I’m glad it’s not just me, it’s very bizarre to the point it must be intentional hahah. Some algorithmic Stockholm syndrome grindset to make us work harder or something. Cause you’d think computers by now could differentiate between “funny” and “not funny” comments because it really is that simple sometimes.
I stopped checking notifications years ago because youtube was *only* sending me negative ones that would ruin my day, so I definitely feel what you're saying about that...
It is so bizarre! You think they’d have an algorithm that detects that stuff, the times I’ve gotten a “not funny” or “this is bad” notification is baffling, whereas I’m getting one hundred times as many complimentary comments that don’t get notifications.
Time to game the system for the sake of attention. Not funny, this is bad. Hey Joel and Scott! Big fan of both channels. I'm not sure how it'd work but I'd go pretty nuts if you somehow did a crossover or traded content styles for a day/video.
@@joeltalksaboutmovies it's possible they have some algorithm that realized negative comments have a higher chance of engagement. As in you're more likely to engage and reply to a negative comment than a positive one. Only way it makes sense to me at least...
@fernandodaela This is almost assuredly what is happening here. The algorithm prioritizes engagement, and the algorithm has determined that most users (and creators) are more likely to engage with negative feedback than with positive feedback. Would sure be nice if RUclips had some empathy for what creators on their site go through when negative feedback gets spotlighted by their systems.
I have fought sponsors tooth and nail to keep certain jokes/bits in my ad reads. A majority of the time they let me get away with it. Coming across professionally to them, and letting them know that my audience will respond to the ad read better if I get to keep my jokes goes a long way. But I think you're right, I also get the sense that most creators are just going with the flow, perhaps afraid that if they speak up they may lose the sponsorship.
This video was clearly sponsored by a healthy sense of self worth, authenticity, and integrity. There wasn't even a link to a microtransaction riddled mobile game. Time for me to rant: Every time I hear Joel open up about creativity and the artistic process I learn something new. I love how he approaches art and I feel he truly has earned the moniker of "artist," not just from his work, but his mindset. Even the way he talks about people leaving negative comments on his work is incredibly empathetic. Just him recounting what someone must feel like to leave a negative comment was so refreshing, to see someone actually try to put themselves into someone's shoes and see the pain behind someone's anger instead of outright dismissing them or making them "the enemy." When you made the "Baldur's Gate 3" video, my first thought was, "Cool, Joel Haver did a video on 'Baldur's Gate 3." My second thought was, "This is probably sponsored... Dope, that means Joel got a paycheck," and then I watched the video and enjoyed it a lot. I swear, if Joel Haver ever does a sponsored video like the BG3 one again I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it and probably share it with my friends because I think it's really funny. Rant over. Edit: Artists deserve to be paid for their art, what they do is invaluable to the human experience, entitled audiences should stop shaming artists for accepting payment for their art. You can't eat wishes and dreams.
It was always amaze me that your first big viral hit was parody of a Bethesda game and now you make those exact same types of jokes in a sponsored video and people lose their minds. Every sponsored animation so far has been a Diamond Class Certified Joel Haver Banger FIRST, and an advertisement second. Getting to work on a few of them has been a lot of fun too! I think people just feel their tastes moving away from something they once loved and they want to intellectualize it. Just people trying to look smart for themselves, creating problems where they don't exist. That's my two cents! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Michael! Well said and I’m glad the heart is apparent sponsored or not. I don’t think often enough how poetic it is that it has come full circle like that. The Baldur’s Gate and Starfield animations wouldn’t have been possible without you, thanks for your help animating king❤️
Sponsored or not, your animations have always been masterpieces. None of them ever came off as an oversell or something invasive, at least in my own opinion. I think your work and the people who love it can speak on your behalf.
Makes me think twice about how I do sponsorships. In D&D RUclips, most sponsors are indie writers publishing their own books of D&D-compatible content. I only accept ones that I think are making something great, but I totally go with: summarize a few bullet points in 30-60s, pay rent. Recently though, I did a dedicated sponsored video like you described. It didn’t even cross my mind to try a more creative/storytelling approach, so it was basically a 5min ad. The sponsor was happy, it sold a bunch of their books, but I didn’t feel great about it. Plus it was my lowest viewed video, in like, years 😅. D&D RUclips isn’t a huge niche, so I can’t pass up on the standard short plugs. But if I have the opportunity for another dedicated video, I’m going to go a more creative route. Thanks Joel. (Also mean comments suck)
4:43 This is generally a good line of thinking, and not just for creatives negotiating sponsorships. I've spoken with at least 3 coworkers in my last 2 jobs where they were paid less than me for the same exact job, and all accepted the first rate that was offered to them. In my experience, employers are more likely to pay better if you ask for the pay you want. Interviews are 2-way negotiations, and if an employer didn't need you, you wouldn't have been offered the interview in the first place. ALWAYS assert your value.
I haven't done any sponsors before, but I did make a review for a drawing tablet many years ago. Without even knowing anything about talking business, I just opened my response email with "I want this and this and this, and I'm gonna do it like this and this, and that's what I want" and they just agreed to it. So I think you are definitely on to something. Not to say that every company will be as agreeable, but it's worth trying.
I'm surprised that it isn't fairly obvious to most RUclipsrs: companies are seeking them out for a reason. If a company specifically contacts you to ask you to advertise for them, you have all the leverage in the world. If you contact a company asking them for money, only then is the leverage on their side. The basic thinking behind responding to a company asking you to advertise their product should always be "If it's entirely on my terms, maybe. If not, don't bother contacting me again." Unless, of course, it's always been your lifelong dream to tell people about what great "champions" are playable in Raid: Shadow Legends...
@@KnuckleHunkybuckunfortunately I think that greatly over-simplifies the issue. Think about the supply and demand situation. If the product is RUclipsr ad space, there is an enormous amount of supply and limited demand. Unless a channel has accumulated a large, valuable, and targeted community, leverage will typically belong to the company writing the checks.
