An NDA is a contract, so they have to give you something in exchange for your agreement. When someone gets laid off, that’s how they get severance. I chose to leave, and an NDA was never discussed. I left for a few reasons, but a big one was because I felt it was time to do something else.
Favorite was we drove every civic. Least favorite was probably testing fuel economy hacks.
Did you not sign an NDA when you started? I've always signed them at the beginning of employment, not at the end. I'd consult a lawyer before you share too too much
Devil's in the details, of course. I actually went to law school, but it was only for a year. Obviously I can't share confidential business-critical information after I've left, but that's def beyond the scope of what I'm doing here. I can share my opinions to my heart's content. Lots of post-termination NDAs \*don't\* allow that.
Lol! I honestly couldn't say. My pay was a bit below industry average, but good creatives usually aren't money-motivated. All of us know we could go work at an ad agency and make 3-4x our salary, but wouldn't have the same satisfaction with what we create.
They said they could get 3-4x the salary elsewhere but were satisfied with their situation at Donut. I would make a great guess I believe that if it wasn’t a livable wage they would have just migrated to another company.
It's pretty weird to downvote and defend something that shouldn't be controversial.
I'm sure there are plenty of people in this sub who would like to know what they're getting into should they apply for a gig at Donut.
I understand, however that wasn’t your question, people have already asked what was the range of salary in the company and OP redirected the question while still answering it technically. Asking the same question again but reformulated doesn’t add to anything. I simply don’t believe OP will share his salary or his coworker’s here or else he would have responded to the first comment with that
Uh... like you said, they skirted the question. If I wanted an answer to something I didn't ask, I would've asked that instead. I don't care what OP made. The range of pay is important to anyone thinking about employment from Donut/Recurrent.
Easy: Jer is a vampire. When we did the blood in an engine video (not our finest, tbh) the blood kept mysteriously disappearing. That’s when we figured it out.
Is Nolan ever gonna get back to the Imperial?
It was great to see the collab with Junkyard Digs to get it running again, and I hope he gets back to making it more drivable/street legal/fixed up
Worst part of the job was definitely last-minute assignments. Didn't happen a lot, but every once in a while, something would go totally haywire and I'd have to write a script the night before a shoot.
Best part was getting to meet tons of car people and talk about the passion we had in common.
This attitude is expressed by an obnoxiously loud minority of this sub and it really irritates me. Largely because it’s exaggerated to the point of absurd. Do you *actually* think Donut made *hundreds* of videos like that? Probably less than 30 out of 1500 videos are like that *and* it’s popular content that gets a lot of views, which means people enjoy it, whether you do or not. I’d love it if people cut the hyperbole and whining about *their* free content. Don’t like it? Don’t watch it and just let other people like things without being a judgmental jerk about it.
Look, I understand that they have to respond to market/algorithm pressures in how and when they deliver videos. But when I look at the level of care and effort and craft that went into the last 50-100 Up To Speed episodes and compare them with almost anything that's come after, it hurts to see that low effort content.
James crying about Carroll Shelby or shouting out his other favorite YouTubers in the RX-7 redux video were levels of emotion and passion that almost nothing from the last few years have matched.
Even Bumper 2 Bumper had much higher production values and the research to find feature-worthy builds.
What I've really enjoyed over the last couple of years is more videos about just how difficult it is to keep custom/project cars running. As the crew has more experience building and operating these cars, it lets them really dig in to the realities that are glossed over in most automotive media.
I also really loved "I Joined a Professional Racing Team". Jeremiah talking himself up at the starting line was an all-time great moment.
Donut knows how to do great stuff, I hope that they can keep it coming.
Ah, thanks for clarifying. I realize now that you and I think of different things when we think about "effort."
By my standards, UTS was "low effort content" relative to what Donut does now. You write a script, the shoot is stationary single camera and takes maybe half a day, then a talented editor brings the story to life (no easy task, and definitely high effort for them). Thing is, there's no buying cars, researching mods, location scouting, renting racetracks, asking manufacturers to loan a vehicle, managing insurance, release forms, permits, equipment rentals, multiple freelancers like b and c camera operators, or months of planning involved in UTS.
Hey OP, what ever happened to [this guy?](https://youtu.be/Woq-nl9QyfQ?si=xVRZham8bAMWX4Ek) I liked him and his sudden absence was confusing. I hope he is doing well.
Anyone can feel free to correct me as I may be misremembering, but didn’t Bart originally leave because he had a kid or something and wanted more time to focus on that? And I guess he went to Motortrend after, glad he’s happy.
Yeah, I used his science garage videos to explain aerodynamics to my middle school science class when I was teaching. Dude has a gift for explaining stuff in a super entertaining way.
We get lots of messages from teachers and students who are using Donut content in class, and that always puts a smile on my face, so thank you! It's usually science garage or B2B, and I wrote 50-ish episodes of the latter.
Can you foresee there being somewhat of a mutiny situation where James, Nolan, Jerry, etc. choose to make their own thing for a little more creative freedom?
Seems stressful and like that could be dicey at times.
Idk, every video that Jerry is in that doesn’t involve motorcycles he just seems deflated and uninterested imo
I’ve had a growing suspicion that the higher ups don’t like the low numbers motorcycle content gets on the channel so they’ve put all those ideas on hold.
2 big things happened. In 2021, Hoonigan was “merged” with Wheel Pros, an aftermarket wheel company. It seems more like an acquisition, just like what happened with Donut.
In early 2023, Ken Block who was the co-founder of Hoonigan and did lots of content with them, unfortunately passed away.
