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Her First Million with Nicki Sun
Asian Creator House
December 28, 2023
Getting 10 minutes with a Hollywood icon is hard enough. So, how did Nicki Sun secure a full hour with Fast and Furious star Sung Kang for the first episode of her new show? We talk to Sun and explore how she created cost-effective, win-win scenarios to fund the launch of her viral interview series.
Sun, creator, director, and host of "The Nicki Sun Show," sits down with top Hollywood talent, rising artists, and influencers. The production is snazzy, shot entirely in 4K with director’s chairs and multiple cameras.
Showtime with Savvy Sponsors
Thanks to her decades-long media experience and tech insights from a previous YouTube series, Sun is able to produce a blockbuster-worthy show on an indie budget:
Labor/crew cost: $1,000 per episode (union rates).
Studio rental in Los Angeles: $200-300 per hour.
Equipment: Sometimes free, sponsored, or self-owned.
Editing: Done by Nicki herself.
Marketing: Zero paid ads; all through organic social media virality.
Sun uses Network Studios, which comes equipped with three cameras and an on-site manager. She edits all video and audio. For equipment, she partners with tech companies like Kingston for SSD cards.
“My first sponsor was Kingston Technologies. They helped launch my first interview with iJustine for my tech channel. They've followed my journey and appreciate the quality of my work,” Sun says.
“When I asked for help with my new show, I had no metrics. I planned to interview creators of color or women filmmakers. They loved the idea of the show and seeing their equipment used,” Sun continues.
A partnership between Sun and Kingston is a dream influencer partnership. Sun needed capital to start up her show and Kingston needs to get in front of an audience that wants to use their SD cards. But what separates this partnership from others is that Sun genuinely already uses Kingston's products so integration was seamless and most importantly, authentic. She even advocates for her entire crew to receive the same products to use on set.
Additionally, Sun involved Bokksu, a Japanese snack company. Kang’s team hesitated on a full-hour interview that deviated from topics beyond Kang’s Shaky Shivers film, but Sun cleverly pitched a segment trying Asian snacks, aligning with Kang’s Fast and Furious character, who is always seen eating snacks.
The snack clip became a viral hit, helping Sun achieve her first million views on TikTok and Instagram. Since the show's launch, Sun reached three million views on both platforms, further driving her motivation.
@nickisun The reason Han snacks in #fastandfurious 🤌 Thanks for being a #rolemodel @SungKangsta 🙏 #tokyodrift #sungkang #TheNickiSunShow #HanLue #... See more
“That's currency, even if unpaid. It updates the media kit, allowing me to pitch and constantly update it. As a creator, you want to be prepared for opportunities,” Sun concludes.
She is in talks for future opportunities worth $10-30k and is slated to launch an online course for making your own show.
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