YouTube Creator Blog: 2015

#IfIHadSpace? You asked for it, and you got it — YouTube Space Mumbai opens today

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Musicians Aakash Gandhi and Ash King stumble upon a magical doorway to YouTube Space Mumbai

Lights, camera—action!

Back in August we announced that we would be partnering with renowned film school Whistling Woods International (WWI) to open YouTube Space Mumbai. We asked what you would do #IfIHadSpace and you responded overwhelmingly on social media: sci fi shorts, action films, and of course, many, many music videos. Now, we are finally ready to unveil the Space, opening the doors to India’s YouTube creators and nurturing the next wave of entertainment talent for Bollywood and beyond.

At the opening event today, we started the show with a bang with a musical number by YouTube creator, pianist and composer 88 Keys to Euphoria’s Aakash Gandhi, together with his collaborator Ash King. Their latest video, Billie Jean | Jiya Re (Mashup Cover), which opened the event and was released today on YouTube, was shot entirely on campus and is the first official production of YouTube Space Mumbai.

YouTube’s new home for creators in Mumbai is a 1400 square foot space within WWI’s sprawling production complex, which includes a 400 square foot studio, a lounge and workshop space for creators to relax and socialize in, and an edit bay with two machines that are capable of 4K editing. There will also be a small office for our staff on campus, to interact not only with YouTube creators, but with the students at Whistling Woods. In addition, YouTube creators will have access to Whistling Woods’ sound stages and post-production facilities, including two fully-equipped professional studios over 3000 square feet each.

The creators’ lounge at YouTube Space Mumbai

The doors are about to open…

Opening ceremony of the YouTube Space with Subhash Ghai (center), founder and Chairman of WWI

At the YouTube Space, creators can also learn from industry experts and attend workshops to hone their YouTube know-how and production skills. Starting this month, the Space will host networking events for industry and education partners, as well as a regular schedule of workshops for creators. From a “Business Bootcamp” to classes on Adobe tools, these class will give creators the skills they need to operate and succeed as business entrepreneurs in digital media.

Creators will be able to book use of the YouTube Space through an online tool after they have taken an initial orientation class called “Unlock the Space.” The first Unlock the Space orientation will take place this coming Saturday, 5 December, 2015. Information and sign up for upcoming events and workshops will be on the YouTube Space website at www.youtube.com/space. Stay informed about the latest goings on at YouTube Space Mumbai by following us on Twitter @youtubespacemum, or sign up for our newsletter at https://goo.gl/86M6fW.

Posted by David Macdonald, Head of YouTube Spaces, Asia Pacific, who recently watched TVF’s Rajasthani Cowboys.

Found in Translation: Language tools for building a global audience

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Do you ever feel like your videos are getting lost in translation? YouTube has over a billion users and is available in 76 different languages. So it’s easy to understand why it can sometimes feel that way.

On average, over 60% of a channel’s views come from outside of its creator’s home country. That means two out of every three people who watch your channel might speak a different language than you. So how can you make sure viewers around the world can easily discover, understand and love your content? That’s where our latest set of translation features comes in. Designed to help creators make their content more accessible and understandable to an international audience, they include:

Community-contributed subtitles and CC - crowdsource your video subtitles and let your community help you reach more people in more languages. Opt-in by clicking here.
Translated titles and descriptions - add translated titles and descriptions to your videos.That way fans can discover your videos in their native languages. We’ll display your video information in the right language to the right viewers.
Translation marketplace (beta) - order professional translations of your content right from your Video Manager. Once you've chosen the target language(s) you prefer, simply checkout and pay. When the translation is complete, we'll auto-publish your content and send you a confirmation email.

Some of our partners have already tested out these features and the impact has been pretty remarkable. Take VICE. Their channel more than doubled the daily watchtime on translated videos from Spanish and Portuguese speakers. In fact, watchtime from Spanish users tripled. ¡Impresionante!

