[Editor’s Note: Tubefilter Charts is a weekly rankings column from Tubefilter with data provided by GospelStats. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a top number ranking of YouTube channels based on statistics collected within a given time frame. Check out all of our Tubefilter Charts with new installments every week right here.]
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During the month of April, Indian channels were in the driver’s seat in our Tubefilter charts. Our monthly ranking of the 100 most-watched YouTube channels includes four consecutive Indian hubs at the front of the line.
These chart-toppers don’t need special skills to excel on Shorts. Instead of pushing the envelope, they’re relying on the tried-and-true formulas that have been proven to work on YouTube’s short-form format.
Chart Toppers
Anaya Kandhal had a dominant month during April 2024. In each of our weekly charts released during the month,...
Scroll down for this week’s Tubefilter Chart, which is brought to you by Bio Sites from Squarespace.
During the month of April, Indian channels were in the driver’s seat in our Tubefilter charts. Our monthly ranking of the 100 most-watched YouTube channels includes four consecutive Indian hubs at the front of the line.
These chart-toppers don’t need special skills to excel on Shorts. Instead of pushing the envelope, they’re relying on the tried-and-true formulas that have been proven to work on YouTube’s short-form format.
Chart Toppers
Anaya Kandhal had a dominant month during April 2024. In each of our weekly charts released during the month,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
One of YouTube’s most iconic stars of yesteryear has made his grand return.
Ray William Johnson posted his first YouTube video in over a year on Christmas, wherein he announced a new series dubbed Svperhvman..
After leaving YouTube in July 2018, Johnson has subsequently focused his content efforts on Facebook, where he says his short-form comedic sketches tend to perform very well -- as opposed to on YouTube, where Johnson presumes they'd be buried by the algorithm. But given that his YouTube career dates back 13 years, Johnson says the impetus for his return came as he realized, “I live a really great life, and I should give back.”
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Ray William Johnson posted his first YouTube video in over a year on Christmas, wherein he announced a new series dubbed Svperhvman..
After leaving YouTube in July 2018, Johnson has subsequently focused his content efforts on Facebook, where he says his short-form comedic sketches tend to perform very well -- as opposed to on YouTube, where Johnson presumes they'd be buried by the algorithm. But given that his YouTube career dates back 13 years, Johnson says the impetus for his return came as he realized, “I live a really great life, and I should give back.”
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 1/8/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Across 14 seasons and 266 episodes, Family Guy has cracked jokes about everything from Star Wars to the Detroit Lions to cool hwip. So what’s the Fox animated comedy’s latest target? YouTube. In the show’s April 17th episode, Stewie cracked jokes about YouTube stars Jenna Marbles, Ray William Johnson, Bethany Mota, Marcus Butler, and Ingrid Nilsen, defining them as both rich and anonymous.
In turn, Stewie mentions the above content creators, and each time, Brian echoes the sentiments of Americans of a certain age by not recognizing any of the names. As Stewie notes, Brian’s ignorance doesn’t matter, because those YouTubers are rich. “This,” he concludes, pointing to the Fox logo in the corner of the screen, “this is over.”
It’s fun to see a major network show riffing on the online video community, even if Family Guy is overstating the amount money that can be made on the Internet.
In turn, Stewie mentions the above content creators, and each time, Brian echoes the sentiments of Americans of a certain age by not recognizing any of the names. As Stewie notes, Brian’s ignorance doesn’t matter, because those YouTubers are rich. “This,” he concludes, pointing to the Fox logo in the corner of the screen, “this is over.”
It’s fun to see a major network show riffing on the online video community, even if Family Guy is overstating the amount money that can be made on the Internet.
- 4/19/2016
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
An important legal case based around the concept of fair use has been settled. After a two-day trial, Ray William Johnson’s Equals Three and viral video licensing company Jukin Media have reached a deal that, according to a joint press release, “dissolves all existing disputes between the two companies and lays the groundwork for a collaborative business relationship in the future.”
The case concerned Equals Three’s use of Jukin-owned clips within its web series of the same name. According to Jukin, this practice constituted infringement, but Equals Three attempted to defend itself by invoking the doctrine fair use, which protects creators who provide commentary on existing media. Had a settlement not been reached, the judge was expected to rule in favor Jukin; according to an anonymous juror who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, the jury did not believe Equals Three’s videos constituted fair use.
The legal dispute...
The case concerned Equals Three’s use of Jukin-owned clips within its web series of the same name. According to Jukin, this practice constituted infringement, but Equals Three attempted to defend itself by invoking the doctrine fair use, which protects creators who provide commentary on existing media. Had a settlement not been reached, the judge was expected to rule in favor Jukin; according to an anonymous juror who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, the jury did not believe Equals Three’s videos constituted fair use.
The legal dispute...
- 3/4/2016
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
In May 2014, two months after he hosted his =3 web series for the final time, YouTube star Ray William Johnson was revealed as one of the leads in Who’s Driving Doug, an indie film starring former Breaking Bad cast member Rj Mitte. Now, three weeks ahead of the film’s premiere, viewers have received a first look at it thanks to a new trailer.
In Who’s Driving Doug, Mitte plays a handicapped student named Doug who enlists Johnson’s character, Scott, as his personal driver. Together with the third lead character, portrayed by Paloma Kwiatkowski, Doug and Scott embark on a trip to Las Vegas. The film's writer, Michael Carnick, is handicapped himself, and the trailer tells us the story is "inspired by true events." The trailer also dispalys plenty of familiar road movie tropes and a melancholy indie rock soundtrack that includes songs by the band Death Cab For Cutie.
In Who’s Driving Doug, Mitte plays a handicapped student named Doug who enlists Johnson’s character, Scott, as his personal driver. Together with the third lead character, portrayed by Paloma Kwiatkowski, Doug and Scott embark on a trip to Las Vegas. The film's writer, Michael Carnick, is handicapped himself, and the trailer tells us the story is "inspired by true events." The trailer also dispalys plenty of familiar road movie tropes and a melancholy indie rock soundtrack that includes songs by the band Death Cab For Cutie.
