TECHNOLOGY has changed how we share the things we love.
In the past, toy collectors would keep their precious collections in a cabinet or chest, only to show them to the closest friends and visitors who come a-calling.
However, in this digital era, people are very open in showcasing their passion. It's not just their friends who see their videos, but the whole world.
Recently, YouTube Malaysia, under its Generasi YouTube series, featured how four toy collecting YouTubers transformed themselves into top content creators.
REACHING OUT TO MILLIONS
Awesome Toys TV is one of the top toy collector channels in the country, and it's the "go-to" channel for toys, geeky collectibles and cool gadgets.
The founders, Michael Ong and Peter Loo, who met and bonded over their common love for toys, produce content ranging from product reviews and unboxing, to interviews, event coverage and collaborations with toy brands.
"YouTube gives us an outlet to express our passion for toys through Awesome Toys TV," say the duo, who have been collecting toys since 2014.
"So this has given us a loyal and engaged audience." Before starting their channel, Ong and Loo had trouble distinguishing themselves from toy sellers. They say people, especially collectors, kept mistaking them for running a toy store. Over time, their channel grew a significant audience (hitting around four to five million impressions on average) and began attracting toy brands which want to collaborate with them to get word out on upcoming products. It also gave them the opportunity to attend some of the region's biggest toy conferences. They even have rare opportunities, such as an exclusive interview with renowned Gundam builder Katsumi Mijin Kawaguchi — a first for any Malaysian toy channel.
The event allowed them to touch and feel the most expensive Gunpla kit, priced at one million yen.
These "wins" are just one of the many rewards that keep the founders going.
SPINNING INTO ACTION
For Nazreen Ashraf, his YouTube journey took shape by chance when he went on a toy hunting expedition with his brother in Japan.
Nazreen found his niche in all things Beyblade after his younger brother asked him to buy one of the spinning tops from the Takara Tomy franchise.
His first video, however, was far from anything toy-themed. It was on
making butter chicken. Although butter chicken was what made Nazreen want to be a YouTube content creator, it was Beyblade that made him a star.
"Focusing on creating content in my channel has gotten me recognition among Beyblade circles in ways I have not expected," he says.
"It's like being a celebrity. The acknowledgement and appreciation for what I do keep me motivated to keep making Beyblade content for my followers and subscribers," says Nazreen, who uses his own namesake channel.
He balances his family life (he has a wife and young son) with a day job, and is still able to produce three (sometimes four) videos each week.
"I look forward to the day where my son will be old enough to join me on my Beyblade journey and channel," he says.
BRINGING DIORAMAS TO LIFE
Patrick Ong, the creator behind the Patrick Ohm channel, meanwhile, specialises in do-it-yourself dioramas and action figure enhancements.
His YouTube venture started out as reference videos. As he loves learning new things on the platform, where he watches videos daily, it naturally became his medium of choice to engage viewers.
He believes YouTube can offer him the greatest potential for growth because of its global reach.
Building his dioramas from scratch using readily available items, Patrick says he started building after realising how costly ready-made dioramas can be, and these different interests and incidents have come together to shape the content on his channel.
When asked about what advice he has for those interested in following his footsteps, he says, "Decide what your channel is going to be
and just focus on doing content along those lines.
"If your channel is going to be about toys, you can be certain you'll have an audience that knows what's going on in this space.
"Be sure to do your research so that your channel is relevant. Think about ways to deliver it in an informational and engaging way."
CUSTOM MODELS
Meanwhile, Justin Tan quit his job just to focus on his YouTube channel, Studio G.
Centred on cinematic custom Gunpla build models, he says the move to being a full-time YouTube content creator is a dream come true as he's always aspired to be his own boss in what he is passionate about.
"I've learnt that YouTube rewards consistency. It may not always be easy to be consistent with your uploads, but it has to be done. Even if this means I don't sleep for the night, so be it.
"Even so, you don't just become a content creator by pointing the camera at your work. It has to meet some standard and quality
to be interesting and beneficial for viewers, which is why I focus a lot on the production quality of my videos," he says.
"It can take up to two weeks to complete one video upload," says Justin, whose channel has provided him with income to support his family.
He appreciates the detailed insights provided by YouTube's analytics, which guide his marketing strategy.
In his videos, he features the entire process from test builds to customisation and painting, until the Gunpla is finished.
His seriousness and sacrifices have paid off. His channel, which started in December, has garnered a whopping 62,000 subscribers in just five months.
Tan says YouTube features, such as "Premiere", "Live Chats" and "Live stream", have given him different ways to connect with his community.
His channel also features a "Tutorial Tuesday" to inspire others on the same journey.