@@DanKaschel Nah, the leverage belongs to the party receiving the request, not the one making it. If someone shows up at your door offering to write you a check, they obviously have a need, and you obviously have something of value to them. It really is that simple. If a channel doesn't have something that a potential advertiser wants, why would they be sending them an email in the first place?
@@KnuckleHunkybuck You go to a gas station to buy gas. They have what you want. They have the power, right? Turns out the sign was wrong and the gas is twice as expensive. So you just buy the gas and pay double, right? Fuck no. You cross the street and get it cheaper. They had what you wanted, but they weren't the only ones.
Hey Joel! If you’re experiencing back pain from animating you might benefit from positioning the tablet more vertical and higher up, like a painter on a canvas. I animated flat on my desk for years with crazy back pain until I switched to this way. Maybe it’ll help you too!
One thing I love about Joel is that he is so charitable in his perspectives and interpretations of others. Like SNL kinda maybe stole his toilet paper bears bit (S+ tier btw, softest toilet paper in the world) and he gives plenty of cover for them by saying that convergent ideas abound and that truly novel comedy is rare. He is so wholesome and understanding and considerate, and then he drops a bombshell that he will die in the trenches fighting comment trolls. I 100% agree and I love it.
The beginning of "Joel Havar Animation Studios". Ain't that the dream? A company with mostly just friends doing the work together, creating art, sharing ideas, having fun (mostly) and making a living. Awesome work, love all your animations. My eyes widened when I saw the nearly 14 minute time for the Lords of the Fallen video. Hats off to you and Mr. Martens.
I think that's a good point that creators probably don't think they have the leverage to ask for more creative control. But hopefully if they see what you are doing maybe it'll give them the confidence to ask.
I 100% agree with all of this. I own a small indie game company and I actually did an animation with Trent for one of my games, and we literally just went into it with a slight outline of the story and improvved… improved… improv-ed? The past form of improv… the entire thing and I think it was super fun and turned out really funny. Anyway, point is we just had fun with it and made a creative silly video and I think it’s so much better than any regular ad. So coming from a game studio, thank you for your work in making ads better. You’re awesome, Joel. (And so is Trent haha thanks again for working with me!) Btw the video is called “It’s The BOSS Fight.” By StegTech Games if you want to see it lol
Joel, you seem to have a big heart for your viewers. You encouraged me to get back into making videos with your oscars challenge this year. I'm back on RUclips and making videos. Thank you.
Thank you for your continued authenticity and transparency on your RUclips journey. That animation is so rad and I love that you got paid to do something you have genuine passion for. ❤
My girlfriend and I love watching all of your content. Doesn't matter if it's your 1 hour movies or your short skits. We always talk about how refreshing your content is because it's authentic. You really know how to capture "normal" human interactions. I hope your back feels better soon.
I love how Joel literally made a video with step by step instructions on how he animates, and yet he gets called out as using AI to make them. Keep up the great work Joel, your very inspirational!
i don't know what you mean by "called out" but did you watch the video you're referring to? because he literally showed in it that he does use AI, and explained why that's a good thing. which I think is awesome. not sure why some people would think it's a bad thing.
He does use AI, Ebsynth is powered by AI, and it's being used by some AI artists to help smooth out videos. Joel has made several videos that used Midjourney images. There's nothing at all wrong with it. Edit: Oh yeah, and I've even seen AI artists refer to Ebsynth as the "Joel Haver method" XD
As a little baby creator, most sponsors don't let us make their ads good. I remember one time I was given a script for a 30 second ad read and I asked if I could do my own thing with it and make it entertaining and they responded by reducing the pay they promised and increasing the ad duration to 1:30. No one is going to sit through that. They are killing their own sales this way. The way you do sponsors is great and I think a lot of creators wish they could do sponsorships the same way. It's just hard to be picky if you're trying to fund yourself and employees for some of the bigger channels. Also on comments I feel you. The negative ones always stand out more but it's nice to see other commenters come to defend you even if it is just an unproductive argument on the internet. Keep it up Joel, you inspire a lot of filmmakers out there!
It always rubs me the wrong way when I see people mocking creators for replying to hateful comments in order to defend their work, like that's inherently unprofessional or something. I wonder if it's a carry-over from the twisted world of customer service, where the consumer (viewer) expects the service provider (creator) to always be kind to them personally no matter what.
Feel you on the 99.9% of comments being incredibly kind, and the remaining 0.1% somehow being notification worthy according to RUclips. Engagement by any means necessary!
Even when you're at the top you can hear people yelling from the bottom. You're success and valuable relationships should be a loud enough response. Keep creating Joel, keep inspiring. Mush love friend 🍄💚
RUclips knows that negativity can drive engagement. Maybe they're actively trying to make their platform more toxic because they want more ad revenue? Anyway, it's nice to have someone as relentlessly positive as Joel around :)
I love the way you do sponsored videos, its crazy how many big games you've got sponsorships for and the videos themselves are so stand out compared to regular sponsorships that'd just be tacked on, you're great joel you've found the sweet spot of doing sponsored content in a way that really works for you I respect that a lot.
This video is just further proof of how Joel is such a good guy and creator for the platform. I found the channel off the animations, but I've had so much fun going through the non-animated content ever since. Just remember, Joel, your fans appreciate you and all your hard work! We'll fight the bastards for ya
The Elden Ring video was how I found your main channel and you've since been my favorite creator on RUclips. I had already planned on eventually getting Baldurs Gate and Lords of the Fallen, but seeing that you did "ad" vids for them, makes me even more want the games because it also just gives me a better perspective that the companies aren't the stereotype and actually will work with creators. Keep doing what you do man!
That Lords of the Fallen video is probably my favorite of everything you've made. I was so genuinely invested in the story and laughing at the absurdity.
Yo Elden Ring is a great place to start. And the fact that you've *only* done high-quality sponsors means you retain the "if-I-say-it's-good-I-actually-mean-it" vibe that is so rare these days. Really appreciate it and each one of your sponsored vids still made me laugh and cry. One of my favorite RUclipsrs. 6/10
Compared to 99% of sponsored videos I love your's. You put so much effort in your videos. I wish people would do more sponsorship videos with your spirit and love.
