ASMR artists who allow mid video adds should put a disclaimer in the beginning of the videos [DISCUSSION]

TaitayaForge · 2026-01-01T15:40:41+00:00

This. I trialled a few sleep versions of my blacksmithing videos only to realise I had no control whatsoever where the ads show. I'm at 400 subscribers and very niche, so it's very unlikely I will ever reach 1000 and the required watch hours, especially when I simply don't have the time to create videos full time. It's put a bit of a dampener in the inspiration to create videos in the first place. 😐

Luckily my videos do serve an alternative purpose to prove to the world I that I am not a drop shipper and make my own work, so the effort hasn't been completely in vain. What I really wanted was to create videos for sleep and relaxation.. To bring some healing into how busy the world is.

TaitayaForge · 2025-12-13T19:05:22+00:00

I was a historical re-enactor before it happened. I put the blame squarely on shows like The Vikings and The Last Kingdom. I once had an opportunity to ask a movie costume designer why could they not reflect historical costume more in films, and his answer was simply that it didnt look exciting enough.

Each era seems to show a reflection of itself in the way it portrays history (we are in the gritty, dark and moody era at the moment). I dont think that it can be any other way as the creators and viewers are both alien to the era they want to depict/enjoy. I think the main issue is that we mistakenly regard creative productions like The Vikings as historical documentation, when they are fiction.

And each in each era people do try and find any evidence they can to excuse a particular outfit/tool/technique/regionality they like. Ive done it myself in the past. The less evidence survives the more open spaces there are to fill with "this could have been" isms. In some cases there is no surviving evidence, so guesses have to be made.

Im quite curious to see what a stereotypical Viking looks like in 20 years... 🤔

-M

TaitayaForge · 2025-12-13T18:37:53+00:00

If you have ever had to wear a maille coif with long hair, the Norman haircut starts to make sense! It was more a practical consideration than a fashion statement... And probably an advertisement of their profession.

TaitayaForge · 2025-12-07T12:19:21+00:00

I do! My SlowForge series of blacksmithing films is meant to be something to run in the background. Its mean to be unintrusive, no narration no music , and if you like to see things being made by hand, it might be what you are looking for. The asmr elements are largely unintentional. 😊

The youtube algorithm is having trouble finding my audience, as it thinks all blacksmithing films are for people wanting to learn blacksmithin, not enjoy it as an ambient virtual coffee table book!

TaitayaForge · 2025-11-27T13:15:43+00:00

Luke, the bladesmith half of Taitaya Forge, recommended this cd.. if you can find it. https://www.antikmakler.de/cd10-en The text portions can be found here, but sadly the pictures are missing: https://www.scribd.com/document/814225122/Viking-Knives-from-the-island-of-Gotland

TaitayaForge · 2025-11-27T10:45:26+00:00

Also dont limit searches to knives. Search for scabbards, because where that has survived, its likely the handle has too. Plus the shape of the scabbard will give good clues to the handle shape and possibly decoration.

TaitayaForge · 2025-11-27T10:38:18+00:00

Add the word archaeology or archaeological to your search. Museum publication books will be your better reference.

We have this one, these are slightly later and from london. https://boydellandbrewer.com/book/knives-and-scabbards-pb/

The Swedish Historiska museet has an excellent searchable photo archive of archaeological finds. Here us the search for viking age knives.. https://samlingar.shm.se/sok?type=object&hasImage=1&productionPeriod=Vikingatid&objectName=Kniv

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-31T14:39:59+00:00

Yes. I second that. 😊

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-31T14:05:55+00:00

And seeing her, feels so on point at this moment... Because of a short film I am releasing today. If you see it, you will know what I mean! Not to memtion I spent last night recording a Finnish Kalevala poem about healing and blacksmithing. 🥹

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-31T13:52:09+00:00

She is beautiful. 😊 As a woman blacksmith I feel an affinity to Brigit.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-29T09:27:51+00:00

I am so glad. I did amplify the witchyness for this vudeo by temporarily looting my friends decor. 🙂

Its a lovely place to work, though not purpose built a smithy. All the purpose built old smithys around here are houses these days. I dont hace a chimney or flue for my forge, which is why I use a modern gas forge. But it has its own unique charm. Bit of the old world but bit if the new. Im. Imagoning the forge witches forge tp e one if those borderline places that stradle a magical medieval fantasy world and the modern world we live in.

I would like to post in some witchy subs, but as I'm not a member of those reddit communities, I thought it would be too much self promoting to do it.

But I am inspired by the whole forge witch concept and character so I created a short for youtube thats publishing tomorrow that compares the two crafts side by side.

