Casey Neistat is a man whose YouTube videos are translated into countless languages around the world. Neistat shot to fame with his daily vlogs, which propelled him to explore new creative and entrepreneurial ventures, securing his lasting success. To learn more about the vlogger’s career path and his core principles in life, read on at newyorkski.
Early Life and Education
Casey Neistat was born on March 25, 1981, in Gales Ferry, Connecticut, to Amy and Barry E. Neistat, who was a commercial kitchen equipment salesman at the time. Casey’s parents later ran the “Dirty Waters” cafe in New London, Connecticut. His paternal grandmother, Louise Neistat, was a professional tap dancer and instructor who worked primarily at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Casey famously dropped out of high school during his sophomore year at age 17 and never returned to his studies. He eventually left home, and in 1998, his son Owen was born when the future YouTuber was just 17. From ages 17 to 20 (1998 to 2001), he lived in a trailer park with Owen and his then-girlfriend, Robin Harris. It was during this period that Neistat decided to move to New York City.
Before moving to New York, Neistat worked as a dishwasher at a seafood restaurant and as a short-order cook in Mystic, Connecticut.
YouTube Career
Neistat gained international attention in 2003 with a three-minute film titled “iPod’s Dirty Secret,” which criticized Apple for not having a battery replacement program for its iPods. The film quickly went viral and attracted national media coverage, shining a spotlight on Apple’s iPod battery replacement policy.
The video opens with a phone call between Casey Neistat and a support operator named Ryan from Apple’s 800-number support line, where Casey explains that his battery had died. Set to N.W.A.’s “Express Yourself,” Casey and his brother launched a “public service announcement” to inform people about the battery issue.
The film was released online on September 20, 2003. The controversy quickly gained global traction, drawing attention from major media outlets like The Washington Post, Rolling Stone Magazine, Fox News, CBS News, and BBC News.
On November 14, 2003, The Washington Post called the film “wonderfully renegade.” Following the video’s release, Apple officially announced a battery replacement policy. On November 21, the company also revealed it would extend its iPod warranty program. This viral video about Apple marked the beginning of Casey’s journey as a vlogger.
On February 23, 2010, Casey released a six-minute film on Vimeo called “Chatroulette.” It explained what the website was, how it worked, and why people used it. The video featured various experiments with the results presented in stop-motion animation.
On June 7, 2011, Neistat criticized the New York City Police Department for ticketing cyclists who rode outside of designated bike lanes. In his video about bike lanes, Neistat confronts an officer and receives a $50 ticket for riding outside the lines.
Neistat then proceeds to ride his bike strictly within the bike lane, deliberately crashing into various obstructions to prove his point that the lanes aren’t always the safest—or even usable. In response, New York Magazine dubbed Neistat the “Bike Lane Vigilante.” Furthermore, Time magazine named the piece the eighth most creative video of 2011.
In 2014, Neistat was ranked #82 on the New Media Rockstars Top 100 Channels list.
On March 26, 2015, Neistat began posting daily vlogs on YouTube. He posted his 300th vlog on January 19, 2016, though he later took a break from vlogging from November 2016 to March 2017 to focus more on short films.
His “Snowboarding with the NYPD” video, filmed during the January 2016 blizzard in New York City, became a massive viral hit. The video racked up 6.5 million views on YouTube in just 24 hours.
Since launching his YouTube channel on February 15, 2010, Neistat had released 936 vlogs and other films as of July 13, 2018. On August 23, 2015, Neistat hit one million subscribers, a number that skyrocketed to four million by August 2016. As of September 2024, his channel boasts 12.6 million subscribers and 1,100 videos.
Awards and Accolades
In 2010, the Independent Spirit Awards honored Neistat with the John Cassavetes Award. In 2016, he won Streamy Awards for Best Editing and Best First-Person Series. That same year, he was also named “YouTuber of the Year” at the Shorty Awards. Additionally, he received the “New Media Star” award during the GQ Men of the Year ceremony.
Casey’s Advice for Aspiring Vloggers:
- Learn the craft of filmmaking and study the YouTube algorithm. You don’t need to be a professional director to start on YouTube, but you should invest time in learning the craft before you begin. Continuously honing your skills is also critical, something Casey did relentlessly before he even joined YouTube. Try to learn the basics of framing, camera specs, and editing. Experiment with your videos without expecting the final product to be perfect. As Casey’s experience shows, short, well-crafted pieces of content can have just as much impact on your career as long-form videos.
- YouTube, like any social media video, is just you and the viewer. There’s no crew, no directors, no writers. It’s just you and your viewer—that’s the only connection that matters. And it doesn’t matter if you have a million subscribers or a dozen. You and your audience. That should be your only focus, so don’t be shy about who is around you.
- It’s not how you say it; it’s what you say. This rule applies everywhere, not just in video creation, but in any creative endeavor. Find what ignites your passion. Success doesn’t depend on the camera or special effects. Success depends on substance: it’s what you say that matters.
- Above all, be honest with yourself. Your vlog should feel like a conversation with a friend, not just another video on a YouTube channel.
- Never settle. Look ahead, think about tomorrow’s opportunities, and keep moving forward. There will always be critics. But remember: doers get results, while those who can’t, criticize. Want to stand out? Create a YouTube channel for your business, record videos for social media, keep a daily vlog, and use modern marketing tools. The most important thing is to take action, not to stand still.
- If you decide to start your own YouTube channel, you have to be consistent. You don’t have to post daily, but consistency is key to building trust with your audience. Try starting with one or two videos a month and increase the frequency as you gain more experience. It’s better to start with a solid foundation and build steadily than to take on too much at the beginning. Keep the barrier to entry as low as possible.