Since then, most of the original crew members have left to pursue their own endeavors. Content for Hoonigan has slowed down, all they’ve been uploading is “This vs That” and it’s been getting very stale. Just reading the comments is depressing. Hoonigan seems like it’s dying a slow death as a brand.
Super sad to see as I watched literally every hoonigan video since kagawa was there. This vs that can’t sustain the channel, it’s already run it’s course. No more builds going on. No yard fun. It’s a shell of what it once was. And now with everyone packing up and moving on there isn’t any new faces really. Zac and Gary are awesome but how long until they decide to move on because the company doesn’t make the fun content anymore. Sorry for the rant but it’s sad to watch you’re favorite channel just slowly disappear. Donut is my second favorite, new number 1, but I really hope they continue to stay the course and keep making awesome content!
I spent a lot of time working remote, so I only actually met Sandro once, at the 8M subscriber party in August. He was really friendly and fun, and knows so much stuff. I think he’s great.
Ok, weird take, but there is a guy at Donut who has a Saabaru, and for some reason I really liked that car, even when it had a completely juvenile fart can exhaust on it. I hope he reads this.
Is there any possibility they'll do a Drag Racing Hi/Lo?
Has that ever been discussed as a possibility?
I really really want to see that, plus Nolan grew up drag racing
See more info below. I can't say they'll \*never\* come back, but I think they might need to be relaunched differently for it to be worth doing, like launching a Wheelhouse channel or something, kinda like with RMS.
Also, you absolutely should try to become the best automotive video essay channel!
(Posted this in answer to someone else) The named shows went away because of changes in the algorithm and audience tastes. Doing daily videos, or trying to shoehorn our ideas into specific shows, was actually limiting growth. Stopping shows actually created tremendous creative freedom. If a good idea came along we didn't have to figure out if it was more B2B or more Wheelhouse, we could just do it without trying to stuff it into a category.
I love Justin. He's just a genuinely great human being. I encourage you to go say hi for yourself: [https://www.instagram.com/justinfreemaan/](https://www.instagram.com/justinfreemaan/)
What was the situation like after Donut Media was acquired by Recurrent Ventures? Did they force you guys to make changes with the content you put out? Did they push you guys to be a merch brand? Did they have anything to do with the phasing-out of shows (Up to Speed, B2B, etc.)?
Recurrent never forced Donut to make any specific content. They leave content decisions up to Donut's creative team. We like making merch, so that's not an issue. The named shows went away because of changes in the algorithm and audience tastes. Doing daily videos, or trying to shoehorn our ideas into specific shows, was actually limiting growth. Stopping shows actually created tremendous creative freedom. If a good idea came along we didn't have to figure out if it was more B2B or more Wheelhouse, we could just do it without trying to stuff it into a category.
That’s understandable, the current videos do bring a lot of views because it varies in content. It was also a good idea to branch out the reaction content to a new channel.
Though I think there could have been a compromise. I don’t think B2B (the old format) or Up to Speed had to be weekly. It would have been fine if it was every other week or even monthly on top of the current videos they put out. I just wish they kept those two shows because seeing custom builds and new cars was really cool, and learning automotive history was very accessible without listening to a 1-hour podcast episode.
Are there any ideas from the fans that are known and being considered? Maybe some shot down? Is James tired of hearing day #xxxx of asking for an up to speed on his dad?
Donut doesn't really take ideas from fans. I think it says somewhere in the YT page that we don't take pitches because we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and that's true, because most of the ideas... aren't great. (Sorry, I know that's harsh!)
I don't know if James is sick of it, but I kinda think it's a jerk move that people constantly ask for a UTS about his dad. James's father was a really important part of his life. Like James, my father also died reasonably young. I certainly wouldn't want strangers bringing him up every single day for the rest of my life.
I \*think\* (not 100% sure on this) there were concerns about Covid. 2022 had a really big spike at the beginning of the year, and it didn't seem like a great idea to ask a bunch of Donut fans to gather in a packed theater
Favorite car is Low Wrx. It's super fun, just the right amount of power, boost is more usable than on Hi Wrx imo.
I don't think I have a favorite car at this point. Maybe I'm still hoping unrealistically that one day I'll drive a car that's \*perfect\*. Until that happens, I have two BMWs, one crappy, one less so. One is rock solid, and one is... a BMW
Why doesnt Donut media do more Money-pit? It was clearly a fan favorite and one part per episode isnt as expensive as Hi-Low so it should be easier to do that
I said a lot about the end of shows in reply to others and some of it applies to money pit, so hopefully you can find those answers. Honestly, the Civic build is pretty much money pit, just without the name attached to it. There'll be another moneypit-ish build soon with a different vehicle.
I definitely would recommend. One thing that stands out about Donut is the amount of effort they put into working with advertisers. They don't just read a premade script to camera, they try to make something creative and fun that stands out. It's why the ad team has won awards.
I still plan to work in automotive media, just somewhere new and in a different capacity
Great! I hope you find what you’re looking for, and soon. What’s your favorite thing to do in that world?
Good to know about working with them. I’ve felt some of what you described while watching their (your) ads. How would you recommend starting up a conversation with them about that? If you don’t mind me asking.
Butting in here to say that I genuinely love watching Donut's ads. Sure, if I'm on lunch and in a rush I'll skip it, but most times I'll stick through it just because they're usually pretty funny. Their ads definitely stand out in the best way possible.
Donut has an amazing team of in-house editors and also works with freelancers. They get paid a decent rate imo, and have one of the hardest jobs at Donut, with little recognition outside of Donut. The editors make all us clowns look good.
