Good morning. Hannah here. This weekend was my one-year anniversary of moving to LA, which culminated in my most LA experience to date: attending a premiere on the Universal Studios lot. 

The occasion? The launch of the new creator shows on Peacock (keep scrolling for the story). Creators, Hollywood, and yours truly have never felt closer.

— Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen

Outdoor Boys Retires from YouTube with 15M Subscribers

After over 1,000 videos, two channels, 2+ billion views, and over 15 million subscribers, Luke Nichols has decided to step down from his YouTube channel, Outdoor Boys, for the foreseeable future.

Behind his decision: Nichols’ channel has grown by 12 million subscribers in the past 18 months. He is stepping away to protect his family’s privacy and focus on their wellbeing. 

“The sheer volume of fans trying to contact me, trying to take pictures with me, or just trying to come up and talk to me in public can be a bit overwhelming at times,” Nichols said in his final post to the channel.

Nichols said he has several in-progress videos that he may finish throughout the year—returning to the channel only to potentially upload the remaining content.

What creators are saying:

• “With success comes some downsides. With fame comes some downsides,” Ludwig said in his video My Favorite YouTuber Is Retiring. “I think the coolest videos on YouTube now [...] are YouTubers who are incredibly authentic.”

• “Even though you love the content and you’re going to be sad that it’s over, you can’t help but be happy for the person who’s making this decision,” said MoistCr1TiKaL on his channel. “This person did what they loved for a long period of time, and now it’s put them in a position where they’re able to step back and focus on other personal aspects of their life.”

Big picture: "The algorithmic success on YouTube for Outdoor Boys was at odds with Nichols' off-platform goals. Instead of burning out, he opted out on his own terms," our own Colin Rosenblum said.

How a YouTube Vet Made a Show with Peacock

Daren VonGirdner, known as DarenDarenDaren, has been a creator for 15 years, working as an editor and on-camera talent for The Philip DeFranco Show and SourceFed and making his own content on TikTok and YouTube. 

And now? He just released a six-episode series for Peacock called People Like Me. The episodes, which range from 11–18 minutes each, explore mental health topics and include VonGirdner’s original songs.

VonGirdner and his team of creative producers sat down with us to share the details of production →

Zoom in: People Like Me is a part of Peacock’s Emerging Artist Series, a showcase of four shows made by digital creators who participated in NBC’s first creator accelerator program. 

How it started: VonGirdner was approached by NBC in 2022 while making daily TikToks with cowriter and partner Ava Gordy and filmmaker Farhan Kamdar. 

• “[NBC] flew us out a couple times and they said, ‘We want to learn from you—we don't know how to make a TV episode for less than $5 million,’” VonGirdner told us.

• The accelerator program was like a network TV bootcamp, during which VonGirdner developed a series pitch with an NBC executive. 

• He was given a six-figure budget once the project was greenlit and hired Gordy, Farhan, and writer Jonathan Gaurano, plus a 50-person cast and crew.

One big challenge: trusting others with the creative process. “As a creative who's been doing this with a small team or by myself for such a long time, you kind of have to trust yourself. So to hear a note where [execs at NBC and production company Tandem] wanted to go against my instinct, it was hard for me,” VonGirdner said. “But I always learn the most when I pay attention to what my peers are doing or saying, and I have to agree it’s now a stronger ending.”

What’s next: VonGirdner and his creative team hope People Like Me is a step toward working with more studios. They’re currently working on their next longform YouTube series, Miles Away. “We were shooting a Miles Away episode just days ago, and the effect of People Like Me is there. It’s very clear,” VonGirdner said. “I just try to get a little better each time.”

Sponsored by Epidemic Sound

The Best Investment Into Our YouTube Channel

Epidemic Sound just told us we’ve downloaded 2,892 songs from their library.

Honestly? That tracks. We’ve been subscribers to Epidemic Sound since the day we launched Colin and Samir. Every song you hear on our YouTube channel comes from them. (Listen to this one.)

When we started the Colin and Samir channel in 2016, one of the first things we bought wasn’t a camera—it was an Epidemic Sound subscription. For us, that felt like getting a driver’s license. Suddenly, we had the freedom to go anywhere with our storytelling. Set any mood. Tell any story.

Epidemic gives you over 50,000 tracks, 200,000 sound effects, and tools like Soundmatch—and my personal favorite, stems—so you can shape every beat to match your story.

You can search by vibe, or genre, you can drop tracks straight into Premiere or DaVinci with the Epidemic integration, and the best part? No restrictions. You’re cleared to use it all on your channel.

Use this link and the code COLINANDSAMIR for 50% off your next two months.

The right music doesn’t sit in the background—it drives the story forward.

— Samir

Critical Role to Bring Live Show to the Big Screen

In honor of the 10th anniversary of their YouTube channel, Dungeons and Dragons group Critical Role will partner with Fathom Entertainment to bring their upcoming live shows to movie theaters across North America.

Context: Critical Role partnered with Cinemark in 2021 to air their Campaign 3 premiere in a handful of theaters across the US. The demand for screenings increased over the years, and their partnership with Fathom will reach 800 theaters. 

“Now even more of our audience can experience the genuine energy, emotion, and camaraderie that plays out at the table,” Ben Van Der Fluit, SVP of business and content development at Critical Role, told Variety.

👀 Creator Moves

• The F**k It List is looking for a social media coordinator based in Los Angeles to help with short- and longform video.

• Challenge creator Quinn Ruteledge is hiring a scriptwriter with experience writing YouTube content.

• Travel creators Jolly are looking for a head of production to manage a team of eight based in central London.

Fiverr, the world’s leading marketplace for digital services, is partnering with creators to showcase the power of freelancing. Join the Creator Program and turn your influence into income.*

*This is sponsored advertising content.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Emma Chamberlain, Keith Lee, Mark Rober, and more creators are nominated for Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards.

• Fashion creator Aleali May designs a collection with Tommy Girl.

• Linus Tech Tips breaks the Guinness World Record for most digits of Pi calculated by a computer.

• MrBeast partners with Jack Link’s to make a line of meat snacks.

• Blippi inks a content partnership with Disney.

• Michelle Khare screens Challenge Accepted to Emmy voters for consideration.