Pop-Culturalist.com

In the ever-changing world of content creation, Chris Stanely turned the pandemic’s challenges into a thriving career by diving into social media during his gap year, rapidly discovering a passion that resonated broadly, especially within the LGBTQ+ community.

His genuine connection with his audience, often featuring his supportive family, and his inspiration from Mark E. Miller have driven him to create content that fosters belonging and support.

His latest project, the short film Second Thought, co-written and co-directed with Art Bezrukavenko, explores modern-day gay hookup culture and the value of meaningful connections.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Chris about his journey, Second Thought, the importance of goal setting, and more.

PC: The pandemic was such a strange time for everybody, but you turned this terrible situation into a career. Can you talk a bit about the genesis of your content creation and how you discovered that passion?
Chris: Absolutely. I decided to take a gap year, and then the pandemic happened. I didn’t really want to go to college during that time. It was also when TikTok was released. I decided that I was going to pursue this career, and it worked out in the first year. I decided to keep pursuing it instead of going to college, so I continued doing it.

PC: This is such a difficult career path with so many platforms and algorithms to keep up with. How have you been able to find your audience and stay up to date with trends?
Chris: My audience is everyone gay. [laughs] I try to stay up to date with what’s happening in the queer world and with pop culture. Anytime I find a video, whether it’s a new trend or something I think is cool, I’ll save it for later as inspiration.

PC: You’ve been able to incorporate your loved ones into the content you’ve created. Has it been easy for them to adjust to being filmed?
Chris: Surprisingly, yes! [laughs] They’re always down to be in my videos, which I love because people really like the content I’m making with my family. Every time we hang out at family events, they’re like, “Chris, what’s the next video? What are we doing?” They’ve all been super chill about it. They’re down to be in the videos, and it’s awesome.

PC: You’ve been very open about the impact that Mark E. Miller has had on your life. What does it mean to you to know that you’re now doing that for so many who are seeing your videos and the impact that you’ve created through your own content creation? What does that mean to you?
Chris: Honestly, it’s sometimes surreal for me to think about it because I remember how lonely I was, looking for an outlet. To know now that I might be doing that for other people, it’s just amazing. I’m really happy that I’m able to do that. That was my goal from the start. I hope that I can keep doing that for people.

PC: You’ve got a new short film out now and it’s getting a lot of buzz. Tell us about the inspiration behind Second Thought and how that came about.
Chris: Second Thought was inspired by modern-day gay hookup culture, where a lot of guys meet up with someone, hook up, and then never talk to them again.

My friend Art [Bezrukavenko] called me and said, “I have this idea.” He told me a bit about it, and we wrote it together. It’s not against hookup culture or anything like that, but it shows that sometimes taking things slower can be more rewarding and meaningful in a relationship.

PC: You co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in this with Art. How were the two of you able to push each other as creatives? Are there plans to continue to write, direct, and act?
Chris: This is definitely just the beginning in terms of writing and acting. I’m not sure about the directing. [laughs] But I will definitely be producing. I’ll definitely be involved in more short films and hopefully a feature. I’m really glad that I met Art a few years ago because I feel like we bring out the best in each other, and we’re always thinking of ideas for what to do next. We talk about what we can do that people haven’t done yet and things like that. We’ve been talking about making a short film for a while. Then when he called me with this base idea, it gave me chills. I was like, “We need to do that.”

We made the whole thing in two weeks, which is kind of crazy. We loved how it turned out. It’s already gotten a few nominations because we’ve submitted it to a bunch of festivals. It’s won an award, and people seem to like it, so there’s definitely more coming in the future.

PC: You should definitely do it. It’s a testament to you and Art that you are able to create these characters that people instantly connect with. You’ve said in the past that one of your keys to success has been setting goals for yourself. What’s been the accomplishment that you’re proudest of? As you look ahead, what do you still hope to accomplish?
Chris: I would say the biggest accomplishment has been making people smile and brightening their days. I’ve received some touching DMs and emails. One guy wrote to me and told me that he was in chemotherapy and that watching my videos really, really helped him. I almost started crying. That’s definitely been the most rewarding for me. I hope to continue doing that for people.

One of my big goals is to hit a million followers on one of the platforms. I’ve been super close on TikTok. YouTube would be ideal. I know it’s just a number, but it’s a huge milestone. That would be amazing.

PC: You’ve been so open with all the content that you’ve created. How do you decide what’s just for you and what you share?
Chris: I’m definitely open to sharing most things. I would say there are some things that I keep to myself, but those are typically things that I feel people wouldn’t find interesting or wouldn’t help in any way. If it’s something that I can make that will help another person, whether it’s a family learning to accept their queer child, I’m always down to share and create that content.

I kept my relationship to myself for a while. But when we started posting about it, there were a bunch of people who were like, “Thank you, guys. I love you together.” We have an age gap, so there are a lot of people who have related to it and liked it. The positives definitely outweigh any of the negatives. Whenever it’s something like that, I’ll share it.

PC: That’s actually how I discovered your content. Your partner is a Survivor alum, and that show is known for casting loved ones. Would you ever be interested in competing on Survivor?
Chris: I feel like because it’s shorter now, I could be down for it. It would definitely be interesting. I’m super competitive, so I feel like it would be fun for me to try. But I did see someone who went on it, and they posted about what their mile runtime was even a year later, and their bodies still hadn’t recovered because you’re really fasting out there. But I would be down. I would do it because I’m always watching The Challenge, and I’m like, “Oh my God. I would do that because I’m really competitive. I like a challenge.” I would love to do that too.

To keep up with Chris, follow him on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Photo Credit: Maxwell Poth