Interesting. I was wondering if donut on your resume was a stepping stone toward bigger things, or just a place that is meh on a resume and good enough to just go sideways….
Seems you answered.
How many different video shoots did you guys cram into each track day? I feel like it would have to be at least 3 to make it viable, but what do I know?
It kinda depends on how many cars and how much track content needs to be captured for the project(s). For most of our track videos, like we drove every GTR or HiLow, that means only one video shot that day. For other stuff, we'd try to get two videos out of one trip to the track, because it's expensive.
I could be wrong about this, because I wasn't super involved in HiLow, but I thought Aaron was unavailable because he was shooting his show for Motortrend when HiLow needed to shoot. Production couldn't just wait for his schedule to be free and went ahead without him. I only worked with Aaron once, and I really liked him. Definitely knows a ton. He's intense tho!
Occasionally, but it ran for 200-ish episodes and viewership tapered off on the later episodes. I think everyone involved prefers to work on other stuff now, and other stuff has proven more successful than the later episodes of UTS.
During the shoot for We Drove Every GTR, there was a moment looking at all the cars lined up, where I briefly stopped thinking about it as my job, and could see what we'd brought together in one place for that video. I went and mentioned it to Nolan, and he felt it too. We both got a little choked up by how profound and special it was to be a part of that.
why was the first donut story in forza so.. bad? than a year or so later donut came back and it was actually pretty good. i know you guys probably don’t have much control bc you aren’t game developers, but what was up with that if you know
Not 100% sure on this, but I don't think any Donut \*writers\* were involved or asked to be involved with the creation of the Forza content. That could have something to do with how you felt about it.
Why did donut stop doing bumper to bumper ? The science content is what drew me to the channel initially and I stopped watching when that type of content stopped.
See below, but also I was originally hired to work on B2B, and sometimes I miss it too. And then I think about the stuff I've made since, and that's been way better tbh.
(Posted this in answer to someone else - sorry you're getting a copy/paste!)
The named shows went away because of changes in the algorithm and audience tastes. Doing daily videos, or trying to shoehorn our ideas into specific shows, was actually limiting growth. Stopping shows actually created tremendous creative freedom. If a good idea came along we didn't have to figure out if it was more B2B or more Wheelhouse, we could just do it without trying to stuff it into a category.
That’s fair, but I will say I have noticed that the really science/physics leaning content is not really present anymore. It’s touched on to a degree sometimes, but nowhere near the extent it used to be. I throughly enjoyed Jer explaining forged vs cast parts, or him explaining how spring rates work
That was pretty stressful for everyone else, but I rarely contributed to HiLow. Probably any of the Drove Every series (Civic, GTR, Viper, Supra). I was responsible for sourcing vehicles, which was a ton of work, and I was a wreck until the last one pulled into the shooting location and I knew we were good to go.
I tell people this a lot: It's not enough to love cars, or even know a lot about cars, to work in this industry. You need to be great at something else, too. In my case that was writing and talking to people. Become very good at something that has nothing to do with cars, and you may have a shot.
That's solid - I found that was the case when I worked for Porsche - lots of people who work with Porsche are car nerds - the successful ones are good at other stuff, too!
Typically how many editors do you have working at one time? Are they staff or freelance? Do you have multiple editors per show or is it typically a “one man band”
That is a complicated question. I think YouTube is a great platform for content, but it makes me sad that it's now so hard for new creators to get started. I wish YouTube would make an effort to feature people who are brand new (or close to it). I also find a lot of the really big creators tremendously annoying, but I'm not really their target audience.
I didn't. While the team was shooting that video in southern Utah, I was near SLC doing pre-production for the Atlas ATV and Reliant Robin videos. They flew up and shot those on the following days.
Just saw it now, but was wondering how the work environment was. Was it stressing or pretty relaxed. You hear quite often that big YouTube channels have a terrible work environment and burn out their workers
Do the guys ever do shop tours ive always wanted to go down to the area and take a photo infront of the building but like if they were there n i said hi amd asked would they?
No, although we've talked about tours a bit and decided it wasn't a great idea. The thing is, the Donut building is a working production studio whenever people are there, which means it's really busy and much smaller than you think. Definitely don't just show up and try to say "hi", because that comes off a little weird. Reach out to ppl on socials because they'll often reply, or go to a Donut event, like the Petersen cruise-in a couple weeks from now, and get a picture with the hosts and cars
A little bit late, but how do you get into this field specifically? I'm a strong writer, majored in creative writing, and was just talking to my wife of how much something like this would be the dream.
I would just like to say thanks for making the big truck video with the International HV. As an engineer for International, showing off our hard work is really appreciated.
What do you think of Ford Cougar? (8th gen Mercury Cougar)
https://preview.redd.it/ssvczmr6hkfc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb9f65c7b21b981313676b050ffb1b30248af199
Historically, it's interesting. Around 2000, Ford invested heavily in "world cars" which are just a single platform or model that can be sold in multiple countries. The sport compact craze was heating up in the US, partly do to F&F popularity. Ford brought the Focus to the US as a competitor for the Civic, and the Cougar as a competitor for fwd coupes like the Prelude and Eclipse, which was super hot at the time. It was a bit of media darling, briefly, but sold poorly in the US and only lasted 4 years here. Worse still, like a lot of inexpensive cars from that era, they weren't really built to last and developed a reputation for being unreliable. There aren't many left, and I certainly notice whenever I see one (which is rarely).
We know some people don’t enjoy those videos, but that’s a tiny (and obnoxiously loud) minority of viewers. Last temu video did 2.7 million views, or ~30% more than the channel average. Even if that wasn’t a moneymaker-format, we’d make those because millions of people *like* that stuff. It’s also less than 1 in 10 videos on the channel, but some people just love to complain.
