Beyond the platform: How YouTube's filmmakers are changing the game
Jun 10, 2025 – [[read-time]] minute read
When Italian creator Giuseppe Bertuccio D'Angelo started his YouTube channel, Progetto Happiness, in 2009, little did he know that one day he would be premiering his work at the Milano Film Fest- where some of the most prolific films of Italian cinema have premiered for nearly 30 years.
His upcoming documentary “Esmerelda: Legend of the Colombian Miners” is set in the heart of Colombia, where miners defy the odds on their mission to retrieve a priceless emerald from a challenging mountain.
We caught up with Giuseppe after the first screening of his documentary to learn more about his process and how his YouTube audience has helped shape his work.
You're a storyteller in pursuit of happiness and adventure. Why did you choose YouTube?
YouTube gave me a chance to start from scratch, with a backpack and a camera, without having to ask anyone's permission. It is a place where even an ordinary guy like me can tell stories that matter. If there's one thing I've learned on YouTube, it's this: even dreams that are too big, if you chase them with all your might, sooner or later find their way to you.
Why did you choose to premiere Esmerelda at the Milan Film Festival?
For me, it is an honor. YouTube has always believed in the project and helped me turn ideas into something concrete. “Esmeralda” is a powerful and difficult, but necessary journey. A way to tell the story of the dignity hidden in the depths of the mines, far from the spotlight. To bring it to a big screen, to a room full of people, is an emotion that is hard to explain.
“ Today audiences are looking beyond the “where” and focusing on the “what.” If a piece of content hits you, it stays with you regardless of format or platform.”
What are some ways film festivals can better recognize digital filmmakers such as yourself?
They should reconsider making distinctions between storytellers. A story can be born on YouTube or on film, but if it can move you, then it has already done its job. Digital creators are not “alternative,” they are authors who choose different mediums and, sometimes, because of that very reason they are able to have a wider reach - to speak a more direct language that is closer to people.
More and more people are watching YouTube on their TV (average viewers are watching over 1B hours of YouTube content on televisions daily). How does that influence your content?
From the beginning, I thought of Progetto Happiness as something to be watched quietly. We never followed the pace of social: we made long, slow, deep videos. At first it seemed crazy, but today the audience is moving to the living room, and watching this type of content on their TV screen. And we are already there with our YouTube content. In fact, perhaps we simply anticipated something that was already in the air.
“ Digital creators are not “alternative,” they are authors who choose different mediums and, sometimes, because of that very reason they are able to have a wider reach.”
Can you tell us more about the role your subscribers play in molding your content?
It plays a central role. My team and I read every comment, every email, every message. But we don't follow trends. We look for stories that leave a mark, not just a click. YouTube data helps us understand where people really get excited, where they stop. It's like having a direct line to our community. And when you understand what touches them, you also find ways to tell the story even better!
In what ways have you witnessed the traditional entertainment industry begin to embrace digital creatives? Does the medium where the content lives matter to viewers?
Yes, something is changing. But today audiences are looking beyond the “where” and focusing on the “what.” If a piece of content hits you, it stays with you regardless of format or platform. It's the heart that makes the difference, not the tool. And I think this is a beautiful opportunity for those who tell stories in a new way, without labels.
Esmerelda will be available to view on the Progetto Happiness YouTube channel in the coming weeks.