“There’s three totally different issues that make up a vlog,” David Dobrik, then a rising YouTube star, defined to Casey Neistat, a veteran YouTuber and filmmaker. Neistat’s digital camera pans to point out a swimming pool, the place a member of Dobrik’s ensemble, the Vlog Squad, balances on a jet ski, trying to toss a basketball from half-court distance over his shoulder and right into a hoop. “It’s like, attention-grabbing issues, cool visuals and humorous stuff. And this isn’t humorous until somebody will get harm.”
As David’s following grew, his stunts turned extra elaborate. Individuals obtained harm. It wasn’t humorous.
When Neistat started filming his first feature-length documentary “Under the Influence” in 2019, the older, wiser YouTube star needed to seize the phenomenon of David Dobrik, the then-22-year-old and fifth most-viewed creator on the platform. Neistat adopted Dobrik as he moved into multi-million greenback properties, carried out for crowds of screaming faculty children and acquired his pals Teslas as casually as if treating them to lunch at Chipotle (the place they may have ordered Dobrik-branded burritos).
Now, as “Underneath the Affect” premieres at SXSW, Neistat is telling a far totally different story than the one he got down to doc. Actually, he threw out two years of post-production work as soon as his already-controversial muse turned a bonafide persona non grata on-line.
“I positively began the method of creating this film in good religion. I feel it was plain, David’s phenomenon. That’s to not reward the content material he was making itself, however actually, the phenomenon that was David was one thing completely extraordinary,” Neistat advised Avisionews. “It was clear that his content material, I feel to say it generously, was strolling a really nice line, even again then.”
On the time, Dobrik was on prime of the world, filming prank movies with celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Justin Bieber and transcending the bounds of social media to make guest appearances on “Late Evening with Jimmy Fallon.” However his pedestal was constructed on the sheer luck that he obtained away with so many harmful stunts. Ultimately, Dobrik went far sufficient that it toppled over.
Inside two years – as Neistat continued to doc – Dobrik discovered himself on the heart of two critical scandals. In March 2021, Insider reported {that a} lady in considered one of his movies claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a Vlog Squad member on the night time they filmed a video about group intercourse.
Dobrik misplaced sponsorships with manufacturers like Hiya Recent, SeatGeek, EA Sports activities and DoorDash, he was demonetized on YouTube, and he stepped down from Dispo, the venture-funded social photo-sharing app that he co-founded. Early traders together with Spark Capital, Seven Seven Six and Unshackled dedicated to donate any potential income from their funding within the app to organizations working with survivors of sexual assault.
However all of the whereas, Dobrik was hiding one other secret: The 12 months earlier than, a dangerous stunt went so mistaken that his buddy and collaborator Jeff Wittek practically died.
Picture Credit: Casey Neistat
“There was no such factor as a ‘energy dynamic’ to me”
Dobrik’s stunts have been all the time harmful. When Neistat first visits his mansion in 2019, Dobrik greets him on the door with a flamethrower, which he wields haphazardly round his dwelling as if it’s a nerf gun.
“There was by no means a naivety on my half, even in my relationship with David, that all the things was excellent,” Neistat advised Avisionews. “A part of my curiosity in telling this story was to attempt to reveal how that is accomplished, and the way he tried to get away with what he was getting away with.”
But documenting the highs and lows of Dobrik’s at-times harmful pursuits is arguably its personal taste of sensationalism.
Early within the documentary, when Jonah (whose actual title is Nick Antonyan – he’s known as Jonah within the vlogs as a result of he appears to be like like Jonah Hill, and his physique kind typically makes him the butt of hurtful jokes) drives a motorcycle over a ramp and right into a pool, he punctures a gap in his abdomen.
“Let’s get Jonah to the hospital, and David, let’s get this footage into modifying,” a Vlog Squad member advised Dobrik.
Jonah proved to be okay after his journey to the emergency room, but this near-miss didn’t seem like a wakeup name for Dobrik, who continued to pursue the following largest stunt, no matter whether or not it may put his pals – who additionally acted as enterprise collaborators – in peril.
