Let us talk about pressure.

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More science! More dark duck, too!

Mike Janzen

More hard science? Yeah!! :D

Chris

Good post, and I definitely understand! - And, yes, please don't feel any pressure to be "popular". The good, hard science was what brought me too you, after all.

Of course we'll always stay with you :)

You make great videos. Let's have more behind the scenes content for patrons. I want to see your narrator, for example, the workflow for a video, how it comes together.

Robin Beckett

The best thing about your channel is that you value quality over quantity and all your videos are well researched.

Just on my way to Brussels via Flixbus and the announcements were in a familiar voice. Put a smile on my face :)

tomfii

I love what you're creating. Thank you for spending some of your life creating to enrich the life of people like me.

Razvan Caliman

support unconditionally

More science and less clickbait sounds very good to me!

Just keep being yourself, that what makes your videos awesome.

Augusto Nizzo Mc Intosh

Hi, all of people in a nutshell. Pressure is to do with your perspectives and view of what success is. There are topics that i like and others find intensely boring. It doesnt make my interest any less valid. So not every single video needs to be 1m+ or on front page of reddit to be a good video. i like some of less popular video from you as well and think highly of them. So a healthy dose of objective and perspectives adjustment is necessary to refresh things.

Jenny Zhou

Okay, this makes perfect sense, but I would like to give one suggestion. I have this channel I'm subscribed to. It is called "Game Maker's Toolkit" (I guess this post could be treated like promotion, but, hey, Mark is great, why not?) and is about game design. At some point, channel owner realized that he needs to go deeper into Zelda games and created separate show on the same channel, called "Boss Keys", that was specifically dedicated to single game and its contents. Of course, it was not appealing to everyone subscribed, but still is a way for a creator to blow off some steam. What I think would work for Kurzgesagt is basically the same — you definitely should do some hardcore science, put it on the same channel, but brand it differently. Be honest with viewers, name those "in a turtleshell" or whatever, and just say in the beginning "hey, this one may be too intense, if you don't like it, go check out our other great videos". This way you will also get rid of the "judged by last videos" pressure, because technically they will be your "special episodes", not something in the main storyline. Good luck and have a lot of inspiration!

In my opinion: being worry about what the others would think about your work, about your art .. this is a recipe to failure. Just do what you love most, talk about what you love most ... and if you fail, at least you are gonna feel good about yourself. Are you gonna be a puppet show for the masses or are you gonna to allow your ideas flying across eternity? You have an opportunity than others including myself, will die to have. Doesn't matter than only last for two or three years. Just don't waste it and keep the hard work.

I fell in love with your videos just a month or so ago, I can't even remember how I got to know your channel. I started with a video, then the other, then another one, next thing I know I was watching methodically every single video made by you. At some point there was no new video to see and I felt compelled to do something about that: so for the first time in my life I became a patron, I started paying for something that I would have usually took for free and for granted. I think that the Kurzgesagt team make an excellent work and you will continue to do so: I understand your need to "clickbait" videos, but I hope that you won't forget the core base that love al the awesome informative material that you provided us during this time. I will continue to support you the best I can

I've been a patron way before the really viral videos (I think). you've put out a really good production quality from the start and I think this is your real strength and the reason why I became a patron. sometimes I get lost for hours in Wikipedia articles even though I'm pretty sure I'll never construct an nuclear missle. or a fission reactor. but it never harms anyone to learn something and you make learning fun. please stick with that

Uwe

I have a lot of personal problems that i can relate, i certainly can show my support by telling you guys that not only your videos are uplifting and informative but you guys have done tremendous work that for the first time I've donated money to a YouTube channel. i feel very personally connected when learning about science and psychology, so if it means anything even something as simply sharing your personal problems have helped me even further. I've never seen science YouTube videos quite like yours before, i feel speechless actually. if i can help at all, id like to share some of my thoughts too about what you guys might want to post, especially since you guys seem like you can elaborate my thoughts deeper than myself. but for myself, i spark ideas everyday that seem important but also pointless to tell anybody about, but ideas are what create everything once put the the test.. you know what i mean. i'm personally big on the brain and cognitive psychology, and i know this will help a lot of children apart from me. so if you guys want to look into that, you will help me understand my thought structure and me personally even further than i do. this is exactly the reason i'm trying to connect with you guys personally, anyways guys ignore the pressure and keep going, much love.

