New Crash Course and Pizzamas!
2014-11-07 · announcement · Hank · 4:00 · watch on YouTube
Topic: Projects · mode: Announcements · tags: self promotion, calendar ritual, community lore
Hank looks back on almost three years of Crash Course, which stays free because viewers fund it through Subbable, announces a larger partnership with PBS Digital Studios and four new courses for 2015, and announces the 12 Days of Pizzamas starting Monday.
What is said
The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).
00:00:00 — Greeting; almost three years of Crash Course, free and used by teachers and students; the best thing the brothers do
- ★★★ Hank recalls that almost three years ago he and John set out to do something hard; Crash Course became a thing used by many teachers and students, and it has been kept free. — 00:00:02 · Crash Course
- ★★ With love for Pemberley Digital, SciShow, VidCon and the Wimbly Womblys, Hank calls Crash Course the best thing the brothers do and says he is very proud of it. — 00:00:13 · Crash Course, SciShow, VidCon
00:00:29 — Montage of Crash Course clips and theme music
- ★ Hank presents a look back at the last three years of Crash Course: a montage of clips from John and Hank's courses. — 00:00:23 · Crash Course
00:01:28 — How Crash Course is funded: a Google grant, then viewers via Subbable instead of paywalls or exclusive platforms
- ★★ Hank says Crash Course works only because people like it: most viewers watch because they want to, not because they have to. — 00:01:28 · Crash Course
- ★★★ Hank says Crash Course was funded for its first two years basically by a Google grant; when that ran out, the brothers asked fans to give a little so it could keep existing for everyone. (hedged) — 00:01:35 · Crash Course, Google
- ★★★ Hank says they refused offers to charge for Crash Course or put it on an exclusive platform for fair money, not wanting to lock the content down, though it looked like they might have to. — 00:01:49 · Crash Course
- ★★★ People chose to give money through Subbable; Hank says Crash Course relies hugely on that support, which lets it make better and more content, and he could never be more grateful. — 00:02:02 · Subbable, Crash Course
00:02:12 — Partnerships: Big History with BGC3, PBS Digital Studios; four Crash Courses for 2015; the eCOnomics slip
- ★★ Hank says the Big History series Crash Course is in the middle of is a partnership with the Bill Gates think tank BGC3. — 00:02:12 · Crash Course
- ★★★ Hank announces a significantly larger relationship with PBS Digital Studios that will basically double Crash Course content; PBS is likewise viewer-funded and partnered with them on Frankenstein MD and The Art Assignment. — 00:02:18 · Crash Course, The Art Assignment
- ★★★ Hank says that in 2015 they hope to make four Crash Courses: Government with Craig Benzine (WheezyWaiter), Astronomy with Phil Plait, Physiology with Hank, and hopefully Economics. (hedged) — 00:02:37 · Crash Course, Craig Benzine
- ★★ Hank recommends viewers who haven't checked out Crash Course do so, and points to PBS Digital Studios' channel in the description. — 00:02:54 · Crash Course
00:03:13 — The 12 Days of Pizzamas from Monday: weekday videos, Hank's schedule, getting back to his roots; sign-off
- ★★★ Hank announces that from Monday he and John will do the Twelve Days of Pizzamas, making a video every day except weekends, like Brotherhood 2.0. — 00:03:13 · Pizzamas, Brotherhood 2.0
- ★★ Hank will post Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week (week of 10 November 2014), then Tuesday and Thursday; expect lots of Paper Towns set, with quality decreasing as they go a little insane. (playful) — 00:03:28 · Pizzamas, Paper Towns (film)
- ★★ Hank says he looks forward to Pizzamas: it feels like getting back to his roots, with more back-and-forth and feeling more connected. — 00:03:38 · Pizzamas
Threads in this video
- looked back · Crash Course: launch of the brothers' educational channel (2011) — Hank looks back on almost three years of Crash Course, now used by many teachers and students and kept free, with a montage of clips. (00:00:23)
- restate · How should online creators be paid: ads, sponsorships, paywalls or direct audience support? — Hank: Crash Course should not charge viewers, sit on an exclusive platform or lock its content down; it is funded by viewers who choose to give. (00:01:49)
- result reported · Hank asks viewers to fund Crash Course through Subbable (2013) — Hank reports that people decided to give money to Crash Course through Subbable, so it did not have to be locked down. (00:02:02)
- thanks · Hank asks viewers to fund Crash Course through Subbable (2013) — Hank says Crash Course relies hugely on Subbable support and he could never be more grateful. (00:02:05)
- announced · Crash Course partnership with PBS Digital Studios and its four new courses for 2015 (2014) — Hank announces a much larger Crash Course partnership with PBS Digital Studios that will about double its content, with four courses hoped for in 2015: Government, Astronomy, Physiology and Economics. (00:02:18)
- announced · Pizzamas 2014 edition: the 12 Days of Pizzamas with a vlogbrothers video every weekday — Hank announces the 12 Days of Pizzamas from Monday, with a vlogbrothers video every weekday; Hank posts Monday, Wednesday, Friday, then Tuesday, Thursday. (00:03:13)
- milestone · Subbable: launch of the brothers' pay-what-you-want subscription service, starting with Crash Course (2013) — People chose to give money through Subbable; Hank says Crash Course relies hugely on that support, which lets it make better and more content, and he could never be more grateful. (00:02:02)
- looked back · The Art Assignment: Sarah's PBS Digital Studios show (2013) — Hank announces a significantly larger relationship with PBS Digital Studios that will basically double Crash Course content; PBS is likewise viewer-funded and partnered with them on Frankenstein MD and The Art Assignment. (00:02:18)
- milestone · Crash Course Big History: ten-episode series funded by a grant from a Bill Gates organization (2014) — Hank says the Big History series Crash Course is in the middle of is a partnership with the Bill Gates think tank BGC3. (00:02:12)
- proposed · Crash Course Astronomy: launch of the series hosted by Phil Plait (2015) — Hank says that in 2015 they hope to make four Crash Courses: Government with Craig Benzine (WheezyWaiter), Astronomy with Phil Plait, Physiology with Hank, and hopefully Economics. (00:02:37)
Where the stories that moved here went next
- Hank asks viewers to fund Crash Course through Subbable (2013) — promotion (not a request); last: result reported, 2021-06-25
- Subbable: launch of the brothers' pay-what-you-want subscription service, starting with Crash Course (2013) — completed; last: looked back, 2025-12-09
- Pizzamas 2014 edition: the 12 Days of Pizzamas with a vlogbrothers video every weekday — past edition (2014); last: looked back, 2014-11-21 (said on 2014-11-20, implied)
- Crash Course Astronomy: launch of the series hosted by Phil Plait (2015) — last documented in 2015; last: launched, 2015-01-16
Mentioned
Central: Crash Course · Pizzamas
Also: People: Bill Gates · Craig Benzine · Phil Plait
Projects: Brotherhood 2.0 · Pemberley Digital · SciShow · Subbable · The Art Assignment · VidCon
Works: Frankenstein MD · Paper Towns (film)
Organizations: PBS · PBS Digital Studios
Characters: AFC Wimbledon Wimbly Womblys
Only in the description or credits: BGC3 · Google
Later videos replying to this one
- 2014-11-10 · The Woman Without a Face - Pizzamas Day 1 (Hank) — refers back (launch on Pizzamas 2014 edition: the 12 Days of Pizzamas with a vlogbrothers video every weekday) — The 12 Days of Pizzamas begin: Hank marks the first day and shows the new designs and products arriving at the DFTBA warehouse. (00:00:00)