Making digital content: An everyday hustle
Living a life without our daily digital necessities almost feels like a distant memory. From ordering groceries, indulging a midnight craving to calling a ride on the go is now an innate part of our daily lives without which, it can become less convenient. The conventional requirements to be a doctor, engineer or an architect is no longer a do-or-die situation in many households. But how did we find ourselves at the forefront of the digital revolution?
Tech-pundits, content creators, self-taught coders and many more are the frontiers who have changed the landscape of how to be self-sufficient. It all began with a single question, "What if I can?"
Such tenacious individuals like YouTubers, bloggers and podcasters — in other words, content creators — are more prominent than ever before by making their niche into a full-time job.
To make this idea more incredible, there is no real age limit for someone to be a successful content creator — a 9-year old YouTuber is earning crazy 8-figures from his videos while a 54-year old podcaster, Joe Rogan, recently sold his podcast for more than $100 million.
Can we Bangladeshis pursue this same outrageous dream? Can we put all of it on the line to do what we love? Can we become full-time content creators without being stigmatised?
Rafayat Rakib is one such individual who's been at the content creating game for over a decade. Starting from making videos with his cell phones, having his own successful YouTube Channel, to now having his own studio, Double R Studios, the creative mastermind overcame many hurdles to be where he is now.
The content creator had to hang up his day job at a prestigious multi-national company to pursue his passion.
"I wanted to be close with my family but my job, at the time, required me to stay out of town. Now I am happy. I can see my parents whenever I want and I can take them wherever I want," said Rakib.
This sense of fulfilment did not come easy. He believes that being diverse is the key to making it in the content-making game. Be it vlogs, sketches, podcasts, reactions, reviews or even roasts, he has done it all.
"You can't be making the same thing till the end of time. You are, at the end of the day, a human. You grow, evolve and learn. I want to portray and relay that to my followers," he added.
The inventive content maker divulged that no one can be at the top of the "fame hill" overnight. "You have to put in the hours, you have to grind. You have to push yourself," he said.
Rafayat stated that content creators have a responsibility to set examples for the current and upcoming generations.
"There comes a point where you have to start giving back, you want to see the change of mind-set. The mind-set of making it on your own with what you love," Rafayat said.
He hopes to create jobs through his creative endeavours while promoting the creativity and resourcefulness the young generation of Bangladesh possesses. He wants to make it a norm where it will no longer be a stigma to make a living through content making. In other words, with great power comes great responsibility and he wishes to take on that responsibility and fulfil it!
See his content on rafayatrakib.com!
Photo: Rafayat Rakib