“These new features have the potential to fundamentally change the way VICE distributes its YouTube content on a global scale”, says Jordan DeBor, Video Partnerships Manager at VICE. “By removing the language barrier, YouTube delivers the opportunity to build new audiences in local markets and expand in our existing ones.”

With the help of over 20,000 volunteer translators, TED, another important YouTube partner, has been experimenting with crowdsourced translations across thousands of videos in more than a hundred languages. They joined the new translation tools pilot just a few months ago and for the first time combined translated captions with translated titles and descriptions for two thousand videos in 11 languages. They saw major growth in localized watchtime – the channel’s localized watchtime increased from 20% to 35% overall, and in several cases up to 60%.

"For more than five years, we’ve been working to remove the barrier of language from TED’s mission in spreading ideas throughout the world”, says Kristin Windbigler, Director of TED’s Open Translation Project. “As one of our most important partners, YouTube has pushed the boundaries in making our videos not only accessible but also discoverable for viewers around the world.”

Ready to start using these features? Check out the translation tools overview page for more information!

Vladimir Vuskovic, Product Manager, recently watched Deb Roy: The birth of a word

YouTube presses play on virtual reality

Thursday, November 5, 2015

This story was originally posted on the official YouTube blog. Earlier this year, YouTube began supporting 360 degree video on YouTube. Today, we’re unveiling new virtual reality (VR) features on Android that enable you to see and be seen in a whole new way.

If we’ve learned anything in the past 10+ years at YouTube it’s that capturing and sharing videos is a great way to bring people there with you—whether “there” is an Icelandic glacier, a special performance by violinist Tim Fain, or just a friend’s birthday party.

Virtual reality (VR) makes the experience of being there even more awesome and immersive, so today we’re bringing two new VR features to YouTube’s Android app. All you need is your current phone, and a Google Cardboard viewer.

First, YouTube now supports VR video—a brand new kind of video that makes you feel like you’re actually there. Using the same tricks that we humans use to see the world, VR video gives you a sense of depth as you look around in every direction. Near things look near, far things look far. So if you were excited about 360° videos, this is pretty freakin’ cool.

To give it a try just find a VR video on YouTube—like the Hunger Games Experience or TOMS Shoes Giving Trip—tap the new Cardboard icon, drop your phone into your Cardboard viewer, and you’re off! If you’re a creator, you can also check out technologies like Jump to capture and share your own VR videos.

Check out this and more VR videos here

Our second bit of news is for the universe of existing YouTube content. And that’s the fact that you can now watch any video using Google Cardboard, and experience a kind of virtual movie theater. Just select the new “Cardboard” option from the watch page menu, drop your phone into your viewer, and you’re done. You’ll now have the largest VR content library right at your fingertips.

Both of today’s updates make it easier to be there. In some cases, really there there. So download the new YouTube app from Google Play, and get going.

Kurt Wilms, Senior Product Manager, YouTube VR recently watched “Waves of Grace”, Sanjeev Verma, YouTube Product Manager, recently watched “LA Phil: The Orchestra VR Video Experience” and Husain Bengali, Product Manager, Jump recently watched “Apollo 11 moon landing.

YouTube Red is here: Seven things to know about our new subscription service

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Today in the U.S. we’re launching YouTube Red to give your fans a new way to enjoy YouTube, and creators an additional way to earn money from their videos. There's been some helpful guidance out there on how to think about YouTube Red but here are seven things we think every creator should know:

1. The YouTube you know and love is here to stay. Your fans can still enjoy your content on YouTube for free and you’ll get paid from the ad revenue generated, as always.

2. A new option for viewers. YouTube Red allows fans to watch videos uninterrupted without ads, save them offline and play in the background while still supporting creators through their membership fee. And as a special bonus - YouTube Red works with Google Play Music, so users who subscribe to one automatically get access to the other.

