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By S. Jhoanna Robledo,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Documentary promotes YouTube stars' non-glam life.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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What's the Story?
People across the globe watch more than 3 billion hours of YouTube online content a month, and some of the ordinary people who produce and star in the website's videos have become Internet-era celebrities. PLEASE SUBCRIBE features in-depth interviews with eight of these stars, who explain how they got started (usually by accident), what it takes to produce a never-ending stream of entertainment (more work than you might think), and why they enjoy it -- one says he's never had another job and can hardly comprehend what it's like to look for work or spend the day in an office. It's a modern commentary on a career that didn't exist before the digital age.
Is It Any Good?
Please Subscribe, produced and directed by Dan Dobi, is a good idea, if not one that makes for a groundbreaking film. YouTube has become a global phenomenon, and Dobi is right to describe it as an entirely new form of media with growing influence. And the eight interviewees -- breakout YouTube celebrities with legions of fans who subscribe to their online "channels" -- have indisputably become Internet stars.
But their stories about how they stumbled into this unusual career have a lot in common: Typically, they post a video for a friend or three and are surprised to learn that many more people are watching. So they make another video, and another, and suddenly they've become YouTube sensations. Daily Grace, MysteryGuitarMan, SeaNanners, Mitchell Davis, and others explain their newfound careers and show how they make their videos -- often by simply being likeable, everyday folks. It's an interesting behind-the-scenes look at a lifestyle that (surprisingly) isn't always that interesting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about YouTube. Do you think YouTube and other forms of online content are the future of media? What do parents (and kids) need to know about navigating them?
What do you think about the YouTube stars' online channels? Would you watch their Web shows? Can you think of other people who've become famous via YouTube?
What do you think the film's intent is? Who is it meant to reach, and why?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 5, 2013
- On DVD or streaming: January 14, 2014
- Director: Dan Dobi
- Studio: Dobi Media LLC
- Genre: Documentary
- Run time: 79 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: December 7, 2022
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