Usurpt by an 11 year old!

[Paul R Johnson]

I had a think yesterday. We get loads of topics here and millions on youtube about how to make videos and my 11 yr old grandson consumes loads of the youtube celebs - particularly Mr Beast and somebody called Luke - who have millions of subscribers. He came to the studio and sat at the desk, and asked if he could have a go. Atem, streamdecks, 3 cameras, mics, hyperdeck, imac, lights etc. I said fine - pointed to the things that did things and where the record button was, and I went back to the office and did boring grown up stuff. Half an hour later and no questions, he brought me an SD card. We watched it and he realised he'd been talking to the wrong cameras, and that if he turned a certain way, his voice got quiet. Back he went and he'd found an online app that sort of did the wheel of fortune spinning thing. He'd programmed the questions and figured out how to add the computer output to the multi-view program out. Second attempt done - so I fired up Premiere, brought in the file and showed him cuts, ripple edits and captions - plus a simple dissolve. Grandad - all done, where do I save it to so mum and dad can see it?

My point is that we moan about kids not doing proper stuff at school, but they clearly get taught transferable skills. Bored with disolves, he'd experimented with the other stuff, didn't like my simple demo of titles, but steamed in with the clever stuff. At the end, he slid off the chair and figured out how to make the picture slide downwards on the screen.

Content was typical 11 year old, but one bit he sounded like the devil. What did you do? I asked - I made it play that bit backwards!!

It does seem that older people need instructions for even basic technology, and never experiment. 11 yr olds just need the basics and then they zoom off. I think there is no point trying to make them do what we want, when they can do their own.

The Mr Beast guy on Youtube who does really stupid things, just gave a way a real desert island, with beach and palm treees to a viewer who wond the competition. It seems hes also given away ferraris and other sports cars too - he makes that much money!

I'm too old for this.

[Andrew Smith]

The oldies have this fear of what might happen if they press the wrong button. The younger generation not so much.

Andrew

PS. Please high-five him for me.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Kids can amaze you. As far as Youtube that's a common formula, of projecting wealth and success to get views. They rent or borrow expensive things to make themselves seem important enough to follow.

[Andrew Smith]

Just a younger iteration of the "fake it until you make it" mantra that is common in multi level marketing schemes as well as probably other places. :-)

Andrew