InnuendoStudios
patreon
September Update: What Are Months, Even?
🕑 Added 2018-10-10 01:49:39 +0000 UTC Hidilly ho, team.Big ol' Releaso
Holy butts we did it. It took four months and eight videos, but we finally released Bringing Back What's Stolen. As suspected, it meant not releasing a second video in September so we are - once again - one video behind schedule, but y'all should be used to this from me by now, right?! I ask only that you cut me some slack, I put out 57 minutes of content and I'm only counting it for two months.
I will say, releasing a video in 8 parts all at once is a great way to game YouTube views. It appears something like 28,000 people have watched all eight parts, which means those 28,000 people got counted 8 times each, which makes a pretty big spike in traffic, let me tell you! Doesn't actually equate with more patronage so it's just a bigger number with no material effects, but, whatever, big numbers are neat.
Anyway, sorry for the lateness of this update. In comparison to the lateness of September's video, it's probably not that important, and the reasons for it are identical, but, still, I hate being late with stuff. My goal is to get everything back on schedule by Christmas. We'll see how things shake out!
The Middle Distance
Some of you may have seen my Twitter thread on the realities of Patreon for me right now. I won't rehash it here, but, in short, the Patreon is stable but not growing in any meaningful way. Which means I can sustain what I'm doing now, and keep living the life I'm living, and both those things make me happy. But it is probably not sustainable in the long run.
There are a lot of things I'd like to do with my career, and it doesn't appear I can bankroll them, or even meaningfully save up for them, through the channel as it is right now. So I'm thinking a lot about what it would take to expand into other projects, how I'd fund them, and whether I'd have to scale back my focus on the channel to do so. That's all pretty far down-the-line stuff, but it's nevertheless on my mind.
The more immediate question is this: Are there additional revenue streams I could be bringing in now?
I've owed y'all a podcast for some time now, but I've left it on the back burner because a) I felt videos were more important, b) I can only sometimes maintain a monthly video schedule as it is, and c) I wanted to save up for a better mic. But a podcast going out with a Patreon plug at the beginning and end would probably increase patronage. Not by a ton - podcasts don't go viral - but even a little bit adds up.
I've also considered launching a second channel for little projects and mixtapes and goofs and such. Again, probably not a ton of extra revenue there, but when you're just trying to get your growth from $10 a month to $20, it doesn't take much.
But the other important thing to tackle is making good on the obligations I already have. New patrons may be confused as to why this page is multiple years old and yet there are none of the promised annotated videos for the $5-and-up patrons! Well, recently the site where they were hosted shut down without warning and I have the unenviable task of re-annotating them, which I said I would start last month but then went overtime on the Fury Road video. But, rest assured, before that site went down, well over 40% of the videos had been annotated!
Similarly, the Behind-the-Scenes blog hasn't been updated in two years.
These are, again, things that have been neglected for reasons a and b above - not so much c - and while I don't think it costs me a lot of patrons people do lower their pledges because of it. So all these things need to become priorities again.
So let's call this a goal for 2019: Launching a podcast, a second channel, getting the backlog re-annotated, and resuming regular updates of the BTS blog. I will do these things as possible during the rest of 2018, but my top priority will be getting back on schedule by Christmas. We will delve into all the rest in earnest come the new year. Thankfully, I have some ideas on how to double them up.
The Big Picture
But the larger, looming question is: If Innuendo Studios were to change, when would that happen? If I wanted to take on a large project, say, one that required me to stop releasing video essays on the regular.
Well, my thinking is that I want to keep the channel as my main focus at least until The Alt-Right Playbook is finished, which is at least another two years. I have, at last count, about 14 topics still to discuss, and at one a month with a month or two off here and there to tackle other subjects, that'll take us into 2020. Which seems appropriate, since that's when - if there is any sanity left in this world - the last vestiges of the Trump administration will be removed from the White House (if, miserably, not from the Supreme Court).
After that, I think it will be time to take on some new stuff.
