Markiplier wants to sell your indie film

Who knew the process was so complicated?  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

April 23, 2026   |   Read online TOGETHER WITH It's Thursday and Meta celebrated Earth Day by pulling back the curtain on 60 water restoration projects that “will restore over 6 billion gallons of water annually once completed.” Today’s News 🩸 Can Markiplier sell Iron Lung on YouTube? 💪 Viral Nation leverages AI for brand safety 💳 Visa teams up with TikTok 💬 Threads introduces Live Chats 🔬 Creators join forces with scientists THE BIZ Markiplier wants to sell your indie move on YouTube. Iron Lung made $50M. So it should be easy to sell on YouTube, right? Wrong. The process: When Markiplier‘s self-funded Iron Lung adaptation earned $50+ million at the box office, it seemed like a given that he’d eventually put a digital version up for sale on YouTube. After all, he’s been on the platform for 14 years, has nearly 40 million subscribers, and owns the rights to the movie. As it turns out, things are not as simple as they seem. Once Markiplier (aka Mark Fischbach) realized how complicated the process was, he decided that he didn’t just want to get Iron Lung live on YouTube. He wanted to find a way to make things easier for other indie filmmakers, too. So, he got in contact with YouTube Head of TV & Film Partnerships Fede Goldenberg. “There’s a thing called an aggregator that you usually have to go through, or a studio if you’re big enough for that. And I said [to Goldenberg], I have the success of this movie…Maybe we could use it, capitalize on it, and you could make me an aggregator.”   - Mark Fischbach As Fischbach explained, becoming an aggregator means he “would be able to not only bring my movie onto the platform for sale, [but] if there are other people that have movies that I see and I think this is worth it…I can bring it onto the platform.” The fine print: YouTube and Fischbach are now in the final stages of negotiations, having undergone what the creator described as an “arduous legal process” where he was “so agreeable on everything”—including releasing Iron Lung “exclusively on YouTube.” That exclusivity is a more limiting circumstance than experienced by most major Hollywood studios, which normally offer movies for sale across numerous platforms. But for Fischbach, this sacrifice is worth it if he can both release Iron Lung online and be an advocate aggregator for indie filmmakers in the future. 🌟 SPONSORED 🌟 Tribeca Festival has officially unveiled its 2026 film lineup. Here’s a preview of the action: From June 3-14, Tribeca Festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary by showcasing a record-setting 117 feature films and 86 short films.  The newly announced feature film lineup alone includes 102 world premieres—the most in Tribeca Festival history—and represents filmmakers across 44 countries.  Here are three feature films you won’t want to miss: 1. Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World) Academy Award winner Questlove will kick off the 25th Tribeca Festival with the boisterous, decades-spanning story of this legendary American band and its enigmatic founder, Maurice White. 2. The Accompanist When 9-year-old Emily is removed from the care of her aging grandfather, she is placed with the witchy, funny, and unpredictable Sylvia. As the two bond, they find that forging a new family is not without risk. Directed and written by Zach Woods. Written by Brandon Gardner. Produced by Aubrey Plaza, Lauren Bratman, Michael Sagol, Carlos Zozaya. 3. Playing POTUS From Chevy Chase's Gerald Ford to Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris, Playing POTUS explores how comedians don't just parody leaders, they help define them. Directed and produced by Josh Greenbaum. Produced by Rafael Marmor, Christopher Leggett, Peter Funt. Passes to Tribeca Festival are on sale now: Get tickets → HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰 Viral Nation CCO Nicholas Spiro: "A safe ecosystem raises all boats." Viral Nation says it’s using AI to ensure a safe ecosystem for brands—and put more money in creators’ pockets. (Tubefilter - Partner Story) Ryan Roslansky has stepped down from his role as the CEO of LinkedIn after a tenure of six years. (TechCrunch) X is introducing Custom Timelines, a new Premium feature that will allow users to personalize their feeds by pinning “a specific topic to your home tab.” (Nikita Bier via X) A lawsuit filed against MrBeast’s production companies claims that former employee Lorrayne Mavromatis was wrongfully terminated after raising concerns about sexual harassment. (ABC News) MONEY MOVES TikTok and Visa are partnering in the U.K. Visa’s U.K. “creator card” aims to combat cashflow