Hi Diana! Were you on board with the idea of your kids becoming bloggers from the start? Were you ready to become the stars of Ivan and Maria’s content?
Hi there! At first, we didn’t understand how it all worked, but of course we supported the idea. We started watching videos on this topic and reading articles to immerse ourselves in this corner of social media. At the time, it was difficult to grasp. We watched other popular children’s channels that involved both adults and children. We realized that by building these channels, you can also earn money. It’s not just an interesting pastime, but also a unique business. We thought it was a great way to earn money and spend quality time with our children, since our work schedules didn’t allow for much of that. So, after weighing the pros and cons, we decided to give it a shot..
How old were your children when you started posting?
We started our account in September 2015. At that time, our family consisted of four people. My husband and I, and Maria and Ivan. Maria was 2.7 years old at the time, and Ivan was 4 years old. Now, we are a much larger family, and all five children participate in our videos – Alex, Dasha, Stephi, Maria and Ivan.
Please tell us how Maria and Ivan felt on the first shoot at such a young age?
We shot only on weekends, because there was no free time on weekdays. We started out buying toys and opening them up on video. At first, the children did not quite understand what was required of them. After all, it’s one thing to watch these videos for fun, and it’s another to directly participate in them. We filmed three videos a day, so they had plenty of new toys to play with and enjoy. The kids were a little shy and uncertain at first, but they were, of course, excited about the new toys we bought for each video. Over time, they got more comfortable and confident in front of the camera. Not only did they receive their beloved toys, but they also got to spend precious time with their parents.
What advice would you give on creating a comfortable atmosphere for children while you shoot?
My husband and I are always trying to create the most comfortable, natural conditions on the set so that the children are genuinely interested. Now, our film crew and screenwriters are all doing this as well. The crew’s job involves setting up the scene and preparing the kids for filming. They also have to keep the kids’ attention and involvement by making it a game for them, after all they are the main characters. Often our scenes don’t go according to the script. We give our children the opportunity to improvise and continue the story themselves. When this happens, we put the script aside and watch the process. If we notice that they are struggling with this at all, we’ll help out a little. When working with kids, you should always ask if they are interested in what they’re doing and if they want to do it. If they do, then they should get involved with the process as much as possible. They will see it as a game and will be happy to participate in the filming.
Have there ever been situations when your children burned out from filming?
No, not really. We only film twice a week, so they have plenty of time for other activities like school, sports, and hobbies.This is what takes up the bulk of their daily lives. Plus, they still see filming as a fun pastime after all these years. In addition, filming has helped the children to build confidence and be more open. It has benefited all other areas of their life.
What is your relationship with competitors? How do you feel about the fact that some bloggers reshoot your ideas?
There will always be competitors, but it’s important to not take things to a negative extreme. We haven’t had any issues with this really. We communicate and exchange ideas with other family bloggers, and our kids are even friends with some of them. I also don’t think that anyone can fully copy an idea, each time an idea is reused, someone adds their own flair to it. We’re not bothered by others reusing our ideas; in fact, it can even work to our advantage. It helps our videos get more visibility when they appear as similar content.
What distinguishes you from other similar children’s channels?
The main thing that sets us apart from other channels is our cast, the five children. This gives us the chance to work with five different characters in the videos. Thanks to this, we are able to shoot videos on a variety of topics. Another thing that makes us unique is that we can build any props that we need in a very short time. A van, a three-story house, a plane – whatever we need, it will be ready on time. We owe this to our prop team who we are very grateful for. They are a full time part of our staff. I think this is what fundamentally distinguishes us from all other channels and gives us an advantage.
What are you doing to keep the audience’s interest in your channel?
In the first ten seconds we try to interest the audience as much as possible, otherwise we will lose them. Therefore, all five children must be present in the initial frame. In the following frames, each child introduces themself. Our experience has shown that when five bright and positive children do their job, the viewer continues watching. Also, at the beginning of the video, we definitely focus on the trend / challenge that is popular at the moment. Since we have been shooting videos for a very long time, we have a good idea of what our audience likes and we always take it into account on the set.
So, Diana, what’s the secret behind your family’s success and 20 million subscribers?
Well, for starters, we always stay on top of trends and never miss a beat. Keeping up with what’s popular has helped us keep moving forward and gain popularity in the children’s space. Discipline is key too, since filming is a time-consuming and demanding process. It’s important that everyone knows their role and what they’re contributing to the bigger picture. And, of course, having a strong team is crucial – it’s hard to do all this on your own. Everyone from the screenwriter to the prop person to the film crew plays a significant part. When my husband and I had to handle all these roles ourselves, it was a lot tougher. To achieve what we have, you need to not only be passionate about your work but also make sure you have all the resources necessary to turn your ideas into reality.