3. A new source of revenue. Starting today, with the launch of YouTube Red, our creator community will make as much or more money on YouTube than they would have without it. And on a per-user basis, a paying YouTube Red member will generate more money for creators than a typical ad-viewing, free user.

4. Let’s talk about free trials. Creators are the lifeblood of YouTube. So with Google Play Music subscribers instantly joining YouTube Red, we will pay a portion of the revenue we receive from these subscribers to our creators on day 1. Even with 30 day free trials, our creator community will make as much or more as they would have without YouTube Red.

5. Participating in YouTube Red doesn’t cost creators a thing. Whether or not you personally decide to pay for a YouTube Red membership, your videos can still be a part of YouTube Red and you’ll still be able to earn new revenue from your viewers’ membership fees.

6. Creators don’t need to do anything differently for YouTube Red. Some creators have asked whether they need to make longer videos to make money on YouTube Red. The most important factor is that your videos are engaging and people spend time watching them and sharing them with more people. In other words - we see plenty of short-form videos that get way more overall watch time than long-form videos because they’re more engaging and shareable.

7. Now your fans can enjoy your videos in more ways. With YouTube Red, your fans can engage with your content more. They can take your videos with them wherever they’re headed, whether or not they have an Internet connection. They can keep your videos playing in the background on their phones while answering text messages or looking up directions. We’re just getting started, but we think YouTube Red is going to be great for both you and your fans.

For more info, check out our Help Center for answers to specific questions. We’ll keep updating this page on an ongoing basis, so be sure to ask your question on a YouTube Help Forum.

Matt Leske, Senior Product Manager, recently watched “Bali Road Trip in 4K! - #onedayoffline”

Meet YouTube Red, the ultimate YouTube experience.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

This story was originally posted on the official YouTube blog. By focusing on what fans want, YouTube Red will play an important role in expanding user engagement on YouTube and provide creators like you with an additional way to get paid for the content you’re already creating. While this is just the beginning, we’re confident that as membership grows, YouTube Red will deliver more and more value to you. Questions? Check out the YouTube Help Center for more info. For years, YouTube’s fans have been telling us they want more—more choice when watching their favorite content, more ways to support their favorite creators and, above all, the option to watch their favorite videos uninterrupted.

On October 28, we’re giving fans exactly what they want. Introducing YouTube Red -- a new membership designed to provide you with the ultimate YouTube experience. YouTube Red lets you enjoy videos across all of YouTube without ads, while also letting you save videos to watch offline on your phone or tablet and play videos in the background, all for $9.99 a month. Your membership extends across devices and anywhere you sign into YouTube, including our recently launched Gaming app and a brand new YouTube Music app we’re announcing today that will be available soon. YouTube Music is designed to make discovering, watching and listening to music easier than ever. Any song or artist you choose on YouTube Music will start you on a personal journey through one of the richest music catalogs; just sign in, tap a track you love, and see where your music takes you. And as a special bonus - YouTube Red works with Google Play Music, so subscribe to one and automatically get access to the other. And starting early next year, YouTube Red will get even better with member-only access to new, original shows and movies from some of YouTube’s biggest creators. You can read all about Originals coming to YouTube Red here.

We’re working to bring YouTube Red and our YouTube Music, Gaming and Kids apps to more countries soon. And don’t worry! The free, ad-supported version of YouTube we all know and love isn’t going anywhere. You’ll still be able to enjoy YouTube, along with the YouTube Kids, Gaming and Music apps free of charge. But with YouTube Red, you’ll be able to support the people who make your favorite videos while watching what you want, when you want, on any device you want, uninterrupted. Viewers in the U.S. can try YouTube Red for free with a one month trial on October 28 and YouTube Music will be coming soon.

Matt Leske, Senior Product Manager, recently watched "The Juice Challenge"

Next Stop: YouTube Space Rio de Janeiro

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Cariocas are a creative bunch. They make you laugh and dance. They have the power to make your mouth water and your mind travel to unimaginable places. To support this incredible community of YouTube creators and foster the next generation of talent, we are going to set up a new YouTube Space in the breathtaking metropolis of Rio de Janeiro.