issues and up TikTok Live payouts The card: Visa has partnered with TikTok to launch a debit card that offers a number of creator-centric perks. The so-called “creator card” attempts to address some of the issues that pop up when social media professionals bring their business to traditional banks. In many cases, creators are met with skepticism from bankers and end up leaving short on cash and frustrated with financial institutions. Other issues also impact digital professionals’ ability to work alongside mainstream financial institutions. Visa recently reported that 49% of creators have their businesses impacted by late or inconsistent payments, and 41% of creators have had to turn down opportunities due to cash flow issues. The context: In the United States, companies like Karat have reduced that friction by rolling out credit and debit cards designed for creators. Now, across the pond, users of Visa’s creator card will be able to clear payouts quickly, preventing delays that block them from accessing their money. “This launch is designed to give creators faster access to income from TikTok Live, brand partnerships, and platform payouts, so they can spend, plan, and reinvest in their business straight away.”   - Lucy Demery, Visa’s SVP of Commercial Solutions for Europe Visa’s partnership with TikTok adds some additional perks, as the creator card is designed to recognize in-stream gifts and other related revenue sources from TikTok LIVE. We’ll soon learn whether those solutions can mitigate creators’ financial frustrations. After debuting its new product with a soft launch, Visa is now rolling out the card among a larger group of eligible Brits. GOING LIVE Threads wants to be a hub for conversations around live sports. Threads is using the NBA playoffs as a case study for Live Chats The feature: Meta is giving Threads users around the world a fresh way to discuss hot topics in a dynamic interface. The new Live Chats feature can be located via community hubs, in-feed links, and the profile pages of chat hosts. Once users enter the conversation, they will see an assortment of photos, videos, links, emojis, and polls, all of which will update in real time. According to a Meta blog post, a “select group of creators” can host Live Chats within their respective communities.  Basketball fans will have a chance to explore the new feature during one of the biggest cultural tentpoles of the spring: the NBA Playoffs. By navigating to the NBAThreads community, users will be able to see score updates in real time while NBA insiders like Malika Andrews and Rachel Nichols host Live Chats tied to specific games and matchups. The context: Threads’ new product has significant potential in the marketing world. At the 2026 NewFronts, tech giants claimed that brands need to put themselves at the center of cultural conversations with tentpole-powered advertising (as facilitated by formats like TikTok Pulse). Meta’s NewFronts pitch doubled down on that prevailing theme by promoting products—like Reels trending ads—that are designed to bring buyers closer to concerts, sports games, blockbuster movies, holidays, and other tentpoles. Now, as Threads develops its nascent ad program, Live Chats can provide centralized locations for cultural discourse to take place. WATCH THIS 👀 Science creators and scientists get paired up around the country. Creators and researchers are joining forces to showcase Science Across America The mission: A new “YouTube project” from the Independent Media Initiative will pair influential STEM creators with scientists from all 50 states. Over the course of just ten days, 50×50: Science Across America will challenge participating creators and their scientific collaborators to produce 50 original videos set in locations like labs, field sites, hospitals, factories, and research institutions. Those videos will arrive on YouTube in the fall of 2026. So far, 50×50’s creator lineup includes Vlogbrothers Hank and John Green, former Mythbusters host Adam Savage, Xyla Foxlin, Emily Graslie, Joe Hanson, and Destin Sandlin of SmarterEveryDay. The participating scientists, as well as other creator contributors, will be announced at a later date. Check out a trailer for the project here. Want to introduce your brand to Tubefilter’s audience? Sponsor the newsletter. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.​ Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, James Hale, and Josh Cohen.   Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Tubefilter 1450 2nd Street, Ste 275 Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States Powered by beehiiv Terms of Service

YouTube woos Hollywood with deepfake detection

And Fixated makes an acquisition.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

