You posted this on the 10 year anniversary of Austin Kleon's (the guy who wrote steal like an artist) book titled "show you work" which was the sequel to "steal like an artist", what a weird and oddly specific coincidence
I've since moved on from making Minecraft commentary content but I'd like to leave you some thoughts. Firstly, I appreciate the message. When I started out I took a ton of inspiration from other creators like jschlatt and lowresbones and combined their styles together; I wasn't wholly original either. Nobody is. As long as you're original enough, that's all that matters, and when people start saying you've got that "flowstate" vibe or that "niko" vibe then you know you've discovered a unique format. I sympathize with dealing with the copycats. To this day I still see people trying to copy the same thumbnail style as me back then with the Minecraft avatar looking out at the sunset; some people have no shame. But shrug it off, take it as a compliment. It means you're doing something right. I'm now making IRL content but a word of advice -- assuming you're trying to build this channel and it's not just a hobby -- is to think about the future. I started blowing up in April 2023 and I was making MC commentary videos almost every day because the views were insane, comments were encouraging, and the passion was unstoppable. That's probably where you are right now, you've been doing phenomenally the past few weeks. Just remember to think about the future; those views will eventually taper, and people will go from calling you "underrated" to "he's not as good as he used to be." After your 50th talking video, you might start wondering "what the hell do I talk about now;" I certainly did. Try to stay one step ahead of the content machine. I started making cinematic hardcore gameplay, then I launched a Patreon MC server, I did mod reviews, creator collabs; I was just trying to give myself a break from having to come up with philosophical life lessons all the time, because eventually you will run out of things to say. And indeed I did run out of things to say after about 9 months of creating, so I switched to IRL because it opens up my options a lot more for content and business prospects. But, if it's your goal I hope that you can carry on the torch and take MC commentary to the proper mainstream. Best of luck to you, - flowstate
I very much appreciate the words of wisdom. I am very well aware of the RU-vid cycle you're describing. I've got a few things I'd like to do with this channel and hopefully the community will follow along the way. But whether that succeeds or fails does not concern to me. The honest truth is that I just needed a break from creating the retention happy mindless content that started causing me to hate making videos. This channel is proof to me and hopefully others that you can go against that content strategy. In any case thank you for your contribution to this community as well, and best of luck in the IRL realm!
All art is an imitation of an imitation of an imitation at this point. we all have to make our own spin on things to really call it our own and that's part of the beauty of it. I will say it is nice to see you openly go out and say don't harass the other people for trying to do something similar. Not gonna lie I took inspiration from yourself, theweeklyslap and flowstate to do something similar with other games over the past few months and I am finding a lot of joy in doing it. I think there is a resurgence in this form of content and I hope to see more like it as it is a return to the original form of youtube where creators make things for the sake of making something and is a tad more genuine. Wishing ye all the best in your endeavors mate keep it up!
This was great to hear as someone who’s trying to “put my own spin” on this type of content. The constant worry of accidentaly copying ideas has been dialed down a little. Have a good day niko and other commenters.
you give the feeling of speaking directly to me - tbh i've been doing the same stuff you doin for a side project - just as a hobby for a year - and seeing you gettin successful is also a motivation / inspiration that people can change the youtube scene or change what people want to see. Tbh my first inspiration came from TheWeeklySlap who was also an inspiration from other channels so the loop of inspirations still exists and had existed for almost decades. Thank you for your content and motivation! Greetings from Austria
Yo, thank you very much for making these videos... they give me a really relaxing nostalgia for old day gameplays and just allow me to completely wind out after a long day, and even give me food for thought. Would definitely watch a 50 minute version of this hahaha Keep it up man thank you for this!
What a crazy wave of nostalgia. Feels like really old penguinz0 videos of just gameplay and random story topics. What he does now is nice, he's showing the viewers something and talking to them kind of. But kind of just hearing someone's thinking out loud is nice too.