Even if the animations are sponsored, they are still very entertaining and I appreciate the effort you and your friends put into your videos, and not just the animations. I did an animation like yours when you made that "how I made this" video and it took me an entire week to make it, and that was mainly drawing it. I just ignore the haters and make what I want to make. I also do make videos with games and they aren't sponsored but they are technically still free advertising for that game. Overall, keep up the great work, been following since I saw your first rpg video on reddit.
People lack the confidence to stand up for themselves. You have to consider how your parents raised you. Not everyone's parents give them the love, support, and wisdom they need to advocate for themselves in a competitive environment. I saw how you reacted to your dad's passing and it made sense because you have one of the highest levels of confidence I've ever seen. It's that confidence that makes companies trust you and not everyone can say the same words in the same way.
What really gets me is the stuff about sponsors and things like Better Help- where we know there are major issues with it, but so many people were already locked into contracts and have to do them despite heavy criticism from viewers.
You're the man Joel. I think a lot of the people making comments like the pinned one from mrzz9020 don't understand the actual work that goes into the production side of things, especially with that type of animation you do. I remember way back when you posted a video about how you actually animate those, and it certainly didn't look easy. Consumers don't always appreciate the effort that creators put in to create their products. Keep up the great work dude, and try not to let the 1% of negative comments get to you too bad. One thing I love about the internet is that you don't have to engage with the bullshit if you don't want to.
I absolutely love these videos where youre just your genuine self (not that you aren't always), talking about the RUclipsr experience. As someone who does this for a living as well, and only just recently started getting sponsors, it's wonderful to hear your perspective. And yeah, screw negative commenters. 😅 Thank you
Your unique style and personality in these projects is what makes them such utterly genius creations and designs. Your art makes the world a better place. (I loved the lords of the fallen one with the character in eternal suffering who finds a lamp and makes a friend)
when i see video titles like this one from channels that i subscribe to, I always worry that someone I thought I liked has now decided to lay down a condescending tirade about some self-absorbed virtuoso vision about how they're right and other people are wrong to approach something a certain way, or whatever - and i always get that brief pang of worry, that if i watch the video, i'll no longer really feel like i'm seeing eye to eye with that person anymore, and that i'll start to feel jaded about it, etc etc. fortunately, with your videos, i never feel that. i'm always concerned when i see it still, but the things you talk about are always genuine and as a person, you're unchanging in your commitment to be a positive influence. i don't know what the point of this comment is, really, but i guess just, thanks for not disappointing me/us, and thanks for being who you are in giving well-thought-out opinions about what it means to have a position like you do.
You and a few other artists and their respective teams are truly champions of RUclips. You make the platform beautiful with genuine and unique contributions - including exposition videos like this one. Thank you for everything!
This is what originally drew me to your work. It is very apparent that you value how your art is received and that it is ART and not a cash grab. Good on you for focusing on the art and not letting the business get in the way.
Man, i completely agree. Your format works for it completely. Seeing rhett and link do a themed episode sounds iffy at first thought. A hello fresh episode would be doable i guess but not slandering at all would sacrifice the point of doing it in a way. I think anthony padilla does get with better health, he does read a script and do what you are saying but the main topics are applied in episode. If he didnt have to read off the script it would be better. I think its such a losing battle but man if it was just connected that would be amazing. I truly wish you the best. Thank you for the countless hours you helped me get through, i feel thankful a shamful amount that i can scroll through videos and just get by and have a good time doing it.
Hi Joel. It's amazing (and definitely a sign of your hard work) the credibility you've built on this platform. Moreover, your integrity/ moral code AND kindness is inspiring. Thank you for giving us hope
Joel, as the author and only writer for my TTRPG (Eon Legacy) your work has been an entertaining and uplifting boon. I often have your work on a playlist just to retain a mood while working on specific thematic work (me and my hyper focused tunnel vision). Thank you, sir, for your work is a moodsetter.
your "commercial" is actually what I would want from a commercial. It reminds me of those thai good life insurance commercials. When I saw the "my dad is a liar" commercial it made me realize that good commercials absolutely could exist and its kinda upsetting that they don't. I still randomly watch that one when I want to feel sad. Which, how effective is a commercial that I am watching it as an american and have had discussions with it friends and sharing it and it wasn't even aimed at us even remotely as an audience?
Well said Joel. Your approach to sponsored animations makes it fun. They're a win win. A lot of ads are definitely disingenuous. Love the real approach. You and Alex killed this one 👏
I don't usually leave comments, but this video pretty much perfectly puts into words how I feel about sponsorships and how they should be handled. I have my own animation channel, and should I ever reach the point of sponsorships, I would also hate to deflate and borderline ruin the experience of watching the video with an interrupting ad talking about a website builder. Creating a dedicated animation to market a company's product on your own terms is definitely the way to go! I don't agree with everything you said, such as doing a sponsored video without even a meeting to discuss the concept, or that biting back at hate comments can ever be a good thing (although it can be pretty satisfying), but this was a great video! Glad to see that integrity is alive on youtube, where it so often seems like it isn't. :)
I figure it’s a slow burn this time because less people will click based on the title alone. If nothing else, it’s more exciting cause it has a greater capacity to let people know about a game they might not know about otherwise. We’ll see!
Your sponsored animations are, firstmost, hilarious and in the same vein of comedy / style to your non-sponsored ones. That's integrity right there. They remind me of when South Park had a World of Warcraft episode: using the game as a catalyst for commentary on in-jokes with that game's community, rather than a commercial. If the companies paid you, they got their money's value and then some; if you got paid, that's one less obstacle to your other creative endeavors that may have been shelved due to financial issues.
Your 2nd point of integrity on youtube hits DEEP man. I am a hobbyist musician for 5 years and don't market my music in any way, and the whole 2nd half of this video is so relatable.
You do amazing things Joel, and it's okay to feel down about negative comments. I just hope that for each bad one there's a good one to pick you up again.