- 2/5/2016
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Read More: FilmBuff Acquires 'Who's Driving Doug,' Starring 'Breaking Bad's' Rj Mitte Cinematographer David Michael Conley is moving into the directorial spotlight in his upcoming feature debut, "Who's Driving Doug." The movie is set to premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival this Saturday, February 6. The movie follows a sheltered college student (Rj Mitte of "Breaking Bad" fame) whose life is changed forever when he hires an underachieving driver (Ray William Johnson) in order to escape his oppressively loving mother. Doug and Scott are joined by the former's crush, Stephanie (Paloma Kwiatkowski), as they tackle a series of tragic events while on the road to Las Vegas. "Who's Driving Doug" will be released in select theaters and on premium VOD on February 26. Read More: FilmBuff and Orion Releasing Pick Up Adam Pally-Starring SXSW Hit 'Night Owls'...
- 2/5/2016
- by Kristen Santer
- Indiewire
Plus: FilmBuff acquires world on ‘Who’s Driving Doug’; and more…StarStream has promoted Lauren Russell to vp of production and development. Russell was a key figure in bringing three productions to Sundance: Jeff Beana’s Joshy (pictured), Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers and Frankie Shaw’s short film Too Legit.
FilmBuff has picked up worldwide rights to David Michael Conley’s Who’s Driving Doug that will premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 5 ahead of launch in select theatres and VOD on February 26. Rj Mitte of Breaking Bad, Pamela Kwiatkowski of Bates Motel and Ray William Johnson of The Equals Three Show star. Jake Hanley of FilmBuff negotiated the deal with Nicola Carbonetta and David Katz.
Jim Gaffigan has been cast in one of the lead roles of Original Force Animation’s first feature Duck Duck Goose alongside Carl Reiner and the previously announced cast of Stephen Fry, Zendaya, [link...
FilmBuff has picked up worldwide rights to David Michael Conley’s Who’s Driving Doug that will premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 5 ahead of launch in select theatres and VOD on February 26. Rj Mitte of Breaking Bad, Pamela Kwiatkowski of Bates Motel and Ray William Johnson of The Equals Three Show star. Jake Hanley of FilmBuff negotiated the deal with Nicola Carbonetta and David Katz.
Jim Gaffigan has been cast in one of the lead roles of Original Force Animation’s first feature Duck Duck Goose alongside Carl Reiner and the previously announced cast of Stephen Fry, Zendaya, [link...
- 2/2/2016
- ScreenDaily
Read More: Santa Barbara International Film Festival Slate Features U.S. Premiere of Malick's 'Knight of Cups,' Much More Just before its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 6, the coming-of-age indie "Who's Driving Doug" has been acquired by FilmBuff. The company will release the film at the end of the month. Rj Mitte, best known as Walter "Flynn" White, Jr. on "Breaking Bad," plays the title role, an intelligent but sheltered college student with muscular dystrophy. He hires an underachieving classmate Steve (played by internet star Ray William Johnson), who takes him away from his overbearing mother (Daphne Zugina) and on a road trip to Las Vegas. Doug is swiftly introduced to a new world of drugs, gambling, and romance. "'Who's Driving Doug' is an important coming-of-age story from a different perspective, and I am incredibly proud of the film," said director.
- 2/2/2016
- by Mike Lown
- Indiewire
Among the plethora of ads that will arrive online ahead of this year’s Super Bowl, we can expect some collaborations between brands and social media stars. One of the series that falls into that category is Digiorno’s Make the Right Call campaign, which pairs digital personalities Colleen Evans, DeStorm and Ray William Johnson with NFL star Clay Matthews.
Each of the three participating online video stars appears in his or her own commercial within the Make the Right Call campaign. In each video, the featured creator manages to annoy Matthews with a bit of irksome behavior. We then fast-forward to the “right call,” in which Matthews gets his way and Digiorno pizza ascends to a starring role. A longer, 30-second spot features all three creators alongside the Green Bay Packers linebacker.
Make the Right Call certainly won’t be the best bit of branded content we see over the next month,...
Each of the three participating online video stars appears in his or her own commercial within the Make the Right Call campaign. In each video, the featured creator manages to annoy Matthews with a bit of irksome behavior. We then fast-forward to the “right call,” in which Matthews gets his way and Digiorno pizza ascends to a starring role. A longer, 30-second spot features all three creators alongside the Green Bay Packers linebacker.
Make the Right Call certainly won’t be the best bit of branded content we see over the next month,...
- 1/20/2016
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Ray William Johnson’s studio has just won a very tricky case involving the ever-complicated issue of fair use and copyright in the digital age. A California judge recently sided with Johnson in favor of the digital creator’s Equals Three Studios in a lawsuit against viral video company Jukin Media.
Equals Three initiated the lawsuit last year in November 2014, after Jukin had accused Johnson’s production company of stealing some of its viral videos for inclusion in the =3 comedy clip series. For example, in a November 7, 2014 episode of =3, then-host Robby Motz poked fun of a man from a Jukin-owned clip who tripped and dropped his new bride at an Arizona wedding.
Equals Three sued Jukin (which owns the FailArmy YouTube channel and has built a very good business out of licensing and distributing viral video clips) claiming the studio’s use of viral clips was protected under fair use.
Equals Three initiated the lawsuit last year in November 2014, after Jukin had accused Johnson’s production company of stealing some of its viral videos for inclusion in the =3 comedy clip series. For example, in a November 7, 2014 episode of =3, then-host Robby Motz poked fun of a man from a Jukin-owned clip who tripped and dropped his new bride at an Arizona wedding.
Equals Three sued Jukin (which owns the FailArmy YouTube channel and has built a very good business out of licensing and distributing viral video clips) claiming the studio’s use of viral clips was protected under fair use.