I appreciate this so much as a musican cause lately I've been going through such a criss which is an identity crisis almost about how my style of music is starting to sound too much like someone else's. I knew I was inspired but overtime it felt like I was straight up mocking the artist I looked up to haha. I'm so glad to have come across this video at the perfect time.
totally agree this channel inspired me a lot and has allowed me to use this style and format to express myself and talk about experiences and use my channel more like a diary. This video also gave me some inspiration to try some new things keep it up
I am one of the people who was inspired by your format, and it resulted in something of a complete creative Renaissance for me. I'm making more videos, and loving the process more, than I ever have in my entire life. And I confidently feel that I've done my artistic duty of making it my own, so thank you for inspiring me. I don't want to make videos like yours, but your videos helped me find the kind of video I DO like making. That is invaluable to me.
I think it's great that more and more people are doing stuff like this, a more personal take on a youtube video, and it's great that it's making enough noise to change the "meta" so to speak, I really hope that this don't become saturated with low effort content but, stuff like this is why youtube exists, also I can't really blame others for doing this format, I myself am rendering a video like this right now haha I'm still very self councious about my creations but this type of video really makes me happy to make, because I like talking about anything really, so making it is really a joy, even if it doesn't get views, but I hope this "trend" continues and we can see more amazing content on this plataform again
Back when Jason Becker, the (in my opinion) greatest guitarist to ever touch the instrument, was active, all his peers were listening to harder and harder metal to learn how to really shred it like the greats do, but Jason didn't, he listened to Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, those kinds of guys, as well as all the music that was more popular with his demographic. He let inspiration come from any source he could get it and it really shines through in his playing. If you listen to something like Air, you can hear it super clearly. If that was played on a piano in the 18th century, he would be remembered as one of the greats, but at the same time he was also just shredding it to show off in a lot of other tracks, like Go Off because that's good fun too. He let everything come to him, instead of looking for what to be and ripped it all straight from the soul. That's how you should approach stealing, if you ask me. Chew up as much diverse shit as you can, let it all mix in your stomach and whatever you shit out as a byproduct of what you consumed will be true, pure art. Too bad we won't see that on RU-vid, since it's all about those numbers. Gotta get big numbers, make lots of money, fuck artistic integrity or ethics, there's dough to be made.
I'll be honest, a lot of your videos have been changing my life in one way or another. The thing is, I don't even have to agree with every single one of your points. But, what's important is that it makes me think about the topic more and what I actually want from myself. It's almost like a breath of fresh air to just watch content that just consists of Minecraft gameplay and someone that just says the most philosopher-esque quotes on top of it.
I took a lot of inspiration in your videos to make the one that I posted today, I´m really thankful that the algorithm showed me your channel, now I get to express myself in a way I didn´t consider before. :) Thanks!
I'm following the style and seeing how it goes for me but the topics and choice of what to talk about, all comes from me! I have also seen those channels who have copied the exact topics and thumbnails of what you spoke about. Its crazy
I started this RU-vid channel because you and LowkeyMartin inspired me a lot, and made me feel like I actually have a chance on this platform. I try my best to create this type of content in my own way and include some more features. Good luck with your channel, and all I have to say is thanks for starting the trend, let's make RU-vid great again.
Id be lying if i said i didnt yoink the style. Its fun though, im having a fun time making them. But if asked i refer them to your page. Keep it up niko!
Absolutely right. You inspired me to give this style of content a shot and it's been working out well and I've been enjoying it. You can usually tell though which people are doing this entirely just to copy your format exactly and try to get popular though. Some of the clones have been blatant and soulless imo.
I was just thinking about how your video style is quite similar to flowstate's! Anyway, great video. I think it's great that you don't believe in shaming other people for using a similar video style to yours. Thanks for the amazing content!
3:54 I have been inspired by you so much to create a channel of the same genre, im having a lot of fun and believe I will take part in changing RU-vid (along with others). It’s starting slow but my discipline is going to allow me to reach my goals. Thank you for what you do bro ❤
I liked flow state for a while then I found this channel and I started really liking this one I kind of fell out of watching flow state videos Not sure why But it's super relatable here So yea
Heck yeah man you said it best. I'll be stealing from you from here on out. Just rerecording your videos word for word with my voice over. Thanks for the advice bro!