I think you said it perfectly - saying "no" means potentially impacting your income and your bottom line, so most creators either don't want to do so or don't have the financial luxury to do so.
Joel, I absolutely love how candid, thoughtful and genuine you are. I did it just sub to you because your skits are entertaining, but because I love hearing what you have to think.
You touched on one of the things that occurred to me after watching those. I'd watch them not knowing if it was just a riff on the world, sometimes it makes fun of some of the tropes in a playful way, but then it's like "oh, this was sponsored?!" and I wind up thinking better of them for taking that sort of risk when the industry is often so risk-averse. I can see plenty of companies who wouldn't do that. Helps that many of the games you do videos for were things I was already into or might like, so it makes me feel like I tend to prefer the right kinds of companies. It's a good philosophy, Joel. Thanks for sharing.
these videos were so refreshing and fun and to watch. It certainly helps that a lot of those studios are clearly full of great people who get it. I've watched the videos a few times over
Honestly your lotf video made me actually want to try the game. Your sponsored videos are some of the only advertisements that I actually enjoy, and want me to actually play the games.
Your drive and need to be genuine before all else is the BEST thing about you and your channel, Joel. Please don't ever change! You can quit RUclips and give up on your career, but don't give up on yourself! I have always struggled with trust issues yet you always make me comfortable, that's how I know you rule! Thanks again, Joel.
The only video of yours I’d seen was the Elden Ring video, which I absolutely loved, but this was just recommended to me, and it’s nice to see some insight behind the main channel. You seem like such a genuine dude, and I wish more creators thought the way you did. Great video
so much respect for you , been a fan a long time , been a sub and super fan since you shared your animation process. Made some fun gifs , but man it's rough to get what you want with that method , love interpolated rotoscoping like the waking life and a scanner darkly , your method lets me do that , if i'm willing to put in the hours , i'm not , but i respect that you gave me this tool. thank you Joel, mad respect brother.
As an animator, your work is very admirable! I also enjoyed the sponsored content/ads, they were so fun to watch. And they were lengthy! Whoch only mean more good time haha❤❤
I'm so happy you feel this way about sponsorships because I've been getting emails from people looking to sponsor me and I'm so hesitant about it because I've always felt the same way. I don't want to bring the pacing of my videos to a hault to read some ad I don't care about. If I'm going to advertise a product, let me do it my way! And there's also nothing wrong with collaborating with a brand as long as you're not letting them walk all over your videos and hard work.
I love that the videos don't feel like ads. It's just a story that you wanted to tell in their universe. It's a dream any artist would love, getting paid to make what you want without oversite. Hope you get to keep making more
All 3 videos so far were great. Not only they make fun of the quirky aspects of the games (devs should embrace it s well), but also showcase game world while keeping it not all that serious. If someone was asking me what should be premium grade standard of sponsored content I would point them to these videos.
Joel, I just wanna say, not only are you extremely funny and talented, but although I mean no disrespect to other youtubers trying to make a living, I truly get the feeling your trying to spread comedy, but also just overall make the world a better place than you left it, and use your youtube channel to do so. Your calling people and telling them you love them really stuck with me, because I think by all pragmatic general youtube analytic standards it was a bad idea, but I thought it was extremely cool. I can't imagine the amount of love and positivity you spread with that video alone, through your own actions, but also through other people that would want to emulate them. Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to say I really find your content funny, but I also just really appreciate what your doing on youtube overall, and even though I don't think I would ever make it in the youtube industry, I aspire to act as you do, if I end up achieving any sort of influence.
oh, you best believe i’m standing up for myself in the comments. and i made up my mind before i started my channel that sponsorships would be done on my terms. i have no idea who you are, but the title made me watch. much respect for you!!
99% of youtube comments: positive and friendly.
The 1% that youtube decides to send as notifications on my phone: incoherent insults.
I’m glad it’s not just me, it’s very bizarre to the point it must be intentional hahah. Some algorithmic Stockholm syndrome grindset to make us work harder or something. Cause you’d think computers by now could differentiate between “funny” and “not funny” comments because it really is that simple sometimes.
The Baldur's Gate video is absolute gold. Even my wife and kids, who have zero interest in such games, found it hysterical.
Aww I love to hear that! My goal is always to create something that doesn’t require deep knowledge of the game to enjoy.
same! i’ve never played that game either but still really enjoyed the video!
@@joeltalksaboutmovies Your video was the first time I've even heard of the game.
@@joeltalksaboutmoviesthat baulders gate one made me finally play the game!
I didn't have any interest in the game until I saw it. Now I'm about 200 hours in.
I stopped checking notifications years ago because youtube was *only* sending me negative ones that would ruin my day, so I definitely feel what you're saying about that...
It is so bizarre! You think they’d have an algorithm that detects that stuff, the times I’ve gotten a “not funny” or “this is bad” notification is baffling, whereas I’m getting one hundred times as many complimentary comments that don’t get notifications.
Time to game the system for the sake of attention.
Not funny, this is bad. Hey Joel and Scott! Big fan of both channels. I'm not sure how it'd work but I'd go pretty nuts if you somehow did a crossover or traded content styles for a day/video.
Scott and Joel is a combo I’d love to see in a video
@@joeltalksaboutmovies it's possible they have some algorithm that realized negative comments have a higher chance of engagement. As in you're more likely to engage and reply to a negative comment than a positive one.
Only way it makes sense to me at least...
@fernandodaela This is almost assuredly what is happening here. The algorithm prioritizes engagement, and the algorithm has determined that most users (and creators) are more likely to engage with negative feedback than with positive feedback. Would sure be nice if RUclips had some empathy for what creators on their site go through when negative feedback gets spotlighted by their systems.
I have fought sponsors tooth and nail to keep certain jokes/bits in my ad reads.
A majority of the time they let me get away with it.
Coming across professionally to them, and letting them know that my audience will respond to the ad read better if I get to keep my jokes goes a long way.
