Why Patreon is SO Important for us.
Hey guys, we really appreciate all of your help. You are the reason we can keep making videos the way we do, today. I wanted to thank all of you and explain a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes And how we try and keep this business running.
This might seem like a negative post, but stick with me till the end.
All the different social media sites have different monetization levels, rules, and ways to trick you.
YouTube has been the most consistent, but it also doesn't pay very well. And the algorithm is erratic.
Ticktock stopped paying for videos that were less than a minute, which was the entire origin of the platform, And it seems like every other week they're trying to find a way to get you off the Creator fund somehow.
Instagram paid bonuses for a couple of months back when Zuckerberg was lobbying hard to get tick tock banned in the US, but as soon as the legislation went through the first time in 2023 he stopped paying bonuses immediately. As soon as he got what he wanted, he stopped trying to incentivize people to come over to Instagram.
Facebook does pay, but the algorithm over there is weird. It's not a consistent amount of money, nor is it a consistent amount of engagement.
Unlike a normal job, we can't just work harder, make more videos or better videos, or change what we're doing to fit the needs of the client. Every time we post a video, it's a gamble. Is the algorithm going to like it? Is it going to push it to our followers? Is it going to get banned or demonetized? For some reason?
There's no way to really structure a small business off of that sort of uncertainty. And this has been the problem for artists since the beginning of time. Artistic jobs don't pay well, but everybody wants and needs art in their life.
And that's where patrons come in. Since ancient times there have been patrons of the arts. People who would pay artists so that they could keep living and creating their art.
It sucks that these giant companies that make tons of money off of people like us don't pay us appropriately, but we're able to keep doing what we love and keep making you awesome videos because you guys support us.
We also get to create the kind of art that we want to. Things like choreography, skits, and things that might not be the algorithm bombshells Minecraft Let's plays or whatever the kids are watching nowadays.
Your support also allows us to experiment. We never want to get stale. We're all the ways looking for something new, interesting, and fun. We're always pushing ourselves. But those are all risks.
Our eventually goal is to diversify into other non-internet content. We're working on a stage show, we're going to do appearances, we have merchandise, and we also teach classes. But all of those things take time away from cranking out videos for the machine. We're only able to diversify because you guys support us, and pick up the slack as we transition into new things.
Your support allows us to create art for not only you, but for everybody else who can't afford to support us. It allows us to take risks and create new things. It also allows us to have a stable future. One where we don't have to worry about if we can make it to the next payday.
So we want you all to know, you absolutely are making a difference. This is life-changing support you were giving us, and we are truly truly thankful.
Comments (60)
The work you guys do is fantastic, and I am proud to be able to help in some small way! It's been a fantastic resource for my are (the poses are always so dynamic!) and has finally given me the courage to reach out to my local HEMA club. Thank you for all you do and go forth to conquer the next cool thing!!!
Many moons ago, I used to fence. Your videos remind me of the only time in my life I was good at a sport, and your camaraderie is a joy to watch. Keep up the great work!
Y'all are my first ever Patreon subscription. I love you guys and what you do and your whole channel. I’m a BELIEVAAAAAAHHH
If you get that stage show running, I would love seeing it in Stockholm - Sweden.
Keep making content, thats what us true fans want. I'd love to join you for at least a one shot someday
I will always support you guys.
Is there a difference for y'all between a person being a patron here on Patreon or through youtube?
YouTube takes a larger cut, and more of our behind the scenes content goes up on Patreon. 😄
You all make such amazing content and seem like such amazing human beings, and I hope you can keep doing what you wanna do with social media and not having to worry about algorithms. Your recent choreographed content has been really good!! (I'm probably sounding really weird and parasocial, aren't I?)
Hi, just wondered if anyone could help explain the name situation. Recently became a patreon (last week) but saw the latest video and couldn't spot my name. Thanks 🙂 P.S. Clarke is definitely a Tekken boy...