Andrew Napier

Yes, I was hearing it in the narrators voice. Music too. Duck being squished by an industrial press, etc.

Yes, I was hearing it in the narrators voice. Music too. Duck being squished by an industrial press, etc.

Sounds like a good plan. Looking forward to your hard science nieche topics :)

Thanks for sharing with us and really happy with the direction you're taking. Me personally, I freaking love in-depth science videos on youtube both general and specific. It's nice to have a video about the death of the universe, as well as about something more technical. Really excited about the new videos (but no pressure).

Anyone else tried to read it in that voice?

Great post!!

Do what you have to do, I'm sure I'll be here till the bitter end.

Hi! I suscribed to your channel and participated in patreon because I love your videos. Don't care much if they go viral or have only 1000 viewers. If you keep doing what you do with hard work and love you will always be in touch with your hardcore followers ;) thanks for sharing, this insights are really interesting to me. Cheers!

I'm all in for the hard science videos. That's why I subscribed in the first place. If need be, we will pledge more, just don't stop what you are doing because it's amazing. Good luck, Philipp!

People in the beginning (your true hardcore fans) have subscribed for the deep science, not for the huge populist clickbaity titles (as you call it yourself, I find those fantastic as well). There will be enough of your followers who appreciate whatever educational topic you come up with, no matter what it is. And besides: Your production quality is so far off the charts, however "mediocre" you think that your next video might be, it will top almost all of the rest of YouTube. Just do what you think is the right thing and your fans will rearrange themselves. Those who don't like it will leave and those new ones will find you. I have experience with a similar situation from my Facebook page where I also got huge unexpected success and thought I have to deliver all the time and top myself all the time. But when I then went into a little different direction and had a few months of weaker performance, my fanbase shifted to the new reality and it was fine. TL;DR: Don't worry and just do what you want to do. This is YOUR channel and YOU decide. If you feel pressure and lose the passion, nobody wins!

Jochen Römling

Proud to be a patreon!

by all means, treat us to some hard(core) science and do branch out into something different whenever you guys feel like it. How else can one develop?

Yan Masarsky

I admire your openness, Philipp! I'd want for you to be more free and playful about the topics of your video. I certainly can't imagine any topic that would put me of! You have this gift of condensing down the most complex of themes into ten minutes of awesomeness. Each of your videos gives of this vide of perfection you always strive for and I think this would also be true for videos exploring less "popular" themes. This kind of double standard is strange to me : The same people who spend hours of their time watching cat videos without any content then go on to criticizing content like yours which is infinitely more complex and polished. I am confident, everything you put out there will be a blast!

Kay Brinkmann

Dear Philipp, Yes you absolutely should !! Virality aside. I am willing to bet most of your Patrons love you exactly for the "hardcore" science videos. I sure do. Go ahead and have fund with whatever topic you want to and need to talk about. 113 years ago, German poet and philosopher addressed this issue, that every artist probably faces in his life, in his fantastic letters to Mr. Kappus (please excuse the German to English translation I am not a native speaker in either language): "You ask if your verses are good. You ask me. You send them to newspapers. You asked others before. You compare them with other verses, and you get worried when some redaction reject your work. Now (since you allowed me to advise you) I beg of you to stop all of this. You look outside for approval, and this is exactly what you should not do. No-one can advise you and help you, no-one. There is only one way. Go deep within yourself and figure out the reason that pushes you to write. A work of art is good when it is created out of need. If it is your calling to be an artist, then take the risk upon yourself, with its weight and its beauty, and never ask for compensation, then none will ever be able to come from outside." The book is "Letters to a young poet" published again in 2009 by Anaconda Verlag in Köln, I recommend it to anyone.