But I think you're right, I also get the sense that most creators are just going with the flow, perhaps afraid that if they speak up they may lose the sponsorship.
This video was clearly sponsored by a healthy sense of self worth, authenticity, and integrity. There wasn't even a link to a microtransaction riddled mobile game.
Time for me to rant:
Every time I hear Joel open up about creativity and the artistic process I learn something new. I love how he approaches art and I feel he truly has earned the moniker of "artist," not just from his work, but his mindset.
Even the way he talks about people leaving negative comments on his work is incredibly empathetic. Just him recounting what someone must feel like to leave a negative comment was so refreshing, to see someone actually try to put themselves into someone's shoes and see the pain behind someone's anger instead of outright dismissing them or making them "the enemy."
When you made the "Baldur's Gate 3" video, my first thought was, "Cool, Joel Haver did a video on 'Baldur's Gate 3."
My second thought was, "This is probably sponsored... Dope, that means Joel got a paycheck," and then I watched the video and enjoyed it a lot.
I swear, if Joel Haver ever does a sponsored video like the BG3 one again I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it and probably share it with my friends because I think it's really funny.
Rant over.
Edit: Artists deserve to be paid for their art, what they do is invaluable to the human experience, entitled audiences should stop shaming artists for accepting payment for their art. You can't eat wishes and dreams.
Sounds more like a gush than a rant :)
Yeah but I cant gacha a healthy sense of worth or authenticity, wheres the ad joel?! tell me about genshin impact!!
It was always amaze me that your first big viral hit was parody of a Bethesda game and now you make those exact same types of jokes in a sponsored video and people lose their minds. Every sponsored animation so far has been a Diamond Class Certified Joel Haver Banger FIRST, and an advertisement second. Getting to work on a few of them has been a lot of fun too! I think people just feel their tastes moving away from something they once loved and they want to intellectualize it. Just people trying to look smart for themselves, creating problems where they don't exist. That's my two cents! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Michael! Well said and I’m glad the heart is apparent sponsored or not. I don’t think often enough how poetic it is that it has come full circle like that. The Baldur’s Gate and Starfield animations wouldn’t have been possible without you, thanks for your help animating king❤️
Sponsored or not, your animations have always been masterpieces. None of them ever came off as an oversell or something invasive, at least in my own opinion. I think your work and the people who love it can speak on your behalf.
Makes me think twice about how I do sponsorships. In D&D RUclips, most sponsors are indie writers publishing their own books of D&D-compatible content. I only accept ones that I think are making something great, but I totally go with: summarize a few bullet points in 30-60s, pay rent. Recently though, I did a dedicated sponsored video like you described. It didn’t even cross my mind to try a more creative/storytelling approach, so it was basically a 5min ad. The sponsor was happy, it sold a bunch of their books, but I didn’t feel great about it. Plus it was my lowest viewed video, in like, years 😅. D&D RUclips isn’t a huge niche, so I can’t pass up on the standard short plugs. But if I have the opportunity for another dedicated video, I’m going to go a more creative route. Thanks Joel. (Also mean comments suck)
Woah! Two of my favorite RUclipsrs in the same place-cheers! 🍻
Wait, that was an ad for Starfield? I thought that was an ad for succulents…
4:43 This is generally a good line of thinking, and not just for creatives negotiating sponsorships. I've spoken with at least 3 coworkers in my last 2 jobs where they were paid less than me for the same exact job, and all accepted the first rate that was offered to them. In my experience, employers are more likely to pay better if you ask for the pay you want. Interviews are 2-way negotiations, and if an employer didn't need you, you wouldn't have been offered the interview in the first place. ALWAYS assert your value.
I haven't done any sponsors before, but I did make a review for a drawing tablet many years ago. Without even knowing anything about talking business, I just opened my response email with "I want this and this and this, and I'm gonna do it like this and this, and that's what I want" and they just agreed to it.
So I think you are definitely on to something.
Not to say that every company will be as agreeable, but it's worth trying.
Hey, it's the animations channel.
I'm surprised that it isn't fairly obvious to most RUclipsrs: companies are seeking them out for a reason. If a company specifically contacts you to ask you to advertise for them, you have all the leverage in the world. If you contact a company asking them for money, only then is the leverage on their side. The basic thinking behind responding to a company asking you to advertise their product should always be "If it's entirely on my terms, maybe. If not, don't bother contacting me again." Unless, of course, it's always been your lifelong dream to tell people about what great "champions" are playable in Raid: Shadow Legends...
@@KnuckleHunkybuckunfortunately I think that greatly over-simplifies the issue. Think about the supply and demand situation. If the product is RUclipsr ad space, there is an enormous amount of supply and limited demand. Unless a channel has accumulated a large, valuable, and targeted community, leverage will typically belong to the company writing the checks.
@@DanKaschel Nah, the leverage belongs to the party receiving the request, not the one making it. If someone shows up at your door offering to write you a check, they obviously have a need, and you obviously have something of value to them. It really is that simple. If a channel doesn't have something that a potential advertiser wants, why would they be sending them an email in the first place?
@@KnuckleHunkybuck You go to a gas station to buy gas. They have what you want. They have the power, right?
Turns out the sign was wrong and the gas is twice as expensive. So you just buy the gas and pay double, right?
Fuck no. You cross the street and get it cheaper. They had what you wanted, but they weren't the only ones.
RUclips takes away the dislike button for creators mental health then proceeds to notify them when they get negative comments. Big brain moves.
You gotta build a chest-high wall between yourself and the h8ers
Hey Joel! If you’re experiencing back pain from animating you might benefit from positioning the tablet more vertical and higher up, like a painter on a canvas. I animated flat on my desk for years with crazy back pain until I switched to this way. Maybe it’ll help you too!
