4 Jul 2022

Leaving Architecture to become a successful Youtube Creator, ft. Will McDaniel

Moving from architecture into YouTube, filmmaking or model-making is not as random as it first sounds. Architecture trains you to make ideas visible, explain process and work through messy creative problems.

Stephen Drew speaks with Will McDaniel about moving from architecture into filmmaking and YouTube, including Monster Model Making, practical effects, visual storytelling, transferable architecture skills, creative independence and alternative career routes.

The conversation covers:

How architecture training can support creative work beyond practice
Why model-making, storytelling and visual communication transfer well
What candidates can learn from a deliberate non-traditional route
How audience building and creative independence change the career equation
Why alternative careers need a clear story, not defensive framing

Read the episode on Architecture Social: From Architecture to YouTube Creator

Watch the video on YouTube: Will McDaniel on Architecture, Filmmaking and YouTube

____

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Will McDaniel's Route
04:00 Studying Architecture and Early Creative Direction
09:00 Moving from Practice into Filmmaking and YouTube
15:00 Monster Model Making and Practical Effects
22:00 Architecture Skills that Transfer into Content Creation
29:00 Building an Audience and Creative Voice
36:00 The Commercial Reality of YouTube and Independent Making
44:00 Advice for Alternative Careers After Architecture
50:00 Final Thoughts and Where to Watch Will's Work

____

Architecture Social

Find more architecture career advice, practice insight and live roles at Architecture Social.

Explore more conversations on the Architecture Social Podcast, browse free resources at Architecture Social Resources, or join the community at Architecture Social Club.

____

Affiliate learning partner

We have partnered with ArchAdemia, an online learning platform built by architects, for architects.

Use code ARCHSOCIAL10 for a discount on the monthly or annual membership.

Architecture Social may earn a commission if you join through our link or use the code.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(258)

He Started His Own Architecture Practice at 29

What does it actually take to start your own architecture practice in 2026?Alex Sutton founded Studio Sutton in August 2019 at the age of 29, just six months before the world locked down. In this conv...

2 Jul 1h 23min

Why Architects Have Zero Power in the UK Right Now

Why do architects have so little power in the UK built environment, even when their work shapes housing, public space, procurement and the way cities function?Stephen Drew speaks with Jay Morton, Dire...

18 Jun 52min

A KPF Director’s Honest Advice for Young Architects

What does it really take to build a long-term architecture career inside a global practice? Stephen Drew speaks with Francesco Casella, Director at KPF, about career growth, working at scale, and wha...

16 Jun 49min

Running an Architecture Practice Isn’t What You Think

Running an architecture practice is not just about design. It is fees, hiring, risk, clients, culture, profit and learning how to keep the studio moving without losing the work you care about. Stephe...

7 Mai 1h 17min

How to Future Proof Your Architecture Career

How do you future proof an architecture career when BIM, computational design and AI are changing what practices value? Stephen Drew speaks with Ami Nigam, Head of Design Technology at Benoy, about d...

14 Apr 1h 12min

How to Actually Get Hired in Architecture and Interior Design

If you are trying to get hired in architecture or interior design, sending the same CV and portfolio to every studio is not enough. In this Kingston University session, Stephen Drew shares practical ...

24 Mar 1h 17min

How to Land Your First Architect Role

Trying to land your first architecture or interiors role is hard enough without guessing what hiring managers, directors and recruiters actually look for. In this practical lecture, Stephen Drew brea...

17 Mar 1h 22min

Is This the End of Revit? How Architects Must Adapt (2026)

Is Revit still the centre of architecture technology, or are AI, BIM 2.0 and new design tools starting to change what practices really need? Stephen Drew speaks with Allister Lewis about the architec...

12 Feb 1h 9min