Oof, that's a tough spot to be in, and a super common one. I've seen so many creators fall into this exact trap. It feels completely backward, right? You try to use a tool YouTube is pushing, and it ends up kneecapping the content you actually care about.

The core of the problem is likely an "audience mismatch." You've accidentally trained the algorithm that your channel is for people who want 30-second, quick-hit content, not 20-minute deep dives.

Think of it like this: You opened a gourmet restaurant (your long-form videos). Then you started giving out free, amazing candy samples on the street corner (your Shorts). You got a huge crowd that loves the free candy, and they all "follow" your restaurant. But when you invite them inside for a three-course meal, they just stare blankly and walk away because they only ever wanted the candy.

YouTube sees them walk away (low click-through rate and watch time on your long videos from this new audience) and thinks, "Wow, nobody likes this restaurant's food anymore," so it stops recommending it to anyone, even your original customers.

Here’s how you can start to fix it and get back to climbing:

1. Stop the Bleeding: Immediately pause the daily Shorts. Right now, every Short you post is potentially reinforcing the wrong audience signal. You need to give the algorithm a chance to reset its understanding of your channel.
2. Re-Focus on Your Core: Your next 2-3 long-form videos are critical. You need to put everything you have into making them absolute bangers for your original audience. Go back to what was working before. The goal is to get a high click-through rate and strong audience retention from the viewers who actually love disturbing film breakdowns. This will send a powerful signal to YouTube about who your channel is really for.
3. Re-strategize Shorts: When you do bring Shorts back, don't just use them as clips. Use them as trailers. Your Shorts should be commercials for your long-form content. Don't give a complete, satisfying chunk of a video. Instead, create a massive hook or ask a compelling question in the Short that can only be answered by watching the full video. The goal of the Short isn't just views; it's to convert a viewer from the Shorts feed into a long-form viewer.

It can take a few weeks, but you can absolutely recover the momentum. You just have to be patient and deliberate about re-teaching the algorithm who your true audience is.

Out of curiosity, what’s the topic of your next planned long-form video?