I LOVE THIS POST!!!! Thank you for letting us know how it feels behind the scenes man! I might not be your average viewer, but trust me, I get off on hearing how other human beings deal with obstacles like this in their life. Gives me inspiration on how to deal with the issues in my own life. Thank you! Love!

Philipp, I think most of us that back you here on patron won't really mind if you do something if you do something playful. [edit]Premature posting! Woo! *ahem* Now, speaking for myself, I can't afford the same amount of giving each month as I could, but I still give, because what you do is fantastic and something well worth pitching in to see it continue. So you do what you need to do, we'll still be here regardless. Also: Hard science and technology! Woo! [/edit]

Andreas "Rowas" Lind-Sahlin

If you get writers block, you can surf around YouTube for a channel to do a collaboration with and bring a new (and interesting!) topic on the table, they get publicity, you get a fresh new perspective and video. It's an all around win!

When did trolling ever became part of all this???

Actually, I would love to know more about your creative process. Between the topic selection, in-depth research, writing, and animation, there must be an ocean of interesting insights to unpack. You're the experts at distilling complex scientific topics. Teach us to learn like you!

I believe it takes more to discourage that kind of audience that a few not so much successful videos, if it will be the case. You are doing REALLY good stuff, IMO your next videos does not have to be better and better. Just give it a try and we will be here! Also: hard science, yay! :D

Do what you have to do, I back you on Patreon specifically because it gives you the stability to act at your own discretion and in your own self-interest.

Do what you have to do, I back you on Patreon specifically because it gives you the stability to act at your own discretion and in your own self-interest.

*tries to create normal video about hard science to serve as an outlet for pressure to make everything go viral* *video goes more viral than all previous videos combined and sets new channel view count record* *Philipp sighs*

I have this feeling that I will enjoy every video you do anyway. I love your more in-depth science videos like the CRISPR which I found very interesting. I am sure I'll enjoy whatever videos you make!

Andrew Wrangell Music

Just make content you yourself would like. If it doesn't go viral, so what? Those of us who support you here like what you've done and how you do it - and presumably what you've done so far is content you yourself would like. If it doesn't go viral it doesn't matter. Patreon supports are here to keep you going, as long as it's still stuff we like. And if what you like and we like diverge, so be it, but I seriously doubt that is what is going to happen. More likely the hard science you are about to tackle is not going to make your problem easier, but worse. Only consciously deciding that viral is not what is important is going to help you.

TPRJones

Take chances, make mistakes, get messy! Happy to be on this ride with you all, no matter where it takes us.

Shane Lawrence

First world problems are the horrible dilemma in the candy shop when you have to choose between gummy bears and marshmallows. Creating such excellent content as Kurzgesagt videoes and having a hard time to keep up the quality just cannot be defined as a first world problem It just cannot. While I surely can understand "the pressure" just know that Kurzgesagt videos are of such high quality that even the worst of them all(whichever one that may be) is still so good that it just cannot be an embarrassment. I hope to see many more videoes from you, no matter the subject or length.

I would be happy if you did a really knuckle-cracking science video where I had to pause and rewatch parts of it to understand it completely, and which only got like 200 000 views :) I am glad that you do you want to do, and explore new format while you have an opportunity to do so. Good luck to you!

Sergey Antopolskiy

Hard science is why I subscribed and further why I donate on Patreon. Your videos on these subjects are awesomeness^2. Keep it up, I'll keep supporting you, and I honestly believe a lot of others will as well.Plus I really like how you destroy the universe or at least the earth every so often. :-)

Patrick W. Gilmore

The pursuit of permanenance is an illusion and cause of a lot of pain in this world. Everything is ephermal and regardless of what you do, you have to accept that one day your channel will disappear! Once you've come into terms with that, enjoy the ride as your team have done exceptionally well! My 2 cents is, treat your viewers like they are all intelligent people seeking to justify what they already know, never dumb-down the topic just because it's hard to comprehend! Good luck Kurzgesagt

I absolutely support doing quirky/niche/low-impact videos, however often it needs to be. No matter the topic, the visual quality alone of your videos is among the best on youtube, and has been since you started. I don't need to have my existential mind blown every video.