When I reference "the RU-vid meta" I mean what everyone else who is making videos is doing. For example the "meta" right now is to make highly edited content about extreme things. An example of this is any Mr. Beast video. Hope this clarifies!
i got a question, do you like make your video and then schedule an upload because you make the video and ur in the same "time" in the last video, so many only explanation is that u make videos a couple and then u schedule
Its always a good day to watch your videos and just have someone talk about things and see minecraft again. Love your vids keep it up man your doing amazing❤
I took inspiration on you to make this kind of content in portuguese. I will not straight copy and paste but some of the things you do I feel are validated so I'll try to do it my way, I'll make it mine as you said. Thanks for making me like youtube again, niko I even quoted you on my video! Anyways, have a good night
yes. i've seen a guy straight up copying ur videos, and he was doing it good, in the appearance at least. but he didn't have something, it was a bit off, he didn't have your vibe. it seemed fake.
I've seen only one 'clone' of your channel and their videos are their own, no copying of scripts or thumbnails etc. but the thing is you can just tell how hard they're trying to make it seem like your videos. As though it doesn't come naturally to them
your house is kinda pointless, i mean, you speaking is the real gold here... your leasson for life... You actually almost not evolve it week by week LOL
Your confidence in your house is actually really helpful for people like me that aren't great at building. Seeing tons of RU-vidrs make extravagant stuff and then looking at yours...sometimes a giant square is as perfect as a Minecraft house can get :)
For reallll bro I saw so many 100 day videos and like grian or mumbo jumbo and it actually killed my creativity But seeing someone build some arbitrary not perfect house is like reigniting my creativity
you have a house in minecraft? I have a channel, but is in pt-br, i sleep on a beach where i build a house for villagers LOL best house ever, for them, it has 3 beds, a crop of carrots, light all arround, a not fency but not square roof and a fucking trapdoor that baby villagers keep falling in, yeah the house is actually a fancy not fancy infinity breeder, i get lazy after making the house and not make any chamber, soo i have tons of villagers arround my map now LOL If for any reasson you want to check a pt-br channel, looks for GreenGlow two white like neon GG and literally green glow arround... yeaahhh is a joke about good game name i know kinda funny... But as i say is a pt-br channel, soo, hard to consume for others, at least you can check the villager house i told if you want, in ep 10 i remove dirt windows to put glass on it, yeeaahhhhhh hahaha
3:14 Relieved you said that. I am currently doing my own take on this style and I am ABSOLUTELY ENJOYING IT. I've been struggling with impostor syndrome though, as I felt like I was "stealing.". I did exactly what you suggested in the title though, and I stole like an artist. I've been trying to make it as genuine to me as an individual. Thanks for inspiring a new generation Niko. Luv u bro!!
i have a channel GreenGlow, two white G with green glow as neon like stuff. But is in pt-br, my videos was a try in following a youtuber from brazil that make huge minecraft project, but he started small, so do i. I like and consume some people that do it as well, but is a lot of work for each video, this take looks easier to make, but harder to master, i mean, without a interesting project you need a lot of charisma to make it right, and knowledge or something to pass, i just wish you good look, i will check if your content is nice as well!
Congratulations on the success of your format, it's clearly something that people have been looking for. It's so funny seeing you upload this video in particular right now when I'm currently in the works on a video that is taking inspiration from your format. I knew it just wasn't going to work in the video essay/chapter style I've done for my previous videos. I recently ran across your channel, and it has been a breath of fresh air and a reminder that I can just keep things simple with my own content sometimes. Thanks for being a voice on this platform bringing things back to simpler times. There's definitely a need for it.
niko, idk if you saw the email i sent a few days ago but this feels like a direct response to that which makes me so happy. i really like the ideas you push for and the attitude you have! it feels like such a coincidence that just 3 days after sending you an email about this, you send an email responding :) i really admire all the work you do, and you're the reason i started my channel :D i hope you dont find my channel to be a rip off of yours, that's not in the intention i just think your video idea is super wholesome and inspiring! thank you for inspiring us :)
An example of this could be airplanes (as stated in the vid) the Wright Brothers were one of the first to make a working plane but people took inspo and used it to make stuff like the B22 and Boeing 747.