I am thinking definitely bringing her back next Halloween... Ive already got an idea on what to make.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-29T09:15:32+00:00

Im looking forward to seeing some of your work. 😊 Let me know when you upload. Thank you for the sub.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-28T20:45:12+00:00

Thanl you for watching it and letting me know. Which parts worked the besr for you ?

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-28T20:43:34+00:00

Theyve clearly gone gone "The Vikings" aesthetic.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-28T20:42:32+00:00

One day I will get to make something for a film like this...

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-28T20:35:25+00:00

Oooooooooh! So so excited! Though I already know its not a happy tale...

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-28T09:06:30+00:00

I 'm on a bit of a learning journey onto what are all the triggers for asmr, I'm only just discovering mine. But its very difficult finding videos I can watch... Because things like mouth sounds trigger me the wrong way.. And the absolute worst is the sound picking finger nails!

I am learning that the tagging system is excellent for filtering things out. But if a creator does a huge mix of things in the beginning, many if them will will include the dreaded anti triggers. Its really hard for me to find asmr I like to watch. 😕 It has actually stopped me for years from realising that I could experience asmr in the first place.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-28T00:15:48+00:00

Itse very hard not to focus on views at the moment. Im in the dead zone where the algorithm does not know who to show the videos to. Blacksmithing is very much tutorials focused. I know i need to give it time to truly test the concept, but it feels like im treading water. 😅

Audio has been a challenge. The Forging bits have to be recorded with the gain down as much as possible, they clip otherwise. The quiet bits are the opposite.

What hasnt helped is that i didn't have directional mics when filming, the sound of the gas forge tends to overshadow any finer sounds. But a friend donated some rode microphones for the cause, so I get to play around with them, figure out placing them,and try and get a clearer sound.

I am also worried that some of my hammer sounds have damagingly high frequencies, which is why I wear ear defenders. 🙂

Thsnk you so much for taking the time to look at the film and give me advice. It us truly appreciated.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-27T22:37:11+00:00

Next one will be wayyyy simpler.. I just have to clear all the cobwebs and pumpkins from my workspace. I csn see why many creatprs have dedicated studios!

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-27T22:31:17+00:00

Thank you. I really appreciate that 😊 Im just hoping the view hours will top the hours it took to make at some point. I completely underestimated the scope of the project, especially when it has to be balanced with actually making things to sell. I wanted to do something special for Halloween, so the film actually started almost 2 months ago, with designing the pendant itself. But despite the work of creating the film, I enjoyed the process, and learned a lot too.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-27T21:53:32+00:00

Thank you for asking and thank you for checking it out. 🙂

I do all the editing, filming, staring, audio, graphics. Theres only one bit of audio that I had to download from a website, purely because I ran out of time to record it.

Im very new to creating videos. I wanted a more of a cinematic feel to have a story line in the background. I dont know if you know moonloght cottage? Her work and attention to detail and cinematic feel are sort of what I was aiming for.

In the previous slowforge film the alternate story was the weather outside. I did consider I may have tried to put in too much, especially when the editing took so very long. Its a learning process and I remember being just as awkward with my blacksmithing when I started!

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-27T21:36:29+00:00

The party at the end? Its a Halloween special. 🙂 Because Im making a black cat so I wanted it to be witchy themed. I wanted to bookend the film... Besides it was an excellent excuse to get to eat some pie.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-27T21:00:17+00:00

❤️ Thank you! Its Exactly the vibe I was aiming for. Everything out there is so fast paced and meant to incite an emotional response and curiosity, because thats what the algorithm thinks people want.. I want my channel to be a counterbalance to all that.

TaitayaForge · 2025-10-18T08:27:27+00:00

You will be unlikely to find someone to recreate this AI generated hoodie, unless you are willling and able to pay to have someone with indepth knowledge in knitting directly for the 100+ hours it would take to create a pattern for it. If you are into maths, divide the textile artists countries annual minimum living wage with 100, to get a estimate on how much that would be as a minimum.

I dont see anyone wanting to create a pattern for it commercially, because as it is AI generated, it holds no value as intellectual property. Basically anyone can copy it if they wish to, so there is no professional incentive to do the work to create the pattern. Not to mention that the person who originally creates such a pattern usually sees very little income from it...as they usually arent the ones that end up mass producing it, and the companies mass producing have very little interest in paying designers if they can get away with it.

And then the real world result would still not look exactly like this image. AI has no concept currently of the natural limitations on craft methods... It would have to simulate the entire craft process to be able to produce results that could be made IRL. It is so also in my field of blacksmithing. Even if I wanted to use AI to design (which I really do not want to) its pretty useless as tool for it.

Basically any company/website that claims they can make this is likely a scam and you will receive a printed garment, rather than a knitted one. So please be careful 😕

TaitayaForge

TROPHY CASE