Natalie Tran

"communitychannel" redirects here. For other uses, see Community channel.
Natalie Tran

Tran at the Australian premiere of Paper Towns, July 2015
Personal information
Born Natalie Tyler Tran
(1986-07-24) 24 July 1986
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality Australian/Vietnamese
Residence Sydney, Australia
Occupation Comedian, actress and Internet personality
Website www.babyiknow.com
YouTube information
Channel name communitychannel
Years active 2006–present
Genre Comedy
Subscribers 1.78 million subscribers
Total views 566 million views
Subscriber and view counts updated as of 21 April 2016.
Natalie Tran
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese Trần Tố Hân[1]

Natalie Tyler Tran (born 24 July 1986) is an Australian online producer,[2] actress, comedian and writer from Sydney who uses the handle communitychannel on YouTube.[3] Her videos are a mixture of monologue and sketch and have been described as "charming, quirky and hilarious," and have garnered her a large following of over 1.76 million subscribers and 562 million views.[4]

Early life and education

Tran's mother and father, both refugees who left Vietnam for Australia in 1981, previously practiced law and literary lecturing, respectively.[5] After they resettled in Sydney, however, Tran's mother found employment in the postal service, while her father became a public school teacher.[5] Tran credits her parents for making the success she has enjoyed possible, once writing that they both "endured so much to give my sister and I great lives."[6]

Tran was raised in Western Sydney, where she studied at the Meriden School in Strathfield.[7] After high school, she pursued teaching for two years before switching to, and later completing a degree in, Digital Media at the University of New South Wales.[5][8][9]

Popularity

Tran speaking at the EG2010 conference, January 2010

As of April 2016, Tran has over 400 videos available on her YouTube channel.[10] Tran created her first video on 12 September 2006, and it now has over 700 thousand views.[10][11]

Tran has over 1.76 million subscribers and more than 562 million video views.[10] Her popularity has attracted wide-ranging media coverage, including interviews and appearances in print, on television, online and on the radio. The Sydney Morning Herald,[9] Western Australia Today,[12] B&T Magazine,[13] Venus Zine,[14] Der Spiegel,[15] Seventeen,[16] Báo Viêt Luận Online,[17] Việt Tribune,[18] VnExpress,[19] Triple J,[20] and the Hot30 Countdown[21] are among the highlights. Her passionate defence of Vegemite,[22] made in response to a YouTube video by Ben Going,[23] was featured on the Australian television programme A Current Affair on February 2007, as part of the Vegemite wars segment.[24] Tran has been widely recognised for her creativity and Internet savvy. In 2007, barely a year after uploading her first video, she was foremost among the Australian YouTube celebrities invited to participate in the launch of YouTube Australia.[25] She was commissioned by The Sydney Morning Herald as a contributor and Real World Correspondent to their technology vlog Digital Life,[26] a position that complemented Séamus Byrne, the program's then principal anchor. Although her skits were specifically written and created for Digital Life, they were produced almost entirely in the same manner and form as her YouTube material. In 2011, Natalie made the paper's annual list of Sydney's 100 most influential people.[27]

Tran has also actively participated in several award shows and conferences. In May 2009, for example, Natalie was among the first of the featured speakers to open "Creative Sydney" at the Museum of Contemporary Art.[28][29] In 2010, Tran spoke at the Entertainment Gathering (EG) convention in Monterey, California[30] and went on to deliver a well received presentation at ideaCity[31] in Toronto, Canada later that same year.[32] More recently, she took part in the 2013 Social Star Awards, announcing the nominees for the Most Popular Sports Person in a short Communitychannel style video,[33] the Australian Screen Industries and Audiences Conference[34] and spoke at the Commercial National Radio Conference in Brisbane, Australia this past October.[35]

Tran was nominated for "Best YouTube Channel or Personality" and "Funniest YouTube Channel" by Mashable at their 2009 Open Web Awards[36] and received the second-most votes in Michael Buckley's Miss YouTube contest.[37] Beginning in 2010, Internet Critic TC Chandler put Natalie on his long running "100 Most Beautiful Faces" list.[38] He would do so again in 2011 and 2012.[39][40]

The analytics firm TubeMogul placed Tran on their list of top earners from YouTube advertising in 2010.[41] According to TubeMogul, she made over one hundred thousand dollars that year, enough to claim the tenth spot overall.[3] Based on data released by YouTube, her YouTube channel had more views in one week in March 2011 than many of the most popular television shows on Australian television.[42] Tran also worked as a Sydney correspondent for The Project's Metro Whip Around segment. In 2011, she appeared as a guest on an episode of the third series of Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation.