- 10/16/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
For the second year in a row, =3 has a new host. The clip show, which vaulted creator Ray William Johnson to YouTube stardom, is now led by Kaja Martin, who is known for her frequent collaborations with Johnson.
With more than 10.8 million subscribers, Johnson’s channel is one of the most popular destinations on YouTube, and =3 is the channel’s best-known program. In recent months, Johnson has looked to expand with a full slate of shows produced by his Equals Three Studios, and Martin has taken a leading role in this programming push by serving as executive producer for four new series. She has also appeared in front of the camera in two of those series: Booze Lightyear and Comedians On.
By taking over hosting duties on =3 (which a press release refers to as The Equals Three Show), Martin is taking on her biggest role yet. The clip show, hosted...
With more than 10.8 million subscribers, Johnson’s channel is one of the most popular destinations on YouTube, and =3 is the channel’s best-known program. In recent months, Johnson has looked to expand with a full slate of shows produced by his Equals Three Studios, and Martin has taken a leading role in this programming push by serving as executive producer for four new series. She has also appeared in front of the camera in two of those series: Booze Lightyear and Comedians On.
By taking over hosting duties on =3 (which a press release refers to as The Equals Three Show), Martin is taking on her biggest role yet. The clip show, hosted...
- 7/28/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Supergravity Pictures is having a big VidCon weekend. The day before the debut of the feature film studio’s second movie, The Chosen, it has announced a strategic investment from Otter Media, the joint venture launched by The Chernin Group and At&T.
Otter Media, which also owns a controlling stake in top multi-channel YouTube network Fullscreen, will support Supergravity as the studio looks to expand its team and secure additional film deals. The investment will include a co-production partnership, through which we can assume Supergravity will work closely with the Fullscreen Films division, which has produced movies like #O2LForever.
Supergravity’s current lineup includes Man Up, which arrived on Vimeo On Demand in May, and The Chosen, which stars digital media star Kian Lawley. It’s upcoming projects include a documentary produced in partnership with Ray William Johnson.
“This investment gives us the capital to execute our vision...
Otter Media, which also owns a controlling stake in top multi-channel YouTube network Fullscreen, will support Supergravity as the studio looks to expand its team and secure additional film deals. The investment will include a co-production partnership, through which we can assume Supergravity will work closely with the Fullscreen Films division, which has produced movies like #O2LForever.
Supergravity’s current lineup includes Man Up, which arrived on Vimeo On Demand in May, and The Chosen, which stars digital media star Kian Lawley. It’s upcoming projects include a documentary produced in partnership with Ray William Johnson.
“This investment gives us the capital to execute our vision...
- 7/24/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Maker Studios is closing down one of its subsidiary properties. In an email to site users, the YouTube multi-channel network announced it will shutter Blip.tv on August 20, 2015.
Founded in 2005, Blip was an early pioneer in the world of online video sharing and distribution sites. The company launched its own content studio in 2012 to produce original series for the site, and signed deals with high-profile creators like Ray William Johnson over the course of the next year. Maker then acquired Blip in September 2013, with the goal of using Blip’s technology, mobile apps, and partnerships with companies like Yahoo and Virgin America to springboard Maker’s growth and create a distribution platform to rival YouTube.
The email from Blip/Maker did not specify why the McN is shutting down the video platform. However, it’s no secret Blip has struggled to make a name for itself since 2006, when Google acquired...
Founded in 2005, Blip was an early pioneer in the world of online video sharing and distribution sites. The company launched its own content studio in 2012 to produce original series for the site, and signed deals with high-profile creators like Ray William Johnson over the course of the next year. Maker then acquired Blip in September 2013, with the goal of using Blip’s technology, mobile apps, and partnerships with companies like Yahoo and Virgin America to springboard Maker’s growth and create a distribution platform to rival YouTube.
The email from Blip/Maker did not specify why the McN is shutting down the video platform. However, it’s no secret Blip has struggled to make a name for itself since 2006, when Google acquired...
- 7/20/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
As he works on multiple film projects, Ray William Johnson--once the man with more subscribers than anyone else on YouTube--has reduced his on-screen role on his personal channel. At the same time, he has built his YouTube hub into a full-on comedy network, with multiple series under the banner of his Equals Three Studios. The latest addition to this lineup is Comedians On, in which funny people deliver riffs on topical subjects.
The first episode of Comedians On takes on a ripe target: Snapchat. The featured comedians at first offer up their best wisecracks on the app’s infamous dick pics, but they ultimately migrate into more didactic territory as they attempt to offer their own witty explanations for Snapchat’s popularity. Johnson appears as one of the comedians, but he’s hardly the focal point. Instead, funnyman Carlos Santos serves as host, and a varied group of personalities provide additional commentary.
The first episode of Comedians On takes on a ripe target: Snapchat. The featured comedians at first offer up their best wisecracks on the app’s infamous dick pics, but they ultimately migrate into more didactic territory as they attempt to offer their own witty explanations for Snapchat’s popularity. Johnson appears as one of the comedians, but he’s hardly the focal point. Instead, funnyman Carlos Santos serves as host, and a varied group of personalities provide additional commentary.
- 7/6/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Since its launch in November 2014, Supergravity Pictures has worked with online video stars on feature film projects. At the same time, Vimeo has become an integral part of that budding industry by serving as a distribution platform for those feature films. Now, Supergravity and Vimeo have united their interests through a deal that will bring four of the studio’s films to Vimeo On Demand over the next year.
The first Supergravity film to arrive on Vimeo On Demand will be The Chosen, which will be available for download beginning on July 24th. The same day, the thriller--which stars YouTube personality Kian Lawley in its lead role--will premiere with a fan-friendly event adjacent to the VidCon convention in Anaheim.
The other three films included in the Vimeo-Supergravity deal have not yet been announced, though Supergravity does have a few other pictures on its docket. Specifically, it is working with former...
