€50,000 FOR AN INVISIBLE SET
In the Friday Formula 01x02 episode, you can finally glimpse what I’ve been building for years. That set is my greatest pride. A meticulous, ambitious production, designed down to the last detail. A childhood dream made real. Works of art. A central screen where the host uses visuals to support their points. An aquarium. Porcelain dogs. Mugs. A Michael Jackson clock carved from a vinyl record. Friday Formula 01x02 was supposed to be a hundred times better—with a finished set, more competent and motivated hosts, and better production. With more resources. But to pull that off, under the conditions I faced, is already a victory. A testament to determination. To willpower. With no money. No funding. No audience.
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THE SET IS TANGIBLE
What few people realize is that building a TV set isn’t like decorating a bedroom. It’s about:
- Ordering hand-engraved vinyls from Ukraine
- Importing Bazalto chairs from Poland
- A 3D Ayrton Senna frame signed by Retro Game Craft
- A custom neon light made in Singapore
Every item costs:
- In product price
- In shipping
- In taxes
- In customs
- In stress (lost parcels, defective goods)
And there were mishaps: furniture delivered broken, a brand-new fridge that didn’t work (last one in stock), having to call in a repairman. Thankfully, the store refunded me with the invoice. But the mental toll is real. The logistics are crushing.
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A HALF-COMPLETED INVESTMENT
Over three years, I spent €50,000. For a project that’s only 50% finished. Progressing slowly. Through patience, effort, rational micro-decisions, and a few gambles. And yet, that set has never been seen. Or almost never. Because YouTube buried my videos—like it buries thousands of others.
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THE DREAM OF AN AUTONOMOUS WEBTV
This project goes beyond YouTube. It always aimed at an independent website, a self-hosted media hub, a 24/7 WebTV. But to make that viable, we needed an audience. The idea was simple: finish the set, then start broadcasting publicly. In the meantime, YouTube would be our window. Our springboard. But YouTube said no. Not with an official rejection—but through systematic invisibility. Like a Tinder match that gets swiped left into oblivion.
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TOTAL DETACHMENT
YouTube’s detachment is both structural and emotional. If the platform had even the slightest symbolic involvement in video production, it would have a reason to showcase them. But YouTube contributes nothing. It respects nothing. And it can destroy an entire project—effortlessly. Without remorse. Without loss.
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THE CINEMA PARABLE
Imagine walking into a movie theater, seeing the producer’s logo… and walking out. Then posting a review about the logo. And having that review promoted.
That’s YouTube.
People click the three dots—“Not interested in this video”—after only seeing the thumbnail. Not the video. Not even a single second of it. And YouTube pulls your work off the shelves. And it’s not just what you see: this type of negative feedback has a massive impact on the entire channel, cutting its visibility across the platform.
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A COLLECTIVE INJUSTICE
This article is long. Maybe too long. But I need to go into detail so that people understand the real value of our work. This isn’t about asking for €0.03 per view. This is about repairing a sabotage. For Kévin, Dinoh, José. For the €50,000 spent on an unfinished set. For the €10,000 in TV gear hijacked for YouTube’s benefit. For the ads played on our videos, from which YouTube earns a profit, without retributing the producer — despite the legal obligation tied to authorship.
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THE TRUE COST OF AN INDEPENDENT MEDIA PROJECT
Let’s assume a minimum wage in France of €1,250/month for 18 months:
1,250 × 18 = €22,500. And even that doesn’t cover:
- The other collaborators
- Operating costs
- Business expenses
- The value of my skills
I’m the producer, director, host, author, network tech—and more. And I get paid zero.
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THE FINAL HUMILIATION
One day, I fixed a woman’s computer.
– The hard drive cost me €75
– My labor was worth €75
– A data recovery lab would’ve charged €3,000 to retrieve the files.
She handed me a €20 bill. Not even enough to cover costs. YouTube is that woman. It decides what your work is worth: a few coins, a handful of cents.
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#CreatorEconomy #InvisibleLabor #YouTubeExploitation #IndieVideo #PlatformJustice #WebTV #DIYStudio #DigitalSabotage