As of March 2016, Tran has more than 243,000 followers on Twitter, posting upwards of 6,700 personal tweets for fans.[43]

Videos

Tran's videos typically involve a monologue in front of the camera, voice over, and skits acted out almost exclusively by herself. Common themes include observational and self-deprecating humour, as well as stream-of-consciousness commentary on social dilemmas, such as how much money to spend on gifts for friends[44] and appropriate telephone etiquette.[45] Additional examples find Tran mocking the strange and cliched practices of advertisers,[45] a practical joke by an ultrasound technician[46] and, more recently, the high prices in mini-bars. Occasionally, she will make parodies of other YouTube videos. Of these, her take on "How to Fake a Six-pack" is wildly popular and is the most viewed Communitychannel video to date.[47] More serious responses, though, range from racism and depression[48] to national identity[49] and natural disasters. Her comments on the February 2009 Victorian bushfires, now commonly referred to as Black Saturday, is one such noteworthy example.[50]

Tran usually ends her videos with a segment referred to as "Porno Music/Comment Time", where she posts and responds to comments on her previous videos, over a melody stereotypically used in pornographic films. Her final clip is an animated clip reading "Your Mum Rates Me," though this varies depending on the occasion.

In early 2009, Tran released a video under the title " There's no time!!! Last words " in which she promised to create a tutorial on how to make lamingtons, an Australian treat.[51] As of April 2016, she has yet to make it.

Complementing official Communitychannel uploads, Tran periodically rewards discerning viewers with "unlisted" videos only available to those who have the link; notables examples include "Careful Touch",[52] "Password Etiquette"[53] and "N5".[54]

Though long intervals between videos have been a disappointment to many fans, most have made light of her absences with humor. Since March 2013, the frequency of Tran's postings has increased.

Capitalizing on her sizable YouTube presence, Tran partnered with Lonely Planet in 2010 to make a series of travel videos. These vlogs, delivered in Communitychannel's trademark style, chronicled Natalie's global journey as she visited some of the most popular tourist attractions around the world, including Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Egypt.[55] In an article that centered on Communitychannel's brand, keen business sense and authenticity, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that her Lonely Planet collaboration is regarded as "amazingly successful."[56] About six months after returning home from her trip, Natalie co-launched a travel app for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with the country's former Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.[57][58]

In a July 2011 interview with Forbes magazine, Tran revealed that, while uncertain about her future, she has contemplated the possibility of no longer making videos, this to more actively pursue her passion for writing.[59] In 2012, Natalie told the Australian Way that she was busy writing a script for a romantic comedy, an effort she hopes will one day find its way onto the silver screen.[60]

In March 2014, Visit Melbourne and Tran partnered up and released 2 Melbourne travel videos, the first being about Melbourne's food culture, and the second about Melbourne's fashion in preparation for the Melbourne Fashion Festival. [61] [62] These videos were similar to the Lonely Planet videos, showing both useful information and using Community Chanel type comedy.

Tran at the premiere of Goddess, March 2013

In 2014, Tran was listed on New Media Rockstars Top 100 Channels, ranked at number 80.[63]

In December 2014 Samsung Australia released a series of ten tutorial videos on their YouTube channel for the Samsung Galaxy S5 featuring Natalie Tran.[64] She presented the videos in her own scenario based comedy style.

Personal life

Tran was a vegetarian but switched to the vegan diet in 2015.[65] She also owns a cat.[66][67] She has a partner named Rowan Jones (a fellow youtuber), who has featured occasionally in her videos. Though, Tran is noted for comedically saying she has had "two and a half boyfriends," especially in her two "love conundrum" videos. [68]

Tran is the aunt of her sister's two children.

 Year Title Role Notes
2010 The Project[69] Herself TV series (13 episodes)
2011 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation[70] Herself Game show (1 episode)
2013 Goddess Helen Film debut

