Canobie Coaster is an amusement park channel covering all types of rides and parks, both big and small. I create reviews, countdowns, news videos, and raw ride footage.
Getting to know more about Mike in Part 1 of this interview really allowed me to understand why I’ve come to love his YouTube channel, Canobie Coaster. He is passionate about everything and anything dealing with amusement parks. His channel doesn’t just focus on the tallest, fastest, most intense, or newest record breaking coasters. Sure, he covers those rides and the parks which offer them, but you’re just as likely to see a video about Banshee at Kings Island as you will about Bubbles the Coaster at Storybook Land.
Mike isn’t focused on just coasters either. You often find him posting a countdowns on topics like his favorite log flumes and rapids rides, or doing a video about a random ride at a place none of us have ever heard of before. Mike does the research and his video catalog backs that up! Just check out his Tiger Terror Review at Safari Land. Be honest, have you ever heard of that place before?
Do yourself a favor. After reading through this interview, go watch some of his videos. He offers something for people of all passion levels within this hobby. I bet you’ll find places you’ve enjoyed since your childhood and then find some places you’ll want to visit in the future. But first, let’s learn a little bit about how his channel came to be.
The Creation of Canobie Coaster
Prior to Launch
Q. When did you know that you wanted to create your YouTube channel? Did the idea stem from something else, or was YouTube where you got your start?
A. It was a spur of the moment decision. That’s part of the reason why my first video is technically so bad. I didn’t have a designated microphone. I used the mic on my noise canceling headphones. I also didn’t have a video editor. I had been active on amusement park forums over the years, but I thought YouTube may offer a new avenue to interact with fellow coaster enthusiasts.
Q. How did you come up with the name, Canobie Coaster?
A. My home park is Canobie Lake Park and I like coasters. Add in the fact you get some alliteration with the double C’s and it seemed perfect. I had actually been using that name for almost a decade on a series of online forums before making the YouTube channel.
Q. How long did you kick around the idea before finally launching the channel?
A. I had thought about creating video-based trip reports for a while since I enjoyed watching amusement park videos produced by others.
Q. Was there anyone whose content you admired, or types of videos you looked to as an inspiration leading up to the launch of Canobie Coaster?
A. I love reviews and countdown videos where the user shares their opinions and experiences. It often allows me to appreciate an element that may have been overlooked.
The Launch
Q. When your channel launched in November 2019, what were some of your first videos you uploaded? Are they still on the site?
A. I like keeping my old videos active, even if I may cringe at some of them. It’s cool to see how my video editing and style has evolved in the past 1.5 years. It can also serve as a point of reference in case my opinions shift over time.
Q. What were some of the earliest growing pains you had upon launch?
A. I had a huge stockpile of footage, but 99 percent of that was pictures. It was tricky on some of my early videos finding copyright free footage, especially of rides people don’t often experience. This is why my early videos are so reliant on pictures.
Maintaining the Canobie Coaster
Your Content
Q. For those reading who might be new to your channel, can you give a brief rundown of what they will find?
A. Canobie Coaster is an amusement park channel covering all types of rides and parks, both big and small. I create reviews, countdowns, news videos, and raw ride footage.
Q. How has the content on your channel changed, if at all, since it’s November 2019 launch?
A. The biggest change has been the shift from relying on photos to videos. I find videos are more engaging. The contrast between my current videos and first few is striking.
Q. How many videos do you currently feature on the channel?
A. Per Social Blade, I have 720 uploads, but I’m not sure how up-to-date that figure is.
Q. How often do you usually add new content?
A. I try to produce one substantial video, a review or countdown, per weekday, and then sprinkle in a POV or off-ride video every day.
Q. When it comes to your content, how do you go about deciding what to feature and when? Is it based off your travel plans, or maybe even requests?
A. There’s no set formula. Sometimes it’s because I recently visited a park. Other times it’s because there was a news item related to a specific ride or park. The one thing I do try to do is review the major rides at a park before creating a park review.
