How to Grow an International Audience 🌐

Gabriel DeSanti takes his job show to new countries

Good morning. Open Sauce last week, VidCon next week
we’re getting to that “calendar is fully booked” time of year for the creator world. If you’re going to be in Anaheim for VidCon, let us know by replying to this email—we’re excited to see you there!

The World’s Longest RĂ©sumĂ© Creator Aims for an International Audience

Gabriel DeSanti (left) takes his short-form series to the Philippines where he shadows a street food vendor (middle) and lechon roaster (right) / Gabriel DeSanti

Gabriel DeSanti, the creator who shadows workers around NYC and tells their stories in short videos, is on a mission to build the world’s longest rĂ©sumĂ©. 

Now he’s one step closer: Last week, DeSanti launched his first international series shadowing restaurant owners and shop workers in the Philippines and Indonesia—all part of his plan to reach a larger audience.

“There’s so much diversity to show and stories to tell which just seems endless. It’s great as a creator because I don't have to come up with topics, I just have to find that next story,” DeSanti told us.

So far, it’s working. The first video in the new series received over 18 million views on Instagram and another 7 million views on TikTok. DeSanti says that most of the views are coming from East Asia. 

BTS: DeSanti hired a virtual assistant in the Philippines to help him scout locations and find interviewees. Then he flew out, shot footage, and edited the videos himself. DeSanti filmed 11 videos over 15 days, which he’s releasing on a staggered schedule. He said the whole trip cost $10,000.

“I want to bring this all around the world, ’cause even if I show a plumber in the US, it’s going to be different than a plumber in Idaho and the Philippines,” he said.

Zoom out: Though views from other countries can often bring in lower CPMs than those in the US, there’s a significant benefit to going global—namely, an increase in overall viewership and more opportunities to tap into other markets and brand sponsors.

Creators on Creators: Cleo Abram x Johnny Harris

Cleo Abram (left) and Johnny Harris (right) talk about the state of journalism and content, its future, and going independent / Illustration by Moy Zhong

For our first “Creators on Creators” conversation, we asked video journalists Cleo Abram and Johnny Harris to discuss their unique perspectives on the state of independent, creator-led journalism. Three takeaways →

Strong media companies bundle great journalism with entertainment. Abram thinks asking people to pay for news and news alone isn’t a perfect solution for outlets facing declining revenue.

  • Instead, she compared a 1928 study (that found newspaper subscribers spent most of their time reading comics) to the success of The New York Times’ games (like Wordle).

  • “We talk about the internet as something that disrupted or atomized news
but it didn’t disrupt the fundamental behavior of the audience,” Abram said.

Harris is building an ecosystem for independent journalists. byHarris, the media startup he co-founded with his wife, Iz, piloted a new model by launching the show Search Party—supporting host Sam Ellis with project management, ad sales, and a “brain trust.”

Johnny Harris’ startup byHarris is building a collective of independent journalists / Illustration by Chris Schwaar

“That thing that you miss when you leave the big institution...wiser journalists that guide you and teach you, you now have in this sort of collective,” Harris said.

Hard skills are a key ingredient for sustainable careers. Abram suggested aspiring creatives take on roles that allow them to strengthen specific abilities (think video editing, interviewing, or animation).

“Do something that allows you to practice over and over and over again, the hard skills that you feel like you’re going to need in 10 years, and 10 years after that,” she said.

Go deeper: To hear the full conversation between Abram and Harris, head to our podcast feed.

Platform Roundup: New Tech + Privacy Law Pushback

Apple updates its video editing app, YouTube tackles AI, and TikTok faces pushbacks / Illustration by Moy Zhong

Some of the top platform news to keep on your radar this week →

Apple released new versions of Final Cut Pro for iPad and Mac. The highlights? 2x faster rendering and a Live Multicam feature, where users can wirelessly connect and preview up to four cameras at once in one place.

YouTube launched a new process for AI takedown requests, now allowing users to submit requests for content that targets their face or voice. Worth noting: Requesting removal doesn’t guarantee YouTube will comply. The company said it’ll take into account whether the content could be mistaken as real or if it’s satire.

TikTok is facing another legal battle over failing to protect children’s privacy. The US FTC said it “uncovered reason to believe” that TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are violating or are about to violate the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The law requires apps and websites geared toward kids to get parental consent before collecting personal information from children under the age of 13.

đŸ“œïž From The Studio

Photography by Leo Visions/Unsplash

On Wednesday, we teased a secret project that we're dropping at the end of the month
and Publish Press readers will have an exclusive opportunity for early access.

  • We revealed our first IRL location hint for early access in Wednesday’s newsletter.

  • The first 50 people to arrive at this secret location on Tuesday, 6/25 will receive the drop there.

Hint No. 2: The secret location is just steps away from the famous canals pictured above (and no, that’s not in Italy).

P.S. The drop will officially go live for everyone at presspublish.store on Friday, June 28.

đŸ”„ Press Worthy

  • Ludwig drops a collection of Mogul Moves sweats.

  • Creators TierZoo, Dan Toomey, and more are competing for $10,000 in Wendover Productions’ new show, The Getaway.

  • Looking for a long-term brand partnership? Join the Fiverr Creator Network, where they’re paying creators across different platforms (YouTube, TikTok, IG, and LinkedIn).*

  • LTK releases a new automated DM feature for creators.

  • Instagram now lets creators broadcast live to Close Friends.

*This is sponsored advertising content.

đŸ“šïž Thank You For Pressing Publish

The content we’re looking forward to reading, watching, and listening to this weekend.

  • Read: Parents are accusing drug dealers of fueling a teen opioid surge through Snapchat. Rolling Stone investigated the epidemic.

  • Watch: The Try Guys’ Keith Habersberger tries Nigerian food for the first time on a new series from Mythical Kitchen.

  • Listen: Tubi CEO Anjali Sud joined the Decoder podcast to discuss why the streaming platform is now producing creator-led films and TV shows.

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