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.Β
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.
β Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen

Outdoor Boys Retires from YouTube with 15M Subscribers

Luke Nichols spent 11 years on YouTube making camping and recreation videos with his family /Β Outdoor Boys
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: Nicholsβ channel has grown by 12 million subscribers in the past 18 months. He is stepping away to protect his familyβs privacy and focus on their wellbeing.Β
βThe 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,β Nichols said in his final post to the channel.
Nichols said he has several in-progress videos that he may finish throughout the yearβreturning to the channel only to potentially upload the remaining content.
What creators are saying:
βWith success comes some downsides. With fame comes some downsides,β Ludwig said in his video My Favorite YouTuber Is Retiring. βI think the coolest videos on YouTube now [...] are YouTubers who are incredibly authentic.β
βEven though you love the content and youβre going to be sad that itβs over, you canβt help but be happy for the person whoβs making this decision,β said MoistCr1TiKaL on his channel. βThis person did what they loved for a long period of time, and now itβs put them in a position where theyβre able to step back and focus on other personal aspects of their life.β
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

"People Like Me," an original show by Daren VonGirdner and his team, premieres today on Peacock /Β 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.Β
And now? He just released a six-episode series for Peacock called People Like Me. The episodes, which range from 11β18 minutes each, explore mental health topics and include VonGirdnerβs original songs.
VonGirdner and his team of creative producers sat down with us to share the details of production β
Zoom in: People Like Me is a part of Peacockβs Emerging Artist Series, a showcase of four shows made by digital creators who participated in NBCβs first creator accelerator program.Β
How it started: VonGirdner was approached by NBC in 2022 while making daily TikToks with cowriter and partner Ava Gordy and filmmaker Farhan Kamdar.Β
β[NBC] flew us out a couple times and they said, βWe want to learn from youβwe don't know how to make a TV episode for less than $5 million,ββ VonGirdner told us.
The accelerator program was like a network TV bootcamp, during which VonGirdner developed a series pitch with an NBC executive.Β
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. βAs 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,β VonGirdner said. βBut I always learn the most when I pay attention to what my peers are doing or saying, and I have to agree itβs now a stronger ending.β
Whatβs next: VonGirdner and his creative team hope People Like Me is a step toward working with more studios. Theyβre currently working on their next longform YouTube series, Miles Away. βWe were shooting a Miles Away episode just days ago, and the effect of People Like Me is there. Itβs very clear,β VonGirdner said. βI just try to get a little better each time.β

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Honestly? That tracks. Weβve 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.)
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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. Youβre cleared to use it all on your channel.
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The right music doesnβt sit in the backgroundβit drives the story forward.
β Samir

Critical Role to Bring Live Show to the Big Screen

Critical Role will recast their live shows from Sydney, Melbourne, Indianapolis, and New York City in theaters across the US and Canada / Photography byΒ Heirlume Photography
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.Β
βNow even more of our audience can experience the genuine energy, emotion, and camaraderie that plays out at the table,β Ben Van Der Fluit, SVP of business and content development at Critical Role, told Variety.

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 Rutledge 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 worldβs 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.

π₯ Press Worthy
Emma Chamberlain, Keith Lee, Mark Rober, and more creators are nominated for Nickelodeonβs Kidsβ 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 Linkβs to make a line of meat snacks.
Blippi inks a content partnership with Disney.
Michelle Khare screens Challenge Accepted to Emmy voters for consideration.
