Bald Cypress Bonsai - The Saint Kateri Tree - Video 1 of 3 Swamp Dig/Potting

BillsBayou

Chumono
Messages
681
Reaction score
1,782
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
USDA Zone
9a
New Bald Cypress Bonsai Video (and I'm back in the swamps!): The St. Kateri Tree.

This is the first bald cypress I've collected that already had prominent knees coming off the roots. This is the first of three videos I have on this tree. It covers my 2014 dig an first potting. Video 2 will come out next Thursday at 6am CDT, and video 3 the following Thursday at 6am CST.

If you like the video, give it a thumbs up and share the link. If you have a YouTube or Gmail account, sign-in and comment. I try to reply to all the comments on the video.

Video 2 takes places in 2015 where I make my initial cuts and design decisions. It will come out on November 2.

Video 3 takes place in 2017 where I do extensive styling and wiring. I'll also explain why I named it the St. Kateri tree. Feel free to search that one out and read ahead. She's an interesting saint. It will come out November 9.

Thanks for watching!
 

BillsBayou

Chumono
Messages
681
Reaction score
1,782
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
USDA Zone
9a
YouTube has demonitized my video. "Limited or no ads due to content identified as not suitable for most advertisers." They don't give a reason, just a vague "we think you did something wrong".

I put in a request to have it reviewed, but they won't look at it until it has 1000 views in 7 days. The video I posted at the beginning of September only had 999 views. Does this mean they will never monetize my video?

I hate to beg for shares and views, but I need help getting this video in front of more eyes. I've spent more than a month getting this video, and the two that follow, ready for publication, but YouTube says I won't make a cent. I only make a few bucks off of each video, so I'm not really missing out on too much, but still, it isn't fair that their automated system thinks my video is doing "something" wrong, but they won't back up their system with an honest review.

Please help me out and share the video and get it in front of more eyeballs so I can get YouTube to do the right thing.

If this stupid post offends you, let me know why. I'll likely take it down. If you watch the video, you'll see the amount of editing and animation I went through to get it published. You may understand my frustration.

Have a blessed day, everyone. I need a coffee....
 

berobinson82

Omono
Messages
1,515
Reaction score
441
Location
Central Virginia, US
USDA Zone
7a
Great quality, Bill. Really good stuff. I saw you popped it up on reddit too. Good on ya. Shame about youtube demonetizing. I've been following all the drama around this from other content creators. Sounds like they're trying to use bots with generic rules when a case by case scenario would be more suited. Hoping your appeal goes well.

Cheers,
B
 

BillsBayou

Chumono
Messages
681
Reaction score
1,782
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
USDA Zone
9a
Great quality, Bill. Really good stuff. I saw you popped it up on reddit too. Good on ya. Shame about youtube demonetizing. I've been following all the drama around this from other content creators. Sounds like they're trying to use bots with generic rules when a case by case scenario would be more suited. Hoping your appeal goes well.

Cheers,
B
Must be all the hate speech, violence, and drug use in my videos.

Their entire process is masked in anonymity and bad programming. I'm waiting for something news-worthy and horrible to happen. In September 2005, a plane had landing gear problems and declared an emergency. All the news channels had live video feeds as the plane circled and circled and finally came in for a landing. We prayed for the best, but knew that we might be watching a plane crash. That's the kind of waiting I'm doing. YouTube is filled with people of all walks of life. Many of these people are trying to, and succeeding to earn a living at making videos. I have no idea what makes someone move their revenue source from the real world to the virtual one. That'll never be me. What I do know, from working with payroll systems, is you never screw with someone's paycheck. People get extraordinarily agitated when their rent money is threatened. I've made $100 in four years of making revenue-based videos. That's nothing compared to how much I've spent on audio equipment, video editors, and time working. I spent the money to have fun and to force myself to make good bonsai. My rent money is not on the line, so I'll be on the side-lines when a real earner finally snaps. I don't know what the incident will be, but the aftermath will have YouTube executives saying things like "We're instituting changes to ensure this will never happen again." Then someone will find out YouTube could have made those changes before the "incident" but chose not to do so. Again, I have no idea who, when, or what. I've heard nothing about anything. It just has the right pre-incident feel. Stock up on beer and popcorn. There's going to be a show.
 

RobertB

Chumono
Messages
736
Reaction score
708
Location
Fairhope AL
USDA Zone
8
I really enjoy all your videos. I think they are great. shoot, I wish you would put double the amount online. Even if they have less editing and just information and shots of your cypress. Maybe even your home garden / bonsai area.
 

BillsBayou

Chumono
Messages
681
Reaction score
1,782
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
USDA Zone
9a
I really enjoy all your videos. I think they are great. shoot, I wish you would put double the amount online. Even if they have less editing and just information and shots of your cypress. Maybe even your home garden / bonsai area.
There's a lake I've been meaning to kayak. Maybe I'll do an inspiration-hunting video.

I need to refine my workflow. Every video gives me 2-4 hours of material to edit and sometimes 6+ hours. The killer thing is that I TALK THE ENTIRE TIME. Or it feels like I talk the entire time. I seem to spend about 20+ hours on each video.

I need to stop doing the videos off-the-cuff. I need to spend a few hours with the tree, make notes, refine my message, come up with a storyboard or plan, and then make the video. I'll see what that does to my editing time.

Thanks for the feedback.
 

BillsBayou

Chumono
Messages
681
Reaction score
1,782
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
USDA Zone
9a
YouTube has finally corrected their assessment of my video, and it is no longer listed as not suitable for all advertisers. Thanks to everyone for watching the video.

Video 2 WILL be out, Thursday.
 
Top Bottom