Located in Porto Maravilha, the city's soon-to-be-renovated historic port area, the YouTube Space Rio will consist of a roughly 2,000 sq-meter collaborative facility for YouTube creators. They will have free access to a cutting edge production facility fully equipped with cameras, lights and audio gear, live and post production capabilities, in addition to training programs, workshops and community events. The space will act as an incubator, giving online content creators the tools and guidance that enable them to innovate and experiment.

This is YouTube Space’s next stop, following in the footsteps of Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, New York City, São Paulo, and more recently in Berlin and Mumbai. Since the first Space was inaugurated in 2012, creators have visited these facilities over 100,000 times, and our partners have created over 10,000 videos, generating over 1 billion views.

Like all of our Space facilities, the YouTube Space Rio will be a place where creators can collaborate, innovate and experiment with new content for audiences around the world to watch and love. It’ll also offer opportunities to:

Learn: From training programs to workshops, there are opportunities to get hands-on experience from industry leaders, and learn to use high end production equipment, production techniques, and YouTube best practices.
Connect: Attend events, meet fellow creators, spark new ideas and share experiences on how to succeed on YouTube. Collaborate with Felipe Neto, Iberê Thenório and other great storytellers.
Create: This is a space for creators to bring stories to life. They’ll have access, for free, to studios and all the latest audio, visual and editing equipment that will enable them to create great videos that fans will love. Experiment with 4K videos, 360-degree technology, and live transmissions.

The warehouse where the Space will be located will be entirely renovated to revitalize its history and make it an amazing home for the entire community. But we are so excited that we wanted to give you a sneak peek. This is just the beginning, and we want to continue helping foster creativity, entrepreneurship and partnership with video creators in Brazil and around the world. It’s amazing to see what Brazilian creators have already been producing and we are excited to see what can come next, once the resource barriers that inhibit innovation and creativity are removed.

Posted by Alvaro Paes de Barros, Head of YouTube Spaces, Brazil, who recently watched YouTube Spaces 2015.

YouTube Space Mumbai - Coming soon!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

India is seeing an emergence of a new generation of YouTube creators who are capturing the color, music, humour, and drama of India more creatively than ever before. In fact, Indian creators are now amongst the top contributors in Asia when it comes to driving time spent on YouTube watching videos. Recently, we also celebrated milestones for two of our Indian creators AIB and TVF, who reached over 1 million fans within two years on the platform. To support this incredible community of YouTube creators and foster the next generation of talent, YouTube has partnered with one of Asia’s largest and most renowned film schools, Whistling Woods International, to set up a new YouTube Space in Mumbai. Located in the heart of Mumbai’s film & television production hub Filmcity, Whistling Woods International has been rated one of the ten best film schools in the world by ‘The Hollywood Reporter’, running undergraduate, postgraduate and short programmes in practical filmmaking. Through this collaboration, India's popular up-and-coming YouTube creators, as well as their students, will have free access to Whistling Woods’ studios, high-end audio, visual and editing equipment, in addition to training programs, workshops and community events. We’re already in advanced stages of setting up the place and we’ll be opening the gates for all creators soon.

This collaboration follows in the footsteps of our YouTube Spaces in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, New York City, Sao Paulo, and more recently in Berlin. Since the first Space was launched in 2012, creators have visited YouTube Spaces over 100,000 times, we have had over 800 events and workshops and our partners have created over 11,000 videos.

Like all of our production facilities, YouTube Space Mumbai will be a place where creators can collaborate, innovate and experiment with new content for audiences around the world to watch and love. It’ll also offer opportunities to:

Learn: From training programs and workshops to master classes, there are opportunities to get hands-on experience from industry leaders, and learn to use high end production equipment, production techniques, and YouTube best practices.
Connect: Attend events, meet fellow creators, spark new ideas and share experiences on how to succeed on YouTube.
Create: This is a space for creators to bring stories to life. They’ll have access, for free, to studios and all the latest audio, visual and editing equipment that will enable them to experiment and create great videos that fans will love.