The first Supergravity film to arrive on Vimeo On Demand will be The Chosen, which will be available for download beginning on July 24th. The same day, the thriller--which stars YouTube personality Kian Lawley in its lead role--will premiere with a fan-friendly event adjacent to the VidCon convention in Anaheim.
The other three films included in the Vimeo-Supergravity deal have not yet been announced, though Supergravity does have a few other pictures on its docket. Specifically, it is working with former...
- 6/16/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Ray William Johnson has ceased hosting duties on his =3 web series, but the 33-year-old web personality still has a vested interest in the online video industry. In order to share his views about traditional and online media practices, Johnson's Mom & Pop Empire has partnered with Supergravity Pictures for a documentary that will shed light on the monopolistic actions of the cable industry.
The currently untitled documentary, which will be co-produced by Johnson, Kaja Martin, and Supergravity founders Max Benator and Marc Hustvedt, "will bitingly and hilariously shed light on the closeddoor machinations that granted cable companies their horrendous monopolies and the reality that history is repeating itself as the internet falls prey to the same monopolistic, big media practices," according to a press release. This topic is a familiar one for Johnson, who endured a contentious falling out with his one-time partner network, Maker Studios. “Cable monopolies have had...
The currently untitled documentary, which will be co-produced by Johnson, Kaja Martin, and Supergravity founders Max Benator and Marc Hustvedt, "will bitingly and hilariously shed light on the closeddoor machinations that granted cable companies their horrendous monopolies and the reality that history is repeating itself as the internet falls prey to the same monopolistic, big media practices," according to a press release. This topic is a familiar one for Johnson, who endured a contentious falling out with his one-time partner network, Maker Studios. “Cable monopolies have had...
- 4/14/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Ray William Johnson recently returned to YouTube to post a short comedy sketch, and he has now continued his flurry of activity by offering up a new web series. The one-time =3 host is the executive producer of Top 6, a list show written and hosted by Kelly Landry.
Johnson describes Top 6 as "a pretty simple format," and it has a lot in common with other list shows on YouTube. As host, Landry shares six facts based on a particular topic and punctuates her monologue with quick jokes. The fast-paced delivery, frequent jump cuts, and comic strip background will all remind viewers of =3, the clip show Johnson hosted for five years before handing it over to newcomer Robby Motz in July 2014. Landry also serves as a writer for =3, so it's little surprise that her work on Top 6 resembles Johnson's best-known series.
The first episode of Top 6 arrived on Johnson's YouTube channel (which...
Johnson describes Top 6 as "a pretty simple format," and it has a lot in common with other list shows on YouTube. As host, Landry shares six facts based on a particular topic and punctuates her monologue with quick jokes. The fast-paced delivery, frequent jump cuts, and comic strip background will all remind viewers of =3, the clip show Johnson hosted for five years before handing it over to newcomer Robby Motz in July 2014. Landry also serves as a writer for =3, so it's little surprise that her work on Top 6 resembles Johnson's best-known series.
The first episode of Top 6 arrived on Johnson's YouTube channel (which...
- 2/13/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Ray William Johnson is back and ready to entertain on YouTube. After handing over hosting responsibilities of his popular =3 show to newcomer Robby Motz nearly eight months ago, Johnson uploaded a scripted short titled How to Get a Date to his YouTube channel.
How to Get a Date is a well-paced short stuffed with some of the most cringe-worthy one-liners you’ve probably heard used on you or someone you know. Viewers are introduced to a group of three women interested in a new male co-worker, and a group of three men (one of them being Johnson) eyeing a new female colleague. Members of each group believe they can get a date with the respective male or female co-worker before the other members do, and comical awkwardness ensues.
Johnson is certainly no new face to the realm of scripted entertainment. The ex-Maker Studios creator released a five-part web series...
How to Get a Date is a well-paced short stuffed with some of the most cringe-worthy one-liners you’ve probably heard used on you or someone you know. Viewers are introduced to a group of three women interested in a new male co-worker, and a group of three men (one of them being Johnson) eyeing a new female colleague. Members of each group believe they can get a date with the respective male or female co-worker before the other members do, and comical awkwardness ensues.
Johnson is certainly no new face to the realm of scripted entertainment. The ex-Maker Studios creator released a five-part web series...
- 2/12/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Last month, we learned that former Hulu boss Jason Kilar's new startup, which will be called Vessel, has already raised a reported $75 million from investors. Now, we're hearing rumblings of at least one place where Vessel will spend its money: The YouTube community. According to a new report from The Information, Vessel is looking to lure away some of YouTube's top content creators by offering them a bigger payout. Many YouTube content creators have long expressed their discontent with YouTube's ad revenue split, but no platforms have emerged to offer a suitable alternative for creators who want to make more money while keeping their audiences intact. Vessel likely wants to use its deep pockets to lure away more than one of these disgruntled channels. If that strategy sounds familiar, it's because Yahoo is reportedly trying the same thing. Vessel may also offer some of its funds in exchange for 30-day periods of exclusivity.
- 7/29/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Ray William Johnson is no longer the host of the web series that brought him an audience of more than 10.6 million subscribers, but he believes he has found an able replacement. According to Variety, Johnson has announced the new host of clip commentary show =3, passing his former role to 20-year-old college student Robby Motz. Motz, who hails from L.A. and currently attends Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, has no real online video presence of his own. A quick YouTube search of his name brings up an acting reel and little else. In handing Motz the keys to one of the most popular channels on YouTube, Johnson passed up several more well-known candidates. When the new host's torso was revealed in a July 3rd teaser image, several viewers speculated that it would be YouTuber Jack Douglass who would host the new =3. Instead, Douglass will continue to mock bad grammar on his...
