With over a 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, sophomore Jadin Clay channels his enthusiasm for editing and filming by producing video content that is viewed by hundreds every week. Clay admires the creative side of YouTube, and originally just enjoyed watching videos in his free time.

To begin his channel, Clay found a video camera crammed in a closet at his home, and began filming himself to post to the website.

“I made my first video about two years ago,” Clay said. “I really had a passion for it and it just went on from there. I feel like YouTube is a place where I can do whatever I want, and I can express that within my videos. It’s just a good way to express myself.”

Clay began his journey by watching leaders in the YouTube community with millions of subscribers, causing an interest in the filmmaking industry.

“I watched bigger YouTubers and I thought, ‘Oh wow, this looks fun,’” Clay said.

After following other creators, Clay decided it was his turn to make his own videos. He taught himself all of the skills it takes to produce his first video, such as recording and editing and began his channel.

“I taught myself filming and editing,” Clay said. “Filming is a pain, but the editing is my favorite. I could spend up to three days on one video. People think I’m crazy because I will be sitting in front of my computer for so long, but I enjoy it.”

Clay desires to make videos people have never seen before, and pump originality into his content. In Clay’s eyes, a positive to his channel is the liberating feeling when he’s able to post any kind of video at any time. It allows his channel to become a space of self-expression.

“I like to be creative and do whatever comes to my head,” Clay said. “I try to do videos that no one else has done, which is really hard. I like the freedom of being able to make whatever I want.”

With videos ranging from “DIY Detox Water” to “Helium Singing Challenge,” Clay’s video ideas are often praised for their innovation and originality amongst his peers. The positive feedback acts as fuel to help Clay continue to achieve his goals.

“People at school watch my videos and they tell me they really like them,” Clay said. “It’s a good feeling knowing that they like what I’m doing.”

Clay often finds it hard to grasp the concept of how many views he gets per video. Averaging in the hundreds, Clay went from being a fan to having fans himself.

“I appreciate everyone that follows me,” Clay said. “It’s crazy to think about a thousand people. The way I wrap my head around it is that I’m in a gym at school, and the gym is filled with people who watch me. It blows my mind.”
The feedback Clay receives from his channel isn’t always constructive. Clay has dealt with harassment and bullying at a school he previously attended. After blocking accounts, he learned how gain confidence within himself and his work.

“There’s a couple people who dislike my videos, and I’ve learned not to take it personally,” Clay said. “I used to really take it to heart and get really sad, but now I just don’t care.”

Not only is Clay’s family an important part his life, but also in his career. They act as his biggest fans when it comes to his YouTube channel. They watch every video and get notifications on their phone of when Clay posts.

“When I told them I hit a thousand subscribers they were all happy,” Clay said. “My mom, dad and brother are my number one supporters.”

YouTube is a time consuming hobby, according to Clay. Filming could take him anywhere up from three days if working by himself, and editing could take anywhere from one day for a short video, to four days to perfect it.

“I’ve turned down so many things because I have to edit,” Clay said. “There was a time where my friends went to the mall in a big group. We were really close at the time, and I felt bad because I told them I couldn’t go. I saw their snapchats and it made me really sad.”

Clay believes his dedication to his channel has helped him find himself, and he hopes to never sacrifice his work despite how many subscribers he may receive.

“The quality of my content is more important than the numbers,” Clay said. “Some YouTubers change as they grow, and I don’t want to be that YouTuber if I do end up growing a lot and my personality changes. I want to be as real as I started when I first made my YouTube channel.”