Owen Reiser, an independent filmmaker, shares the journey behind his birdwatching documentary, Listers, which he made for $16,000 with his brother. He discusses choosing YouTube over traditional streaming to prioritize reach and building a community. Owen details his unique monetization strategy—disabling ads in favor of a value-for-value model, which helped him earn about $75,000. He reflects on maintaining creative control, the unpredictable nature of YouTube, and the bright future for independent filmmaking on the platform.