April 22, 2026   |   Read online TOGETHER WITH It’s Wednesday and users can now consult ChatGPT for help ordering Starbucks…but you might need coffee before attempting it. Today’s News 🎬 YouTube fights Hollywood deepfakes 🌟 POSSIBLE spotlights the creator biz 🤝 Fixated acquires Studio71 🎙️ Keke Palmer hits Twitch 🤟 Disney reanimates in ASL AI ALERT YouTube is using its technology as a way into Hollywood. YouTube is sharing its deepfake detector with Hollywood studios The tool: Back in 2024, YouTube announced that it was partnering with talent agency CAA to develop a tool that could combat the rise of deepfakes on social media. Since then, the platform has steadily tested its anti-deepfake tech alongside a small but expanding network of creators, journalists, and celebrities. Now, YouTube’s battle-tested likeness detection tool is ready for its big moment.  Google execs told The Hollywood Reporter that anyone “at high risk of having their likeness abused” can take advantage of the AI-powered detector, even if they don’t have an active YouTube channel. That group includes journalists and politicians, as well as entertainers like actors, musicians, creators, and athletes. According to YouTube Chief Business Officer Mary Ellen Coe, the platform is “working very closely with talent agencies and third-party management companies to make sure that public figures can actually get ahead of this before something negative happens.” The context: For YouTube, bringing its likeness detection tool to studios serves as a proverbial olive branch. Traditional Hollywood entities are extremely skittish about AI, as evidenced by the SAG and WGA strikes that gripped the industry two years ago. Those fears have made it difficult for OpenAI to make inroads in Hollywood despite multiple attempts to pitch studios on the industry potential of tools like its now-defunct AI video generation platform, Sora. In theory, YouTube is just as much of a threat to the traditional Hollywood model as OpenAI. The platform keeps rolling out products that make deepfakes easier to produce, and much of the AI content that steals from filmmakers and actors can be found on YouTube. Now, however, YouTube seems to hope its likeness detection tool will prove to studios that AI-powered products can actually help Hollywood. And if the Google-owned platform can cement itself as an ally at the same time…well, that certainly wouldn’t hurt its Emmy prospects. 🌟 SPONSORED 🌟 The Diary of a CEO used OpusClip to gain 2M new subs. Here’s how they pulled it off: Hosted by entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, The Diary of a CEO is one of the world’s leading podcast brands, with 15M+ subscribers across its main long-form channel.  But Bartlett didn’t want to stop at long-form success—so the show leveraged OpusClip’s AI clipping tools to launch a dedicated short-form channel, The Diary of a CEO Clips. That channel has since surpassed 2M subscribers. Why does having a separate clips channel matter? 1. Protecting the Main Channel Experience When a main channel is optimized for long-form viewing, audiences expect in-depth storytelling. By introducing short-form content through a new channel, the brand can continue to meet existing expectations on its main channel. 2. Turning Clips into a Testing Engine For The Diary of a CEO, having a dedicated clips channel allowed the team to test new hooks, topics, and formats. OpusClip automated that process by instantly identifying the most engaging moments from long-form content and turning them into ready-to-publish clips.  3. Expanding Reach With high-impact content and lower barriers to entry, short-form channels naturally drive increased subscriber conversion on the main channel.  Add in OpusClip’s cutting-edge AI toolkit, and powering long-term growth becomes automatic. Learn more → HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰 POSSIBLE is hitting Miami next week. Let us know if you’ll be there. From April 27-29, Miami-based marketing conference POSSIBLE will offer its first Creator Economy Academy and present programming from industry-leading speakers like Dhar Mann, Brittany Broski, and Issa Rae. (Tubefilter) India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has proposed legislation that would give the government control over social media posts about “news and current affairs.” (Tubefilter) YouTube has announced that it will begin muting push notifications from channels that users haven’t interacted with for at least a month—with some exceptions. (Engadget) Meta has reportedly informed some staff members that it will begin tracking their mouse movements and keystrokes in order to better train the company’s AI agents. (Gizmodo) THE BIZ Fixated extends its acquisition spree. Creator firm Fixated just scooped up the Studio71 network The acquisition: Fixated is moving its roster of creator partners into four-digit territory. The talent firm, which works with digital stars like Sketch and the Botez Sisters, has acquired the end-to-end creator company Studio71. