📅 Monday, 27-10-25

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Hey!

Last week I rebranded my channel:

From Massa Art to Filippo Massarelli (my full name)​
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Sounds like a simple change.

But it's actually the result of months of studying successful creatives and many hours of workshops with my YouTube coach.

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In this email, I’ll break it down by focussing on 3 principles.

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Principle 1

We connect with stories. With faces. With voices.

We want to learn from someone, not something.

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That's why it makes sense to not overthink it and just use your full name.

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But there is more to this than just using your actual name.

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Because at the end of the day, "Massa Art" wasn't really a brand name, but still... it behaved like one.

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And that's due to the "_ Art" portion of the name.

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I was trying to clarify the niche. To make it clear that the channel was about art.

And that's a good move for the brand of a business.

But not for a personal brand.

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Because people are multifaceted.

We occupy multiple niches at once, and that's actually why we like to follow other people.

That's why YouTube works.

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Which brings me to the second principle..
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Principle 2

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I’m not just a self-taught artist learning to draw better.

I'm also a self taught software engineer working on perfecting the craft of clean code. I am also a fitness enthusiast training to unlock calisthenics skills I find impressive. And I fell in love with the creator economy.

So it clearly can't be just art what defines me.

Often the obsessions that define us run deeper than a single craft.

In my case, I think I’m just obsessed with the psychology behind mastery.

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The habits, the rituals, and the mental frameworks that make us disciplined, creative, and motivated.

The little things that once incorporated into our lives, put us on a path to live out our creative potential.

Regardless of which art form that might be for you.

(Which could even be business btw)
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So my "passion" is not drawing. It's the psychology of self improvement.

I just happen to be interested in applying it to visual arts right now.

(which btw includes photography and film-making)

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Capturing this "intersection" of niches is the job of the banner:

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Creativity + Discipline came somewhat naturally to me, but honestly I don't know if it's a clear enough representation of my intersection.

I would love if you could reply with your opinion

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I am mainly insecure about the "DISCIPLINE" part.

Because discipline is part of what can be achieved by understanding the psychology of self improvement, but so is motivation, productivity, speed, patience and raw skill.

But discipline sounds cool... So idk 🤷‍♂️
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The point is that you'd watch my videos because of the practical value that the information I deliver gives you BUT also because of how watching my videos make you feel.

I don't only care about the intellectual value of my videos.

I also care about the visual and emotional impact of the video.

In other words, I treat videos like artworks.

They have a topic that is discussed, and that gives them intellectual value.

But they also have their own aesthetic and they strive to generate emotion.

In some ways, I see videos as the ultimate form art.

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Principle 3

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The thumbnail’s job is simple:

Set the expectation.

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This means not just what the video is about, but also how it feels.

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For that, I studied creators like Nathaniel Drew and Life of Riza.

They’re my “master artists” in this phase.

Although the topics and the ideas are all mine, their packaging is what I will strive to learn from.

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Why?

Because their thumbnails are cinematic. Which implicitly sets the expectation that the video format will not be a simple talking head or voiceover.

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Here's a peek behind the curtain of what's coming in this next phase of the channel:

(☝️ these are all draft packagings for upcoming videos, the final title might change but the thumbnail should be the same)

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Of course, setting this "cinematic" expectation will force me to level up my filming and editing game.

And that's exactly why I'm doing it.

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I will keep the unique features that make me unique, like the paper cutouts instead of motion graphics.

But you will see me experiment more with cinematic B-Roll to capture the right emotion when abstract concepts are described. You should also expect to see me use music and sound effects for pacing more intentionally between the core points of the video. Which is something I particularly struggle with.

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The challenge now becomes to maintain a weekly pace despite the increased production difficulty.

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It's a worthy challenge!

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But regardless of the video "style". The focus of my channel remains the same:

Helping you become your most creatively productive self.

So you can design a life of creative freedom.

One where you make what you want, when you want, how you want.

Yes, that path includes financial independence.

But that’s not the reason to walk it.

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The reason to walk it is because you feel the pull within you of being creative.

We all have a creative genius inside of us who is begging to become the main character of your own stories.
:☝️ Remember that!

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See you next week

🫶

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Massa
​(friends still do call me Massa ;)

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P.s.

I’m designing a 21-day challenge for January 2026 to make you try and experience tiny habits that level up your creativity, discipline, and motivation.

If you're interested fill in this form: https://tally.so/r/nPVYZ0

It acts both as a waitlist and as a way to help me design the best version of the challenge based on your goals.

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