The YouTube Space Mumbai will be another way for YouTube to help foster creativity, entrepreneurship and partnership with top video creators in the country and around the world. It’s amazing to see what Indian creators have already been producing and we are excited to see what is coming next. As these creators at Whistling Woods ask us, tell us what you’d like to produce if you had a Space. Use the hashtag #ifihadspace on social media to let us know, and also sign up to our newsletter for updates about the Space.

Posted by David Macdonald, Head of YouTube Spaces, Asia Pacific, who recently watched EIC: Education Then vs Now, filmed on location at Whistling Woods.

Keeping the conversation going

Monday, July 27, 2015

YouTube is built by one of the most engaged communities on the web, and you tell us when you want changes. Today, you heard from Google+ about upcoming changes based on user feedback. We wanted to give you an early look at what this will mean with respect to comments on YouTube, and to your overall YouTube experience.

The headline: we think you’ll like it.

Comments

Comments are super important to the relationship between creators and fans on YouTube. You love MyLifeAsEva and Kingsley. You thought that latest video from Tyler was his funniest yet. You want to tell Epic Rap Battles who their next match-up should feature. And these creators want to hear from fans like you, just as much as you want to communicate with them.

All of these conversations should be simpler and easier to have on YouTube, and we’ve been working on that.

First off, we’ve improved the ranking system that reduces the visibility of junk comments. It’s working—the rate of dislikes on comments has dropped by more than 35 percent across YouTube.
With today’s announcement from Google+, you’ll see more changes. The comments you make on YouTube will now appear only on YouTube, not also on Google+. And vice-versa. This starts rolling out today.
Creators told us they liked the moderation options on their channels, like reviewing comments before they’re posted, blocking certain words, or auto-approving comments from certain fans. All this stays.

Your YouTube channel

This one’s further off. In the coming weeks, YouTube will no longer require a Google+ profile when you want to upload, comment, or create a channel. If you’re happy with everything as it is now, then just keep on keepin’ on. If you want to remove your Google+ profile, you’ll be able to do this in the coming months, but do not do it now or you’ll delete your YouTube channel (no bueno). Please visit our Help Center for further details.

We’ve heard you. Keep talking to us.

The YouTube team

Say hello to the redesigned YouTube mobile app

Thursday, July 23, 2015

This story was originally posted on the official YouTube blog. We're excited to release a bunch of the mobile features you've been waiting for: putting subscriptions front and center in the app, a simple way for your fans to opt in to all new upload notifications from your channel, and simple editing and upload tools baked into the YouTube app.

If you watched a YouTube video recently, chances are you did it on your phone or tablet. That’s because today, more than half the views on YouTube happen using mobile devices. So to bring you an even better mobile experience, we’re updating the official YouTube apps – making it easier than ever to find videos you love and create them, too.

The update – available now on Android, mobile web, and soon on iOS – introduces three new tabs:

Home: Easily explore and discover videos you'll love with recommendations based on your watch history as well as playlists personalized just for you.
Subscriptions: Find the latest videos from your favorite channels and creators on the new Subscriptions tab. And to help make sure you never miss an upload, you can now tap the bell icon on the channels you love to get a notification as soon as a new video is posted.
Account: Check out your playlists, watch history, and the videos you’ve uploaded all in one spot.

You can also now watch full-screen vertical videos with just a single tap for the very first time.

But YouTube isn’t just about enjoying videos; it’s a place to express yourself and show the world what you love. With the redesigned app you can take your creativity to new levels using a new set of video creation tools. You’ve got an amazing camera in your phone or tablet, and now you can trim your footage, tint the image with filters, add music, and upload – all inside the app.