Summary

The content discusses Casey Neistat's exceptional storytelling skills on YouTube, emphasizing the importance of story over plot in engaging an audience.

Abstract

The article delves into the essence of storytelling through the lens of Casey Neistat's YouTube channel, arguing that his narrative prowess sets him apart from other content creators. Despite not having the most cinematic or humorous videos, Neistat captivates viewers by infusing deeper meaning into seemingly simple plots. The author reflects on their personal journey with YouTube, from its discovery in childhood to the present day, and compares Neistat's approach to other popular YouTubers. The piece underscores that the emotional connection and relatability of Neistat's stories resonate more with audiences than high production values or varied content. It concludes by advising aspiring creators to prioritize storytelling over technical aspects to truly engage viewers.

Opinions

Casey Neistat is celebrated as the best storyteller on YouTube, surpassing others in his ability to convey compelling narratives.
The author believes that storytelling is more crucial than cinematography, humor, or creativity in content creation.
Neistat's videos are described as raw and unpolished, yet his storytelling capability makes these aspects negligible.
The article suggests that Neistat's life is not exceptionally different from that of his audience, which adds to the appeal of his content.
The author likens effective storytelling to a boxing match, where Neistat strategically engages the audience, contrasting with creators who rely solely on the entertainment factor of their content.
The piece emphasizes that a good story can leave audiences surprised and emotionally impacted, which is key to maintaining their interest.
The author's advice to content creators is to focus on the story rather than equipment or technical skills, as a strong narrative will naturally draw viewers in.

Storytelling

The Genius of Casey Neistat

Story vs. Plot

I can vividly remember the day I first discovered YouTube.

I was about 10 years old. My friend (Junior Martinez) called me and excitedly explained that he had just found out about a brand new website: YouTube.com.

At first I didn’t understand what the big deal was…but after a while it finally clicked. I could watch anything I wanted… whenever I wanted, wherever I wanted.

Of course, this was game changing news. Prior to this, I could only watch what I wanted to watch if my older brother was feeling generous with the remote. But now, with YouTube, I had complete control over my programming schedule.

Not much has changed since that fateful day, nearly 15 years ago. YouTube is still my preferred entertainment destination and I still regularly fight my brother for the remote. The only difference is that now, I have traded in Japanese anime for David Dobrik vlogs, Hot Ones interviews, and episodes of “Last Week Tonight.”

But, for me, none of these channels are even in the same stratosphere as Casey Neistat.

And it’s not because his videos are the most cinematic on the platform. No. That spot is reserved for Peter McKinnon. And it’s not because his videos are the funniest. No. That spot is reserved for Jimmy Tatro. And it’s not because they are the most creative. No. That spot is reserved for Dan Mace.

No.

Casey Neistat’s channel is my favorite because he is…by a damn near country mile… the best storyteller YouTube has ever seen.

And for me, story is everything. Casey’s storytelling is so good, he makes it is easy to look past the fact that his videos are often raw and unpolished. His storytelling is so good, he makes it easy to look past the fact that his videos are not really all that different from one another. His storytelling is so good, he makes it easy to look past the fact that his life isn’t really all that different from yours or mine.

Which begs to question…if Casey’s videos fail to excel in all of these categories… why is he so damn popular?

Well… the answer to that is simple:

Casey is a master of using plot to tell his story. In fact… he does it better than anyone I know.

Plot is what happens, and story is what your plot actually means.

I know that probably didn’t make much sense. So, let’s use Casey’s most recent video as an example:

The plot of this video is pretty simple: Casey travels to San Francisco to visit his 22 year old son.

This is where most YouTube creators stop. They think of a fun activity. They do the fun activity. They record. They edit. They post.

Example: Go to Ibiza. Party. Record. Post. Repeat.

Casey is different though. Casey uses his plot (visiting his son) to tell a story (the older his son gets, the less he feels like a dad).

But why is that so special?

Well…I like to equate storytelling to a boxing match. You’re in the ring and you are battling your audience for their attention. Most creators on YouTube just try to Mike Tyson this fight (overpower the audiance with plot and say “fuck it” to the story).

Casey, on the other hand, takes a more methodical approach. He lulls you in with a simple plot and then…BAM! He blindsides you with a story. One that is raw, unfiltered, and emotional. This uppercut often times leaves the audience stunned and taken aback.

You bought tickets for one thing and then came out of the show getting something else entirely. Something you didn’t know you needed… or even wanted.

That’s how you keep people interested!

So, I guess what I am trying to say is… when trying to engage an audience, don’t worry about your equipment , don’t worry about you technical skills, don’t worry about what you’re doing. Just worry about your story… and all the rest will kinda just fall into place.

Happy writing everybody.