What started as a childhood hobby would eventually develop into years of experimentation with video production, livestreaming, storytelling, and digital media.
Where it all started
In 2015, Ratmir created his first YouTube channel. One of his earliest videos was a commentary video about his favourite YouTubers — a reflection of the creators who had inspired him to start making videos himself.
He soon moved into Minecraft and Roblox Let’s Plays, occasionally experimenting with livestreams and other formats along the way.
Among the videos from this period, one stands out in particular: Summer at the Village. Looking back, Ratmir specifically wanted this video to be part of his story, describing it as one of his proudest editing achievements from his childhood.
At that age, creating videos was primarily about having fun, experimenting, and bringing ideas to life. But it was also where Ratmir began developing the skills that would become increasingly important in his later work.
The first breakthroughs
As Ratmir continued creating content, he began exploring opportunities beyond traditional gaming videos.
In 2017, one of his videos reached approximately 360,000 views. Wanting to create a music video for a song he particularly liked, he decided to produce a video around the track rather than sing it himself, feeling that his childhood voice wasn’t suited to singing.
The video gained significant traction before being taken down following a copyright strike related to a 15-second clip at the end. Although losing a video with hundreds of thousands of views was a setback, it became an early lesson in the realities of publishing content online.
The same period also marked the beginning of Ratmir’s livestreaming journey. Starting in 2017, he continued developing his live content, eventually building a regular audience of approximately 100 concurrent viewers by 2018.
Looking back on that milestone, Ratmir recalled:
“The euphoria I felt when for the first time ever hitting 100 viewers can’t be compared to anything, even when later I had lives with over 1k”.RATMIR, LOOKING BACK
For him, reaching those first 100 concurrent viewers was about more than the number itself. It was the feeling of knowing that people were actively showing up to watch something he had created. Even after later streams surpassed 1,000 viewers, that first milestone remained especially memorable.
Experimenting beyond gaming
Gaming was only one part of Ratmir’s early creative journey. Between 2017 and 2019, he experimented with different formats across multiple channels, including stop-motion, traditional animation, vlogs, commentary, educational content, documentaries, and civic-oriented videos.
Rather than committing to a single niche, he explored different ways of making videos and communicating ideas. Some projects were made for entertainment, while others focused on explaining subjects or documenting the world around him.
These years gave him the opportunity to explore the creative process from different angles, gradually expanding beyond the gaming content that had defined his earliest uploads.
From experimentation to millions of views
In 2020, Ratmir expanded his YouTube presence, developing multiple channels, including his personal channel and another he operated with a friend. He also continued livestreaming throughout 2020 and 2021.
May 2020 marked a defining moment in his journey. A long-form documentary about a Russian group from the post-Soviet era went viral, eventually accumulating approximately 5 million views. It was his first major viral success with a long-form video, exposing his work to an audience far beyond his previous reach.
The success wasn’t an isolated event. Building on the momentum, Ratmir published several more videos that each attracted approximately 1–2 million views, establishing a pattern of reaching audiences at scale.
After this period, he shifted his attention towards developing other YouTube channels, continuing to explore new projects and opportunities rather than remaining tied to a single channel or content format. Alongside the growth of his channels, livestreaming remained part of his creative work through 2021, extending his experience beyond traditional video uploads.
A new chapter
In December 2023, Ratmir acquired his first YouTube client, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his journey.
After years of creating videos, experimenting with different formats, and developing his understanding of online content, he began applying that experience to projects beyond his own channels. His work with other creators would become a separate and increasingly important part of his career.
Building a YouTube presence
Explore how Ratmir’s creator experience now informs work with other creators and brands.
Frequently asked questions
How many YouTube channels has Ratmir worked on and helped grow?
Excluding his own channels, Ratmir has helped over seven clients and eleven YouTube channels.
How many views has Ratmir’s content generated?
His peak video gained five million views on a documentary. In total, Ratmir has gained well over 20 million views on his own long-form YouTube content.
What type of content has Ratmir worked on?
For his personal channels, Ratmir created gaming videos, documentaries, and vlogs. His client work is more diversified. Learn more about it in Building a media presence — Social media ↗.
What does Ratmir do today?
Ratmir has created a team with whom he develops media presences for brands and creators, covering everything from how people are perceived on social media to websites and marketing. Learn more at Building a media presence ↗.