Youtube doesn't like you to upload video game, television, or movie clips.  They certainly don't like it when you try to monetize them.
     Yet, it is these kinds of videos that gets people to watch other videos that I've made from scratch.
      It is a dilemma.
      Most people only watch stuff they are familiar with, so to get them to watch something new is not easy.
      I've also noticed, even with myself, that I would rather watch a video with 100,000 hits then something with forty-five hits.  The number of hits indicates that it is somewhat watchable, otherwise, why would so many people watch it?

      So, the other day, I did watch a video with only forty-five hits.  It turned out to be some woman on a boat filming, and they floated up to a crocodile in the water.  The animal seemed annoyed that this big boat was moving in on its territory.   
      I didn't like the video much, because the pay-off for watching the video wasn't that great, and I had to listen to some cackling woman for three minutes.

      It is mostly teen-agers on youtube who watch videos and actively comment.

      As you know, getting lots of hits on youtube these days can earn you some extra pocket change. 
      I think appealing to the youth market is essential, but it isn't the end-all, be-all of things.

      I like to make all kinds of videos.  I'm not always after hits.

      I try to make videos that I will enjoy watching a couple of times at least.
      If anybody else likes them, then that is the icing on the cake.
      Sometimes, that is all you can hope for.

      I get about a thousand hits a day on youtube.  That has been pretty consistent in the last year for me.
      I am trying to make it be more, but that ain't easy.

      Not all of my videos are good, but I don't care.  I am having fun, and that is the most important part.

      Someday, I would like to get paid for my video work, but at  this point, it is a far off dream.
      That is okay.
      I can live with that for the meantime.

      They still haven't accepted my video, "Bob is Happy" for monetization yet.  I don't exactly know why.  My best guesses are that there are sped-up voices and music, even though it is completely all of my own material.  The visual animation part is all mine, too.  They asked what program I used to make the video, and I told them it was all done entirely in Windows Movie Maker.  I am not sure they believe me.

     The World of Youtube can be a confusing place sometimes, so that is why I write about it, just so I can figure out what I think about it.
      If what I wrote helps anybody else, then I am happy with that.

      On the other hand, if you don't like my writing, why are you reading it?

      I have learned that you can't please them all, no matter what you do, so it is best to just follow your own course.  You'll never go wrong if you stay true to yourself, and other people will respect you for it.  If they don't, who cares?  They are probably just toss-offs anyhow.

'Thoughts about "Bob Is Happy" video

     At this time, I'm having problems getting my cartoon, "Bob is Happy" monetized on youtube.
     I created all of the visual and audio content.
     Generally, the youtube team does not like sped-up voices, or over-use of a particular program.  That is about all I can figure out.
     The cartoon was made entirely in Windows Movie Maker.

     Anyway, here is the link...

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C71x11jsOmQ

     However, they did approve the original song for this video:

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWR9xTVTAKI

     Anyhow, someday I just want to get paid for my hard work.

     The idea for the cartoon was to just make something really fun, innocent, and happy.  So, it has been surprising that my good intent has brought me a little misery.

    
    
     

Swearing on youtube

     I've been having trouble because I swear sometimes in my videos.  Also, some of my artwork contains profanities.
     No one seems to mind except youtube and the advertisers.
     My advice is not to swear at all.
     It makes things a lot easier.

     Why do we even have swear words in the first place?  I don't know.  There must be a reason.

     Jerry Seinfeld does not swear, but he isn't that funny unless he has Larry David writing his material.

     George Carlin swears a lot, and he is funny.

     But if you want to monetize your videos, don't swear.  Lots of people under 18 watch youtube, so it generally is not a good idea.

     However, I learned to swear in junior high and high school, so I don't know what to say.  The kids I went to school with swear more than anything I have seen since, and that was in Utah of all places.  Church on Sunday, and swearing Monday through Saturday, was my experience.

     Anyway, it does suck when you have an original video, but you have one too many swears in it.  I think that is pretty much against youtube policy.  They don't like it.
     It is better to not swear at all.

     As a person, I really don't like having something tell me what I can or can not say, but there is nothing I can do about it in this case.
     There is more and more swearing on television, and no one seems to mind that much, but until then, don't swear on youtube if you can help it.

     Sometimes I can't help it, though.

     Sometimes the only word that expresses how I feel is a cuss word.

     The ironic thing is you can find a million comedy videos with swearing in it.  For some reason, they don't want regular people to swear.
    
     I would love to hear what a lawyer has to say about all this.

     There are some grey areas about what you can and can not do on youtube.  Sometimes, it just depends on the video, or in the context.