Benedict Townsend

I think it would be easy at this point to be like, oh, boo-hoo, these rich 20-year-olds didn't get their million dollars or whatever. But everyone has a different perspective on it. But when you look in subsequent years, how much money platforms like YouTube or now TikTok are more than happy to pay creators.

I think it would be easy at this point to be like, oh, boo-hoo, these rich 20-year-olds didn't get their million dollars or whatever. But everyone has a different perspective on it. But when you look in subsequent years, how much money platforms like YouTube or now TikTok are more than happy to pay creators.

Obviously, those are platforms that are much more successfully monetized with ads, which is one of Vine's various failings. Mr. Beast or any of these huge creators make a lot of money and platforms are willing to give them money because they value what they create. Is it that crazy what they were asking for?

Obviously, those are platforms that are much more successfully monetized with ads, which is one of Vine's various failings. Mr. Beast or any of these huge creators make a lot of money and platforms are willing to give them money because they value what they create. Is it that crazy what they were asking for?

cannot emphasize enough how consequential this was in so many ways it would have been one thing if the 1600 vine negotiations had just quietly failed but word getting out that they'd happened in the first place arguably was even more detrimental the creative relationships that karen had been carefully nurturing for months were destroyed in a matter of days

cannot emphasize enough how consequential this was in so many ways it would have been one thing if the 1600 vine negotiations had just quietly failed but word getting out that they'd happened in the first place arguably was even more detrimental the creative relationships that karen had been carefully nurturing for months were destroyed in a matter of days

Most of the creators I've spoken to from around that time say that even if they respected the sheer savviness of the 1600 group in monopolizing the platform, their overwhelming presence was still damaging to the Vine-iverse and to Vine content overall. Here's Manon Matthews.

Most of the creators I've spoken to from around that time say that even if they respected the sheer savviness of the 1600 group in monopolizing the platform, their overwhelming presence was still damaging to the Vine-iverse and to Vine content overall. Here's Manon Matthews.

Jasmeet Raina, he's the creator we met back in episode four who found success, often from taking the piss out of popular Vine trends.

Jasmeet Raina, he's the creator we met back in episode four who found success, often from taking the piss out of popular Vine trends.

And that deterioration was very real. Brandon Calvillo, one of Vine's very first creators, had built a serious following for his comedy skits long before cliques, collaborations, and re-Vine for re-Vine became the norm. He'd seen Vine through every era, and he remembers when it was clear that the end was nigh.

And that deterioration was very real. Brandon Calvillo, one of Vine's very first creators, had built a serious following for his comedy skits long before cliques, collaborations, and re-Vine for re-Vine became the norm. He'd seen Vine through every era, and he remembers when it was clear that the end was nigh.

Kenny Knox, part of the newer generation of creators, was a big beneficiary of Karen's schemes. When did you first get a sense of like Vine's kind of on the way out?

Kenny Knox, part of the newer generation of creators, was a big beneficiary of Karen's schemes. When did you first get a sense of like Vine's kind of on the way out?

Bit of an understatement. Karen was going to fight to the bitter end. Vine was still breathing, even after the failed meeting and the mass walkout. It wasn't dead yet. And if a spark of creativity had rapidly made it one of the most downloaded apps in the world when it started, why couldn't it happen again?

Bit of an understatement. Karen was going to fight to the bitter end. Vine was still breathing, even after the failed meeting and the mass walkout. It wasn't dead yet. And if a spark of creativity had rapidly made it one of the most downloaded apps in the world when it started, why couldn't it happen again?

Back in New York, Karen cut her losses and was turbocharging the two remaining tiers, going full throttle on the new generation of creators who'd stuck by the app.

Back in New York, Karen cut her losses and was turbocharging the two remaining tiers, going full throttle on the new generation of creators who'd stuck by the app.

Interestingly, a lot of the Sprout creators that Karen and her team had identified as major talents are the same people who have gone on to be the most famous post-vine.

Interestingly, a lot of the Sprout creators that Karen and her team had identified as major talents are the same people who have gone on to be the most famous post-vine.