From Vlogs to Ventures: The Business Evolution of Ethan Schulteis

Since its launch in 2005, YouTube has undergone a remarkable transformation from a video blogging site to one of the world’s most popular entertainment platforms, regularly attracting over 100 million visits and countless viewing hours daily. What began as a modest video streaming service for users is now a full-fledged business platform, enabling digital content creators to earn a living by sharing their talent outside the sphere of traditional media companies.

And just as YouTube itself has become a serious business, so too have its top creators evolved into entrepreneurs producing content rather than just making videos. One standout example is Ethan Schulteis (known as “The Amagi” on YouTube), who leveraged his popularity to launch Amagi Publishing, a video production service aimed at assisting fellow creators in crafting engaging content.

Schulteis’ first big step in this direction came a few years ago when he partnered with Frederator Media, the prominent animation producer known for shows like “The Fairly OddParents,” “Castlevania,” and “Adventure Time.” With a history spanning over two decades, Frederator has specialized in creating animated content for major TV channels, producing over a dozen series and 250 short films for outlets like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, as well as for various other partners to include streaming services.

In 2020, Frederator’s collaborations multiplied after its acquisition by Wow Unlimited Media, though this corporate shift also led to layoffs within the company’s online content division. During this rocky period, Ethan Schulteis took a leading role in providing opportunities to several former Frederator employees. He assembled a diverse team including voice actors, designers, editors, and other professionals to help develop his own YouTube platform.

The bond between Frederator and Schulteis represents a logical alignment given their long-running association. Schulteis’ popular channel “The Amagi” dates back to 2016 and has now amassed nearly 2 million subscribers, largely by producing in-depth videos exploring the histories of famous animated worlds. Many videos have been spearheaded by former Frederator staff now working for The Amagi full-time.

Amagi videos like “The Life of Kurama,” “The Life of Izuku Midoriya,” and “The Life of Naruto” have gained immense popularity for tapping into the passionate fan bases of anime hits like “Naruto” and “My Hero Academia.” Devoted fans of these series often feel deeply connected to the characters and their journeys, making content exploring their backstories and evolution especially appealing. By employing masterful storytelling techniques to recount each character’s life coherently using footage from the anime, Schulteis forges an emotional bond between viewer and character. For example, Amagi’s “The Life of Kurama” video peaked at #22 on YouTube’s trending page, demonstrating the franchise’s lasting popularity.

Capitalizing on his channel’s success, Schulteis founded Amagi Publishing – more than just a business, but a creative hub offering video production services. Through its partnership with Frederator, The Amagi expanded Schulteis’ role beyond just managing his own channels and creating his own content. What makes Amagi Publishing unique is its flexible, à la carte production model, enabling creators to choose only the specific services they need, whether it’s video editing, thumbnails, voice-overs or other production aspects.

Amagi Publishing quickly made its mark by teaming up with creators big and small. They provided full video creation for Cartoon Hangover, a 2-million subscriber channel, handling tasks from editing to scripting, voice work and thumbnails. Additionally, they partnered with individual creators like Chris Pirillo (300k subscribers), Uplifted Soul (50k) and Aquatical (20k).

Unlike other production houses, Amagi Publishing employs diverse styles tailored to each creator’s unique focus, whether it’s commentary videos for Cartoon Hangover or the specific audiences of channels like Uplifted Soul and Aquatical. The business aims to bring high professionalism and attention to detail to every project.

What Amagi has achieved mirrors the journeys of other top YouTube stars who’ve also expanded beyond their own channels. When powerhouses like Casey Neistat and Philip DeFranco launched production companies and teamed up with fellow creators, it proved a mutually beneficial move. These collaborations allow talent to access valuable expertise and resources from established producers, while also enabling production firms to diversify and tap into new communities of engaged online audiences.

The key is that it’s not a zero-sum game—by joining forces, both creators and producers prosper. Amagi’s evolution from solo YouTuber to business leader running a production company shows how internet talent can take on new challenges and responsibilities. By doing so, they contribute to the growth of a dynamic online content creation space that keeps morphing into new forms. With his bold moves, Amagi has helped shape this ever-changing digital entertainment landscape while also carving out his own unique path to success.

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