I talked about Channel Awesome before so let me talk about Doug Walker.
I will never say that I wasn't a fan of his. I was at least until I grew disinterested in his work. To say that I was never ever a fan is disingenuous for me. I was a fan and watched his series before he uploaded it to YouTube officially.
Because I watched his videos, I found others to watch like Linkara and JesuOtaku.
Now that's history is out of the way, I wanted to discuss Doug Walker as an artist.
In all intents and purposes, Doug wanted to be an auteur filmmaker and producer. He certainly thinks himself better as one while his former friends and associates (Lindsay Ellis, Ed Glaser, Eric Rodriguez) who actually went to film school disagreed. I don't know about Noah Antwiler but since Spoony wanted to be a part of the filmmaking scene, I just don't know especially given poor Noah's mental state.
For the time period of the early 2010s, his editing process would be deemed okay. Not respectable, amateur but okay. His friends, AVGN, Angry Joe and Phelous, have better editing at the time.
You would think he would hire a group of editors or just some editors to help him make better. Arin Hanson hired editors, the Try Guys hired editors, Safiya Nygaard hired editors.
You would think for a group hiring actors and collabs would also hire editors.
But the editing has not changed. It's easy cuts to scenes to 'theatrical cuts' of some plot or skit. The green screen is not easily blended to show enough realism and the editing would just come off silly. It makes the videoes he just didn't put in the effort, even for a video he supposed have months to show for.
It's no secret Doug has an apparent egocentric self-centered personality about his filmmaking. He legitimately believed he is making art when his editing is a bit not good. There's a cringe compilation for the love of Godoka.
However, his naivety and often times his ego would get in the way. Just look at the production issues with all three of his anniversary movies.
Let me make this clear.
Those movies are his movies. While Mike Michaud may make the final calls in official business including firing people for not being at a Skype chat for fifteen minutes, the movies are Doug's babies. To Boldly Flee was Nostalgia Critic's swan song.
However, if only Doug gets out of his head of his own issues which he fully admits and actually extends a hand he negligently forced upon unwarranted cruelty just so he could escape lawsuits.
Doug wanted to be a filmmaker. He made his intentions clear with Demo Reel.
Except he should've let his fans and producers know about it. They would still support him if they were allowed time to adjust. Announce the retirement of your character to your producers first about a year beforehand, allowing them time to organize how to survive.
Doug can have his Demo Reel by trying it out as a separate show from the Nostalgia Critic main. That way, not only Doug can have his passion project but get fans' reactions. Have a pilot and test it out. It couldn't be easier than to get fans' reactions and the allowance to make changes if necessary, getting the groove on.
Instead of forcing fans to dedicate forty minutes of their lives each episode to a show that had a loose schedule and poor reception from the get-go because fans didn't have enough time to adjust with the lack of Nostalgia Critic.
I was willing to give Doug the benefit of the doubt that he believed he has the support from fans and producers if he surprised them instead.
But hindsight is fifty-fifty.
Fans are not willing to support something they aren't used to that has no advertisement beforehand or announcement of the previous show's ending that came abruptly.
They are willing to give you the ending Nostalgia Critic deserved. If they didn't spring upon with the news of Nostalgia Critic's, in their eyes, abrupt cancellation.
They would fully understand that you want to get out there and produce auteur filmmaking but give them a warning beforehand, give them time to adjust.
*sighs*
I'm supposed to be talking about Doug as a filmmaker.
He's not a filmmaker. He legitimately believed he is making art if his reviews and skits have anything to say about it.
He's a YouTuber, a guy in a costume ranting in front of the camera in a blank room.
For all his belief he's a filmmaker, he never tried to evolve. His editing is the same early 2010s style that would jive with the YouTube of 2019's editing.
It might work then but it won't work now.
Not when video essays and commentaries with well-animated and precise explanations and research are desired in this day and age.
Easily flowing editing that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like Ben from Game Grumps and the group of editing the Right Opinion rounds up for his commentaries are notable examples. An informed well-researched explanation/critique is all that people would want.
Even videomakers who didn't go to film school but study film in books and attend some class in improv comedy - yes, Arin attended improv to better improve his comedy - shows that Youtube had grown since the early 10s. Abroad in Japan and Slime House is one of the examples I can name at the top of my head.
Yes, they would escape reality with videos of Let's Plays or travel videos or living vicariously through those whose traveling or finding fun in people doing challenges.
