How SCAD student and YouTube vlogger Luca Whitaker found her passion for filmmaking
The majority of Gen Z doesn’t remember a world without YouTube. Since its launch in 2005, it’s grown to be the Internet’s largest video sharing and social media platform, and it’s currently the most visited website aside from Google itself. And although YouTube has come a long way since its poor-quality webcam videos of young girls raving about the newest Covergirl mascara from their bedrooms in the early 2000s, video blogging — better known as vlogging to avid YouTube users — has only grown more popular in the social media world.
As social media evolved over the past couple decades, many YouTube users loved the appeal of watching real people perform everyday tasks, no matter how mundane. Videos titled “A Week in My Life” and “My Morning Routine” became some of the most watched on the platform, regardless of the vlogger that posted it. Vlogs established a level of familiarity that the world hadn’t quite seen before, despite thousands — even millions — of viewers not knowing these vloggers personally.
But what many fail to realize is that in the early 2010s, these YouTube vloggers — these young girls that were raving about Covergirl mascara from their bedrooms — were the ones that paved the way for modern-day influencers. YouTube is where the world of influencing began, long before faster-paced platforms like Instagram and TikTok even existed.
As vloggers continued to gain subscribers on YouTube, companies that were looking to advertise their products on social media started reaching out about brand partnership opportunities, and they haven’t looked back since. Because which is more effective for sales, flipping through a magazine and stumbling upon an ad for a new Covergirl mascara? Or seeing the newest YouTube video from a familiar vlogger that talks about how much she loves using the same Covergirl mascara every day?
With the increased use of advertisements and brand partnerships across social media, it looks like influencers are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. However, influencers have graced us with far more than just their advertising skills. In fact, many influencers have found their true passions through filming vlogs — whether it be travel, beauty, or even the video production process itself.
Luca Whitaker, a third-year SCAD Atlanta film student from Colorado Springs, has accumulated nearly half a million YouTube subscribers since posting her first vlog six years ago. And although the influencer aspect of her career has been rewarding, the most fulfilling part of it for her has been falling in love with filmmaking.
“I always had an interest in TV production, but I didn’t know that I wanted to do film until I started making YouTube videos,” says Whitaker. “I actually started at SCAD as a branded entertainment student, but I switched to film this past fall.”
Like many of today’s most popular influencers, Whitaker started her YouTube channel while she was in middle school. And although the early teenage years can be brutal when it comes to trying to fit in, Whitaker’s efforts to stand out have paid off. With six years of video production experience already on her resume at just twenty years old, she already has a leg up in the film industry.
“I would really love to produce television and write screenplays one day,” says Whitaker. “I don’t have a ton of experience in that particular field yet, so I think just getting as much experience as I can through internships while I’m still in college would continue to pave the way for me.”
Although her love for video production existed long before her SCAD education did, Whitaker says that her film classes in Atlanta have made her a better content creator overall. “SCAD taught me how to think creatively, especially with video editing,” she says. “I’ve just gotten more artistic with the way I think, which has been very helpful.”
She’s even adopted some of the techniques that she’s learned in her film classes into her weekly vlogs as well. “I started a series on my YouTube channel where I would create a loosely based script…but it’s kind of in the style of ‘The Office,’ where it’s not too produced or anything,” says Whitaker. “So, I’ve tried to use what I’ve learned at SCAD in that sense.”
But that doesn’t mean that filming vlogs like “A Day in the Life of an Art School Student” don’t come with their own challenges. “It’s hard to balance schoolwork and YouTube… especially being a film student,” Whitaker says. “I struggled last quarter because I had to make films on top of making YouTube videos… and it’s a lot of creative work that can be very energy draining. Especially now that COVID is getting better and everything’s more open, I have more of a social life… so learning how to say no to things can get really difficult sometimes.”
Being honest about her mental health on her YouTube channel is not something that Whitaker shies away from. In fact, she says that one of her favorite aspects of creating vlogs is helping others feel less alone in some of their day-to-day struggles. “That’s what’s really cool about YouTube,” she says. “I don’t always have to preach about staying positive, because I feel like that can get really old. Not everyone wants to hear that. And that’s not the type of message that really sticks with people.”
Prior to the new wave of Gen Z influencers, certain social media personalities have been known to emulate “toxic positivity,” suggesting that constantly maintaining an “everything will be okay” mindset will ease all the hardships that one might face. But within the last few years, younger content creators have found comfort in the reality that feeling sad sometimes is just part of the human experience, and that it’s okay to not be happy all the time.
“I think that creating content that’s relatable can help people feel like they have someone to connect with,” says Whitaker. “And I truly see the people that watch my videos as close friends of mine.”
When asked about what aspects of her success she’s most proud of, Whitaker says that maintaining her uploading schedule has been worthwhile. “I’m really proud of the consistency that I’ve stuck with,” she says. “I really haven’t taken a lot of breaks, which can be good and bad on your mental health. But I’ve been very consistent ever since I started my channel, and I haven’t really missed very many weeks of uploading.”
“My advice [for aspiring influencers] would be to just be consistent, and also do your research on the business aspect that goes behind being an influencer,” she continues. “Because posting whatever you want isn’t going to necessarily bring you views and success. Being strategic is key… and making sure that your content is as accessible and searchable as possible.”
And although morning routine vlogs tend to get a lot of views, Whitaker says that finding the balance between popular and unique uploads is important. “Post videos that aren’t ultra-trendy to the point where you might get lost in all the videos,” she says. “But try to maintain your originality as well.”
Whitaker is still very new to the film program at SCAD herself, but her advice for young filmmakers is to keep your eyes on the prize. “People say that the film industry is hard to get into, and I feel like a lot of people have negative things to say about it,” she says. “But if it’s your passion, just try to focus on what you love about it. Because if you’re drawn to something, it means you should at least try to pursue it.”
If you’re looking for a new favorite YouTube vlogger that specializes in capturing the SCAD student experience, Luca Whitaker is your girl. She posts new videos every Sunday on her YouTube channel, but you can also find her on Instagram at @itslucawhitaker.