We update the list once a month! It takes a while to manually add everyone to the graphics, so we can't update for each video. 😅
I have so many ideas for you three, I'm guessing you already thought, but this one you might not have thought of: get bigger. How? Make the company bigger, amalgamate with your friends different channels owned by one, it'll be easier to split profits for "Min-Max". And create a short films, see what you can get for scripted film grants
Just some ramblings: Stardew Valley recently had it's tenth anniversary, plus a new major update, 1.7, is expected to be announced in the near future. Stardew Valley isn't exactly 'sword content' but it has VERY large and devoted fan base - and it has lots and lots of swords (and hammers and daggers) and monster fights. How about some videos on how real swordsmen would use the game's weapons to fight the game's iconic monsters? Which techniques would you use? Which weapon would be best to fight each monster in the real world? 'Cozy' gamers might not be an obvious target group for sword content, but there are so, so many Stardew Valley fans. Tens of millions. It's been one of the most succesful games in the last ten years. The algorithm presents me with lots of SDV shorts. Many are about actual game mechanics. But some very popular ones already present ideas like "how would this look in real live". But I have never ever seen (and I've seen a lot of SDV content) anything like 'how would SDV combat look like in real life' because those creators lack your specific knowledge and expertise. Also, many aspects and mechanics of the game ARE quite goofy, and might match your style elements of goof, good-heartedness and friendship. I guess the algorithm likes SDV content (?) because the game is very popular, maybe it would also like SDV & Swords cross-over content. Even german conservative newspapers reported about the game's anniversary and it's continous popularity and relevance (in positive escapism), so maybe it'd be a good time.
I used to work in social media. The algorithm is a beast and feeding it just to keep your head above the analytics can start to feel like a grind. Add to that the work of tailoring content to fit each platform's sweet spot, trying to guess what each particular audience would respond to the most. I enjoy y'all's work a lot and supporting it directly so you have the ability to do what you do best is money well spent.
Have y'all considered setting up a discord server?
We have one! https://discord.gg/eZEVggkqP
I love the videos you guy's make and have been watching for a year or 2 now and I'm finally a financially independent person now and I can support you guys, love you guys, love what you do, keep up the amazing work.
I am not even into martial arts ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Or used to be. But I really like your mixture of goofiness, serious explanation & instruction, a sprinkle of slice of life and open minded collaboration with other channels. You make me laugh. You get me interested in reaaaally esoteric topics. And what is the most amazing and valuable is, I think, that in age of division and derisiveness you have the courage to show yourself vulnerable, to admit mistakes, to BE goofy as well as serious. And you have repeatedly proven to be reasonable, open, and inclusive adult people. And that in a domain of knowledge that would (unfortunately) so easily lend itself to online toxicity and negative competitiveness. I mean, by any measure, you ARE very competitive at your sport, and successful at it - but in a very good and grounded way: by teaching what you know and think is right. And you are not only teaching technical skills. But by being the way you are, you are teaching people how to not to take themselves so f-ing serious, and be open-minded. And that is why I love your channel.
As a fight director it's so encouraging and enlightening to see what you all are doing. Thank you so much for doing what you do!
I only found you guys pretty recently ( I think a few weeks before the min maxed anouncement) but I absolutely love what you are doing. I get a lot off pop ups for your content, and am happy to support you. Keep up the amazing, crazy and funny work
As a lifelong D&D nerd I love me some swords content and it's been nice to find a home for it that isn't either po-faced or openly politically effed. Happy to throw cash at you to keep being goofy yet informative goobers.
I love your content. It is entertaining and educational. I am thankful I can help a little bit through Patrion. Thank you for bringing fencing back into my life. I forgot how fun it is!
Yall got me into hema, and I'm never happier than when I'm fencing, so I sort of owe you for that, happy to support people who represent the practice so wholesomely and goofily
I am old and like very few things, but I like your channel. I am not really a HEMA guy, but I like how you approach it. Follow your dreams.
Many eons ago I got some great advice: If you like somebody's art, first off: TELL THEM. Secondly, support them if you can. Y'all make nerdy weapons videos with a high silly factor. Now that's art that speaks to my soul, heck yes I joined the patreon
^This.
Congrats on over a million views on MinMaxed! Y'all deserve the success and I hope it turns into another consistent revenue stream
i am a newish fan but absolutely love what you are doing, like i've been waffeling on wether to join patreon for a bunch of different creators for years but it never felt right. i joined for you 3. and also love watching you live and dropping money during the streams, for my own satisfaction and being able to interact with you but felt that the patreon support is important because you know that money will come.
100% Jouned as a crazy person due to the drama over Min Maxed. It has gotten dumb and I hope you guys keep it up I love it (MinMaxed not drama) Can't wait for eposide 2 you are awesome love you all
Hey sellsword lads! I just got caught up on all the minmaxed drama and felt like the only acceptable response was to support y'all on patreon Hey I have an important question about your P.O. Box If I send you some snacks from my country, would you be into that? It's cool if you say no, I totally get that David has his whole diet, so no pressure! Just asking if that would be fun or not, genuinely fine if it doesn't speak to y'all!