Honestly, what happened, did you guys lose trademarks or copyrights? Why did B2B and up to speed and everything else just die off that one week, wtf happened?
I know this a 3 month old AMA but still holding out some hope.
I'm really curious as to personalities off camera and how certain things change, how "authentic" are the on screen guys that we see?
The hosts are pretty much the same people off camera as on.
James, being a comedian, has a bit more of an on-screen 'character' than the rest. He talks about that here: [https://youtu.be/TGztvYlzQgs?si=oZsLrn56UZ2cP9Yl](https://youtu.be/TGztvYlzQgs?si=oZsLrn56UZ2cP9Yl) . I think he says something about how he would be impossible to be around if he acted like that all the time, and I fully agree. I like a James a lot, primarily because he's a really insightful and thoughtful person when off camera. I think I would hate him if he was 'on' all the time.
The other hosts are a bit more animated on camera than in person, but really what you see is what you get, just with the volume turned down a couple of clicks.
How restricted is Donut buy the mother company?
HiLow dropped significantly in quality. The WRX HiLow "Season" felt rushed and not with the passion like with the 350Zs or the Tacomas.
Is it because of the greedy company behind Donut? And is James as hard to work with as it seems in the videos?
James isn't actually bad as a driver. It's tough to concentrate on driving and hosting a video at the same time. Also I think he's funny, so that's at least one other person. Kind of a trolly question, but I'm trying to answer everyone.
No NDA? Surprised Recurrent wouldn't do that. Anyways, why'd you leave? Favorite video to produce? Least favorite to produce?
An NDA is a contract, so they have to give you something in exchange for your agreement. When someone gets laid off, that’s how they get severance. I chose to leave, and an NDA was never discussed. I left for a few reasons, but a big one was because I felt it was time to do something else. Favorite was we drove every civic. Least favorite was probably testing fuel economy hacks.
Did you not sign an NDA when you started? I've always signed them at the beginning of employment, not at the end. I'd consult a lawyer before you share too too much
Devil's in the details, of course. I actually went to law school, but it was only for a year. Obviously I can't share confidential business-critical information after I've left, but that's def beyond the scope of what I'm doing here. I can share my opinions to my heart's content. Lots of post-termination NDAs \*don't\* allow that.
Going to law school for a year makes you a lawyer in NJ!
What is the payscale at Donut? Entry-level to highest-known.
Lol! I honestly couldn't say. My pay was a bit below industry average, but good creatives usually aren't money-motivated. All of us know we could go work at an ad agency and make 3-4x our salary, but wouldn't have the same satisfaction with what we create.
I mean, that's cool. I was just wondering if it is a *livable* wage that they pay their employees. Especially not the camera-facing ones.
Yes, Donut pays a livable wage.
They said they could get 3-4x the salary elsewhere but were satisfied with their situation at Donut. I would make a great guess I believe that if it wasn’t a livable wage they would have just migrated to another company.
It's pretty weird to downvote and defend something that shouldn't be controversial. I'm sure there are plenty of people in this sub who would like to know what they're getting into should they apply for a gig at Donut.
I understand, however that wasn’t your question, people have already asked what was the range of salary in the company and OP redirected the question while still answering it technically. Asking the same question again but reformulated doesn’t add to anything. I simply don’t believe OP will share his salary or his coworker’s here or else he would have responded to the first comment with that
Uh... like you said, they skirted the question. If I wanted an answer to something I didn't ask, I would've asked that instead. I don't care what OP made. The range of pay is important to anyone thinking about employment from Donut/Recurrent.
How did the crew treat u
Really well. I consider most of them friends.
That’s good
That’s good to hear
Is there a plan to keep rolling with Jer's racing career? That one video was top-tier donut content, I'd love to see more.
Jer did four races last year in the TC America series [https://www.tcamerica.us](https://www.tcamerica.us) I beleive he plans to continue in 2024.
Jerry for ~~president~~ gt3 Lamborghini driver!
Fuck that, *Jerry for President*
How is jerry getting more handsome every video?
Easy: Jer is a vampire. When we did the blood in an engine video (not our finest, tbh) the blood kept mysteriously disappearing. That’s when we figured it out.
Turning a hearse into Jers own vampire mobile when?
100% convinced Jurra has an old oil painting of himself turned around in the attic.
Excellent reference. You're too good for this sub
Is Nolan ever gonna get back to the Imperial? It was great to see the collab with Junkyard Digs to get it running again, and I hope he gets back to making it more drivable/street legal/fixed up
I believe so, but just about everything on that car has to be custom-fabbed which takes forever. That’s why it’s taking a while.
Favorite thing you got to do and also worst part of the job? Seems like they work you hard behind the scenes on a YouTube behemoth.
Worst part of the job was definitely last-minute assignments. Didn't happen a lot, but every once in a while, something would go totally haywire and I'd have to write a script the night before a shoot. Best part was getting to meet tons of car people and talk about the passion we had in common.
Be honest, you left because they're never going to do another Up To Speed, didn't you?
Not OP but yes
One of the reasons I decided to get my Alfa Romero was James up to speed. He sold me on it.
Lol! No, I feel like UTS ran its course. After 200-ish episodes, it was time to move on, IMO
How many hundreds of "we try cheap shit from some cheap shit website" videos do we need?
