Partnership

Hey guys,

Thanks for being awesome and sticking it out during these slow months. We really do appreciate the support.

So, what would I say my goal here at IE is? Not just for 2012, but for the far distant future… would I say it’s to make lots of blockbuster films? Earn a ton of money? No, actually. That’s not what I had in mind. In fact, I’m more interested in making short form content for YouTube.

It’s been a little more than a year since Joel, Tim and I began scheming about how we could make a career playing moviemakers. And over the following 12 months we struggled as the demands in our lives constantly placed our wants and dreams on the back burner.

We had a plan to post 3 blogs a week, 2 videos a month. It seemed simple enough. But we didn’t live in the same place. I was working multiple jobs, they were in school. The fire began to dim.

I want to talk to about a YouTuber, who I am very proud of and admire greatly. The work she puts in to her channel’s blows me away. She maintains 3 channels. She has more than 300 videos between them, and she’s only been at this for 7 months!

Her username is Marielitai (other channels are Marielgames and Marielvlog). She is so incredibly driven and passionate. I had the good fortune of finding her channels about 2 months ago, and since then I’ve had the opportunity to watch them explode.

The reason I bring this all up is she was offered partnership. YouTube Partnership! That’s elite status right there. Prestige. Entrance into the players club. And I couldn’t be more excited for her. :)

I chose this one to share because I'm in it! :D haha sorry. She invited me to play Left 4 Dead 2 with her. Could I have said no?

It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t an accident. It was months of late nights, generating content and being involved in the community. It was quality AND quantity. And having an incredibly engaging and energetic personality definitely keeps the audience coming back.

I see lots of people who want success but don’t want to work for it. A lot of people who will be there and support us when we finally “make it big.” So few are willing to stand there and say “I believe in you.” So I wanted to take a moment and do that for Mariel. You made the big step, but it’s not over. But we will support you in every way that we can. Congratulations. :)

I’d also like to take a moment and thank those that do support us. That have unwavering faith in us, in this label and in all the people working here, right now, when we’re so small and struggling.

Thank you to those that slip in the mud, lose feeling in limbs from the cold, who wake up at 3am to travel for a shoot, or doing whatever it is you’ve done to be here for us. Even if that includes simply sharing our work with a friend, thank you.

Seeing someone like Mariel (and getting to know her personally) succeed and hearing the excitement in her voice only makes my resolve stronger. I want this. We have the talent, the resources and a small but loyal and growing group that supports us. Thank you all, again. You know who you are.

Here’s to 2012.
James Race Carr