Dawson MacLeod and Tyler Malinauskas, acting sophomores, started a video podcast called Ramble Ranters.
Malinauskas already uploaded daily videos to his personal YouTube channel, so when MacLeod came up with the idea for a podcast, he agreed to collaborate and help find traction.
Through their video podcast, the pair said they hope to create a forum for people to share their opinions on broad topics like politics, religion, movies, and art in general. They will film Ramble Ranters in their apartment and release a new video at 2 p.m. each Sunday on YouTube.
“We want to take the idea of internet anonymity and allow people to speak their mind and actual opinions without the consequence of having their views slandered,” MacLeod said. “We’ll provide a jumping-off point for comments, and we hope to respond and interact, building a niche community for discussion.
The weekly videos will each last about 45-60 minutes. The full podcast will be uploaded to YouTube, SoundCloud and iTunes under the name Ramble Ranters. The creators plan to create a Facebook page soon, where they will upload the best three to four minutes of each podcast.
MacLeod and Malinauskas have created and uploaded two videos so far. The first, “Introductions, Getting Mugged, and High School vs. College,” introduced the pair to viewers. It addressed how the friends met, where they came from, the differences in their personality types, and how they think. In the second video, “A Few of Our Favorite Things,” the pair discussed their favorite movies, people and philosophies, among other topics.
Caroline Hawthorne, acting sophomore, said she truly enjoys the podcast and can tell that MacLeod and Malinauskas are best friends.
“I think they have great chemistry,” Hawthorne said. “They’re charismatic and aren’t afraid to point out BS on each other. It felt like I was in their apartment listening to them.”
Though the first episodes featured only the two students, Malinauskas said they plan to bring in guests for more of a forum feel.
“We want to bring in some more opinions, and every once in a while, want to have like eight people for a table discussion,” he said. “Maybe we’ll even get Ricky Gervais sometime. I love him.”
They said they plan to continue their weekly podcast indefinitely, potentially past graduation.
“In a sense, it’s a business in itself because it teaches you responsibility and gives you a timeline,” Malinauskas said. “If you stick to it, you can learn a lot and earn a net income.”
MacLeod said he also learns from YouTube, through producing videos and watching content.
“We both watch like an hour and a half of YouTube every day, and I subscribe to over 120 channels,” MacLeod said. “I think there’s a need for a longer forum that sparks new thoughts. Tyler and I don’t agree on a lot of things, but I want to get more opinions and new perspectives. How awesome would it be if I read a comment that completely debunked my idea and made me change my opinion?”
The keys to YouTube success are consistency and good content, Malinauskas said.
“We may have subpar equipment, but we are a consistent source of jokes and good conversation about everything from the troubles of the universe to what George Washington would have liked best on his breakfast cereal,” MacLeod said. “I think we provide good content, whether or not you agree with us.”
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