How ‘Pencilmation’ Became a YouTube Sensation

  • 📰 WSJ
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 89 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 39%
  • Publisher: 63%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

When Ross Bollinger posted a video of an animated stick figure online in 2004, YouTube didn’t exist and the 16-year-old artist didn’t envision a web show. Today, the stick figure named Pencilmate is the star of a YouTube series with 19 million subscribers.

When Ross Bollinger posted a video of an animated stick figure online in 2004, YouTube didn’t exist and the 16-year-old artist didn’t envision a web show.

Today, Mr. Bollinger’s stick figure—who is named Pencilmate and has Curious George’s mischievous energy—is the star of a YouTube series with 19 million subscribers. The “Pencilmation” channel on YouTube has more subscribers than the Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios channels combined. YouTube doesn’t publish animation-channel audience tallies, but Ramin Zahed, editor in chief of Animation Magazine, says he believes “Pencilmation” is the platform’s most popular animated series.

Mr. Bollinger, now a 33-year-old dad in Montclair, N.J., hasn’t tried to build an audience beyond YouTube. He barely has 200 Twitter followers and only recently hired a publicist. He and the show are supported almost entirely by ads on YouTube. “I just make things and hope that they will find an audience,” he says.

“Pencilmation” has done little to pursue sponsorships but a representative says licensing and distribution deals are a priority for 2021. Mr. Bollinger says the series’s main channel had roughly 2.4 billion streams in 2020, but wouldn’t say how much money he made last year. Industry analysts say ad revenue on YouTube varies, and estimate that with those numbers, “Pencilmation” grossed between $4.8 and $10 million in 2020, with YouTube keeping 45%.

Every week “Pencilmation” releases two episodes, each about 3 minutes long. Mr. Bollinger creates the series with more than 100 writers, animators and storyboard artists around the world, from Canada and Australia to the U.K., the Philippines, Mexico and Brazil. They are independent contractors and not employees. Mr. Bollinger says that is because “YouTube in itself is a pretty unstable environment for a business to exist in, in the sense that everything is fluctuating all the time.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Preeeeety sure YouTube existed in 2004...

For all those who are new to this working from home Bitcoin trading options Here's a little tip: Get a trusted Bitcoin expert and stick to him _Alexander56 Invest and play at similar times each day. Because : In times of chaos, your investment is your anchor to success

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 98. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Inside TikTok Superstar Tayler Holder's Seamless Transition to Music Sensation - E! OnlineTikTok superstar Tayler Holder tells E! News why the time was finally right for him to pursue his ultimate dream of making music. A few get rich at the detriment of a whole generation of impresionable children 😢
Source: enews - 🏆 466. / 52 Read more »

Burger King trolls Chick-fil-A with LGBTQ+ donationsBurger King is making a statement during pride month: It's trying to get a leg up in the chicken sandwich wars by taking a not-so-subtle dig at rival Chick-fil-A's fraught history with the LGBTQ+ community. Good for Burger King. I'm so done with the chikfila sanctimonious bs. I'm not sure CNN knows the difference between trolling and taking a stab at someone 'news'
Source: CNN - 🏆 4. / 95 Read more »

China's wandering elephants becoming international starsThey've raided farms for food and water, visited a car dealership and even showed up at a retirement home, where they poked their trunks into some of the rooms, prompting one elderly man to hide under his bed. This is so awesome ❤️🐘
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

How Emotional Reactivity Causes ConflictWe may not be able to control our feelings, but we can control how we react to them—and avoid making things worse Your feelings ARE your reaction... it is automatic. You can stop your initial reaction by checking yourself when healthy, normally. But even so, that emotional charge can become suppressed and get bottled up for LATER. 'Control' usually means getting suppressed. Still exists... Not if you have CPTSD CSA and you are severely triggered. It happened in front of my son 2 years ago when a paint can fell and the noise sounded like a gun shot. I blacked out, was frozen and sobbing & wet myself. IN FRONT OF MY SON 💔
Source: PsychToday - 🏆 714. / 51 Read more »

Sign up for Unshaken, and get earthquake-ready in six weeksEarthquakes are a part of life in California, and we’re overdue for a major one. Your preparation now will help you be resilient. That’s what this newsletter course is about, getting you earthquake-ready. Sign up today! Lol, I do remember the first time I experienced an earthquake in LA, I was shaking like a laundry machine on my bed! But truthfully, I get used to it now. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️ Follow VoiceOfAFOO & I will Follow Back. 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍 Cmt. RT like 👇 👇 👇 good luck
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »

El Salvador is the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tenderEl Salvador has become the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. Why not .. their currency is worthless. God Bless El Salvador YourAnonCentral OpCanary keep note. Right cause anybody in El Salvador can afford the $40000 per coin.
Source: CNN - 🏆 4. / 95 Read more »