BEHIND THE TAG - TEJBZ
Tobias “Tejbz” Öjerfalk is a real veteran in the world of gaming as one of the first in Sweden to turn his passion for streaming, gaming and creating into big business. When Tejbz got started YouTube was still in its infancy and gaming as a profession was unheard of in Sweden.
Over the last 10 years he has racked up over 600 000 subs and over 100 million views but that's not enough, Tejbz is branching out and putting all of his experience into new challenges like screenwriting, acting and stand up comedy.
DRKN had a quick chat with the energetic multi-tasker to find out whats up!
Hi Tejbz, could you tell us how it all began?
I think it all started when I was maybe around 10 and I remember beating all my friends in this game called Perfect Dark for Nintendo 64. I also managed to be the only one in my class to beat Complex in GoldenEye 007 N64. It was back then when I noticed how f*cking FUN IT WAS. Gaming is the best, and I have always been pretty good at it!
After that i kept gaming a lot and was really into Halo back in the day, we got some capture cards and started doing highlight videos using Sony Vegas and a slow old computer. Back then one video took me like three months to complete and we didn't really have anywhere to publish our fine work. It was a different time.
When did you realise that you could actually live off your passion?
I made my first account on YouTube in 2007, way before it was a mainstream plattform. I started watching other people make content and i remember thinking “wow.. this is the best!” Video game content was very new back then but I believed that I could do it too! I was studying radio production at the time and we had a service place in school where you could borrow microphones for various projects. So i borrowed one and took it home! The first video i made was simply a commentary video for Halo 3, but after it had been up for about 30 minutes i had something like 5000 subs from that video alone and I felt that I was onto something!
When i started out I was only thinking that “This is fun, I want to do this because its a fun thing” and I wasn't thinking it could be a profession. But then I got my first paycheck from Machinima and it changed everything, I realised that this could actually be my job in the future.
Have you ever had any blue collar jobs or have you allways been able to live off gaming?
Well, I started doing my thing on YouTube way before I ever went to college and the content creating business has treated me good. There was a time in the beginning though where I had more of a 9-5 gig, I was working in a store selling car parts and various hardware items called Laitis in Boden, Sweden. I used to spend my breaks watching YouTube, that got me inspired to create more videos and focus on that.
I have also had some TV-production work over the years, I had this series called "Tejbz testing things" on Viaplay. I had a hand in starting and promoting Dplay, the first nordic MCN (Multi channel network) Today I do some work as a streaming consultant and I give lectures on social media strategies, all gaming focused.
Can you tell us the story about your gaming tag? Why Tejbz?
The name “Tejbz” comes from combining “Tobias” with “Babe”, and shortening that down you get “Tejb”. But Tejb was already taken as a username on YouTube so i had to get creative, adding a Z to the end of it gave it the magic touch that remains to this day - Tejbz.
Did you ever use any other names?
Yes, I nicked "DUDE" playing CS:1.5 back in the day because I loved the movie "Dude, where´s my car". I have also had some smurf accounts over the years, such as Zbjet (my russian nick) and Tbagboi, those are my two most frequently used.
Well any FPS game is a favourite in my mind. But of course COD has always had a special part in my heart since the beginning. I have a lot of great memories with various COD games but if I really have to choose one, then its Halo 2!
We know you are big on COD, how would you rank them?
ooh lets see.. Call of Duty rankings... OK! here goes: 1: Cod4 2: Mw2 3: Bo2 4: Cod MW 2019 5: mw3. And then the rest of them in an equal bunch.
Call of Duty has allways been great, but what is so special about Halo 2?
Halo 2 had the most amazing feeling to it, and with a great combat system. Its the complete package - good story and great look and feel. I remember the first time I got to play as Arbiter, It blew my mind as I was thinking "Wow.. is it even possible to do that in a game?". That was the first time i saw a game change the perspective from the main protagonist Master Chief to a former enemy.
Speaking of memories, what is your best memory in gaming?
Probably the first time I went to LA too meet my gamer friends. Gaming is actually a very social passion and meeting up with your online friends in real life is an amazing experience.
Otherwise my triple in Modern Warfare 2 back in 2011, Check it out here -->
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhRSV7s7RLA
What is your worst gaming memory?
Hmm. Every single time I lose something. I am very competitive and I always want to win. I get hella mad!!
Are there any other hobbies that you are passionate about?
It has always been working out, clearing my mind by getting my body in shape. But lately I picked up stand up comedy and in that I have really found what I want to do for a very long time!
Writing sketches and acting has been a part of my channel since the beginning and lately I have been putting more effort into this. I have been writing for different shows and the creative process has always been a thing i truly enjoy. It's nice to branch out and have different goals aside from video games.
What motivates you to keep creating and pushing yourself?
I think is a desire to be seen you know? To entertain. The stand up initiative is a huge part in that. The beauty of what I do is that I can have any funny idea and just go out and do it. I have goals and aspirations to do more things outside of the YouTube sphere, more full-length stuff, but that is in the future. To put it in more simple terms, its Money!
What advice would you give to young creators starting out today?
DON’T.. don’t do it kids..
Jk but seriously you gotta find you niche now. Get good at what you do and create great, quality content. Having exciting gameplay and a great personal touch is 100% needed now to push through the noise.
What are you up to right now? What's going on and how can people follow you?
Well right now I am trying to stream on youtube, but with little success. Other than that I am working on making better videos. On my Swedish channel everything is going as usual with good gameplay for fps interested viewers. Right now, I amfocusing on getting good at my new passion for stand up comedy! Its still pretty new and I am doing a lot of practice sets to warm myself up and find my form. When I am ready, I will post some dates on twitter announcing some gigs.
A massive thank you to Tejbz for taking the time to talk to us! Be sure to check out Tejbz in his various channels below:
Official webpage: https://www.tejbz.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tejbz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tejbz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejbz/
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/tejbz
You can support Tejbz by using promocode "Tejbz" here at drkn.com for 10% off your entire purchase and check out our personal patch creator here to create your own patch.