Inside the Daily Life of a Live Streaming Star in China | Op-Docs

Over the past year, as Covid-19 has severely limited our ability to interact with the world beyond our front door, livestreams have helped transport us to places we couldn’t visit, people we couldn’t see and events we couldn’t attend. In China, live streaming services command an audience of nearly 560 million, with streamers broadcasting to devoted followers who tune in every night. Successful live streamers can earn thousands of dollars each month in direct donations from fans, and those at the very top earn millions from brand sponsorships and major contracts. In the short documentary above, we enter two agencies that scout promising newcomers and mold them into high-earning stars. But what’s it like working for a company that engineers every aspect of your life — and then requires you to livestream it all day? by David Borenstein (https://www.david-borenstein.com/) Read more: https://nyti.ms/3073OoA More from The New York Times Video: Subscribe: http://bit.ly/U8Ys7n​​ Watch all of our videos here: http://nytimes.com/video​​ Facebook:   / nytvideo​​   Twitter:   / nytvideo​​   ---------- Op-Docs is a forum for short, opinionated documentaries by independent filmmakers. Learn more about Op-Docs and how to submit to the series. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NYTopinion).