- 7/16/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
The second half of the third-season of the biggest YouTube series ever concluded on Monday, July 14, 2014 with a collaboration that’s worthy of the exclamation, “Cowabunga!” Epic Rap Battles of History’s release of Artists vs. Tmnt pits the four revered Italian masters Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo against the heroes in a halfshell that bear their names thanks to an anthropomorphic rat with an affinity for art history. The historical Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo are played respectively by YouTube stars Link Neal, Rhett McLaughlin, Ian Hecox, and Anthony Padilla, while the turtle versions are Lloyd Ahlquist (aka EpicLloyd) in an epoxy and carbon fiber costume designed by Dragan Radic. Erb’s resident martial artist Xin Wuku also provided the jump kicks and any other fancy footwork you see on screen. The epic, collaborative finale is a very nice send off for a very successful third season of Erb.
- 7/14/2014
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
On March 13th, Ray William Johnson took to =3 for the final time. After five years of poking fun at the best viral video clips the web has to offer, Johnson announced his plan to move on to new projects. He also promised to find a new host for =3, thus allowing the series to continue on without him. As it turns out, the =3 hiatus will last four months. Johnson has taken to Twitter to announce that he has found a new host for =3, whose appearance he teased with a blurry photo. Viewers will get their first chance to witness this new host when he takes of the revived version of =3 on July 15th. Found a new host for Equals Three! Expected relaunch date is Tuesday July 15th. Who do you think this guy really is? pic.twitter.com/4VqCziBToo — Ray William Johnson (@RayWJ) July 3, 2014 There's already plenty of speculation about who the new host.
- 7/3/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Thumbnails are the most important aspect of any video’s release, other than the content itself. This is because thumbnails, in combination with titles, are often the biggest deciding factor in whether or not a person will click to watch a video. Due to their overwhelming importance, we at Frederator have put together a guide for creating thumbnails that details the principles and tactics we use when crafting our own thumbnails. These are insights gained from conversations with creators, reading the YouTube Playbook, and countless experiments with various design types, all while measuring the click through rates and performance of our thumbnails through YouTube's TrueView advertising. The Main Goal The main goal for our thumbnails is to get our audience, and new audiences, to view our content and then go on to watch more of our content. We have found that there are three main guiding principles that allow us to achieve this goal.
- 6/19/2014
- by Matt Gielen
- Tubefilter.com
YouTube's favorite German producer is coming to the big screen. DJ Flula Borg, who is known for his improvisational music, his goofy on-screen personality, and his frequent guest appearances on other channels, has landed a role in Pitch Perfect 2, the sequel to critically-and-commercially-acclaimed 2012 movie musical Pitch Perfect. Borg's exact role is unknown, though Deadline's Jen Yamato--who first reported the news--speculates that he will be a member of a rival a capella team that will take on the film's protagonists. As Yamato notes, that role would have star-making potential for Borg; Workaholics star Adam DeVine had a breakout role as the first film's antagonist. Borg is the latest YouTube star to make the jump to Hollywood. On June 13th, Jimmy Tatro will make his film debut when 22 Jump Street arrives in theaters. Later this year, Harley Morenstein will feature in Kevin Smith's Tusk, and Ray William Johnson recently landed...
- 5/30/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Two months after ceasing regular operations on his YouTube clip show, Ray William Johnson has landed a role in a feature film. The former star of =3 is one of the three stars of Who's Driving Doug, an indie road movie. Who's Driving Doug follows a disabled recluse who goes on a road trip with his new driver. The writer of the film, Michael Carnick, is himself confined to a wheelchair. In addition to Johnson, the cast includes Rj Mitte, who played Walter White's son on Breaking Bad and himself suffers from mild cerebral palsy. The final member of the announced cast is Paloma Kwiatkowski of Bates Motel. “We are so excited to have cast these passionate performers to bring this honest and gritty story to life," said the film's producers in a press release. Johnson, who has more than 10 million subscribers on YouTube, hosted his final installment of =3 on March 13th.
- 5/14/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
YouTube has ruled the online video landscape for years, but Yahoo is about to give it a run for its money. According to a report in Recode, Yahoo is trying to break the YouTube monopoly. Its execs are putting together a plan to bring some of YouTube's most popular creators to its video platform. Yahoo has three crucial assets that make its plan possible. Most importantly, it has a large enough scale to drive significant viewership, thus avoiding the problem that has prevented niche competitors from attracting big name YouTube talent. It also reportedly plans to offer a more favorable ad split than YouTube. It's no secret that many YouTube creators are unpleased with YouTube's aggressive advertising revenue split, which reportedly sits at 55/45 in favor of creators. Without a true YouTube competitor, creators have no option but to accept this deal, so it is therefore a no-brainer for Yahoo to...
- 3/31/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Five years after he began commenting on viral videos and ten weeks after he announced his plan to move on, YouTuber Ray William Johnson has posted the final episode of his web series =3. In a 14 minute farewell, Johnson announced the reasoning behind his departure, detailed his plan to cast a new host and writing staff for =3, and looked back on some of his favorite moments from the past five years. Johnson explained the rationale behind his departure when he set an end date three days ago, and he gives many of the same reasons in his farewell video. "I have been making internet videos as a hobby for a long time and I feel like I've outgrown it," he explained. "I've written more jokes about viral videos than one human should ever have to write." Johnson now hopes to focus more on media like TV (where he has a pilot...
- 3/13/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
After Anna Akana and Ray William Johnson uploaded all five acts of their sci-fi, teenage drama Riley Rewind to Facebook and YouTube under the banner of their Runaway Planet studio, Akana quickly moved onto a new project. The burgeoning entertainer is releasing 12 short films in 2014, so that she may hone her writing and directing skills and essentially “learn by doing.” The first of Akana’s shorts to hit the internet was Hallucination, a two-minutes-and-fifty-six departure from her regularly scheduled, vlog-style videos and a look look at a mental health patient who battles a figment of the imagination. More shorts are shot and scheduled for release in the very near future, but in the meantime Akana took to her camera to talk about the short filmmaking process in the kind of detail creators of all kinds tend to shy away from. In addition to telling viewers the importance of a fantastic,...