Absolutely! We would love that
I’m so glad I can help directly support you, I know your plates are so so full, but I would like to say if you ever make a fencing manual or book, I would love to purchase that from yall, I think it would be great to read comments and personal thoughts from you guys while looking at diagrams or pictures of the different maneuvers
In light of this and all the cool stuff you do and are doing-including inspiring my wife and I to check out HEMA together, we're upping our support. We want to see you three not only continue to donthis but to grow and thrive as well. Thanks for all you do!
Seeing a stage show by you guys would be so cool!! I probably would not be able to see it since I live nowhere near Texas, but it is something I'd love to see happen for you. I am a fairly new viewer to your channel, but I've been loving everything I see.
I upped my support after hearing about tiktok dropping y'all. Praying for you!
Sounds good, you'll have my dollar a month till the end!
Keep it up. Remember, you have a lot of patrons and fans because we like you guys. Keep being yourselves.
I love and appreciate you're guys content so much, especially since you got me into HEMA in the first place. Your content encouraged me to seek out a near by club and ever since, I have a new hobby and love and enjoy. Thank you so much!!! 💙
Any one of your viewers can clearly see the significant effort and genuine passion your team are putting into everything you do. I'm excited for the new opportunities and the directions you're taking with diversifying your content and just know we're here for the journey with y'all and look forward to what's ahead.
Im extremely glad that you guys are managing to keep at what you love, and all that is being done here is honestly something that has been taken away with many other people i have admired before, just the fact that yall love it this much and are putting so much of your sanity and work into it makes it really worth it, both the personality and the dedication are outstanding Love what you all have been doing, wether it be clarking it, being a goblin or a fujoshi that doesnt hide it, or the more serious work done in the fencing and running both main channels, genuinely is a spark of joy every time anything pops up from all of you.
I truly believe in you guys and your ability to entertain and teach the masses. I don't donate on Patreon to anyone else because it feels like a handout to someone not working for it. You, SSA, changed my mind and I am happy to donate! I wish I could afford to just fund everything for you guys, (Megan, too!) but that's just not an option for me.
I had no idea insta stopped paying creators. I don't use YT shorts as often as Instagram may have to change that ......
I saw the Drama with Min-Maxxed and I hope you guys pay more attention to all the support you're getting from channels like Crispy's Tavern and in the comments of all these videos then you are to one jealous creators crash out video that was frankly self contradicting and a little unhinged, his video says nothing about you guys and alot about himself.
I love what you do! Keep doing it, Sellsword & MinMax'd - just ignore the trolls and know you're doing great work!
You guys are some of the most respectable creators I've seen in a long time. Your videos always put a smile on my face and I'm glad to be able to support you!
Glad to be able to support you directly! I don't even want to donate on YouTube because of the big company taking a cut.
🥰🥰🥰 the struggle is real for artists fighting getting buried among the thousands of videos and now Ai slop. Keep on keeping on and dont worry, we will be here 100% all the way through
Love doing the Patreon thing fire exactly this reason, help as many artists stretch or just survive as possible. Go team Sellsword!
Social media in general is kind of a hell scape but also the only viable option for creators too. Thank you for just being upfront and real about things! I think those of us here get it for sure. Hopefully your patrons continue to grow so you have a predictable sustainable income and all the social medias are just bonus money. 💜
I love your content and am happy to support you in whatever ways I can. I really hope you can get to do everything you want to do. Hang in there - we are rooting for you!
You three bring a wonderfully unique energy that is sorely needed in this bleak world. I am honored to be able to support you in any way I can. Keep up your heads up, you should be proud of what you have created and continue to do.
Glad to support! Your content is so fun to watch and, even though I don't participate in weapons-based martial arts, I love learning about them from y'all. If you decide to get into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as one of those other martial arts, DFW is a GREAT place to do so. I've got tons of friends with schools in the area and can confidently say, it's a great community.
I wish I lived in Texas and not Australia so I could sign up for one of those classes and meet you guys
Thank you, guys! Just started doing HEMA because of your videos, so can't thank you enough for that!
This is just terrible, I saw your guys’ TikTok vid about getting kicked off the creator fund and subscribed here same day. If I had the money I would get the $20 tier without hesitation. I’m looking forward to the stage works and public appearances though
Out of curiosity have you looked into Nebula?
I've seen that around a couple of times, but it seems like it's more for long form video essay creators. Not shorts or the kind of stuff that we do
I can truly respect and acknowledge this coming from a heartfelt place, and I apologize on behalf of the meanie big companies for not seeing what us Patrons see! 💓
love that you're giving us the chance to support you directly!! I really believe this is the way forward in light of these tech companies trying to bleed us all dry. keep going 💪
I’m so glad to be a part of this community, and to in some small way, enable amazing people like you all to continue doing such amazing work.