[Documentaries] Rare Earth

YouTube has completely changed the way many people consume video content, myself included there, and has allowed anyone to turn on their webcam and become a content creator. The site started on 2005, with the first video uploaded being Me at the Zoo, uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim on 23rd April 2005. A little over 18 months later in October 2006, Google purchased the video sharing site for $1.65 billion.

Around this time was when I first got into YouTube, uploading silly videos with friends and getting to grips with this new media format. In those days, it was mostly just other kids like myself trying to make viral content that would maybe garner them a small audience, but there was no money to be made unless you could get some kind of brand deal (which was unheard of back then).

Now, YouTube is a career path for many, allowing anyone to upload content and get rewarded for allowing ads to run on their videos. This monetisation of content sparked a new content revolution, with more money came better equipment and effects. YouTube now contains pretty much everything and anything you can think of, from full length feature films, to chat, news or entertainment shows as well as the "classic" vlog content.

One of the underlooked corners of YouTube is the documentary and education section, which can sometimes house some of the best content on the platform. Take Rare Earth for example, easily one of my all time favourite channels. It started as Col. Chris Hadfield's YouTube channel, y'know the one that hosted his videos from the ISS like Space Oddity, or that one where he opens a can of soda on the ocean floor.

A little over a year ago, Chris and his son Evan uploaded a video explaining how the channel was going in a new direction, with Evan (and a little help from his father) now producing a series called Rare Earth, which explores different corners of the world including places, people or stories you probably haven't heard of even if you have visited that region.

Evan now produces a new short documentary every Saturday, usually about the country that he's currently visiting. The series started off in Japan, and has since hopped all over the globe including Easter Island, Laos, Cambodia, Argentina and many more. The production values for each video are just phenomenal, usually mixing drone footage with shots of Evan talking, and the places or people he's talking about. There's a YouTuber by the name of Casey Neistat who is known for his beautiful cinematography with his vlogs, but I honestly think Evan has blown him out of the water.

Rare Earth is a shining example of the kind of content that can be produced for online platforms, rich in culture and history while also being a visual treat. I'd like to see more content like this produced for the Steem blockchain; content that isn't just disposable but instead can be enjoyed like a favourite book or movie.

Are you already a Rare Earth viewer? Or, are you gonna give it a go now? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments section, and if you enjoyed this make sure to give it an upvote, as your support is why I do this. If you enjoy Evan's videos, you might also like another YouTuber by the name of Tom Scott. As always folks, until next time, be good to each other.

P.S. If you're new here, you might want to check out my Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Steemit, which covers everything you need to know to get started making money and meeting new people on Steemit.

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Sources:

Rare Earth YouTube Channel (youtube.com/user/ColChrisHadfield/)

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