“I keep in mind very clearly, one of many first questions I requested David was, ‘These people who we’ve seen in your movies, are they your pals or your coworkers?’ And his response, that’s included within the film, is… He hesitates,” Neistat mentioned. “It caught me off guard, as a result of I anticipated him to be virtually offended at that query.”
Dobrik’s newfound wealth gave him entry to flamethrowers, bikes, jet skis and heavy equipment for riskier stunts, however not like Hollywood, the place stunts are closely regulated on set, Dobrik was not required to rent security professionals, so he didn’t.
“It’s actually an comprehensible suggestion to attract parallels between the content material that David made and one thing like Jackass, however there’s one extraordinary, daring line between the 2, and that line is considered one of consent,” Neistat advised Avisionews. “Steve-o is a buddy of mine, and each member of the ‘Jackass’ group is aware of precisely what they’re signing up for. They know what the associated fee goes to be to them bodily. They know what their legal responsibility is, they know what their return is, they know what the transaction is. It’s consensual, and I feel that’s the extraordinary distinction between the issues that you simply see on YouTube – particularly whenever you’re type of an ensemble solid of characters like David’s movies – and one thing like ‘Jackass.’”
In fact, accidents nonetheless occur in Hollywood, however on YouTube, there’s no attainable approach {that a} platform may regulate what occurs throughout filming, even when it needed to.
Regardless that YouTube bans “dangerous or threatening pranks,” the rule is normally solely enforced to cease folks from taking part in probably lethal viral challenges. When YouTube added the rule in 2019, the corporate particularly referenced traits like folks eating Tide Pods or attempting to mild themselves on fire.
Whereas Dobrik’s pranks may (and did) trigger critical harm, his movies weren’t faraway from YouTube.
“We don’t permit pranks that make victims consider they’re in critical bodily hazard – for instance, a house invasion prank or a drive-by taking pictures prank,” YouTube wrote on the time. “We additionally don’t permit pranks that trigger youngsters to expertise extreme emotional misery, that means one thing so dangerous that it may depart the kid traumatized for all times.”
A lot of YouTube’s largest stars have adopted this similar method – they begin with low-budget pranks, and as their channels choose up steam and produce them riches, there’s no boundary to the potential for his or her antics. It’s a type of wish-fulfillment for younger viewers – for those who and your pals lived in an enormous mansion with limitless money, what mischief would you rise up to?
“This countless pursuit of sensationalism is the place I feel somebody like David lives. The extra sensational it was, the crazier the stunts, the extra views it had,” Neistat mentioned. “Quite a few creators on YouTube have pursued an identical trajectory, and it has by no means ended nicely.”
YouTube’s top trending video of 2021 featured Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) following an identical pursuit of sensationalism – he buried himself alive for 50 hours, although Donaldson did rent a medic to maintain watch on standby.
One other distinguished YouTuber, Logan Paul, confronted penalties for prioritizing shock worth over his accountability as a creator with an enormous platform. In dialog with Avisionews, Neistat introduced up Paul’s “suicide forest” scandal, wherein the YouTuber visited a Japanese forest recognized to be a standard website of suicides and made jokes a couple of useless physique he encountered. YouTube cut ties with Paul, who said his poor judgment was a results of being “misguided by shock and awe.”
Equally, YouTube demonetized Dobrik’s channels within the aftermath of the sexual assault allegations in opposition to a member of his Vlog Squad. Not too long ago, Dobrik said on his podcast that he nonetheless isn’t making a living on YouTube. Avisionews requested YouTube if Dobrik’s channels stay demonetized, however didn’t obtain a response.
On display screen, Neistat asks Dobrik, “There’s one thing gross a couple of man utilizing his social media platform and his affect to draw younger ladies, and then you definitely make a video out of it. Did any of that happen to you as mistaken or inappropriate?”
