2007: The Year in Review (Part 1)

With 2008 around the corner, we pause to reflect on the year that was. There's a lot to say, so this is just part one of our year-end musings...Comment below and tell us what your highlights were, and/or make a video -- you can even pin it to this map. (We'll be looking to feature a few of these around the new year.)



A Vibrant Community



Through YouTube events like 7.7.7., the debates, and programs like the Community Council, I've had the opportunity to meet many wonderful 'Tubers in the flesh. Observing how you guys love, loathe, and live through YouTube has been phenomenal and inspiring. The stories I've heard of how this site has brought people together would make you cry (in a good way).



As diverse as the YT community is, you all have one thing in common: dedication. It's quite astounding when you stop and really think about how much time goes into creating, editing, watching and sharing videos, building and maintaining relationships, and having a real life all the while.



Although you don't see me, I'm constantly sifting through your feedback to find out what features you guys would like to see, where you think we can make improvements, and making sure your voice is heard.



And for the record, I watched this video obsessively in 2007.



-- Michelle S. aka missribs







The World's Largest Town Hall



With dorm-room presidential interviews, citizen-created campaign commercials, question-and-answer sessions, two presidential primary debates, and much more, you've made 2007 a big year for YouTube politics. Just a year ago, YouTube had gained a reputation as a place where voters held candidates accountable for their mishaps. Your use of YouTube has been making the political process more transparent, and the pressure you've applied brought candidates to the platform to join the discourse as well. Now we have a big, video-powered Town Hall where everyone is at the table -- you might say it's the largest and most diverse political discussion in our nation's history. Looking forward to continuing the dialog in '08...


–- Steve G. aka citizentube







The Year in Film: Innovating and Reshaping



2007 was a groundbreaking year for film on YouTube: M dot Strange made it into the 2007 Sundance Film Festival with his YouTube-grown film, WE ARE THE STRANGE; Four Eyed Monsters released their critically-acclaimed feature length film on the site; Project Direct, the first ever short film competition on YouTube, and also the first international contest, received stellar submissions, and the winner, celioclarice, came from Brazil; renowned film schools, including, USC School of Cinematic Arts Vancouver Film School and New York Film Academy joined or grew on the site; prolific content creators and aggregators like, Future Shorts, Aniboom, Future Thought and Mondo Media became partners; and incredibly talented filmmakers and animators like SCADshorts, Walter Robot, Andrewhu, Bridle Films, Agent XPQ and so many more shared their work with us. 2007 showed how much room there is for artistic creativity online, and there is no doubt that in 2008 the film community on YouTube will innovate even more and continue to reshape the way film content is created, shared and consumed.



–- Sara P. aka TheStoryBoard