I think some of the best videos you made so far have been on 'off the beaten track' topics. Looking forward to it! Also, don't be too surprised when you find out that you'll still get 1M+ views despite your choice of topic. :)

Thomas Janssen

Dont give in to the market that pressures us all in a kaleidoscopic array of ways. What you produce is special and very important, we admire it and hope you carry on :) best wishes

Keep taking risks! Great post

I guess I am part of a relatively small group of your viewers because I care so much that I am willing to give you money for the stuff you make. But in my personal and quit useless opinion it is totally okay that you make the videos that you guys feel okay with. I enjoyed every video so far and I believe I would enjoy every upcoming video. Even if it would be more experimental or something like that. I totally understand that you get this pressure because of this shitty algorithm and I think this is no good, because it puts so much stress on the people that made Youtube big, the creators.

Kevin

It’s curious how we react so much more contextually than objectively, and how the normalisation of goals renders them irrelevant to us. Seems to me that this double-edged sword compels the quality of output in relative equilibrium to the amount of anxiety it produces: the better you get, the more you worry. There’s a strange dissonance here, and although I kind of understand it intellectually it doesn’t resolve the emotional experience (though perhaps it mitigates it somewhat). I guess like humour (and a lot of things, really) the creative process needs tension and release. One truly helpful realisation I had working as a creative professional was that I genuinely enjoy working out problems. I had previously felt like every brief (problem) I was given was a burden, but when I reframed them in context of the end goal of resolving the problem, the experience was more like a jigsaw puzzle and less like bear attack.

Jesse Richardson

I think you should take this more easily. Unlike other videos or channels on youtube, your videos are for more, I don't know, creative, curious, clever, etc. people. And I hope we will be more "soft" on you if something goes wrong. You shouldn't think about number of youtube watches as something you build. What you build is your videos! And they will never fade away, they are going to stay until the end of humanity. Think about it ;)

Aleksandr

<3

Alt Shift X

I love science, but I also won't turn down "A study in Kurzgesagt Birds" for a video :D

Ting

I've been following your videos for a while now and just started backing up on patreon. I just wanted to say that your content is awesome and we'll love whatever it is you put out!

Lucas M.

While I understand the pressure (i am a creative myself) I feel that you should know by now that, at least the people supporting you on patreon, doesn't really care about click bait topics. After all, we give you money every month for YouTube videos, which are free to view, only because we trust you deliver great content no matter what.

You guys always do great work, I can always see the immense effort that goes into each video. If you need ideas for what to cover next you could ask here (I have some suggestions) or even ask on reddit. If you think reddits interests drive successful videos then an AMA would definitely give you a list of easy topics when the writers block hits. In between just focus on the topics that your core fan base wants (besides, I'm sure there's plenty of overlap).

I'm very much looking forward to whatever you will come up with! :D I very much love nerdy content anyway and while the newer stuff was really really REALLY great (!) it was also very popular topics I already knew quite a lot about! :) So something more niche-like will spice things up nicely ;) You'll always have my patreon support, take all the time and artistic phase-shifts you need!!! :D You are AWESOME, you definitely have the power to shift into any new gears you like!!! ;)

Narktor

Do that, but also try not giving a fuck about numbers. I know it's hard, but it's good for keeping your sanity and concentrate on contents. Also, how about getting a cat. Cats don't give a fuck either. If you had a cat in your office you'd have a constant reminder of how to not give a fuck.

Oliver Sartun

You guys make me proud to be your (humble) patreon, not only for the quality of your content but your straight forward approach towards this "business"... Thank you for your commitment to your content and patreons!

