KTL season 8 part 14 from the Clyde for outraged Youtubists

Welcome to this special KTL page for non tapping Youtubists to sound off on and to offer some feedback on the last eight years of the series.

The last proper film, which was about Shetland, got a record number of minutes watched and pushed the KTL Youtube hits to over three million. That was an excellent result for Google/Youtube mega corp advertising revenues but not good for KTL because the project's only source of revenue, Paypal taps from very nice old blokes, were catastrophically low.

120 taps from 9,000 views netted around $600.

The one hour film took the best part of three weeks to make - time spent sat at my computer rather than out sailing Katie L or the Duck Punt - have I mentioned before what marvelous boats duck punts are. I probably have but worth finding out about I reckon.

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/category/duck-punt-films/

When I was selling DVDs people were paying 10 cents per minute watched on disk. Then, as the man from Sony said, "DVD sales appear to have fallen off a cliff". He was obviously talking about superhero films rather than sailing films made by old blokes in shit boats - but the same market pressures apply. I have not bought a DVD in years - streaming is so much easier.

Hence the move to voluntary Paypal taps. It sort of worked and the KTL Youtube space has now entered the big league with the three million hits  but us Youtubists are highly resistant to paying anything for the things we watch. We feel that we have paid our way by watching the adverts that Google/Youtube force feeds us.

This last trip to Scotland cost me £250 in diesel for the car, marina fees for a month, diesel for the boat and marina fees for the overnight in Rhu plus a bit of lekkie to keep these old bones warm.

 

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Unless those 10,000 Youtubists who watch almost every film I make decide to take action and chip in then I will be forced flog the Centaur in the spring and put the project on hold until my pension comes through - which will not arrive for another four years. I don't want to do it but I cannot afford to keep hemorrhaging cash at this rate. If you blokes do not respond then I will  put the little trailer sailer on the Deben and schlep up and down the one estuary drinking cheap whisky and instant coffee while watching the birds. My weekdays will be spent making films about trucks and factories.

Good for cash flow but not that great for making films about the British Coastline. Eventually the  stream of films about lovely east coast sunsets and flocks of birds will wear a bit thin even for me. The camera will start to grow cobwebs and my coffee and alcohol intake will start to rise.

Then the sailing films you will be offered by the web will be the endless string of skimpily clad young things wearing not very much and cavorting around in warm places without caring a fig about where they are as long as the boat is big enough to have air conditioning, , the water is warm, the bars are well stocked  and the beaches are sandy.

During the whole time they are being filmed by their lustily lucky boyfriends.

 

 

These films are often well made,they appear almost every week and they certainly reach a large audience but, I don't know about you chaps, I am rather embarrassed to be caught watching them.

When I tell Jill that I am watching a film about sailing she does not believe me because what she sees whenever she comes into the room are girls in bikinis with the occasional boat in the background. . Most are are young enough to be my granddaughter. For all the sense of place they might as well be sailing a Styrofoam cup around a washing up bowl.

One bloke sent me an email saying that he actually learns stuff from my films and finds bits being dropped into pub conversations.

 

The tits and totty films, as he describes them,  are like chinese meals - once consumed you can hardly remember a thing about them. Sadly making films about real places with real relevant histories takes time and effort whereas cavorting on a beach takes very little thought and not much editing time.

So chaps, here is your chance to say - "good riddance" to the witty old hack from KTL and let the project wither on the vine

or

to chip in a few dollars to keep the show on the road - to help me to keep making films about something other than bikinis, spear fishing and drinking

You can help here  - every tap will get an individually crafted  personalised thank you email and I look forward to hearing what you have to say


in the ever plummeting sterling if you wish


Paypal Tap to support more KTL films
I just want to say that....



#

or the mighty dollar

 

Paypal Tap to support more KTL films
I just want to say that....


This is about Sailing around Britain.

21 Responses to “KTL season 8 part 14 from the Clyde for outraged Youtubists”

  1. 17 January, 2017 at 2:46 pmBarrie says:

    Hi Dylan l would love to buy a second vidio l have KTL4 and about two months ago l asked you to send me the vidio from the Norfolk Broads, but l think you forgot that’s why the sales dropped off ( he,he ) so maybe you could try not to forget it this time, hope you are having fun and keep up the good work .Regards barrie

  2. 17 January, 2017 at 3:12 pmPJ says:

    Hi Dylan

    Have pushed the button and thrown a few quid in the hat.

    Would you consider using Patreon to aid in the funding? Seems to be effective for the bikini mob?

    Pete

  3. 17 January, 2017 at 5:24 pmdylan winter says:

    I was shifting 50 a week at one time B – just in the run up to christmas. Then you can have a system going with nicely printed cases etc. A home burned one looks and feels terrible. The DVD is as dead as audio cassettes.