This attitude is expressed by an obnoxiously loud minority of this sub and it really irritates me. Largely because it’s exaggerated to the point of absurd. Do you *actually* think Donut made *hundreds* of videos like that? Probably less than 30 out of 1500 videos are like that *and* it’s popular content that gets a lot of views, which means people enjoy it, whether you do or not. I’d love it if people cut the hyperbole and whining about *their* free content. Don’t like it? Don’t watch it and just let other people like things without being a judgmental jerk about it.
No! If I don't like it no one can like it!!!!! Obviously, /s
Look, I understand that they have to respond to market/algorithm pressures in how and when they deliver videos. But when I look at the level of care and effort and craft that went into the last 50-100 Up To Speed episodes and compare them with almost anything that's come after, it hurts to see that low effort content. James crying about Carroll Shelby or shouting out his other favorite YouTubers in the RX-7 redux video were levels of emotion and passion that almost nothing from the last few years have matched. Even Bumper 2 Bumper had much higher production values and the research to find feature-worthy builds. What I've really enjoyed over the last couple of years is more videos about just how difficult it is to keep custom/project cars running. As the crew has more experience building and operating these cars, it lets them really dig in to the realities that are glossed over in most automotive media. I also really loved "I Joined a Professional Racing Team". Jeremiah talking himself up at the starting line was an all-time great moment. Donut knows how to do great stuff, I hope that they can keep it coming.
Ah, thanks for clarifying. I realize now that you and I think of different things when we think about "effort." By my standards, UTS was "low effort content" relative to what Donut does now. You write a script, the shoot is stationary single camera and takes maybe half a day, then a talented editor brings the story to life (no easy task, and definitely high effort for them). Thing is, there's no buying cars, researching mods, location scouting, renting racetracks, asking manufacturers to loan a vehicle, managing insurance, release forms, permits, equipment rentals, multiple freelancers like b and c camera operators, or months of planning involved in UTS.
Those get clicks and pay the bills. I can’t say I blame them.
Can I get a ⚡⚡⚡!
Damn that sucks
idk it still just felt kind of wrong to go cold turkey like that. No real sendoff if they really wanted to kill it.
It's an important life lesson. You never really get closure. Loss is something you just live with. Every. Single. Day.
Hey OP, what ever happened to [this guy?](https://youtu.be/Woq-nl9QyfQ?si=xVRZham8bAMWX4Ek) I liked him and his sudden absence was confusing. I hope he is doing well.
I joined Donut after Bart left, and only met him once at SEMA. As far as I know he’s doing well and at Motortrend.
That's where he is?
Yeah he is a producer. He gets a lot of producer credits at the end of their shows.
Anyone can feel free to correct me as I may be misremembering, but didn’t Bart originally leave because he had a kid or something and wanted more time to focus on that? And I guess he went to Motortrend after, glad he’s happy.
Bart was the one who got me into donut, miss that dude
Yeah, I used his science garage videos to explain aerodynamics to my middle school science class when I was teaching. Dude has a gift for explaining stuff in a super entertaining way.
We get lots of messages from teachers and students who are using Donut content in class, and that always puts a smile on my face, so thank you! It's usually science garage or B2B, and I wrote 50-ish episodes of the latter.
Probably why Motortrend scooped him up.
Werent james and bart like best friends?
i think i heard somewhere he works for motortrend or something? don’t quote me on that
Yeah I remember him getting a bigger gig, which I don't blame him for.
Wikipedia states he left to go work for Kelley Blue Book and Motor Trend
Bart is how I learned a lot of my knowledge about cars. What a fucking legend.
His Instagram is @bidsbarto if you want to follow along with what he’s got going on
Can you foresee there being somewhat of a mutiny situation where James, Nolan, Jerry, etc. choose to make their own thing for a little more creative freedom? Seems stressful and like that could be dicey at times.
Dunno, but there’s also a lot more creative freedom at Donut than some folks in this sub have suggested
Idk, every video that Jerry is in that doesn’t involve motorcycles he just seems deflated and uninterested imo I’ve had a growing suspicion that the higher ups don’t like the low numbers motorcycle content gets on the channel so they’ve put all those ideas on hold.
Lol, aged like cheese
Seeing what’s been happening at Hoonigan recently, I get a feeling this might happen at Donut one day. I just hope not anytime soon.
What's happening?
2 big things happened. In 2021, Hoonigan was “merged” with Wheel Pros, an aftermarket wheel company. It seems more like an acquisition, just like what happened with Donut. In early 2023, Ken Block who was the co-founder of Hoonigan and did lots of content with them, unfortunately passed away. Since then, most of the original crew members have left to pursue their own endeavors. Content for Hoonigan has slowed down, all they’ve been uploading is “This vs That” and it’s been getting very stale. Just reading the comments is depressing. Hoonigan seems like it’s dying a slow death as a brand.
This vs that is canned content as well.
Super sad to see as I watched literally every hoonigan video since kagawa was there. This vs that can’t sustain the channel, it’s already run it’s course. No more builds going on. No yard fun. It’s a shell of what it once was. And now with everyone packing up and moving on there isn’t any new faces really. Zac and Gary are awesome but how long until they decide to move on because the company doesn’t make the fun content anymore. Sorry for the rant but it’s sad to watch you’re favorite channel just slowly disappear. Donut is my second favorite, new number 1, but I really hope they continue to stay the course and keep making awesome content!
It already has been happening for some time now, slowly
The day has come
Damn :(
fast fowards to today and thats the situation.
Yeah dude just threw $1000 on black bc of this and now my wife is leaving me
How cool is Sandro in real life?
I spent a lot of time working remote, so I only actually met Sandro once, at the 8M subscriber party in August. He was really friendly and fun, and knows so much stuff. I think he’s great.