- 3/10/2014
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
Back in December 2013, YouTube star and burgeoning director Ray William Johnson announced to the internet he would end his incredibly popular =3 show sometime in 2014. He revealed the exact date in 2014 on Sunday, March 9, and it’s coming a little sooner than any of his fans anticipated. After 5 years and 400 something episodes, it finally comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/6aLrXqpoSn — Ray William Johnson (@RayWJ) March 9, 2014 Johnson will end the viral video clip show that started, established, and grew his YouTube presence to an incredible 10.7 million subscribers and more than 2.6 billion views on Wednesday, March 12, 2014. In a recent installment of his and Anna Kana’s (who is not only Johnson’s girlfriend, but a fellow burgeoning actor/writer/director) Runaway Thoughts video podcast, Johnson lends some insight into his reasoning. Not only am I getting burnt out,” Johnson says into the mic, “But I feel like I need to move on.
- 3/10/2014
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
Five years ago, making a web series to get on traditional television was a fool's game. The few web series producers to secure development deals with networks -- from "We Need Girlfriends," "Quarterlife," "Private High School" and "The College Humor Show" -- either never made it to air or didn't last long when they did. But today many more web series have been optioned for TV and made it onto television. Some have even been successful, making it to a second season -- like Comedy Central series "Broad City," which was renewed last night. More series could be coming soon. In the past year hardworking producers like Issa Rae, Ray William Johnson, Benny and Rafi Fine, Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenefeld and have all signed development deals. Now that web production is an established route on the long, hard path to a television series, it's...
- 2/25/2014
- by Aymar Jean Christian
- Indiewire
Facebook is attempting to use its scale and targeting to make a splash in the TV and web video industries, and it has hired an executive to lead the way. The top social media network has hired Sibyl Goldman, formerly the Executive VP of New Media at Ryan Seacrest Productions, to become its head of entertainment partnerships. The specifics of Facebook's social video plan can be seen in a deck uncovered two months ago by TechCrunch. According to that source, Facebook wants to use its massive reach and its treasure trove of accurate, meaningful data to appeal to video advertisers in a way other platforms cannot match. Part of this plan requires Facebook to secure deals with content creators and celebrities, who in turn offer Facebook-exclusive windows. YouTube fans saw one of these partnerships in action when Ray William Johnson released the first episode of his Riley Rewind web series...
- 2/24/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Anna Akana and Ray William Johnson introduced their new studio with the bombastic Riley Rewind, but Akana's latest product is much smaller and more introspective. She stepped behind the camera to helm Hallucination, a three minute short film about a mental health patient. Hallucination was written and directed by Akana and is a sharp departure from the vlog-style videos she usually features on her channel. The film stars Alexis Dickey as a mentally ill woman who is stalked by a figment of her imagination. Hallucination, which was Dp'd by online video vet Lan Bui, looks great, though the story itself is ultimately a pretty simple one. It's artistic and pretty and easy to digest, making it Vimeo entertainment for the YouTube crowd. Akana plans to create 11 more shorts before the year is up, which will help fill out the catalog of her Runaway Machine studio. Meanwhile, Johnson will be using...
- 2/1/2014
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
YouTube Nation has been met with a fair amount of skepticism. The daily video collaboration between YouTube and Dreamworks is meant to bring audiences (and, of course, advertisers) up to speed on what to watch on a video sharing site, to which a couple billion people around the world upload over 100 hours of content per minute. For one, individuals are skeptical because the premise is far from novel. Ray William Johnson has covered YouTube’s viral video circuit with aplomb since 2009. Phil DeFranco has given Gen Xers and Yers an informal, but informative take on current events, internet phenomenons, and ladies who are easy on the eyes by way of The Philip DeFranco Show since 2007 and by way of SourceFed since early 2012. Shira Lazar has interviewed burgeoning and established YouTube stars and personalities with household names on camera for internet audiences via What’s Trending since 2011. And a glut of...
- 1/14/2014
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
YouTube and DreamWorks Animation will co-produce a series of daily shows called “YouTube Nation” for the world’s largest video site, according to two individuals with knowledge of the plans. The shows will recap the most popular daily clips on YouTube, a common format for shows both on YouTube (Ray William Johnson’s “=3”, Phil DeFranco’s “SourceFed”) and off (Comedy Central’s “Tosh.0”). Yet YouTube is financing and co-producing this one itself, and will feature the show on its home page. DreamWorks Animation already established a foothold in booming online video world when it acquired AwesomenessTV last April. AwesomnessTV is one of the fastest.
- 1/9/2014
- by Lucas Shaw
- The Wrap
Add Ray William Johnson to the list of creators who are putting an end to their primary YouTube shows in 2014. Johnson, whose main channel has more than 10.6 million subscribers, has announced his plan to cease production on =3 sometime in 2014. Hate to be a downer, but it's official: I'm retiring =3 at some point in 2014. Going to move fwd and focus on other aspects of my career. — Ray William Johnson (@RayWJ) December 30, 2013 =3 (pronounced 'equals three'), which first debuted in April 2009, features Johnson's fast-paced commentary on viral video clips. The series' popularity has vaulted Johnson to Internet superstardom, including a stint as the most subscribed channel on YouTube. Recently, however, he has begun to focus on other projects, namely his first original scripted series Riley Rewind. Johnson surely plans to focus on his Runaway Machine production studio, from which Riley Rewind was the first major release. The 50 minute sci-fi high school dramedy impressed many viewers and critics,...
