how to make a scene
what happens when every creator works alone?
Hi Shelfers,
We’ve got a new video/essay combo out this week!
By now it’s clear to all of us that video rules the internet. Everyone loves to talk about the attention-mining short videos popularized by TikTok, but the real giant in this space is YouTube. YouTube had almost double the viewers of TikTok in 2024, and is dominating almost every major media category, from TV to video podcasts.
The problem with YouTube, and all major video platforms, is that it's every creator for themselves. There are no real scenes. No real creative communities. Just individual creators building solo brands, and an algorithm using them to steal every last second of our attention.
This hyper-individual approach to creation is a huge departure from every other artistic era. From the exhibitions of the Impressionists to the DIY punk shows of the 80s, art has always thrived in scenes. With today’s relative lack of creative exchange, it’s no wonder that so much of the "content" we consume feels hollow.
In this new essay, available in video and written form, MK shares a simple plan to bring art back to content: rebuild the scene.
It’s about reclaiming collaboration and rebuilding shared spaces for creativity, using tools like YouTube playlists the way artists once used studios and record labels.
→ Read the full essay on Shelfy
→ Watch the video essay on YouTube
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