STACK #162 April 2018

GAMES

NEWS

Grace's Top 3 YouTubers: NorthernLion Sequisha h3h3Productions

so incredibly competitive and it's very difficult to get noticed if you're not already a well-established channel. If you're

We’re profiling some of Australia’s biggest content creators to see what really makes them tick. This month we spoke to Grace – FallFromGrace – who is best known for her PUBG and Fortnite videos! I'm checking YouTube comments, tweets, Instagram comments, emails, etc, and that's before I even get out of bed. If I compare it to my old job before I started creating content, I'd walk out of the office at 5.00pm and my work day was over. The workday never ends when you create content, it becomes somewhat of an obsession, but I wouldn't trade it for any other job. I love what I do. Do you think Australia is behind in comparison with the rest of the world when it comes to recognising streaming/content creation as a viable career? It is definitely still a very niche

industry in Australia. I've noticed this the

starting from zero, I'd probably recommend starting on Twitch with livestreaming. There is less barrier to entry on Twitch with the new affiliate program as opposed to YouTube, with their new partnership rules. Having said that, if you're starting YouTube or Twitch with the intention to become rich and famous and make large sums of money, I think you should rethink your strategy. It's very difficult to make a good living from either of the platforms. I started in 2012 and have only been full-time for just over one year. For five years I was still working and studying on the side of content creation, just to make ends meet. If you have a passion for creating videos or streaming, then, by all means, go your hardest! Aside from being realistic about the income side of things with content creation, just have fun with it. Make content you want to make and on your terms, if you do that, you'll love what you do and people will love watching it. If you weren’t doing this as a career, what do you think you would be doing? Definitely something in fitness. I've been a gamer my entire life and it's my passion, but if I wasn't involved in the gaming industry, I'd definitely be pursuing something in the fitness world.

most when I'm vlogging in public, people in Australia give you really strange looks, whereas in LA or even the UK, people seem more understanding of what you're doing. In terms of companies, however, I think people within the gaming industry are starting to see the value of content creators or 'influencers' and that's really helpful when you're trying to work with these brands. I'm one of the lucky ones in Australia with NBN, so I'm able to stream and upload with no internet woes. What is some advice you’d give to anyone who would want to take up a career as a streamer or a content creator? Becoming a streamer or content creator now is really tough. It's

FallFromGrace

When did you first start out makingYouTube videos? I started YouTube in September 2012! What got you into content creating in the first place? I always watched other YouTubers playing games and doing commentaries and I was inspired by that. It seemed like the perfect way to share my passion for games, with other like-minded people around the world. How many hours a day do you devote to producing videos/ streaming content? It's a full-time job, at least eight hours a day. As a content creator, you assume many different roles. I'm a small business owner, video editor, graphic designer, tech support, social media expert,

the list goes on! From the moment I wake up,

Read the full interview online at stack.com.au

1 First game you ever played? That would be the original Pong arcade machine, as found in local pubs in the late 1970s. 2 First game you ever finished? Games back when I started playing were more prone to “clocking” rather than “finishing,” but the first game I finished completely was the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy , a text-based adventure on the C64 – it was huge, and took me hundreds of hours! 3 Favourite game of all time? Bubble Bobble . It’s a masterclass in elegant, simple game design. It only has left and right movement, and uses two buttons. 4 Most underrated game of all time? Dark Reign by Auran. This Australian-made game was superior to other strategy games that were popular at the time, like Command and Conquer and Warcraft Games. I still love playing it today! 5 Game you wish you had worked on? Definitely GTA – the freedom and license to innovate that the developers have with that game is unparalleled. Projects like that are a developer’s dream.

Ross Symons CEO at Big Ant Studios

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