As TikTok's fifth-most-followed account with nearly 63 million followers, his videos regularly reach millions of viewers - but in some explosively viral instances, he's even reached into the billions, and is the creator of what appears to be TikTok's most-viewed video.
As the fifth-most-followed TikTok creator, he is only behind Bella Poarch, Addison Rae, Khaby Lame, and Charli D'Amelio. Will Smith holds the sixth-place spot with 58.9 million followers.
King's TikTok stardom builds on a decade of online virality on platforms like YouTube and the now-defunct Vine, where he built significant followings through illusionary movie magic tricks.
Here's how the filmmaker went from selling film editing tips under the moniker FinalCutKing to being one of the biggest online creators.
In 2011, he was one of the winners of YouTube's NextUp Creators contest, receiving $35,000 to fund video production as well as mentoring, Tubefilter reported in 2011.
He started to strike viral gold on YouTube that year, most famously with a "Star Wars"-inspired series featuring kittens acting as Jedi. The original "Jedi Kittens" video has over 24 million views to date, and follow-ups like "Jedi Kittens Strike Back" or "Jedi Kitten - The Force Awakens" each have approximately 31 million views.
King found major success on Vine
King's editing savvy and mind-bending effects videos found a home on Vine, the now-defunct short-form video platform that was popular in the mid-2010s. People reported that King had over 3.4 million followers on Vine by mid-2015, and today, YouTube compilations of his best Vine videos have amassed millions of views.
After joining Musical.ly in 2016, the year that Vine shut down, his success continued when the platform eventually became TikTok.
King is known for his movie magic
Years after he began his YouTube days, King still draws viewers in with magical feats and video illusions. On TikTok, his content is typically humorous and relies on visual gags and "digital sleight of hand," as King described his style to People in 2015. Many include deeply satisfying loops, making them easy to watch again and again.
He told Digital Trends in April that while he was shooting by himself for part of the pandemic, he has a 25-person team on staff who help write and produce his videos. Now, his videos usually take about two weeks to make and he and his staff work to make two per week, he told Digital Trends.
King's career has been defined by his ability to master platforms with his particular brand of video magic. It seems likely that he'll be a fixture on whatever video app emerges next.
King did not respond to an interview request for this article.
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