    D

  4. 17 January, 2017 at 5:43 pmHans says:

    I hope it helps. Keep making the nice video’s!

    Hans
    The Netherlands

  5. 17 January, 2017 at 6:28 pmGene Berry says:

    Dylan ole boy, make your terrible looking home made DVD, i’ll buy it. put your son’s girlfriend’s picture on the cover, probably sell a bunch more too.

    i know the story how Google gave you the ole in and out with no lube. i hate Google for you too, but what are you going to do (shrugs shoulders).

    come over the pond here and make vids maybe. i got a homebuilt 18′ Michalak sharpie i’ll loan you since you’re drawn to shit boats. : )

    Gene

  6. 17 January, 2017 at 6:48 pmdylan winter says:

    that was water under the bridge – and prompted me to give up the trucks and cowboys and make the sailing films. Everything chnages and the web changes with lightening speed. They are what they are – it just that youtubers occasionally need reminding that Google do not pay the rent.

    I too wear my “its all free hat” when watching Trump News on youtube. I would love to make a film about your East coast rivers

  7. 18 January, 2017 at 12:15 amChristopher Hogan says:

    Dylan, I really wish I could support you……but right now I’m trying to pay down my credit cards after buying a used car which needed constant attention. I do spend about ten bucks a month on patreon supporting sailors I’ve followed for years…..In time I want to support you again……you make great videos of great britain….and some day I wish to sail where you have sailed

  8. 18 January, 2017 at 9:32 amdylan winter says:

    thanks Pete,

    paypal has grown a bit over the past 24 hours and I now have enough in the kitty for two more winter hits on the Clyde

  9. 18 January, 2017 at 9:33 amdylan winter says:

    thanks C,

    good of you to explain – although there was no need to. I have killed a few cars on this bonkers project but it has been worth every dead car and I am really still loving the sailing. I feel bad about reminding impecunious youtuber sailors that the films do not drop out of thin air – and the film has received about 22 thumbs down. Although it has also received 80 thumbs up.

    D

  10. 18 January, 2017 at 7:39 pmsteve says:

    Just Lobbed a few quid in…and there is nothing with reminding us all that you get “nowt for free”. Plus i got it under the wife’s radar…which is just as satisfying :)

    Happy sailing and be safe :)

  11. 18 January, 2017 at 11:53 pmIan says:

    Sorry, but not surprised, to hear the old spondoolicks are in short supply Dylan. You’ve eloquently summarised the dilemma of many creative artists, in all genres, who populate YT. Sadly the ‘entitlement’ and ‘selfie’ generations tend to dominate the audiences and IMHO are totally lacking in understanding of entertainment and educational values of the material being produced. They are insatiable in their demands and thoughtless in their criticisms as they obliviously drift through life chasing shiny objects! Worse yet, as us old farts fade away the trend will likely continue.
    I’ll continue bunging you a few quid as and when and hopefully others will also step up so you can continue on this excellent project.
    Fair Winds

  12. 19 January, 2017 at 8:13 amdylan winter says:

    Old blokes are great – about one in 40 chips in to ktl compared to one in 250 for the wenches and winches genre of sailing films. That last film has changed the finances quite a bit. I guess you have to make what the web gurus have named a “call to action”. I now have enough in the kitty to finance the next few trips to the boat for filming the winter.

    D

  13. 20 January, 2017 at 12:34 amSteven Faid says:

    Tapped what I can. (Don’t tell finance adviser)
    Just so u know not an old bloke, 33.

    Bit worried, sometimes your story jumps about abit. And that’s ok, adventure within the greatest adventure.
    But it started in bembridge and (not that it’s a goal) I hoped it might end (not that it ends an end.)

    Been following for about 6years. Remember paying £4 something for subscriptions.

    PS swmbo say u look better when jills onboard.

    I like the idea of a centur. But those I sail with say I’ll hate she’s slow and can’t point and slam to a stop in a sea.
    But my g\f says she would love to explore and not beat to wind anymore and think I would like it too.
    I think it’s a lucky thing to have ur best friend sail with u.

  14. 20 January, 2017 at 7:52 amdylan winter says:

    Thanks Steve,

    apologies for the jumping around a bit – I hope the map makes things a bit clearer. Changing boats does not help much that is for sure. I guess the aim is not really to just sail around this small island, I have already done that, but to explore and learn a bit about our coastline – the harbours, the tides, the history and the natural environment.

    Wait until I start posting the films about the Moray Firth and firth of forth filmed from Katie L – then that will discombobulate a few people.

    In the long run, looking back at the films from ten years hence, it will seem more like a single body of work.

