I don't know about other filmmakers or content creators, but I have never seen a dime from YouTube. Even when I pushed out regular content filming live events, even when I had huge numbers of followers and views, the only thing I ever got from YouTube was a bunch of nasty comments.
But unless they use ad-block, every person watching my videos sees ads they don't want for things they don't want. Google is making bank off my work, and I just want people to see it.
If you're like me, consider switching to a reputable #PeerTube instance that federates like @BTFree or @MakerTube
Be like Mike. Sing up. Add your content. Follow, share links, and subscribe to real people making real content on the #fediverse