“At the moment, there was no such factor as a ‘energy dynamic’ to me,” Dobrik replies within the documentary – an admission that he by no means thought-about how his place as a super-sized social media star may change the way in which folks interacted with him. “I didn’t see that as something bizarre. Trying again at it now, it’s actually gross.”
Picture Credit: Casey Neistat
“I ought to be useless”
A month after the Insider article was revealed, one other bomb dropped: Vlog Squad member Jeff Wittek revealed in his personal YouTube documentary that, the earlier 12 months, Dobrik had swung him round on an excavator. The development tools requires a license to function, and Dobrik didn’t have that or another security supervision for the stunt.
Dobrik subsequently misplaced management of the heavy equipment and, as Neistat depicts in a horrifyingly gory scene, Wittek slams into the aspect of the crane and breaks open the aspect of his face. Since then, Wittek has had at the least 9 eye surgical procedures and reduce ties with Dobrik, who continues to pay his medical payments.
“I shouldn’t be right here anymore,” Wittek tells Neistat within the movie. “I ought to be useless.”
Neistat advised Avisionews that Dobrik has seen the documentary, however they haven’t spoken about it – the truth is, they haven’t spoken since their last interview, which came about after Insider revealed sexual assault allegations in opposition to Dobrik’s collaborator. Avisionews requested Dobrik’s group for touch upon the movie, however didn’t hear again earlier than publication.
“Jeff’s accident had an incredible affect on how I used to be conducting interviews, and my skilled relationship with David,” Neistat mentioned. “After which when Kat’s article got here out, that was a dramatic, dramatic shift in how the film was captured.”
“It was very heavy, and you’ll hear within the tone of my voice simply the way it type of turned a bit bit extra contentious, and I turned extra confrontational with him. In that last interview, I feel one of many first questions I requested him was, ‘Do you’re feeling accountable?’”
In a podcast revealed days earlier than “Underneath the Affect” would premiere at SXSW, Dobrik expressed remorse for these egregious incidents, which the documentary facilities round. But within the documentary, he doesn’t appear to understand the implications of his errors.
“The [Insider article] was written as a result of this place needed clicks, like, it wasn’t written as a result of the corporate’s going and taking care of the sufferer and ensuring she’s okay,” Dobrik mentioned to Neistat within the documentary.
Just a few weeks in the past, Wittek made a podcast episode known as “Pricey David…” about why he was not pals with the determine who propelled him to fame.
“I’ll have life-long mind accidents, and I saved him from fucking all the things. He may’ve obtained deported, he may’ve obtained put in jail for manslaughter, he may’ve obtained sued for all the things,” Wittek mentioned on his podcast. “I took it on the chin, after which to see [the documentary]… that simply made me fully lose all respect for this man, and lose all hope he may ever flip round and turn out to be a greater individual.”
Dobrik’s profession has actually taken a large hit, however he continues to submit on YouTube, the place he nonetheless has 18.3 million subscribers. He even has a Discovery present known as “Discovering David Dobrik,” a docuseries wherein he travels the world along with his pals. The present was announced and filmed after each of those scandals got here to mild.
Even in his first interview with Dobrik, Neistat noticed that the younger star seemed haggard and overworked. “It’s prescient to see it now,” Neistat advised Avisionews. However it’s not a coincidence that so many prime YouTubers like Dobrik, Donaldson and Paul observe this similar trajectory: they attempt to make every video extra partaking than the final, however ultimately, there appears to be simply two paths. Both you burn out, otherwise you make a career-altering mistake earlier than you’re taking a beat to decelerate.
“I feel that there’s all the time a pursuit. It’s related for a musician – how do you retain your music attention-grabbing?” Neistat mentioned. “However what makes people like David Dobrik totally different is that their pursuit is just not popping out with the following music or making the following film. Their pursuit is how can I be extra sensationalist? And that may be a very, very, very harmful pursuit, as a result of the minute you obtain one thing that was crazier than the final, you then need to go previous that.”