    It looks as though the outer hebrides and the scottish islands will have to wait until I get a more suitable boat and can generate a better cash flow

    As for a Centaur – I have heard people saying that they get stopped by big waves – that is not my experience. They just plough on. I love the way they feel. I assume you have sailed quite a few virtual miles on mine – enough to see that your mates might be speaking from something other than first hand experience. . They are not fast that is for sure but they just carry on going when others have given up – but if speed was what you are after then a mobo is the thing for you and your girlfriend. More space too. One thing about a Centaur – it is hard to beat the accommodation and seaworthiness of them.

    I really want each film to stand as an individual piece of work

  15. 20 January, 2017 at 4:53 pmBarrie says:

    Hi Dylan l like the little video on heating your office, a couple of years ago l made three of them like the ones you can buy for my garage so l could work on my little boat but the temp, was getting down to – 18 so they didn’t work that we’ll or maybe lm getting old 67. Regards barrie

  16. 20 January, 2017 at 5:09 pmdylan winter says:

    B,

    I admire your optimism and I would like to apologise for it not working very well at minus 18

    Dylan

  17. 21 January, 2017 at 9:04 amBarry Guy says:

    Hello there Dylan,
    I must say I that my thoughts are mixed on the whole issue of You Tube. Especially when, in my opinion, some sort of duty of care is conferred onto the viewers by the contributors. I don’t know wether I like to be treated as some sort of fan or not but at the end of the day, like a many people, I do care and you have every right to make your point. It is a tricky course to follow because in the process viewers may be alienated. Today though? Today I am a fan and as such exercise my right to request a bit more humour. See you in Pwllheli.

    Barry.

  18. 21 January, 2017 at 9:57 amdylan winter says:

    Thanks Barry…. I think.

    Alienating the viewers is always a risk – and this last film has had 30 thumbs down and 100 thumbs up. My guess is though that the thumbs down people have never tapped in and therefore, as far as the project is concerned, carry less weight than the thumbs up people and the tappers.

    I used to be able to cover my sailing costs by selling 1000 DVDs a year – now no-one buys DVDs. Each film reaches around 12,000 people in the first year so KTL is reaching ten times as many people as it did before. But if those 10,000 do not like it enough to chip in then it will die in its present format leaving the well made breasts and bikinis films or, as an alternative, hearty men showing their ca-hones and shouting randomly through the wind noise in the general direction of a go pro. As soon as I see a film with an overlong title sequence and using the music “Sail” then I am switching away fairly quickly.

    I see it as something quite simple. – any project stands or falls on the budget. If the budget is in deficit the plan stops – be it something important such as running a hospital/bus service/street cleaning or something massively unimportant such as a video series made by an old hack. If I can’t justify running a boat 400 miles from home as part of making a video series has to change to fit the budget.

    So far youtube has had 3 million hits from KTL -(40 million in total on all my films) worth maybe $3 per thousand in advertising revenue to Google. Nothing to me of course.

    So occasionally I have to reach through the youtube interface and say to the 10,000 really regular viewers and address them in a more direct way – this stuff is costing real money to make and deliver to your desktop.. diesel is my biggest expense and that is real money being poured into the tank ..do you still want it?

    I don’t see it as a duty of care in anyway – just a market like any other. If sailing films do not cover the project costs then it will be back to trucks and youtube can carry on with its diet of sailing films featuring embonpoint.

    So, if the answer is no – and I have had some pretty rude and crude contacts from youtubers outraged at my cheek to ask them to cough up for something they expect as a right for free , then it stops, if the answer is yes, we like this stuff enough to keep it going, then it carries on.

    I reckon I have had around £400 worth of taps in the wake of this last film – enough to fund two more winter filming sessions in scotland. So the project remains horribly hand to mouth. Tesco petrol pumps between suffolk and glasgow will will swallow almost every penny of that.

    I am sure that you can see that KTL is not very well funded – walking around the marinas I seldom see boats apart from mine with spray hoods held together with glue gun adhesive. In scotland not many people sail in the winter in unheated boats. One bloke says he likes my films because my boat is always the shittest in the marina – I am not sure how to react to that. On the one hand it shows that the films are well grounded. On the other hand it shows that the project is not successful.

    I will keep going in some form or other – but now I need to sell the Centuar because I need the money for the little boat. That was always a possibility. How much is the Centaur worth do you think? Three season old engine, okay sails, okay interior, watertight keels.

    If the project comes back onto an even keel then I will buy a bigger boat with standing headroom for the outer hebrides…. if not… well some other person will have to make the films. I can almost guarantee it will not be made by a girl in a bikini sailing a newish 40 foot cheese wedge.

    D

  19. 22 January, 2017 at 3:05 amEd says:

    Went to pay in dollars US but the paypal payment page showed as pounds. ???

  20. 22 January, 2017 at 2:23 pmJ. Peter Haliburton says:

    I just go to my PayPal account and send money to “[email protected]” in whichever currency I want. GBP is about CAD x 1.7.

  21. 22 January, 2017 at 4:49 pmdylan winter says:

    bugger – has anyone else found that?

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