References

  1. ↑ Natalie Tran (24 July 2014). "My Vietnamese name". Facebook. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "Commercial Radio Australia - Commercial Radio Australia". www.commercialradio.com.au. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  3. 1 2 Firth, Niall (29 August 2010). "Revealed: the YouTube rich list of the new stars making a fortune from their bedrooms". Daily Mail/Mail Online. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  4. ↑ Dapin, Mark (24 July 2015). "Lunch with Natalie Tran". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 "Riding the Tube". The Age. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  6. ↑ Natalie Tran. "My Father/My Hero". Twitpic.com. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Distinguished Achievers List – Tran, Eva to Trevithick, Holly Amber". New South Wales Board of Studies.
  8. ↑ "Artist – Natalie Tran". YouTube FanFest. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  9. 1 2 Moses, Asher (4 February 2009). "How Natalie became Australia's queen of YouTube". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  10. 1 2 3 "communitychannel's Channel". YouTube. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "quiz". YouTube. 25 September 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  12. ↑ Moses, Asher (4 February 2009). "Natalie Tran – Australia's queen of YouTube". WAtoday. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  13. ↑ Moses, Asher (4 March 2009). "Social Media and YouTube". B&T (Reed Business Information). Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  14. ↑ Van Deven, Mandy (13 February 2009). "If Flight of the Conchords were an Australian woman...". Venus Zine. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  15. ↑ Patalong, Frank (9 February 2009). "Top-Girls auf YouTube: Festival der schönen Unbekannten". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  16. ↑ "Get Serious with communitychannel". 17.com.my. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  17. ↑ ""Nữ Hoàng Úc" gốc Việt". 6 February 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  18. ↑ "Natalie Trần: Nữ hoàng Youtube Úc Đại lợi". 20 February 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  19. ↑ "Nữ sinh gốc Việt và kho video thu hút 65 triệu người xem". 22 February 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  20. ↑ Cannane, Steve (22 September 2008). "My Face— Will you end up regretting what you reveal about yourself online?". ABC Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  21. ↑ Hot30 Countdown. "Natalie Tran Videos – Hot30 Countdown". Austereo. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  22. ↑ "Re: The Australians are fooling us". YouTube. 30 January 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  23. ↑ boh3m3 (27 January 2007). "The Australians are Fooling Us All!". YouTube. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  24. ↑ "Last Laugh: Vegemite Wars". The Age Australia. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  25. ↑ Jansen, Dave (24 October 2007). "In Pictures: YouTube down under". Australian PC World. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  26. ↑ "Digital Life". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  27. ↑ Stephanie Wood. "Sydney's Top 100 Most Influential People". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  28. ↑ "Vivid Sydney: Creative Sydney 2009 Program Details". MiSociety. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  29. ↑ "Creative Sydney: Wednesday 27th May 2009". Flickr. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  30. ↑ "The Conference Presenters E.G. Year 4 (2010)".
  31. ↑ ideaCity (2010). "Natalie Tyler Tran". Moses Znaimer's ideaCity 2010: Ideas Change the World. ideaCity. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  32. ↑ "Nat's talk at Ideacity and audition for Toy Story 3 Communitychannel". YouTube. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  33. ↑ "Social Star Awards 2013 – full event". YouTube. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  34. ↑ "Storytelling That Shapes Us". YouTube.
  35. ↑ Archived 10 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  36. ↑ Sharon Feder. "500 Leading Nominees in Mashables's #openwebawards". Mashable. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  37. ↑ What the Buck (22 April 2009). "Miss YouTube 2009!". YouTube.
  38. ↑ "The "Independent Critics" List 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2010". Tccandler.com. 11 February 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  39. ↑ "The "Independent Critics" List 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2011". Tccandler.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  40. ↑ "The "Independent Critics" List 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2012". Tccandler.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  41. ↑ Moses, Asher (20 August 2010). "Our Natalie raking in $100,000 a year from YouTube". Sydney Morning Herald.
  42. ↑ Tim Burrowes (17 March 2011). "Natalie Tran: Bigger than free TV". mUmBRELLA. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  43. ↑ "natalie tran (natalietran) on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  44. ↑ "If you're good mates, why not?". YouTube. 6 March 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  45. 1 2 "you didn't say goodbye". YouTube. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  46. ↑ "Amazing Results". YouTube. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  47. ↑ "Easter Bunny breakdown with santa and the tooth fairy". How to fake a six pack (Re: How to Fake Abs). YouTube. 10 May 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  48. ↑ "Nat's PROJECT FOR AWESOME video- r u ok day". Youtube.com. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  49. ↑ "I can call myself Australian if I want to". Youtube.com. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  50. ↑ "I like, I like, I like". YouTube. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  51. ↑ "there's no time!!! last words". YouTube. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  52. ↑ "Careful Touch (unlisted 1)". YouTube. 19 September 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  53. ↑ "Password Etiquette (Unlisted 2)". YouTube. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  54. ↑ "CommunityChanel N5 back in 2 days". YouTube. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  55. ↑ Archived 25 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  56. ↑ Adrian Lowe (16 February 2012). "Business snapping up YouTube stars". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  57. ↑ "YouTube star Natalie Tran launches government's travel app". Brisbane Times. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  58. ↑ "Natalie Tran with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd demonstrating DFAT's new Smartraveller mobile website". Gallery.foreignminister.gov.au. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  59. ↑ Michael Humphrey (5 July 2011). "Natalie Tran: Down Under's Top YouTuber Considers Her Next Move". Forbes. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  60. ↑ "Bright Ideas: What drives YouTube sensation Natalie Tran". Travel Insider. Qantas The Australian Way. July 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  61. ↑ Visit Melbourne (2014-03-25), Natalie Tran eats in Melbourne, retrieved 2016-04-21
  62. ↑ Visit Melbourne (2014-03-25), Natalie Tran in Melbourne for Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, retrieved 2016-04-21
  63. ↑ "The NMR Top 100 YouTube Channels: 100-76!". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  64. ↑ "Samsung Galaxy S5 Tutorials". YouTube. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  65. ↑ "natalie tran on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  66. ↑ "Don'T Get Angry!". YouTube. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  67. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  68. ↑ communitychannel (2013-10-27), Nerdy Girls and Boy troubles: Love Conundrums callout, retrieved 2016-04-21
  69. ↑ "The Project". IMDb.com. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  70. ↑ "Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation". IMDb.com. Retrieved 15 November 2015.

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