I don't intend to stop making video essays until I run out of things to say with them, and the Patreon will probably still be one of - if not the primary - source of income for my projects. So don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. But there are stories and games and experiments and other weird things I want to make with y'all, and I'm starting to think about the whens and wherefores of them.
So! Just keeping y'all in the loop. If we're thinking of video essays as the main project for the next two years, the question becomes: What videos do I want to be absolutely sure I release in that time? Kinda shifts one's priorities to the more ambitious ideas, you know?
Anyway, that's it for me! You'll hear from me again soon.
Cheers, fam!
-I
Comments
Drew & Meggo
I just want to echo this sentiment here. I personally didn't choose to support you (Ian) because I felt like I needed to stick my hands in the process, I just love all the content that you do choose to put out. Probably the only thing that would make me reconsider patronage is lack of content and lack of transparency on why that is, but as it stands you are noooowhere near that point, and I'd even understand slowing down one thing to increase effort in another thing. Just keep making awesome stuff that you care about!
Kait Hatch
No expectations from me. I love what you do and choose to support you because I WANT you to do the work that matters to you, not because I think I get to have a say in what that is. Whatever your personal feelings about getting stuff out, I have never once thought your work has been slow to release. I also appreciate the hustle and looking for additional funding streams to help with sustainability and growth. Go int he directions that help fuel you further and that won't detract from the work you want to do. My offer to collaborate on a podcast episode still stands. I think you'd be an amazing guest for Everything is Workable and I would absolutely top and tail it with an invitation to fund your patreon. I don't have a huge audience but it's something I can offer, even if it's small.
Alex Brueckner
Hi Ian, I think it might be worth considering some some improved self-promotion. I know it might feel tacky for you, but there is a reason nearly every serious video essayist out there adds plugs for themselves to their videos. No need to go overboard, but I think adding throws to your Patreon and the head and tail of your videos would be a good call. I also think it would be worth perusing sponsorships. You're talking about getting into podcasting -- well, pretty much every serious podcast (even the ones with public funding) have ad placements these days. Serious YouTube channels as well. I'm sure it would be possible to find sponsors with whom you do not have a conflict of interest. YouTube's built-in monitization is crap, and everyone knows it, but actual sponsored throws seem to be where the money is at. As one of your Patrons, I can say that I would fully understand if you went this route. I don't feel my patronship should preclude the use of other revenue streams. I can't even imagine scraping by on the income you make, and it's clear that you work hard, so please do consider other sources of income!
Sata Prescott
For your data points: I am a patron explicitly because I believe I owe you for providing the resource that is the Alt-Right Playbook. I'm an information professional and an educator (academic librarian), and I use these videos on the regular as a meaningful, stable resource (that is, their content doesn't change as they are complete videos and not, say, a blog). In my other life, I have a degree in advertising, and I've run a successful art collective that worked a convention circuit for a lot of years. What I can say about creative work is that it's frequently better to hardcore knuckle down on brand than diversify. To that end, I'd suggest developing your very certain sense of what sort of material and in what mode you'd like to create. To all that, my rando on the internet suggestion is to say scrap the blog, don't reach into a podcast, and don't make a second channel unless you just want to for pleasure's sake.
Joining the chorus of those who just increased their pledge. Your videos have changed the way I see the world in a fundamental and powerful way, and I think something of great value would be lost if you were to stop. I can't bankroll you fully but I can at least help you buy groceries.
Nikki
Good luck on this journey man. Wherever it takes you. <3
Raised my pledge too - and I can't speak for everyone, but my feeling is that you produce something of immense caliber and I personally am not keeping track of your exact output schedule. I'm a people pleaser and am always sweating this stuff, but you have so much more goodwill with your audience than you realize. Take care of yourself and know that we respect the hell out of what you do and how long it takes to do it.
Lars Scholz
Pledge raised...!
Kaylee Christine
You're doing amazing work, Ian. Whatever ends up working best for your life, we're behind you.
