decrypt.co
“I read, uh, wartime novels, which is hilarious,” a 3D ape wearing a t-shirt says.
“The idea is to put yourself in the perspective of wartime and, like, these times of great crisis, and suddenly what you’re doing doesn’t feel as, like, overwhelming.”
That’s just a taste of one of Bored Ape #9132’s videos, whose account is now live on Cameo.
I’ve always wanted to make history… and now I’m the first @BoredApeYC on @BookCameo!
✅ dreams
Book now!https://t.co/dYeWpGgkbt
— BAYC-9132 (@9132Bayc) September 1, 2022
Cameo—the platform where fans pay celebrities and influencers for short, custom videos—is now home to its first Bored Ape NFT. In case you’ve ever wanted advice from a very bored-looking ape who’s gone from PFP to 3D, now’s your chance.
Bored Ape #9132 makes three-minute videos dispensing advice and offering other insight to buyers, with thoughts like, “Call your family,” and, “You are not alone.” The starting price for one video is $25.
Hello world. Book me on @BookCameo.https://t.co/lxrG28OPiq pic.twitter.com/2D1hP2XALL
— BAYC-9132 (@9132Bayc) September 1, 2022
The man behind the Ape is Adam Draper, a venture capitalist at Boost VC and early Coinbase investor.
Draper told Decrypt that he sees Bored Apes "naturally taking on the personality of their owners" when they come to life as 3D characters.
"I imagine this being a new channel for me to receive startup pitches," he said of his Cameo page. "It could also be a way for people to engage with the Bored Ape community in a way not previously possible."
The 3D Ape was made by Aquifer, an animation company backed by Boost VC.
I knew there would be a cure to climate change.
It turns out that it’s booking time with my @BoredApeYC on @BookCameo @9132Bayc is on Cameo starting today, fielding questions!https://t.co/4eL66eYjaH
— Adamdraper.crypto (@AdamDraper) September 1, 2022
Draper, son of billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper, earlier called making Ape videos on Cameo his “cure to climate change.” The revenue generated by his cartoon Cameos are pledged to environmental causes. “All money made during this process will be [put] towards ocean nonprofits,” Draper’s Twitter account for BAYC #9132 posted.
While it’s not clear how seeing some very large Ape toes will “cure” climate change, one thing’s for certain—the Bored Ape Yacht Club is certainly polarizing. Despite Ape owners like Snoop Dogg and Eminem showcasing their Apes every chance they get, many fans have expressed vehement disapproval—a sign that NFTs aren’t quite mainstream just yet.
For his part, Draper says he isn't fazed in the slightest.
"I like an industry that has opposition. It means that they will be more passionate about the craft when they realize the power of ownership on the internet," he said.