Youtubers Turn to Cinema for High-Stakes Projects, Boosting Revenue and Reach
Paris, France – A growing number of prominent YouTubers, including Michou with his recent project Terminal and Inoxtag with Kaizen, are premiering their content in cinemas before releasing it online, a strategy proving beneficial for both recouping ample production costs and expanding their audience. This shift marks a new revenue stream within the Creator Economy and a bid for broader recognition beyond the digital sphere.
these cinematic releases aren’t simply promotional events; they’re becoming integral to the financial viability of increasingly enterprising projects.While a typical YouTube video from a creator like Michou costs between €30,000 and €40,000,Terminal‘s budget exceeded €1 million,a scale Michou himself described as “the most intense and expensive shoot” he’s ever undertaken (Nrj,2023).The cinema run allows creators to partially offset these costs through box office revenue sharing, creating “an additional income line…which did not exist a year before,” according to Romain Cabroleier, Director of Partnerships at YouTube.
The financial benefits aren’t always immediate.Despite the perception of wealth, SEB, a YouTuber who has released documentaries both in cinemas and on TFX, stated in Le Monde (2023) that “with such a project, I do not earn money.” However, these projects demonstrably increase subscriber counts – as seen with inoxtag following Kaizen‘s release – and considerably boost overall notoriety.
This strategy also appeals to brands seeking innovative ways to engage with audiences. YouTube sees the cinema experience as a way to “put this content in a setting…what more stunning setting than cinema to offer an unprecedented experience on image and sound,” Cabroleier explained. While large-scale projects remain expensive and not always promptly profitable, the cinema premiere is solidifying its place as a key component of the modern YouTuber’s toolkit.
Sources:
* Nrj. “Je n’ai jamais fait un tournage aussi intense et cher : Michou révèle les coulisses de Terminal dans le Supershow NRJ.” https://www.nrj.fr/actus/je-nai-jamais-fait-un-tournage-aussi-intense-et-cher-michou-revele-les-coulisses-de-terminal-dans-le-supershow-nrj-71365170
* Le Monde. “Un apéro avec Seb : « Je peux passer une journée entière à préparer une blague,ce qui est un problème dans la vie ».” https://www.lemonde.fr/m-perso/article/2023/04/14/un-apero-avec-seb-je-peux-passer-une-journee-entiere-a-preparer-une-blague-ce-qui-est-un-probleme-dans-la-vie_6169562_4497916.html