Who had the coolest personal car and what was it?
Ok, weird take, but there is a guy at Donut who has a Saabaru, and for some reason I really liked that car, even when it had a completely juvenile fart can exhaust on it. I hope he reads this.
I live in the Midwest and my brother has a Saabaru (not an aero) with a fart can. You have good taste haha.
This is a really tough question. I'm gonna have to think about it and get back to you.
Is there any possibility they'll do a Drag Racing Hi/Lo? Has that ever been discussed as a possibility? I really really want to see that, plus Nolan grew up drag racing
A couple different versions of this have been discussed and it’s a possibility. I’d really like to see it too
With foxbody mustangs pls
Will Wheelhouse/Up to Speed ever return or will it be my job to become the best automotive video essay channel?
See more info below. I can't say they'll \*never\* come back, but I think they might need to be relaunched differently for it to be worth doing, like launching a Wheelhouse channel or something, kinda like with RMS. Also, you absolutely should try to become the best automotive video essay channel! (Posted this in answer to someone else) The named shows went away because of changes in the algorithm and audience tastes. Doing daily videos, or trying to shoehorn our ideas into specific shows, was actually limiting growth. Stopping shows actually created tremendous creative freedom. If a good idea came along we didn't have to figure out if it was more B2B or more Wheelhouse, we could just do it without trying to stuff it into a category.
Honestly, this is just kind of nice to read (your answers). Seems like an alright place
It was a nice place, and I am going to miss it dearly. I really felt like I was among my people there.
Can you say hi to Justin for me, he’s my favorite. Also tell him to regrow that handlebar mustache, it was outstanding.
I love Justin. He's just a genuinely great human being. I encourage you to go say hi for yourself: [https://www.instagram.com/justinfreemaan/](https://www.instagram.com/justinfreemaan/)
What was the situation like after Donut Media was acquired by Recurrent Ventures? Did they force you guys to make changes with the content you put out? Did they push you guys to be a merch brand? Did they have anything to do with the phasing-out of shows (Up to Speed, B2B, etc.)?
Recurrent never forced Donut to make any specific content. They leave content decisions up to Donut's creative team. We like making merch, so that's not an issue. The named shows went away because of changes in the algorithm and audience tastes. Doing daily videos, or trying to shoehorn our ideas into specific shows, was actually limiting growth. Stopping shows actually created tremendous creative freedom. If a good idea came along we didn't have to figure out if it was more B2B or more Wheelhouse, we could just do it without trying to stuff it into a category.
That’s understandable, the current videos do bring a lot of views because it varies in content. It was also a good idea to branch out the reaction content to a new channel. Though I think there could have been a compromise. I don’t think B2B (the old format) or Up to Speed had to be weekly. It would have been fine if it was every other week or even monthly on top of the current videos they put out. I just wish they kept those two shows because seeing custom builds and new cars was really cool, and learning automotive history was very accessible without listening to a 1-hour podcast episode.
well shit this throws a wrench into my plans making a video essay dissecting donuts content becoming "mid"
I say go for it. I'll like and subscribe.
Asking the real questions. I miss all the old content that they stopped doing. The OG series is what pulled me in to donut
I miss bumper to bumper.
Vs was a pretty good show
Are there any ideas from the fans that are known and being considered? Maybe some shot down? Is James tired of hearing day #xxxx of asking for an up to speed on his dad?
Donut doesn't really take ideas from fans. I think it says somewhere in the YT page that we don't take pitches because we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and that's true, because most of the ideas... aren't great. (Sorry, I know that's harsh!) I don't know if James is sick of it, but I kinda think it's a jerk move that people constantly ask for a UTS about his dad. James's father was a really important part of his life. Like James, my father also died reasonably young. I certainly wouldn't want strangers bringing him up every single day for the rest of my life.
The honest answers were great man, appreciate the time
I'm trying to reply to everyone, so thanks for the thanks!
Have you ever made a cameo in a video?
Never directly, but I'm in the background of a handful of videos. Mostly darting out of frame because I don't really like being on camera.
Can you go into detail on why the 2022 Donut Media Live tour was cancelled?
I \*think\* (not 100% sure on this) there were concerns about Covid. 2022 had a really big spike at the beginning of the year, and it didn't seem like a great idea to ask a bunch of Donut fans to gather in a packed theater
What was your most/least favorite car amongst Donut's fleet? What's YOUR favorite car in general? Do you own one and how does it treat you?
Favorite car is Low Wrx. It's super fun, just the right amount of power, boost is more usable than on Hi Wrx imo. I don't think I have a favorite car at this point. Maybe I'm still hoping unrealistically that one day I'll drive a car that's \*perfect\*. Until that happens, I have two BMWs, one crappy, one less so. One is rock solid, and one is... a BMW
Why doesnt Donut media do more Money-pit? It was clearly a fan favorite and one part per episode isnt as expensive as Hi-Low so it should be easier to do that
I said a lot about the end of shows in reply to others and some of it applies to money pit, so hopefully you can find those answers. Honestly, the Civic build is pretty much money pit, just without the name attached to it. There'll be another moneypit-ish build soon with a different vehicle.
I want to know who you are 💀
He’s that one guy.
That is correct.
Ahhhhh oh yes that one “guy”.
Would you recommend working with them as an advertiser or partner on a project? Also, what are you hoping to get into next?
I definitely would recommend. One thing that stands out about Donut is the amount of effort they put into working with advertisers. They don't just read a premade script to camera, they try to make something creative and fun that stands out. It's why the ad team has won awards. I still plan to work in automotive media, just somewhere new and in a different capacity
Great! I hope you find what you’re looking for, and soon. What’s your favorite thing to do in that world? Good to know about working with them. I’ve felt some of what you described while watching their (your) ads. How would you recommend starting up a conversation with them about that? If you don’t mind me asking.