- 12/31/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
When Ray William Johnson chose to debut the first act of Riley Rewind on Facebook, it seemed like a curious decision. A few days later, Facebook's appeal has become much clearer. TechCrunch has reported on a "leaked, confidential deck" that reveals the network's plan to dominate both TV and YouTube by offering reach and ad targeting not available on other platforms. The full deck can be viewed over at TechCrunch. It is aimed at advertisers and offers reasons why those buyers should pick up Facebook's video ads, which the site recently teased on mobile. For starters, Facebook claims to offer a more complete reach to the 18-24 demographic than the major TV networks, and the site's execs also claim that, for all the ground YouTube has gained a social network in the past couple of years, it still doesn't hold a candle to Facebook. ”A lot of time is spent...
- 12/16/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Riley Rewind is here. Ray William Johnson has released the first major production from his Runaway Planet studio to Facebook, where "Act 1" of his sci-fi/teen drama is available right now for our viewing pleasure. All installments of Riley Rewind will make their way to Johnson's YouTube channel and its 10.5 million subscribers later today, but the 3.8 million fans who like the =3 host on Facebook have been given the initial look. The 11-minute first act is one of five, with the completed series to clock in with a runtime of about one hour. Those familiar with the very well-received Riley Rewind trailer will notice some differences between the previews and the actual series. For instance, Riley Rewind is peppered with special effects, including hand-drawn animation sequences. They add to the visual fireworks and overall aesthetic that feels endearingly channeled from the kinds of highschool movies popular in the 80s. The tone...
- 12/12/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
I'll admit that I was skeptical about Ray William Johnson's directorial debut, Riley Rewind. The =3 host has built his YouTube reputation almost entirely on one series, and I wasn't sure how well his ability to riff on viral videos would translate to a feature-length presentation. That being said, Johnson has recently released a pair of trailers for Riley Rewind, and I must admit that the film looks pretty good. Riley Rewind will star Johnson's girlfriend, Anna Akana, as a high school time traveler who must stop a bomb from destroying her school. The film is the first major production released by the couple's studio, Runaway Machine, which was recently renamed from Runaway Planet to avoid copyright issues with a bluegrass band of the same name. The film's second trailer gives us a good idea of its basic style, and it seems like Riley Rewind will have a balanced combination of science fiction,...
- 11/27/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
The Fine Bros are the latest YouTube creators to sign with a major talent agency. The creators of the four React series and MyMusic have signed with Wme. Benny and Rafi Fine will join several other prominent YouTube creators, such as Ray William Johnson and Felicia Day, as Wme clients. In doing so, they will add their names to a growing movement that has seen YouTubers sign with talent agencies like Wme, CAA (MysteryGuitarMan), and UTA (iJustine and Shane Dawson). The Fine Bros' decision to sign with Wme likely signals their interest to explore opportunities in traditional media. Ray William Johnson used the agency's assistance to secure a script commitment from FX, while Shane Dawson recently sold a sitcom to NBC four months after joining UTA. For The Fine Bros, traditional media opportunities could take the form projects utilizing their direction, production, and editing talents. Of course, joining a major...
- 11/19/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
More than ten months after he launched his own studio, Ray William Johnson is set to deliver a new film project. It's called Riley Rewind, and it will finally debut after a long wait on December 12th Upon release, Riley Rewind will be the first significant project from Johnson's Runaway Planet studio, which he formed last year after his contentious split with Maker Studios. It will star Johnson's girlfriend and Runaway Planet co-creator Anna Akana as Riley, with both the title and the poster hinting at a time-travel theme. Johnson also teased the upcoming film at the end of the latest episode of his ongoing web series, =3. Though details are still sparse, the Riley Rewind IMDb page states that the film will be an impressive 169 minutes long. That's an impressive length unheard of for most independently funded web productions.
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- 10/9/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
A month after becoming the most subscribed creator on YouTube, PewDiePie is widening his lead. The Swedish gamer has reached 13 million subs, opening up a 700,000 sub difference between his channel and Smosh, the #2 most subscribed channel. Here are some fun facts about the milestone: If the subscriber difference between PewDiePie and Smosh was its own channel, it would be the 616th most subscribed channel on YouTube. PewDiePie currently has more than two times as many subscribers as the most subscribed channel at this point last year. YouTube is currently auto-subscribing new members to its spotlight channel. That channel has 399,051 new subscribers in the past seven days, while PewDiePie has 257,135 new subs over the same period. In other words, PewDiePie's weekly subscriber haul is 64% of the volume of all new YouTube users during that time. He's moving up in views, too. He just passed Rooster Teeth to move into 12th place on the YouTube views leaderboard,...
- 9/13/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Maker Studios has sent out a press release confirming its acquisition of Blip. In the release, the top multi-channel network revealed the ways it will incorporate the online video platform into its ongoing strategy. The release outlines three specific areas where Maker will retain Blip's features. It will obviously make use of the company's platform, which is currently partnered with YouTube, Yahoo, AOL, and Virgin America. It will also incorporate Blip's apps, which are available on Xbox, Roku, iOS, Android and Kindle. Finally, as expected, the acquisition will see Blip's premium content producers collected under the Maker umbrella. Ray William Johnson must be excited. “Blip’s content partnerships and technology platforms are a great complement to Maker,” said Ynon Kreiz, executive chairman of Maker Studios. “We will leverage these strategic parts of the business to supplement our offering, helping us continue to accelerate our growth. We are happy to welcome...
- 9/6/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
For months, we've heard rumors of Maker Studios' plan to launch a new platform. Depending on whom you ask, this platform is out to dethrone YouTube or simply play alongside it. Either way, it turns out Maker's new platform has been under our noses this whole time: It's Blip. According to Peter Kafka of AllThingsD, the multi-channel YouTube network will buy the alternative online video platform for an undisclosed amount. Kafka believes Blip will not fetch a prohibitively high price, noting how the platform "has struggled to find its footing the last few years." We will know the final terms of the deal when it is closed sometime in September, but Kafka suggests that current Blip CEO Kelly Day will leave the company as part of the agreement. Maker's purchase will first and foremost provide its creators with a platform through which they can escape YouTube's suboptimal revenue streams.
