Are YouTubers artists? Thanks to the channel he started when he was a supermarket worker, Daniel Middleton is one of the most successful social-media personalities in the world.
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The shy pupil who took the internet by storm
Are YouTubers artists? Thanks to the channel he started when he was a supermarket worker, Daniel Middleton is one of the most successful social-media personalities in the world.
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The title of the video is Goodbye Ellie. A tearful young man in a T-shirt looks into the camera.
"Right, OK, I'm going to try and compose myself. It's not easy. You can see from the title that yesterday, unfortunately, Ellie died. And it really sucks... so enjoy another video of me crying."
Ellie was Daniel Middleton's pet pug. The video announcing her death has had nearly seven million views - and brought over 100,000 messages of sympathyFeelings of concern or sadness for someone else who is going through a hard time. .
At one point Daniel was the most watched YouTuber on the planet, with 300 to 400 million hits a month.1 His DanTDM channel currently has 27.7 million subscribers. But as a boy he was extremely shy.
A lot of YouTubers are naturally introvertedIntroverts focus on their internal thoughts and feelings. They are often shy and quieter than other people. , but very creative, he told the BBC: "YouTube helped me to come out of my shell."
He started his first channel, devoted to Pokemon, when he was a student at Nottingham University. After leaving in 2012 and going to work in a supermarket, he moved on to Minecraft.
Within seven months his hilarious commentary on himself playing the game had won him more than 10,000 subscribers. He decided to leave his job and devote himself full-time to YouTube.
By 2019 he had earned a place in the UK's Top 100 Influencer List, compiled by the Sunday Times. The newspaper estimated his wealth at £25m.
He has branched out into live shows and voiced a character in the Disney film Ralph Breaks the Internet. He has also written a graphic novel called Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal.
But he suffered from severe depressionLow mood that affects someone's daily life, and can last for weeks or months. during the pandemic. He decided to tell his followers about it, and is glad that he did so: "It was helpful for me to convey how I was feeling to them, as to a reason why I wasn't making as many videos."
He has received many messages from followers saying that his videos have helped them through difficult times.
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Are YouTubers artists?
Yes: Artists are always quick to seize on a new medium, and YouTube has proved no exception. If Van Gogh or Michelangelo were alive today they would almost certainly be using it.
No: To be an artist you need a combination of vision and technical brilliance. YouTubers can make videos without either. Daniel Middleton's are entertaining, but no more than that.
Or... Most YouTube videos are of little significance, but they are a brilliant starting point for people who want to make movies, since they allow you to practise the basic skills such as editing.
Keywords
Sympathy - Feelings of concern or sadness for someone else who is going through a hard time.
Introverted - Introverts focus on their internal thoughts and feelings. They are often shy and quieter than other people.
Depression - Low mood that affects someone's daily life, and can last for weeks or months.
The shy pupil who took the internet by storm
Minecraft goldmine: DanTDM's videos have had more than 18.5 billion views. Glossary
Sympathy - Feelings of concern or sadness for someone else who is going through a hard time.
Introverted - Introverts focus on their internal thoughts and feelings. They are often shy and quieter than other people.
Depression - Low mood that affects someone's daily life, and can last for weeks or months.