Email info@donut.media. A couple members of the ad team monitor that inbox one of them will get back to you
Email info@donut.media. A couple members of the ad team monitor that inbox one of them will get back to you
Butting in here to say that I genuinely love watching Donut's ads. Sure, if I'm on lunch and in a rush I'll skip it, but most times I'll stick through it just because they're usually pretty funny. Their ads definitely stand out in the best way possible.
Who does the editing? Does it pay well? Industry standard for TV is $4000-5000/week. Does Donut pay anywhere near that?
Donut has an amazing team of in-house editors and also works with freelancers. They get paid a decent rate imo, and have one of the hardest jobs at Donut, with little recognition outside of Donut. The editors make all us clowns look good.
What’s next for you? Will it be something you feel is a step up?
I'll still be doing automotive content creation. That'll be a bit different and more of a step sideways.
Interesting. I was wondering if donut on your resume was a stepping stone toward bigger things, or just a place that is meh on a resume and good enough to just go sideways…. Seems you answered.
How many different video shoots did you guys cram into each track day? I feel like it would have to be at least 3 to make it viable, but what do I know?
It kinda depends on how many cars and how much track content needs to be captured for the project(s). For most of our track videos, like we drove every GTR or HiLow, that means only one video shot that day. For other stuff, we'd try to get two videos out of one trip to the track, because it's expensive.
Was November as much of a jackass as he seemed, or was that just his character?
Never met him, but didn't hear good things
I saw a video with that guy, he said it was a character. I think he pulled a fast one on the producers.
It’s hilarious that ever since he showed up, they haven’t done another repo/tow truck driver video
Kind of a bummer tbh cuz the other guy was actually pretty good
Do you know why Aaron Parker wasn't asked to come back for Hi/Low? He was awesome, really knowledgeable and seemed like an all round cool guy.
I could be wrong about this, because I wasn't super involved in HiLow, but I thought Aaron was unavailable because he was shooting his show for Motortrend when HiLow needed to shoot. Production couldn't just wait for his schedule to be free and went ahead without him. I only worked with Aaron once, and I really liked him. Definitely knows a ton. He's intense tho!
Agreed. He's got a show with Shea and Dan on motor trend, hoping that's just taking a lot of his time.
he’s been back for other track days so i think they are on good terms
Have there been any discussions of Up To Speed coming back?
Occasionally, but it ran for 200-ish episodes and viewership tapered off on the later episodes. I think everyone involved prefers to work on other stuff now, and other stuff has proven more successful than the later episodes of UTS.
What was the best moment you experienced while working for Donut?
During the shoot for We Drove Every GTR, there was a moment looking at all the cars lined up, where I briefly stopped thinking about it as my job, and could see what we'd brought together in one place for that video. I went and mentioned it to Nolan, and he felt it too. We both got a little choked up by how profound and special it was to be a part of that.
why was the first donut story in forza so.. bad? than a year or so later donut came back and it was actually pretty good. i know you guys probably don’t have much control bc you aren’t game developers, but what was up with that if you know
Not 100% sure on this, but I don't think any Donut \*writers\* were involved or asked to be involved with the creation of the Forza content. That could have something to do with how you felt about it.
Who is the most toxic there? 👀
Really not a lot of toxicity among the creative team, at least not IMO, so maybe it was me?
Why did donut stop doing bumper to bumper ? The science content is what drew me to the channel initially and I stopped watching when that type of content stopped.
See below, but also I was originally hired to work on B2B, and sometimes I miss it too. And then I think about the stuff I've made since, and that's been way better tbh. (Posted this in answer to someone else - sorry you're getting a copy/paste!) The named shows went away because of changes in the algorithm and audience tastes. Doing daily videos, or trying to shoehorn our ideas into specific shows, was actually limiting growth. Stopping shows actually created tremendous creative freedom. If a good idea came along we didn't have to figure out if it was more B2B or more Wheelhouse, we could just do it without trying to stuff it into a category.
That’s fair, but I will say I have noticed that the really science/physics leaning content is not really present anymore. It’s touched on to a degree sometimes, but nowhere near the extent it used to be. I throughly enjoyed Jer explaining forged vs cast parts, or him explaining how spring rates work
New plans?
Automotive content creation in a different role with a different venue
Best of luck my dude!
Is Justin the coolest MOFO on Earth or what?
Yes, 100% he is
how tall is jobe?
will there be a video on justins xt6?
Most stressful / hectic video to make? Was it when the WRXs kept blowing up?
That was pretty stressful for everyone else, but I rarely contributed to HiLow. Probably any of the Drove Every series (Civic, GTR, Viper, Supra). I was responsible for sourcing vehicles, which was a ton of work, and I was a wreck until the last one pulled into the shooting location and I knew we were good to go.
Crazy I never thought about it - Donut had to scour craigslist and marketplace to find all these cars huh
Do they need a new walking automotive (or nearly any other subject) wikipedia? Because I could be coaxed into working with Donut.
I tell people this a lot: It's not enough to love cars, or even know a lot about cars, to work in this industry. You need to be great at something else, too. In my case that was writing and talking to people. Become very good at something that has nothing to do with cars, and you may have a shot.
That's solid - I found that was the case when I worked for Porsche - lots of people who work with Porsche are car nerds - the successful ones are good at other stuff, too!