Nuno Tiago

I'm a new Patron and I only learned of your channel a few months ago, I subscribe because I believe what you're doing is helpful to the world. The only person you should aim to please is yourself. Make the videos you want to make that interest you most. It'll permeate through every aspect of the video and people will be able to feel it. Making niche content is great, making "viral content" is great too. It's all a mix but it has your blessing, which is the main thing. Internet Landscapes change, Reddit's fickle and in the end what you'll have left is your body of work. I have the same feelings of inadequacy & 'not good enough', pouring 90+ hours into each of my creations. I trust what I do is right and people support that. Do what you feel is right. People buy into you. You're the creator, your followers believe in you. Kick some ass!

OSW Review

It's also part of the process as admirers of the artists we love to show our support when the pressure is on (however is needed for our artists.) I'm a Patreon because I love your work - your style, your demeanor, your humor. I hope your channel grows as large as you desire - but as a member of your base, I'm looking forward to some more tech. Thanks guys.

Matthew

You guys don't need click bait anyway, your style would make any topic no matter how niche interesting, and focussing on gaining a loyal fan base is a great idea. That means more patreons, right? And besides, 1 bad video isn't going to drive everyone away, so as far as experimenting is concerned I'd say go for it

* note this is NOT a comment saying "hey you should do more stuff in a shorter amount of time", I was just curious.

I believe supporters and followers of your amazing channel will completely understand and will continue to support Kurzgesagt regardless. Not everyone online is "always on the look for the most amazing videos", somethings simply great will do just fine.

I believe supporters and followers of your amazing channel will completely understand and will continue to support Kurzgesagt regardless. Not everyone online is "always on the look for the most amazing videos". Sometimes "simply great" will do just fine. :) It takes a big man to be open and honest about pressure and I for one respect you and Kurzgesagt more for opening up about this.

Thanks for this, makes the pressure I'm facing at the moment seem like a walk in the park. I'll put an extra $1 on my pledge for that.

Hey! Don't know if you ever reply to these comments, but do you ever plan on re-introducing your German channel? I was always curious as to why you guys do 95% of your videos in English even though you're based in Munich (if I remember correctly).

That way you explain things simply and show it is beyond amazing. I work at a school in IT and genuinely think that putting your vids up in front of a class would see an increase in their learning because they understand. Anther variable to check is that while someone might not like your content, I bet they still. Learnt something from it. Screw the trolls, be you!

I deeply understand this pressure. It makes the days where new content is released utterly terrifying and heart wrenching, even when it's going well. After 2 straight years of it, I think I've personally just started to expect it as being a fact of life moving forwards. Success is and probably should be horribly stressful. The pain is most definitely a sign that you are making good choices. I would say "no pressure" on your future videos, but I would rather things go so well, that the pressure stays with you.

Peter Mohrbacher

I think the strength that Kurzgesagt is bringing to the table is taking complex topics and making them understandable in a period of time that holds my attention span. You can literally do _anything_ within that "box" and I'd be a happy viewer. Also, holding yourself to your own baseline of views seems like a fools errand. If you're happy with it, then it's good. We're fans, and we're on board with what _you_ want to do. Let the fear drop, and make whatever you want to make: we'll watch with eagerness either way.

Brandon Aaskov

Pretty sure you've moved beyond just 'someone that has made some viral videos' into a channel that has a lot of people watching and enjoying the things you do. That stops being so much fun when it stops feeling like it's the things you do and more the things you think people want you to do. Or things you think will go viral. You don't need the 'everyone will share this cos it's mind virus' videos, you need Kurzgesagt videos. I'll be watching.

duffry

You do hard science very well! It's the reason I subscribed!

You raise very good points, all of them correct. Everytime a video is successful on Reddit, it creates this "social pressure" around the creator like you described. Your plan for dealing with it seems like a good one, and as long as your content remains as interesting as ever (which I'm sure it will), none of your patrons will ever ditch you :)

aalp234

Well done for reaching 2 million subscribers! :) Your videos are very good (Safe and Sorry is a great video)!

Tilly H