Integrity cough cough sniper wolf not having it
One thing I love about Joel is that he is so charitable in his perspectives and interpretations of others. Like SNL kinda maybe stole his toilet paper bears bit (S+ tier btw, softest toilet paper in the world) and he gives plenty of cover for them by saying that convergent ideas abound and that truly novel comedy is rare. He is so wholesome and understanding and considerate, and then he drops a bombshell that he will die in the trenches fighting comment trolls. I 100% agree and I love it.
everytime i see the faceless dudes in the dead world in lords of the fallen i cant help but think of the one from your vid lol
The beginning of "Joel Havar Animation Studios". Ain't that the dream? A company with mostly just friends doing the work together, creating art, sharing ideas, having fun (mostly) and making a living. Awesome work, love all your animations. My eyes widened when I saw the nearly 14 minute time for the Lords of the Fallen video. Hats off to you and Mr. Martens.
I think that's a good point that creators probably don't think they have the leverage to ask for more creative control. But hopefully if they see what you are doing maybe it'll give them the confidence to ask.
When we've grown our channel big enough to get sponsors I definitely wanna do 'em the way you do 'em. Very inspiring stuff!!
I know you guys will do it, your stuff rocks! Much love and keep creating friends❤️
@@joeltalksaboutmovies we'll never stop creating ❤️
Joel Haver approved? I'm subscribed now - will watch some of your (101!) videos right after Joel stops yappin
I 100% agree with all of this. I own a small indie game company and I actually did an animation with Trent for one of my games, and we literally just went into it with a slight outline of the story and improvved… improved… improv-ed? The past form of improv… the entire thing and I think it was super fun and turned out really funny. Anyway, point is we just had fun with it and made a creative silly video and I think it’s so much better than any regular ad. So coming from a game studio, thank you for your work in making ads better. You’re awesome, Joel. (And so is Trent haha thanks again for working with me!)
Btw the video is called “It’s The BOSS Fight.” By StegTech Games if you want to see it lol
Joel, you seem to have a big heart for your viewers.
You encouraged me to get back into making videos with your oscars challenge this year. I'm back on RUclips and making videos. Thank you.
Thank you for your continued authenticity and transparency on your RUclips journey. That animation is so rad and I love that you got paid to do something you have genuine passion for. ❤
My girlfriend and I love watching all of your content. Doesn't matter if it's your 1 hour movies or your short skits. We always talk about how refreshing your content is because it's authentic. You really know how to capture "normal" human interactions. I hope your back feels better soon.
Aw thanks for watching together, that’s really special! Happy you guys check everything out. Wish you both well
If more creators pushed for more freedom, everyone wins
I love how Joel literally made a video with step by step instructions on how he animates, and yet he gets called out as using AI to make them. Keep up the great work Joel, your very inspirational!
i don't know what you mean by "called out" but did you watch the video you're referring to? because he literally showed in it that he does use AI, and explained why that's a good thing.
which I think is awesome. not sure why some people would think it's a bad thing.
He does use AI, Ebsynth is powered by AI, and it's being used by some AI artists to help smooth out videos. Joel has made several videos that used Midjourney images. There's nothing at all wrong with it. Edit: Oh yeah, and I've even seen AI artists refer to Ebsynth as the "Joel Haver method" XD
Joel continues to be just the nicest guy on youtube
I like that the thumbnail looks like you're going on a rant and it's just a sensible talk about art, creating and empathy.
You give a whole new level to being a "creator", elevated and redefined even.
Joel is by far one of the classiest artists on RUclips. Love your creative vision, Joel!
JOEL spelled backwards is LEO-J...
Joel, is a Thundercat trying to pretend he's people...
Hm. I like this. 👍
As a little baby creator, most sponsors don't let us make their ads good. I remember one time I was given a script for a 30 second ad read and I asked if I could do my own thing with it and make it entertaining and they responded by reducing the pay they promised and increasing the ad duration to 1:30. No one is going to sit through that. They are killing their own sales this way.
The way you do sponsors is great and I think a lot of creators wish they could do sponsorships the same way. It's just hard to be picky if you're trying to fund yourself and employees for some of the bigger channels.
Also on comments I feel you. The negative ones always stand out more but it's nice to see other commenters come to defend you even if it is just an unproductive argument on the internet. Keep it up Joel, you inspire a lot of filmmakers out there!
It always rubs me the wrong way when I see people mocking creators for replying to hateful comments in order to defend their work, like that's inherently unprofessional or something. I wonder if it's a carry-over from the twisted world of customer service, where the consumer (viewer) expects the service provider (creator) to always be kind to them personally no matter what.
I really appreciate all the work you do and the way you go about doing it, Joel
Thank you Hans❤️
the "AND it's fuckin fun" hahahaha truth
Feel you on the 99.9% of comments being incredibly kind, and the remaining 0.1% somehow being notification worthy according to RUclips. Engagement by any means necessary!
Even when you're at the top you can hear people yelling from the bottom. You're success and valuable relationships should be a loud enough response. Keep creating Joel, keep inspiring. Mush love friend 🍄💚
RUclips knows that negativity can drive engagement. Maybe they're actively trying to make their platform more toxic because they want more ad revenue?
Anyway, it's nice to have someone as relentlessly positive as Joel around :)
You know it's serious when you get Knife-Hand Joel in the thumbnail.
He’s chopping! He’s chopping!
it's nice to listen to you speak about things
You can stand up for your work without trying to make people feel as bad as they made you feel.
I totally agree with defending yourself against unfair judgements. As long as it’s in a healthy way and not something eating at you.
I honestly wouldnt have known it was an ad, thats the level of quality. Both I've watched were excellent videos, that made me curious about the games.
I love the way you do sponsored videos, its crazy how many big games you've got sponsorships for and the videos themselves are so stand out compared to regular sponsorships that'd just be tacked on, you're great joel you've found the sweet spot of doing sponsored content in a way that really works for you I respect that a lot.
I notice that the more earnest the creator, the more they look right into the camera.
Instead of looking at the screen. Stay true, bro.
This video is just further proof of how Joel is such a good guy and creator for the platform. I found the channel off the animations, but I've had so much fun going through the non-animated content ever since.
Just remember, Joel, your fans appreciate you and all your hard work! We'll fight the bastards for ya
Thank you Joel, your self-awareness on this topic is great. Thank you for talking about this kind of thing, it's really helpful for other creators.
