Connection2022 – Destiny’s Blog

Community Connections

I interviewed A Youtuber/Twitch Streamer: Blakkout

( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChg8SE1iZ5tsDYmJgaYxdwA )

Who is Blakkout?

Pronouns: He/him

Likes: Tacos

Plays: Destiny 2, Valorant, Over watch

From: U.S.

When I first started this community connection, I had a lot of trouble. I dmed and reached out many content creators, Vloggers, Athletes and even lawyers. I would be safe to say that I was pretty nervous, especially when I realized there would only be one week and a half left to make this connection. I started to think If there was anyone, that would be willing to have someone interview them. I was sitting on my couch scrolling through YouTube one day, to see who I could reach out to that day, when one person caught my eye. It had been three months, but I took my chances, opened my discord and friended the youtuber. To my absolute surprise I was friended back within 2 days, and he remembered me! I Immediately got to chatting.

I had met Blakkout by complete chance when I met him online a multiplayer game (Valorant) Where he included me in his stream and invited me to his party. I thought that would be it, few games with Blakkout and after we’d just go our separate ways. Against all odds, we reconnected and got to chatting.

See the stream I was featured in!

Time stamp: 1:37:42

https://youtu.be/NxObe5uJ0Lo

I specifically wanted to connection with a content creator of because of a small dream of mine when I was little. I wanted to make videos and create of living off making a community of content creators and viewers around me. Following this up, below are the collections of questions I asked him.

Can you explain your roles and responsibilities that come with your current position?

“I’d say I have a lot of responsibilities. I think the most important thing is figuring out where you want to invest your time and what’s going to help you the most. I edit, I write scripts, I do graphic design for myself, I stream. I mean its Definitely a lot of work and is a whole business, but the progression has been amazing.”

What I thought about this: As it is with small twitch streamers some people really don’t realize how much one person must do everything as well as discipline themselves. Not to mention how some days it may be hard to motivate yourself and be your own coach. I feel as thought many people don’t realize that even with huge content creators. Everyone started here, before they became a huge cooperation and before they became famous.

2. What obstacles have you faced to get you where you are today?

“Obstacles, hmmm. I’ve had a few days to experience this on. I think… When you’re good at something, whatever it might be, and you want to

be great. Besides yourself. It can be the people around you. When you get ahead people either disappear or wait to see you fail. You brush it off and keep going. You work a lot to make something a success so problem solving and managing and filtering relationships become a part of life constantly.”

What I thought about this: Even in my high school life I see this constantly. Having to manage the relationships you have with people, and I think Blakkout really has a way with words to describe this obstacle.

3. What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing?

“Third question I see it, um have really thick skin, and be ready to fail all the time. I think you’ll eventually learn to work to your strengths and try not to be too hard on your weaknesses. Learning is a part of the job so looking at people, scanning their past work, pages, seeing how they organize things, choice of content from people who are more successful than you and experimenting. Also, it’s good to be a nice person. Don’t be a push over but be easy to work with, don’t be taken advantage is also important if you’re someone who likes to keep giving. Have people you can rely on even if it’s just yourself that you can trust.”

4. Why are you passionate about your job or role?

“I like creating, and the more you create the more people become aware of you. If you’re and artist paint and share it all. Sing and share it all. Build your confidence and put yourself out there. Opinions can throw you off. Even I receive a hateful comment ill hear them out and respond back fairly. If they don’t like my response, I don’t continue the conversation. So, I guess I’m passionate about people. I like people so rather than be angry for something they might not agree with I just let them have the last word and walk away. I’m passionate about people.”

What I thought: Around this time, I realized just how much of a positive person Blakkout was. He seemed to look at everything so positively and was such a determined person. He was a person who brought meaning to the quote “Follow your dreams”

5. In five years where do you see yourself with your current job or role?

“I always tell my community that ill always be here. What I mean when I say that is that I’ll always be creating it might not be in the same medium. though I hope it is. But I can’t really see myself working a job where I’m not happy in my 40’s or 50’s and retiring asking where my life went. But ill know ill be creating and probably still on YouTube and twitch. 5 years hopefully more community and personal events where I can meet the people that support me and work with me on creative things.”

6. What is something about your current job or role that makes you extremely happy?

“honestly, the unknown. I like not knowing what’s next, I like being frustrated asking myself a million questions about why a video didn’t work. Why am I still not where I want to be? I mean you’ll get there but sometimes I’m shocked by the hours and time spent. and realize I’m living it out. I like going through the struggle, and meeting people along the way. It’s not easy, there are distractions, friends, family, fomo, and people who didn’t believe I could do something at first and then seeing them ask me how they can do it too. I’m never mad at them and answer all their questions. in short following my gut and ignoring when my brain tells me to back out. trust your gut and be ready to work a lot to reinforce that feeling. so, my job makes me happy because I get to be a real entrepreneur in the entire sense.”

What I thought: I thought that with being online there will come the people that just dislike you for what you do and will say things that might hurt. As much as many people hate not knowing what will come next, certain rare people like Blakkout seem to take that frustration or negative emotions and turn it into some positive to look at. That is something very admirable I have seen in him which chatting with him. Furthermore, the picture on the bottom left also was our sweet good bye! I thank you so much for letting you interview me Blakkout!

This encounter with a streamer has opened up many opportunities for me as a aspiring streaming. I have realized just how much work one person has to do and how much discipline and strong mentality one person needs to achieve success in this field of work. Not to mention being featured on a stream was a great experience!