Transformative content involves repurposing clips to reshape the narrative, and it is a challenging content creation profession that very few succeed in according to one of the best transformative editors on YouTube. 

In this interview, we sit down with one of the most popular transformative content editors online today to uncover what it takes to thrive in this field.

Known for his social media handle PingTr1p, In this interview, we sit down with Mark Gonzales, one of the most popular transformative content editors online today to uncover what it takes to thrive in this field.

Covering everything from how to navigate the transformative space to his journey of struggles and milestones read along for unique insights into the world of one of the most popular editorial creators.

Who Is PingTr1p?

“I’m just a redhead trying to lose weight and be funny while doing so,” he quickly answers. “Learning how to edit is really how this all came to be, and it wasn’t always Joe Rogan clips, one of the first videos to go viral was an Alex Jones edit using Alex’s voice to replace the Amazon Alexa voice.” 

He explains, “I think that my knack for a comedic take and the ability to see the funny things is what sets me apart and makes my content stand out in a market saturated with remakes and reclips of original content pieces.”

What Inspired You To Start Your Content Career?

He tells us, “Seeing one of my first videos get a few thousand likes was when I thought, ‘Oh, this could actually go places. YouTube was the first platform I saw success with and the rest just followed along naturally.”

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He explains that he had no initial vision of achieving the level of success he enjoys today and that he didn’t take matters seriously at the start of his content creation career.

What Does The Creative Process Look Like For A Transformative Comedy Editor?

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Researching and Finding The Funny

“Not all podcasts can be clipped and made into engaging videos, and it sometimes takes a lot of time just to research what works.”

“I have to watch endless episodes just to find something that speaks to me in a creative way. Then I take that initial idea and transform it into a vision or a basis of a story.”

Mark also explains that finding what works is a spontaneous and lengthy process, as everything is inspired by the original creators themselves.

Seeing Things Through And Crafting a Base

“None of what I do actually requires scripting the entire video out like a regular content creator would. Instead, I just have to see and believe in the initial storyline; the rest comes together while editing.”

Perfecting My Vision

“Through doing this for over four years now, I am at a stage where everything has to be perfect, challenging myself with every video to make edits as flawless as possible.”

He explains that creating a single engaging YouTube video can take anywhere from 1 to 2 days or all even an entire week depending on how it was filmed and the narrative you want to communicate. 

What Impact Did The Joe Rogan Podcast Mention Have On Your Success?

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“I have been mentioned more than once by Joe Rogan, and it usually reflects as a boost in viewership in waves.”

He adds, “Every time I open my analytics page and there’s a sudden surge in viewers, then I know that another guest brought up my clips in a podcast episode.”

“However, the most views I’ve got from a mention are probably from the Matt Rife episode, and even made a clip about that specific episode.”

How Do You Monetize What You Do?

“Monetization varies over time. I once earned from multiple platforms, but currently, YouTube is the main source of income. There are not many brand deals or sponsorships that come with this format of faceless content.”

He adds, “It’s also difficult to filter through good brand deals and spammy e-mail requests, so it would be convenient to have a manager that handles the business side of things for me.”

“Ideally, I’d find a manager to handle the business aspect for me, but for now, I take what I can get from brand deals and make the majority through creator funds.”

How Far Do You See Yourself Taking Things?

“I’d love to make it a profitable career more than what it is right now, and find a way to help others through doing what I love most.”

What Would You Do Differently If You Were To Start All Over Again?

“If I changed my approach, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’d follow the same process and strategies that led me to where I am today.”

“The journey has taught me invaluable lessons and given me the skills and insights I need in this industry. My approach allowed me to understand my audience, refine my content, and build a loyal following.”

Have You Considered Doing Comedy Skits Yourself?

“I’m very occupied by creating engaging content for my PingTr1p channel, so branching out into something completely different and investing my energy into different areas isn’t the best thing to do right now.”

What Advice Do You Have For Aspiring Comedy Editors?

Learn the Legal Side of Things

“One of the most common obstacles that creators will face with transformative content is copyright claims, and they must learn how to overcome that. You are not violating any laws if you’re transforming the messaging and reworking the video in a completely unique way.”

“In other words, nothing I make competes with the original creator’s content. If someone wanted to watch a Joe Rogan podcast, they wouldn’t come to my channel to watch it.”

Make Content That You Would Watch

“During the very start of my content creation career, I was the only one who thought that what I was making was funny. I was doing it purely for fun and to learn from it.”

He adds, “I think it’s important for any creator that wants to excel to love what they’re doing and make content that they themselves would engage with.”

He explains that creators should also explore their options for long-term content creation through the different formats that work because if one of their videos takes off, that’s what they’ll be making for a long time.

Mark calls this the “Pigeon Hole of YouTube,” telling us, “The moment people start following you for one specific format, it will become hard to branch out into different avenues.”

Consider the Pigeon Hole

“When you find something you genuinely enjoy creating, your content creation tasks won’t feel like a job you have to do every day. Instead, it’ll be an enjoyable time where your creativity really shines through.” 

Wrapping up his answer Pingtr1p elaborates, “It’s almost inevitable to get boxed up in a specific niche, so it’s important to think that through before starting. It might be easier for creators with a personal brand to branch out of this restrictive phase, but transformative creators are very limited once they find what works.”