After watching several Graz Makes videos, you may have the same reaction I did: That it’s criminal that, so far, he only has a relative handful of YouTube subscribers. He’s only been doing his channel for a year, but the 11 videos he’s done so far are quite impressive and show promising talent.
In one of my weekly tips columns recently, I wrote about the idea (in re: maker video production) of “steering into your weirdness,” i.e., magnifying the unique and compelling aspects of your personality and style of making. Graz is a stellar example of this. From his ever-present logo (a caricature outline of his face that emphasizes his thick, black beard), to his wacky, often bizarre sense of humor, to his clever camera work and editing, Graz creates a unique style of project video that is highly entertaining and fun. Watching through his oeuvre to date, I had many laugh-out-loud moments. This guy is good, goofy fun. He’s also a talented maker and there are lots of great shop tips in his videos.
As YouTube video makers grow and mature, as the technology becomes more accessible and refined, and as this video category gets more crowded, producers are getting more creative, creating slicker, more professional looking content, and drawing serious interest from advertisers and sponsors. A new category of, let’s call it “project entertainment” is emerging, build videos that you watch, not because you have any interest in doing the build yourself (or even working in that medium). The maker’s personality and video style are the draw. This can be a mixed bag, with showy style (and sponsor product placement) overtaking substantive content. Graz Makes is a perfect example of an extremely well-done, concept-driven channel that entertains while still delivering great build videos and plenty of tricks of the trade. Graz is a YouTube maker who is clearly not afraid to mash the pedal to the metal and swerve into his weirdness. I for one look forward to going along for the ride.
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