The YouTube couple Martina & Hansi turned their passion for making "nerdy" stuff into a successful business where their creativity is the only limit.

DRAMMEN, NORWAY, December 17, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Not all YouTubers are drawn to drama and controversy. A proof of this is the young Norwegian couple Martina & Hansi who have turned their passion for making things into their full time job. They call themselves Nerdforge, and with closing in on 800k subscribers and almost 40 million views, this is how they introduce themselves on YouTube: `Our channel is about making all kinds of things! If you're wondering what to expect we really couldn't tell you, as our inspiration is largely random, unplanned and chaotic. One day you get a soda dispenser, another day you get an epic castle!`.

This statement couldn’t be more true, as Nerdforge videos span everything from bookbinding videos and fantasy diorama to hidden doors and colorful LED lamp projects.

Martina is a 25 year old history teacher who went straight from finishing her master’s degree into a rather unexpected occupation as a YouTube influencer, content creator and artist. When asked how it all started, she responded: “When we were students we watched a lot of YouTube videos ourselves. We saw people making so many amazing things, and we decided this was something we wanted to try for ourselves. We’ve always been drawn to art and making, so we decided to create a channel”.

According to them it was no instant hit. They produced videos on crafting and making things for over 2 years consistently before they started seeing numbers that could entail something more than merely a hobby. “We started the channel for fun, but we have achieved a steady growth that has amounted to something over the years. Now we have 790.000 subscribers from all around the globe, and we can both work full time with the channel”, Martina informs and adds that most of Nerdforge’s subscribers are from the USA which she thinks is very cool, and hopes she gets the chance to go there and meet some fans when Covid-19 restrictions loosen up.

So how do they make their living on YouTube? Selling the things they made? According to Hansi, a 27 year old software engineer turned YouTuber, it is not that simple. “Since we create content that takes a long time to produce, we have to be very selective of our projects. Some things may take upwards of 2 weeks to make, and then it is important that the video performs well, all the while being fun to do”. Because they rarely sell anything they produce the ads YouTube puts on their videos is the main source of income, backed up by sponsorships, and support from loyal viewers. “We used to do workshops for kids and educators, but that’s been on hold for a while now” and Hansi adds that he doesn’t consider himself in the business of selling hand-made products, but instead wants to create content that inspires others to make things for themselves. “Everyone should have a little bit of magic in their lives, and making something from scratch is pure magic”.

So what projects does the Nerdforge channel contain, and what can we learn from it? Their latest video is an art project where Martina paints a dystopian futuristic world with UV paints and acrylics on a large canvas. Before that they did an even more dystopian post-apocalyptic diorama, with rusty accents and a withered old train. And if you think it is all about the future, it is really not - they have traditional bound books combined with cast metal covers, or Harry Potteresque shelf inserts that makes a bookshelf look wonderfully alive. If there’s anything to take away from Nerdforge’s video backlog, it is that you don’t have to conform to one thing to be successful. “I take great inspiration from Adam Savage from Mythbusters”, Hansi concludes, “his philosophy is that being a generalist can be a specialized skill on its own, and that’s definitely a skill we’re practicing every day”.

Hans J Furre
Nerdforge
contact@thenerdforge.com
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Martina Makes a Harry Potter Inspired Shelf Insert (Book Nook!)