The Production Process
Q. How often do you find yourself editing content?
A. I usually edit off-ride footage while watching TV. Since I’m an organized person, I label all my photos and videos so it’s easy to dig them up and assemble them. I usually edit one substantial video per weekday after work.
Q. Did you have any background in video creation, audio, marketing, promotion, etc. before starting the channel? Or was it all new to you?
A. I made some videos in college for projects, but the focus was mostly on the narration over the visuals. All my video editing has been self-taught. As I’ve made more videos, I’ve been learning new visual tricks along the way. If you watch some of my early videos, you can see how far I’ve come. I didn’t even know how to resize images in my old ones! If I see a cool visual trick someone else does, I look up how to do it on YouTube and keep that in my back pocket.
Q. Can you share some of what you use when it comes to camera, editing software, microphone, etc.?
A. I primarily use a Canon G7X for filming. It’s important for me to have a camera with optical zoom. I currently use DaVinci Resolve for editing. It is a very powerful program that’s surprisingly free. It’s a major resource hog, however, so you need to top end computer to use it. I bought a rather cheap microphone on Amazon, but the more important item has been a pop filter. The difference between my old and new videos is jarring in that regard.
Q. As every content creator knows, filming, editing, doing voice overs, etc. can be exhausting work – taking hours of your downtime. Do you have any advice for any future content producers out there who might be thinking about creating their own content?
A. If it stops being a hobby for you, take a break. I do this purely for fun, so it doesn’t feel like work. For me, it’s a welcome way to wind down from a workday and delve deep into something I love.
Viewer Reception
Q. How has the viewer reception been up to this point?
A. I think it has been positive, with 99 percent of comments being positive or constructive. There’s the occasional mean comment, but I guess that means you’ve made it when you start getting those!
Q. Did it take long to start seeing the fruits of your labor take shape with views, comments, etc.?
A. I think the first video of mine that exploded was my “Most Anticipated 2020 Roller Coasters” video. But the biggest growth occurred late in 2020 after I posted a series of videos about the American Dream Mall. There hadn’t been much footage of Nickelodeon Universe since its disastrous opening day and I happened to visit shortly after Sandy’s Blasting Bronco opened. I also visited the Dreamworks Water Park shortly after it opened. My review for that park is my most watched video.
Q. Some of our earliest conversations came from exchanging conversation in your video and Instagram comments. I’ve always respected your interactions with your fans and I’m sure others do as well. Do you feel that those conversations go a long way with those who follow you?
A. Part of the reason I made this channel was to interact with more roller coaster and theme park enthusiasts. If people take the time to watch my videos and reach out with a comment, I feel obligated to respond and I enjoy doing it too.
Q. Have those interactions influenced any of the content on your channel? If so, how?
A. I’ve taken review and video requests in the past from comments and community posts. I also take constructive criticism seriously. One of the biggest areas has been background music. I originally didn’t use any and several people suggested I try. I’m also constantly working to figure out the appropriate audio levels since they always sound different once they’re exported from my video editor.
Q. What would you like to say to all those who have supported you along the way?
A. I’m glad they enjoy the content I’m making. I do this as a hobby, so it’s really cool knowing others also love nerding out about roller coasters and amusement parks.
Future Plans
Q. I’ve always found it healthy to constantly set new goals for myself when it comes to We Were Inverted. Do you have any goals that you’re looking to achieve in the near future?
A. I make the channel purely for fun and I’m enjoying the type of content I’m making. I plan to highlight rides or parks that I either feel strongly about or feel don’t get enough attention.
Q. Do you have any videos that you’re working on, or are set to release, that you’d like to tease before we close things out?
A. I have a lot of reviews I intend to make from a recent mid-west trip. They include larger parks like Cedar Point down to smaller parks like Little Amerricka.
Q. Any final words to your fans, or those who might be finding out about you for the first time here?
A. If you enjoy amusement park content, definitely check out Canobie Coaster. And if you ever see me at the park, don’t hesitate to say hello! I love meeting fellow coaster enthusiasts.