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Studio71’s previous owner, the German mass media company ProSiebenSat.1, is only selling the company’s North American business to Fixated. Its operations in other territories will remain underneath its umbrella, while the North American network will operate as part of the Fixated platform moving forward. Originally known as the Collective Digital Network, Studio71 has spent the past 15 years building up clout in the creator world. The company was a key player during the multi-channel network era, when it used creator signings, cross-platform strategies, and original programming initiatives to build one of the most competitive rosters in the business. Its current roster includes Dhar Mann, Joey Graceffa, and Unspeakable, each of whom have picked up billions of views across platforms. The context: Earlier this year, Fixated co-founders Zach Katz and Jason Wilhelm told Tubefilter that they intend to give the creator economy its “Avengers assemble” moment. By leveraging a $50 million funding round, Katz and Wilhelm are securing the assets that will make their company a must-have partner across all aspects of the creator career. Previous acquisition targets have included gamer talent firm Ellify and creator subscription business Elevate. Now, with the acquisition of Studio71, Fixated will boast a thousand-strong creator lineup that generates billions of monthly views—plus access to a company that’s well-versed in everything from ad deals to scripted podcasts to merch lines. The firm isn’t stopping there, either. Fixated says it has more acquisition targets in its sights, so keep an eye out for Katz and Wilhem’s next money moves. STREAMING BIG Keke was a guest on Kai Cenat’s stream. Now she’s doing it live on her own channel. Keke Palmer is the host of Twitch’s hottest new talk show The star: As more and more digital-native creators harbor Hollywood dreams, a bona fide A-lister is taking her talents to Twitch. Two decades after her breakout role in Akeelah and the Bee, Keke Palmer is tackling streaming with a talk show called Keke Live. With her presence at tech demos and her status as a driving force behind the digital network Key TV, Palmer is no stranger to the creator economy. Now, as live programming like sports dominates TV screens, the star is seeing if her audience—which already includes nearly 15 million Instagram followers—will follow her to Twitch. The show: The first Keke Live episode, which included a line dance and an “Afro-centric interior decoration history lesson,” showed that Palmer is eager to highlight Black excellence on Twitch. Creators like Kai Cenat and iShowSpeed have led a wave of Black streaming stars that also includes standouts like YourRAGE, Rakai, and Druski. During the stream, Palmer specifically pointed to creators like Cenat and PlaqueBoyMax, whom she has interacted with on her journey toward Twitch stardom. Now is an ideal moment for Palmer to be making that cross-platform jump. Recent deals—including a pact between Kylie Jenner and Night—have shown that there are fewer distinctions than ever separating traditional celebrities from digital creators. If anyone can bridge both worlds, it’s Keke Palmer. WATCH THIS 👀 Disney amps up its inclusivity. Disney reanimated some of its most popular musical scenes in ASL The collaboration: Disney is leveling up a few fan-favorite musical scenes just in time for Deaf History Month. The House of Mouse has joined forces with Deaf West Theatre to reanimate songs from Frozen 2, Encanto, and Moana 2 in American Sign Language. According to Cartoon Brew, Songs in Sign Language was directed by Disney animator/director Hyrum Osmond, who worked with Deaf West Theatre artistic director DJ Kurs, sign language reference choreographer Catalene Sacchetti, and over 20 Disney animators. The project includes Frozen 2’s “The Next Right Thing,” Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” and Moana 2’s “Beyond.” Check out a trailer for the reimagined songs here before they hit Disney+ on April 27. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here.​ Want to introduce your brand to Tubefilter’s audience? Sponsor the newsletter. Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.   Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Tubefilter 1450 2nd Street, Ste 275 Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States Powered by beehiiv Terms of Service