Joel such a wholesome lil guy
The Elden Ring video was how I found your main channel and you've since been my favorite creator on RUclips. I had already planned on eventually getting Baldurs Gate and Lords of the Fallen, but seeing that you did "ad" vids for them, makes me even more want the games because it also just gives me a better perspective that the companies aren't the stereotype and actually will work with creators. Keep doing what you do man!
Thanks for sharing, Joel. You're a beacon of integrity in a shady, compromising world.
amen
That Lords of the Fallen video is probably my favorite of everything you've made. I was so genuinely invested in the story and laughing at the absurdity.
Yo Elden Ring is a great place to start. And the fact that you've *only* done high-quality sponsors means you retain the "if-I-say-it's-good-I-actually-mean-it" vibe that is so rare these days. Really appreciate it and each one of your sponsored vids still made me laugh and cry. One of my favorite RUclipsrs.
6/10
Yours and "internet comment etiquette" always put so much work into sponsored content and make it entertaining. Keep up the good work.
Compared to 99% of sponsored videos I love your's. You put so much effort in your videos. I wish people would do more sponsorship videos with your spirit and love.
Even if the animations are sponsored, they are still very entertaining and I appreciate the effort you and your friends put into your videos, and not just the animations. I did an animation like yours when you made that "how I made this" video and it took me an entire week to make it, and that was mainly drawing it. I just ignore the haters and make what I want to make. I also do make videos with games and they aren't sponsored but they are technically still free advertising for that game. Overall, keep up the great work, been following since I saw your first rpg video on reddit.
And yes, fighting back is good. It's also to help stand up for others who might be dealing with the same kind of things.
People lack the confidence to stand up for themselves. You have to consider how your parents raised you. Not everyone's parents give them the love, support, and wisdom they need to advocate for themselves in a competitive environment. I saw how you reacted to your dad's passing and it made sense because you have one of the highest levels of confidence I've ever seen. It's that confidence that makes companies trust you and not everyone can say the same words in the same way.
What really gets me is the stuff about sponsors and things like Better Help- where we know there are major issues with it, but so many people were already locked into contracts and have to do them despite heavy criticism from viewers.
You're the man Joel. I think a lot of the people making comments like the pinned one from mrzz9020 don't understand the actual work that goes into the production side of things, especially with that type of animation you do. I remember way back when you posted a video about how you actually animate those, and it certainly didn't look easy. Consumers don't always appreciate the effort that creators put in to create their products. Keep up the great work dude, and try not to let the 1% of negative comments get to you too bad. One thing I love about the internet is that you don't have to engage with the bullshit if you don't want to.
I absolutely love these videos where youre just your genuine self (not that you aren't always), talking about the RUclipsr experience. As someone who does this for a living as well, and only just recently started getting sponsors, it's wonderful to hear your perspective. And yeah, screw negative commenters. 😅 Thank you
Your unique style and personality in these projects is what makes them such utterly genius creations and designs. Your art makes the world a better place. (I loved the lords of the fallen one with the character in eternal suffering who finds a lamp and makes a friend)
Right on Joel! It's cool that you're true to yourself.
when i see video titles like this one from channels that i subscribe to, I always worry that someone I thought I liked has now decided to lay down a condescending tirade about some self-absorbed virtuoso vision about how they're right and other people are wrong to approach something a certain way, or whatever - and i always get that brief pang of worry, that if i watch the video, i'll no longer really feel like i'm seeing eye to eye with that person anymore, and that i'll start to feel jaded about it, etc etc. fortunately, with your videos, i never feel that. i'm always concerned when i see it still, but the things you talk about are always genuine and as a person, you're unchanging in your commitment to be a positive influence. i don't know what the point of this comment is, really, but i guess just, thanks for not disappointing me/us, and thanks for being who you are in giving well-thought-out opinions about what it means to have a position like you do.
You and a few other artists and their respective teams are truly champions of RUclips. You make the platform beautiful with genuine and unique contributions - including exposition videos like this one. Thank you for everything!
This is what originally drew me to your work. It is very apparent that you value how your art is received and that it is ART and not a cash grab. Good on you for focusing on the art and not letting the business get in the way.
Man, i completely agree. Your format works for it completely. Seeing rhett and link do a themed episode sounds iffy at first thought. A hello fresh episode would be doable i guess but not slandering at all would sacrifice the point of doing it in a way.
I think anthony padilla does get with better health, he does read a script and do what you are saying but the main topics are applied in episode. If he didnt have to read off the script it would be better. I think its such a losing battle but man if it was just connected that would be amazing. I truly wish you the best. Thank you for the countless hours you helped me get through, i feel thankful a shamful amount that i can scroll through videos and just get by and have a good time doing it.
Hi Joel. It's amazing (and definitely a sign of your hard work) the credibility you've built on this platform. Moreover, your integrity/ moral code AND kindness is inspiring.
Thank you for giving us hope
even more than the creative aspect, I appreciate the transparency you have shown sharing this stuff with us. Makes it feel alot less greasy.
Joel, as the author and only writer for my TTRPG (Eon Legacy) your work has been an entertaining and uplifting boon. I often have your work on a playlist just to retain a mood while working on specific thematic work (me and my hyper focused tunnel vision). Thank you, sir, for your work is a moodsetter.
Thanks for being authentic Joel
your "commercial" is actually what I would want from a commercial. It reminds me of those thai good life insurance commercials. When I saw the "my dad is a liar" commercial it made me realize that good commercials absolutely could exist and its kinda upsetting that they don't. I still randomly watch that one when I want to feel sad. Which, how effective is a commercial that I am watching it as an american and have had discussions with it friends and sharing it and it wasn't even aimed at us even remotely as an audience?
We create boundaries with our close relationships, it’s important to do the same with our workplaces. That just takes numbers and time
I hope I will keep the same mindset as you once I find my stride.