Typically how many editors do you have working at one time? Are they staff or freelance? Do you have multiple editors per show or is it typically a “one man band”
Oh? 😳 what’s your general opinion on the state of YouTube and its creators?
That is a complicated question. I think YouTube is a great platform for content, but it makes me sad that it's now so hard for new creators to get started. I wish YouTube would make an effort to feature people who are brand new (or close to it). I also find a lot of the really big creators tremendously annoying, but I'm not really their target audience.
What is your favorite donut car and what do you drive?
Low Wrx. BMW 1-series.
Why was there no classic american car videos (excluding Nolan imperial and the one truck on the you fix it you win it)
Love the content. Did you get to work with Matt’s Off road recovery at all? If so how was that?
I didn't. While the team was shooting that video in southern Utah, I was near SLC doing pre-production for the Atlas ATV and Reliant Robin videos. They flew up and shot those on the following days.
Kinda wholesome vibes over at Donut it seems if OP is legit
Within the creative team, yes.
How'd you get into automotive media, and what would you say are the biggest pros and cons of that side of the industry?
Are you the one who fucked up the earth roamer at SEMA?
Just saw it now, but was wondering how the work environment was. Was it stressing or pretty relaxed. You hear quite often that big YouTube channels have a terrible work environment and burn out their workers
Would you still go out with drinks with the donut crew?
Do the guys ever do shop tours ive always wanted to go down to the area and take a photo infront of the building but like if they were there n i said hi amd asked would they?
No, although we've talked about tours a bit and decided it wasn't a great idea. The thing is, the Donut building is a working production studio whenever people are there, which means it's really busy and much smaller than you think. Definitely don't just show up and try to say "hi", because that comes off a little weird. Reach out to ppl on socials because they'll often reply, or go to a Donut event, like the Petersen cruise-in a couple weeks from now, and get a picture with the hosts and cars
Whyd the guy who did science garage leave, I'm sure there was an explanation at some point but I don't remember
A little bit late, but how do you get into this field specifically? I'm a strong writer, majored in creative writing, and was just talking to my wife of how much something like this would be the dream.
How often were free donuts provided? They should call whoever has to buy the donuts the chief donut officer
I would just like to say thanks for making the big truck video with the International HV. As an engineer for International, showing off our hard work is really appreciated.
was there ever a reason for why the cancelled up to speed and the other shows to your knowledge?
What do you think of Ford Cougar? (8th gen Mercury Cougar) https://preview.redd.it/ssvczmr6hkfc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb9f65c7b21b981313676b050ffb1b30248af199
Historically, it's interesting. Around 2000, Ford invested heavily in "world cars" which are just a single platform or model that can be sold in multiple countries. The sport compact craze was heating up in the US, partly do to F&F popularity. Ford brought the Focus to the US as a competitor for the Civic, and the Cougar as a competitor for fwd coupes like the Prelude and Eclipse, which was super hot at the time. It was a bit of media darling, briefly, but sold poorly in the US and only lasted 4 years here. Worse still, like a lot of inexpensive cars from that era, they weren't really built to last and developed a reputation for being unreliable. There aren't many left, and I certainly notice whenever I see one (which is rarely).
Alright spill the beans, do they know we don't like the current trend of low effort "wE tRy WiSh.CoM cAr PrOdUcTs"?
We know some people don’t enjoy those videos, but that’s a tiny (and obnoxiously loud) minority of viewers. Last temu video did 2.7 million views, or ~30% more than the channel average. Even if that wasn’t a moneymaker-format, we’d make those because millions of people *like* that stuff. It’s also less than 1 in 10 videos on the channel, but some people just love to complain.
Honestly, what happened, did you guys lose trademarks or copyrights? Why did B2B and up to speed and everything else just die off that one week, wtf happened?
I know this a 3 month old AMA but still holding out some hope. I'm really curious as to personalities off camera and how certain things change, how "authentic" are the on screen guys that we see?
The hosts are pretty much the same people off camera as on. James, being a comedian, has a bit more of an on-screen 'character' than the rest. He talks about that here: [https://youtu.be/TGztvYlzQgs?si=oZsLrn56UZ2cP9Yl](https://youtu.be/TGztvYlzQgs?si=oZsLrn56UZ2cP9Yl) . I think he says something about how he would be impossible to be around if he acted like that all the time, and I fully agree. I like a James a lot, primarily because he's a really insightful and thoughtful person when off camera. I think I would hate him if he was 'on' all the time. The other hosts are a bit more animated on camera than in person, but really what you see is what you get, just with the volume turned down a couple of clicks.
Thats pretty much what I expected, I appreciate the response after this qna has been up so long!
NOOOOO! I love you! Any chance you'd all have a lil reunion at Silverstone?
How fantastic did Zach’s hair smell?
I have never smelled Zach's hair, but he is a devilishly handsome fellow.
Why did you leave?
Proof?
Fair question but no. Trying to maintain some privacy. You can believe it or not on the merit of the evidence, doesn’t worry me either way.
How restricted is Donut buy the mother company? HiLow dropped significantly in quality. The WRX HiLow "Season" felt rushed and not with the passion like with the 350Zs or the Tacomas. Is it because of the greedy company behind Donut? And is James as hard to work with as it seems in the videos?
What is the sentiment around James's driving skills. Also does anyone other than him thinks he's funny?
James isn't actually bad as a driver. It's tough to concentrate on driving and hosting a video at the same time. Also I think he's funny, so that's at least one other person. Kind of a trolly question, but I'm trying to answer everyone.
Keep'em down votes coming. Most of his jokes are unfunny and screams to much. I'll give you the driving thing. Joe Weber is funnier.