beals.

“The WIGS channel got directors and star casts that include actresses like Troian Bellisario from ‘Pretty Little Liars,’” Handoko said. “WIGS can span over multiple episodes like an actual aired program.”

What was once a little website that allowed bored people to post videos has revolutionized into a new form of media that allows anybody to direct and produce actual movies. YouTube has proved that it can compete with paid forms of entertainment, while acting as an outlet for creative energy from people all over the world.