"you are nobody until you have a well stocked list of enemies" - Jordan Shanks I think
Well said Joel. Your approach to sponsored animations makes it fun. They're a win win. A lot of ads are definitely disingenuous. Love the real approach. You and Alex killed this one 👏
I don't usually leave comments, but this video pretty much perfectly puts into words how I feel about sponsorships and how they should be handled. I have my own animation channel, and should I ever reach the point of sponsorships, I would also hate to deflate and borderline ruin the experience of watching the video with an interrupting ad talking about a website builder. Creating a dedicated animation to market a company's product on your own terms is definitely the way to go! I don't agree with everything you said, such as doing a sponsored video without even a meeting to discuss the concept, or that biting back at hate comments can ever be a good thing (although it can be pretty satisfying), but this was a great video! Glad to see that integrity is alive on youtube, where it so often seems like it isn't. :)
I'm sorta disappointed by how people don't seem as pulled in by the Lords of the Fallen video because it's not about as high profile a game this time.
I figure it’s a slow burn this time because less people will click based on the title alone. If nothing else, it’s more exciting cause it has a greater capacity to let people know about a game they might not know about otherwise. We’ll see!
Your sponsored animations are, firstmost, hilarious and in the same vein of comedy / style to your non-sponsored ones. That's integrity right there. They remind me of when South Park had a World of Warcraft episode: using the game as a catalyst for commentary on in-jokes with that game's community, rather than a commercial. If the companies paid you, they got their money's value and then some; if you got paid, that's one less obstacle to your other creative endeavors that may have been shelved due to financial issues.
Your 2nd point of integrity on youtube hits DEEP man. I am a hobbyist musician for 5 years and don't market my music in any way, and the whole 2nd half of this video is so relatable.
Joel, you are such a genuine sweetheart. I'm so glad you are giving yourself a break, but definitely looking forward to what you create next.
You do amazing things Joel, and it's okay to feel down about negative comments. I just hope that for each bad one there's a good one to pick you up again.
I think you said it perfectly - saying "no" means potentially impacting your income and your bottom line, so most creators either don't want to do so or don't have the financial luxury to do so.
Joel, I absolutely love how candid, thoughtful and genuine you are. I did it just sub to you because your skits are entertaining, but because I love hearing what you have to think.
"he only does this when he is paid to" --a bunch of dingdongs with an internet connection
To hell with the dingdongs!
I 100% wholeheartedly agree and I've always thought that if I was a RUclipsr this is exactly how I would want to go about it
You touched on one of the things that occurred to me after watching those. I'd watch them not knowing if it was just a riff on the world, sometimes it makes fun of some of the tropes in a playful way, but then it's like "oh, this was sponsored?!" and I wind up thinking better of them for taking that sort of risk when the industry is often so risk-averse. I can see plenty of companies who wouldn't do that. Helps that many of the games you do videos for were things I was already into or might like, so it makes me feel like I tend to prefer the right kinds of companies. It's a good philosophy, Joel. Thanks for sharing.
these videos were so refreshing and fun and to watch. It certainly helps that a lot of those studios are clearly full of great people who get it. I've watched the videos a few times over
Honestly your lotf video made me actually want to try the game. Your sponsored videos are some of the only advertisements that I actually enjoy, and want me to actually play the games.
Your drive and need to be genuine before all else is the BEST thing about you and your channel, Joel. Please don't ever change! You can quit RUclips and give up on your career, but don't give up on yourself! I have always struggled with trust issues yet you always make me comfortable, that's how I know you rule! Thanks again, Joel.
The only video of yours I’d seen was the Elden Ring video, which I absolutely loved, but this was just recommended to me, and it’s nice to see some insight behind the main channel. You seem like such a genuine dude, and I wish more creators thought the way you did. Great video
Thanks for another transparent explanation of some behind the scenes RUclips stuff!
so much respect for you , been a fan a long time , been a sub and super fan since you shared your animation process. Made some fun gifs , but man it's rough to get what you want with that method , love interpolated rotoscoping like the waking life and a scanner darkly , your method lets me do that , if i'm willing to put in the hours , i'm not , but i respect that you gave me this tool. thank you Joel, mad respect brother.
As an animator, your work is very admirable! I also enjoyed the sponsored content/ads, they were so fun to watch. And they were lengthy! Whoch only mean more good time haha❤❤
This is incredibly helpful and thank you for sharing your opinions on this. A lot of my other artist friends have concerns about this too.
This is a win for all parties involved.
I'm so happy you feel this way about sponsorships because I've been getting emails from people looking to sponsor me and I'm so hesitant about it because I've always felt the same way. I don't want to bring the pacing of my videos to a hault to read some ad I don't care about. If I'm going to advertise a product, let me do it my way! And there's also nothing wrong with collaborating with a brand as long as you're not letting them walk all over your videos and hard work.
I love that the videos don't feel like ads. It's just a story that you wanted to tell in their universe. It's a dream any artist would love, getting paid to make what you want without oversite. Hope you get to keep making more
All 3 videos so far were great. Not only they make fun of the quirky aspects of the games (devs should embrace it s well), but also showcase game world while keeping it not all that serious. If someone was asking me what should be premium grade standard of sponsored content I would point them to these videos.
Joel, I just wanna say, not only are you extremely funny and talented, but although I mean no disrespect to other youtubers trying to make a living, I truly get the feeling your trying to spread comedy, but also just overall make the world a better place than you left it, and use your youtube channel to do so. Your calling people and telling them you love them really stuck with me, because I think by all pragmatic general youtube analytic standards it was a bad idea, but I thought it was extremely cool. I can't imagine the amount of love and positivity you spread with that video alone, through your own actions, but also through other people that would want to emulate them. Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to say I really find your content funny, but I also just really appreciate what your doing on youtube overall, and even though I don't think I would ever make it in the youtube industry, I aspire to act as you do, if I end up achieving any sort of influence.
oh, you best believe i’m standing up for myself in the comments. and i made up my mind before i started my channel that sponsorships would be done on my terms.
i have no idea who you are, but the title made me watch. much respect for you!!