- 8/21/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
That didn’t take long. In less than 24 hours after Felix Kjellberg’s PewDiePie became the #1 Most Subscribed YouTube Channel of All-Time, the 23-year-old Swedish gamer already uploaded a collaboration with Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla of Smosh, the channel that formerly held the title. In the first half of the 3-minute and 47-second video, Hecox and Padilla give Kjellberg a few pointers on what it takes to hold one of the most prestigious and coveted positions in all of online video. Among the laundry list of necessities are disco ball earrings, a tiara, pink scarves, “crotch bling” in the form of Lady Liberty’s torch, a landline for calling the police (which Hecox warns Kjellberg he’ll have to do quite often), and not-so-carefully-applied lipstick. The collaborative portion of the video ends with a signature PewDiePie BroFist that involves the Hecox and Padilla’s fists and Kjellberg’s face.
- 8/18/2013
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
It’s official. PewDiePie is now the most subscribed YouTube channel of all-time. The channel featuring and owned and operated by 23-year-old Swedish gamer Felix Kjellberg (and his sometimes scary-faced, high-volume, expletive-using alter-ego PewDiePie) surpassed Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla’s Smosh earlier this evening (around 7:30Pm Et) to claim the #1 spot on the YouTube’s Most-Subscribed list. At the time this article was published, PewDiePie’s subscriber count equaled 11,923,203 to Smosh’s 11,122,382. Smosh’s reign as YouTube’s top channel lasted a full 216 days. Padilla and Hecox’s online video repository of their teen and tween-friendly brand of comedy ousted Ray William Johnson for the #1 position back on January 12, 2013. At that time, Smosh had more than 6.78 million subscribers. That means over the past seven months and four days the comedic duo has averaged roughly 23,768 new subscribers per day. That’s quite an acquisition rate, but it’s still no match for PewDiePie.
- 8/16/2013
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
In an experimental panel at VidCon, audience development specialists were assigned to different tables in order to have a more intimate conversation with attendees about what it takes to grow a channel on YouTube. Panelists were pulled from a variety of online video savvy organizations and included a wide range of talent from Alloy Digital, MyDamnChannel, Machinima, Rooster Teeth and Frederator. Each speaker sat with a group of interested parties eager for more views and subscribers for 15 minutes, which allowed for each attendee to chat with 3 different specialists in an effort to improve their online presence. So, what were the takeaways? As a group discussion ended the panel, the speakers all agreed that beginning channels need to focus on collaborations, consistency and engagement. Collaborations aren’t exactly a new method of growing a channel, as we’ve seen countless times before (and most notably when Sarah Silverman's YouTube subscribers...
- 8/7/2013
- by Chris Landa
- Tubefilter.com
Blip has hired former Tumblr executive Chris Mohney as its vice president of programming, the digital video network said Wednesday. Blip created this position for Mohney, who will oversee all editorial content for the company's site. Blip has repositioned itself as a destination for original videos and exclusive content the past year, signing deals with YouTube star Ray William Johnson and partnering with My Damn Channel and FremantleMedia. Also read: Blip Launches Production Studio, Seeks to Expand "In the past year, Blip has grown exponentially into one of the leading digital media companies in...
- 7/10/2013
- by Lucas Shaw
- The Wrap
It's another installment of the weekly Tubefilter Chart of the Top 50 Most Viewed YouTube Channels Worldwide and it looks as if PewDiePie is getting very comfortable in that #1 spot. The 23-year-old Swedish gamer with close to 10 million YouTube subscribers is able to hold onto his top position for the fourth straight week in a row, with his 49.973 million views beating out his next closest competitor, the Turkish Phonographic Industry Society's MÜ-yap channel, by more than 4 million pairs of eyeballs. Rounding out the Top Three is Machinima's SkyDoesMinecraft, with a 15% week-over-week increase to top out at 35.5 million views over the past seven days. South Korea's Psy is losing momentum with a 32% week-over-week decrease, but is still able to maintain the #4 spot with 27.6 million views, followed by Samsung Mobile USA's channel with 24.9 million views to round out the Top 5. Great Britain-based physics tricks channel Quirkology is the only never-bef0re-seen addition to...
- 7/5/2013
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
Out of the 50 channels on the list 13 are operated by the YouTube Multi-Channel Network Vevo. That puts it atop the list of most-well represented MCNs. Machinima comes in second place with 4 U.S.-based channels in the Top 50. IGN comes in third place with three channel. And there's a three-way tie for the #4 position with Alloy Digital, Warner Music Group, and Zefr all with two channels a piece. Independent YouTube enthusiasts will be happy to see SkyDoesMinecraft again at the #1 spot, with over 33 million views in the past seven days. Following the uber-successful gamer is Smosh in the #8 position. Then the laundry list of who's next in on the Top 50 Most Viewed U.S. YouTube Channels list from the indie online video world reads as The Fine Bros at #11, Toby Turner's Games channel at #14, CaptainSparklez at #2, TheRadBrad at #25, former Most-Subscribed YouTuber Ryan Higa at #27, SeaNanners at #29, Smosh's Games...
- 6/21/2013
- by Joshua Cohen
- Tubefilter.com
Investor and YouTube entrepreneur Jason Calacanis is seizing the moment. After making headlines with an incisive blog post decrying YouTube and the vice grip in which it holds its creators, he drew attention at the Stream Conference when he hinted at several soon-to-launch YouTube competitors, including one from Maker Studios. Calacanis' latest effort is another one sure to draw discussion. He has penned a post titled "A YouTube Creators' Bill of Rights" where he explains five essential features that YouTube should be offering its creators. Calacanis' post is a response to the trend of top creators (included Ray William Johnson and Philip DeFranco) brokering deals outside of YouTube. "HBO’s directors, writers and actors don’t look at HBO as a marketing tool -- they look at it as the best *home* for their best work," he writes. "Netflix is also becoming the best home for artists’ best work, and...
- 6/12/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
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