Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1184236
O C TO B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 | M ACO N M AG A Z I N E.CO M 7 3 pie of his nostalgic dreams. It's a refreshing change of pace from most cooking videos; no lengthy intro, just a confident narrator trusting his viewers to follow along. Ragusea intended it as a pedagogical tool to share with his students, but thanks to YouTube's algorithm, the view count started skyrocketing in March 2019. Ragusea applied to YouTube's Partner Program, which enables creators with at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time to earn money via ads. When his approval went through, he took advantage of his newfound spotlight, uploading a video for broiled chocolate chip cookies that quickly went viral. is time, the surge was related to a popular repost on internet forum Reddit. Viewers connect with Ragusea's direct, didactic style. "at's where I feel like my background has really helped me," he says. "I don't feel like I'm any better at writing than many other experienced journalists, but that skill, as common as it is in news, is totally uncommon on YouTube. Don't waste your audience's time. I often put the big takeaway first in my videos, so that if people jump ship, they still have the info they need." His plan is to become a full-time YouTube content creator after he finishes the current academic year at Mercer. e decision didn't come lightly, but he has the audience and the reach to make it not just financially feasible, but surprisingly lucrative. "ere are two distinct income streams," he says. "e YouTube Partner Program – they sell ads for you and take half – and in- video sponsorships that are a flat deal. You have to achieve an incredible scale in order for this to work. I never thought I could do that, but lo and behold, I did." Ragusea is currently in a position to earn nearly six times his current salary, so to him it's a no-brainer. "I have kids. I have no money in their college accounts," he says. "I still get scared sometimes, because the public is fickle, but I felt like it was time to take a risk on myself." Plus, worst case scenario? "I go back to teaching," he says, "and, having had this experience, I'll be all the more employable." Ragusea is endlessly complimentary of Mercer's model for teaching journalism, and has absorbed invaluable information about the media world's inner workings while on this whirlwind journey. Most impressively, he's been able to teach what he's learning in real time, giving students the tools to become savvy professionals in a constantly- changing media. "is has always been the ideal thing for him – it was just a matter of finding the avenue," says his wife, Lauren Morrill. "It's an enormous amount of work. People are always like, 'Oh, YouTube, that seems cool,' and it is cool, but it's also hours of planning and filming and editing and researching." Ragusea has been perfecting his video- shooting craft in front of a captive, growing audience; he estimates spending 30-plus hours a week on editing, in addition to his full-time professor's workload. Morrill's been putting in some hard work, too – as a writer, she often works from home, so adjustments have been necessary there, and Ragusea is grateful for her support and help as the family dynamic transitions into its new iteration. One specific help that likely sounds easier than it is? "She keeps the kids from running into the kitchen while I'm shooting," he says. N ow he's rolling out biscuit dough while pondering shape. "e traditional is the circle, and the reason is because there's no dry corners – but I kinda like dry corners," he says, admitting that his preferred biscuit shape is a triangle, specifically because of all the crispy edges. Today, he's trying a hodgepodge of shapes for this test run, lamenting the waste that comes with the circular cut: "You can roll these out again and bake them, of course, but it's not as tender, not as good." With his newfound audience and posting schedule – ursdays are for recipe videos, Mondays are food-related explanations, tests and queries – he's looking forward to branching out in new ways, whether by traveling to feature some of his own favorite home cooks in their natural elements, or by challenging himself with recipes. A SELFIE BY ADAM, WITH "BIG MIKE" VENTIMIGLIA (LEFT) AND SARALYN COLLINS (RIGHT).