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There is another thing Neistat likes to portray in his video that I think makes him even more popular: The illusion of amateur. His videos seems like they can

There is another thing Neistat likes to portray in his video that I think makes him even more popular: The illusion of amateur. His videos seems like they can be shot by anyone. But try skateboarding in the middle of a busy New York street with cars going in both directions while holding a heavy tripod camera on one hand, a remote on the other, and talking to the camera and saying hi to fans on the street, and finishing that narrative you started two miles ago all at the same time.

nate 8y ago
Don't forget carrying a smoothie too :) But yes, that's a great point. And I think adds to my thesis too. A lot of us expect that creating videos of his quality would take a team of 3+ people holding cameras, planning production, etc. But he casually does it all himself. That surprises us. Breaks our expectations. Of course, it's taken many years and broken bones of his to get to this level of professionalism. But I never said breaking expectations was easy :)
- jvagner 8y ago
  Nerdwriter, or someone similar, made a video about Casey's amateur aesthetic.
  - nate 8y ago
    Yeah, he did. It's a good one.
  - kawera 8y ago
    Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiJqTBCQuw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiJqTBCQuw
    - skunkworker 8y ago
      That was very informative and eye opening regarding how much time he has put into mastering the 'amateur' aesthetic while literally doing multiple things at once, eg: Holding a 3lb camera with a gorilla pod while riding a boosted board, drinking a smoothie and having a coherent conversation towards the viewer.
bb2018 8y ago
I have probably only seen 4-5 videos of his in my life but I did once see a man that look like him flying a drown around the beaches of Santa Monica. I cam back an hour later and he was still there flying a drone. I was pretty sure it was him and followed his videos for a couple more weeks until a video of him in Santa Monica came out. I am not into vloggers and agree most play up their amateur status but I was still impressed by the hands-on dedication he was putting into getting one shot.
- PascLeRasc 8y ago
  It's especially impressive when you consider that for all the shots in his video where you see him come into a building or ride up and pick up the camera, he has to first go there and set up the camera. Repeating everything like that takes a lot of dedication.
  - rorykoehler 8y ago
    It is his job. I'm not an expert on the latest tech for cameras but surely they have remote activation tech now (wifi?)? He could just set it up before he leaves and activate it when he is about to arrive?
    - kkarakk 8y ago
      have you ever tried leaving an expensive camera anywhere in new york? that thing would be gone in an hour
      - rorykoehler 8y ago
        Even in his studio?
        kkarakk 8y ago
        seeing as how he uses a different shot everytime of him entering his studio - your point is still moot

nate 8y ago

Don't forget carrying a smoothie too :) But yes, that's a great point. And I think adds to my thesis too. A lot of us expect that creating videos of his quality would take a team of 3+ people holding cameras, planning production, etc. But he casually does it all himself. That surprises us. Breaks our expectations. Of course, it's taken many years and broken bones of his to get to this level of professionalism. But I never said breaking expectations was easy :)

jvagner 8y ago
Nerdwriter, or someone similar, made a video about Casey's amateur aesthetic.
- nate 8y ago
  Yeah, he did. It's a good one.
- kawera 8y ago
  Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiJqTBCQuw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiJqTBCQuw
  - skunkworker 8y ago
    That was very informative and eye opening regarding how much time he has put into mastering the 'amateur' aesthetic while literally doing multiple things at once, eg: Holding a 3lb camera with a gorilla pod while riding a boosted board, drinking a smoothie and having a coherent conversation towards the viewer.

bb2018 8y ago

I have probably only seen 4-5 videos of his in my life but I did once see a man that look like him flying a drown around the beaches of Santa Monica. I cam back an hour later and he was still there flying a drone. I was pretty sure it was him and followed his videos for a couple more weeks until a video of him in Santa Monica came out. I am not into vloggers and agree most play up their amateur status but I was still impressed by the hands-on dedication he was putting into getting one shot.

PascLeRasc 8y ago
It's especially impressive when you consider that for all the shots in his video where you see him come into a building or ride up and pick up the camera, he has to first go there and set up the camera. Repeating everything like that takes a lot of dedication.
- rorykoehler 8y ago
  It is his job. I'm not an expert on the latest tech for cameras but surely they have remote activation tech now (wifi?)? He could just set it up before he leaves and activate it when he is about to arrive?
  - kkarakk 8y ago
    have you ever tried leaving an expensive camera anywhere in new york? that thing would be gone in an hour
    - rorykoehler 8y ago
      Even in his studio?
      - kkarakk 8y ago
        seeing as how he uses a different shot everytime of him entering his studio - your point is still moot