Check Out Jeff Rauseo’s Films at Home:
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In 2014, Blockbuster, the last of the national movie rental brick and mortars, shut its doors (mostly). About nine years later, in September 2023, Netflix stopped sending out its red envelopes. And now, Best Buy is reportedly phasing out physical media sales by the end of 2024.
If the digital age has got you down, then Jeff Rauseo’s YouTube channel Films at Home is here for you. On the YouTube channel and The Films At Home Podcast, Jeff provides updates, news, sources, and reviews concerning all things home movies. And while it is a niche interest, as Jeff and his 118K subscriber base can attest, physical media is not over.
As an avid film collector with thousands of Blu-rays and DVDs, Jeff’s reviews run the gamut, from the 4K UHD release of the classic Snow White to one of Jeff’s favorite releases of the year, Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse. But ever since Jeff watched Jaws on VHS at age five, his passion has been horror. His in-depth editorials on the history of horror home releases are regularly featured on Bloody Disgusting.
Films From Home was a runner-up in the Commentary category in the 2023 TubeBuddy Emerging Creator Awards. Something that is no small feat, considering the tough competition in the online world of commentary.
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Q: Tell us about the journey that brought you to where you are today as a content creator.
A: I started my journey because I wanted to have a place to talk with other movie collectors and build a community. I also used my channel as an outlet to talk about movies and share my thoughts online. Even if no one ever watched, it would have been a good exercise to get things off my mind and out into the world!ow our intercultural world to people, so we picked up the camera & started making contents!
Q: How would you describe your brand as a content creator?
A: I would describe my brand as accessible, approachable, and knowledgeable. I did this to share my love for this hobby and to encourage others to join in on the fun while also talking about the pros of physical media in a digital world.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you face as a content creator?
A: Time! I work a full time job and have two little kids, so time is always the biggest challenge.
Q: What advice would you offer to someone just starting out as a content creator?
A: Just do it! I wish I hadn’t waited. Get out there, start shooting content, and start posting. You’ll never be perfect, and it takes years to improve (my early videos are a mess!) but until you start doing it, you can’t get better. Then just be consistent. Upload once a week, 2 times a month, whatever it is, just stick to it. It could take years before you see any money, so don’t do it for that reason. Do it because you have a passion and want to share that with the world.
Q: What has been your proudest moment as a content creator so far? Why was it so meaningful to you?
A: My 100k YouTube subscribers plaque was a big one, because I didn’t think it was possible. The largest channels in my niche still haven’t hit that number, so I always thought there was a ceiling, but I was wrong!
Q: What gives you energy as a content creator? What takes your energy?
A: Getting positive messages from viewers always gives me energy. When someone says I convinced them to start collecting, or I helped them find a new movie they loved, that’s the best part of it.
Q: What misconceptions about content creators do you wish you could dispel?
A: That we all make a ton of money and that it’s easy. I didn’t see a dime for 2-3 years. Hundreds of hours of unpaid work went into the channel before I could monetize it. It’s not easy, and even at 100k+ subscribers, it is a real effort to get paid for your work. That’s why I say it’s not about the money. The money is nice if you ever get it, but you have to be passionate first and do it for that reason.
Q: What is your ultimate goal as a creator? What steps are you taking to get there?
A: I’d love to hit 1 million subscribers and show the world that physical media is here to stay. I’d also love to expand beyond YouTube into writing books, making documentaries or films, and possibly go full-time as a creator if it works for me and my family.
Q: How did you discover TubeBuddy and what made you decide to try it?
A: I discovered TubeBuddy through a friend on LinkedIn, and their success with it made me give it a shot!
Q: How has TubeBuddy helped you grow your channel and improve your content?
A: It helped me tremendously because I never had end screens or anything on my videos. It allowed me to easily bulk add all of them to my channel. It also keeps me honest with channel health reports. And the new AI features have given me inspiration to try new topics, adjust video titles, and change thumbnail designs. It’s also super important to see what’s ranking on YouTube and how your videos rank. Much like google, search ranking is everything.
Q: What is your favorite TubeBuddy feature?
A: I love the thumbnail analyzer which helps me really nail down what will resonate to viewers. I use it to test thumbnail designs against one another before I go live.
Q: How would you describe TubeBuddy to a fellow creator?
A: It’s the YouTube cheat code. It has all of the tools you wish YouTube gave you, and more.
Thanks to Jeff for taking the time to share your thoughts and for using TubeBuddy. We can’t wait to see what’s next in the world of physical media!
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