At NAB 2025, a behind-the-scenes look at YouTube channel New Rockstars revealed the production magic behind their viral breakdowns—and how they manage to create 500 videos a year with a lean team and limited budget.
From “What’s Up with the Baby Goats?” to 2 Billion Views
New Rockstars might not have anything to do with music, but they’ve become rock stars of a different kind: decoding the mysteries of film and television for millions of fans. Whether you’re wondering about those baby goats in Severance or digging into the symbolism in the latest Doomsday trailer, their breakdowns are where fans turn for answers.
With over 5 million subscribers and more than $11 million in revenue from YouTube alone, the team has clearly cracked the code. But what really sets them apart? Their ability to turn around content in as little as 15 hours, using a streamlined, scalable workflow.
The Script Is in the Cut
Unlike traditional media production, New Rockstars flips the typical scripting process. Instead of building detailed multi-column scripts with visuals mapped out in advance, they rely heavily on post-production editors to find the visual moments that best support the narrative.
That means their editors aren’t just technicians—they’re decision-makers.
“We give our post team a ton of agency,” they explained. “They’re choosing the shots. We don’t have time to micromanage at our pace.”
This approach requires serious training, but it’s also what enables their team to maintain speed without burning out.
Tools That Power the Process
At the heart of their operation is Riverside, a remote recording platform that uploads video while the host is still recording. This means editors can begin working on footage immediately—crucial when aiming for a same-day turnaround.
And while some teams rely on pristine servers, New Rockstars sticks with a practical approach: Dropbox. “It’s not perfect, but it works for us,” they said. Editors—most of whom work remotely—can quickly download only what they need, without dealing with large centralized systems.
Footage is shot on a seamless backdrop with consistent lighting, and everything is designed to let the host sit down, hit record, and go.
Compromising—But Strategically
As head of production, the team’s goal is clear: deliver what content demands, even if that means making tough calls. “Sometimes we cut corners,” they admitted. “That’s hard. But we’re balancing ambition with the reality of our resources.”
And that ambition has paid off. By slicing large edits into smaller projects and outsourcing to skilled contractors, they’re able to produce 35-minute videos overnight. Editors receive files as late as 7 PM and return polished segments by 9 AM the next day.
Monetizing the Smart Way
YouTube revenue is another place where strategy matters. The team discovered that video length and watch time matter more than view count.
For example:
- A 13-minute video with 870,000 views made around $5,000 with an RPM (revenue per 1,000 views) of $5.50.
- A 42-minute video with half the views earned significantly more, with a whopping $16.70 RPM.
Why? Because longer videos encourage more ad placements and better audience retention. To optimize revenue, they manually place ad breaks early in the video—where viewership is highest.
Live Shows, Minimal Crew
In addition to breakdowns, the team runs The Break Room, a semi-daily live show covering pop culture news.
Despite the complexity, the live setup runs on a skeleton crew. One producer handles teleprompter, chat moderation, and cues, while a single technical director controls cameras, audio, graphics, and switching—thanks to a clever combo of Blackmagic Design gear, Stream Decks, and Bitfocus Companion.
For big events like the Super Bowl (where the trailers, not the game, are the real draw for their audience), the team expands into multi-set, multi-camera productions with nine camera inputs and multiple “sets” for different hosts. Everything is wired to be plug-and-play, allowing them to spin up a complex live show in just a few hours.
Efficiency as a Superpower
At the end of the day, their success isn’t just about content—it’s about workflow. Every tool and process is chosen to maximize output without sacrificing quality entirely.
“Our competitors might publish faster,” they said. “But we’ve built a system that balances speed, quality, and budget—and that’s where we win.”
Whether you’re producing one video a month or 500 a year, the core lesson from New Rockstars is simple: build the workflow that works for you, not the one that looks best on paper.