Video Stars

“All I want to do is connect with my audience,” YouTube star Shane Dawson said. Dawson, who has produced more than 300 YouTube videos of Shane Dawson TV, says his goal remains to take his audience members away from all their problems for at least five minutes. He is photographed at his apartment. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

March 11, 2014 12:20 AM PT

Lisa Nova (Lisa Donovan) and Kassem G (Kassem Gharaiben) at Maker Studios. Nova and other YouTube video creators are taping a spoof on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” at Maker Studios in Culver City, which has 30 employees to help create videos. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Actor Lucas Cruikshank, who portrays Fred Figglehorn, a fictional character created and portrayed by Cruikshank on YouTube. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)

Ryan Higa, 20, a sketch comedian who creates the top-subscribed YouTube channel, with more than 2.5 million subscribers. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Dane Boedigheimer, creator of “The Annoying Orange,” a wildly popular YouTube channel in which a talking orange, voiced by Dane, annoys other fruits. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

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Video Stars

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