YouTube Stars!

Popular YouTube Star KwaiChi (see his Emoticons video in this post) was recently interviewed by Robert Colvile, a reporter for the Telegraph, a National UK newspaper. The interview is online, here. KwaiChi made a video about the interview. He was unhappy that the reporter got his hometown wrong and didn't include much of the interview in the final article. I told KwaiChi that I would be glad to publish the entire interview! Let's watch his video, then please read the interview.

My Daily Telegraph Interview published 23rd September 2006


If you can't see the video above, watch it at YouTube.

The Unabridged Telegraph Interview

How did you hear about YouTube?
My girlfriend (username Kazzart on youtube) is a very popular online 'traditional' blogger (see http://www.kazzart.com/) and works in the IT industry so I heard about Youtube from her. There are loads of youtube related sites, the best ones are http://www.youtubetalk.com/ and http://www.youtubestars.com/

What made you decide to put videos up on it?
I used to post up a traditional blog on my own website for my fans & friends but I found it difficult to regularly post up entries and my blog often fell out of date. I found that making quick videos was relatively easy and great practice for acting, so I just started posting videos. Since then I never looked back and have exclusively been posting on youtube.

Have you been surprised by the response?
There's certainly more of a community feel about youtube than the normal individual blogs you see on the internet. I was not an instant success like many other people on youtube but I have been surprised by the high number of friends and subscribers I have regularly viewing my videos. I think the turning point for me was when I started using youtube as a means to make people more aware of issues such as racism.

Has it helped your career?
I haven't been offered any lead roles in anything since joining youtube but it has increased my fanbase considerably and I now have a wikipedia page written about me. Recently, established celebrities such as Jason Statham, Paris Hilton and P Diddy have been promoting themselves on youtube so it can't be a bad publicity tool. Other than my career I have had many positives from being on youtube including receiving small monetary donations and gifts. I try my best to help promote other people's careers on youtube, from ethical t-shirt makers to unsigned musicians.

What do you think motivates people who use the site?
I think you have 2 main categories of people on youtube:
1) The voyeur who likes to watch lots of videos, perhaps watching some kittens playing with dogs or watching how someone half way around the world lives.
2) The exhibitionist who wants to be on screen, who has something to say. A lot of people fall in between both of the above categories, myself being one of them.

What's the best thing you've put up, do you think?
On July 17th 2006 I posted up a video that I directed and co wrote with my friend Tim McArdle involving over 20 other youtube members. - The YT Anti-Racism Collaboration: We Can Make a Difference (watch it here) It was the first video by the Youtube Anti Racism Collaboration (YTARC for short) raising awareness of racism and encouraging more members of the youtube community to make a video to show their support against racism (this video has now been shown in some schools and sociology classes). There have been over 80 videos made by other YT members so far in this movement and others can show support by placing YTARC somewhere on their profile pages. A few weeks ago I was offered to debate against an open racist on youtube which I accepted and the debate is currently ongoing. I have since been receiving a great deal of researched support from statisticians, law, psychology and biology students from all over the world.

What's the best thing you've seen there?
Sufficiency by VioletKitty411 (watch it here) shows a video of a woman who was involved in a hit and run accident recovering over a period of 3 years. It is a really heart warming true story which carries a very strong message.

Do you think sites like this enable people like yourself to bypass the standard career routes?
It can do as can be seen with lonelygirl15, a 16 year old american girl with strict religious parents who was recently found to be a new zealander 19 year old actress with no previous training or experience. There are a couple more youtubers like MadV and Brookers but not many more success stories though, I for one am happily sticking with my agent to find me work.

I assume the bio data on your site and Wikipedia is accurate - if there's anything that's not, please let me know.
Scarily my wiki page is accurate!

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KwaiChi is involved in many worthwhile, fun and interesting projects. He has just announced plans for a collaborative comedy sketch show! Here's how he describes the project:

If you or any of your friends want to collaborate with me in making a comedy sketch show then please post a video response with an example of your work. eg if you are an actor, post a monalogue. If you are an editor post a video you edited together.

In your video or description please state where in the world you are and what position/s you are applying for. Feel free to pass this on to anyone who may be interested.

Here is the video that KwaiChi made to launch this effort. Have a look and reply to the video if you want to get involved!

Kwai Chi's Really Super Sketch Show: The auditions


If you can't see the video above, watch it at YouTube.

posted by KennyCrane at 9/29/2006 02:43:00 AM