But considering he didn't do a simple Google search for soundproof sound stages in his office he got just for Demo Reel... Yeah, I wouldn't hold out hope he would be nothing more than a YouTuber who got lucky and wanted to be a filmmaker above all else.
And the only fame he would get is from his little fanbase.
Doug has been a laughingstock ever since the Change the Channel debacle about his many, many flaws as a reviewer and a video-maker.
When even people who have small channels with few subscribers say they would not make his piss-poor editing is an understatement. It would work for a first-timer but for someone who did it as long as he did, it's unacceptable.
Doug's type of evolution is being a filmmaker.
He adds skits because he so desperately wants to be an actor and director. It shows so hard that he wants to be one.
But he doesn't want to go to Hollywood. Other than the horrible business practices Hollywood often partakes in, Doug doesn't think he would survive in an environment.
Then why doesn't he become an independent filmmaker then?
Let's look at another filmmaker who is two decades his senior.
He crowdfunds his movies and people support him because he made entertainingly bad movies in the likes of Tommy Wiseau and James Nguyen.
Breen didn't even study in film school. He's a real estate agent and only made the movies because he has a deep passion for them. If IMDB is right, then Doug did get to film school and according to Erod, bragged about attending one film shooting unlike the many that Lindsay, Eric, and Ed may have attended.
Neil Breen is an independent filmmaker and for all his faults, he's inspirational for aspiring filmmakers especially of the independent type.
And Doug Walker will never now walk in Breen's shoes as an inspirational independent filmmaker.
If Doug wanted to become a filmmaker, then become an independent filmmaker but learn from the mistakes first and crowdfund your independent movies that people want to see.
Instead of forcing the actors to recoup the cost for you.
Crowdfunding wouldn't do much for Doug since that game show was shot to hell and considering that the Walkers and Michaud see it as e-begging...
Yeah, Doug Walker would never become the filmmaker he desperately wanted to be.
He couldn't get shooting permits for his previous movies, for the love of Godoka and thinks that fast food runs are all enough for his actors when his actors need food and water the entire time they are in the vicinity of the set. He can be aware of his actors getting sick or borderline thereof but something like providing food and water is something not obvious to him. Even I am aware of this because this is both a necessary and common sense.
Doug has to have known his movies are vanity projects, given Nostalgia Critic blatantly point it out.
But his movies, according to his former friends, came with him had no intention to learn. Because he thinks he knows everything.
Though given years later, he doesn't soundproof his new office or tries to make his editing look more fluid.
I don't know when his ego came in full-force.
But his friends were supportive up to a point. In To Boldly Flee, while they did have fun, the hellish production was too much for everyone involved. The management didn't even try to make it better for everyone involved.
When even his friends who aren't even aiming to be actual independent filmmakers have the common sense to provide their crew with crafts services and get permits. Linkara learned from Doug's mistakes and made damn sure to have his cast and crew comfortable. Marzgurl, who made the unfortunate Farewell FamiKamen Rider, made sure she paid for the time her cast and crew made for the movie. Mike Jeavons, who made Internet Dating and Me, outright said that he paid the shooting permits and hotel for his cast and crew. James Rolfe outright stated that he went through so much trouble to get legal permits. None of them are aiming to become indie filmmakers in any way since that's not their goal and they know they're YouTubers.
Doug, get your head out of your ass and learn from your mistakes. If you truly want to become that auteur, you must learn to become a truly great filmmaker.
It's amusing Tommy Wiseau actually went to the Golden Globes whereas Doug Walker would never be recognized in the same fashion.
He basically became Tommy Wiseau in Internet form. But this time, Doug's works wouldn't be recognized on the same level as The Room's fun.
I understand Doug has the right to hate or don't care. I honestly do not care Doug don't like Pokemon or Power Rangers. That does not hurt me. What hurt me is that he doesn't care for their legacy or their adult fanbase whose heart truly loves it.
His jokes border on the mean-spirited and the implication he never tries to understand the thing he doesn't like or understand.
Just look at Sailor Moon. It's obvious he doesn't care and spread misinformation when Sailor Moon is a shoujo, written by a female mangaka, and shoujo is aimed at girls.
Yes, Sailor Moon has its problems but all stuff does. Do you think I let the flaws of Hetalia and One Piece ruin my enjoyment? Never.
I am not asking him to become a fan but rather the willingness to have him understand so he can make an informed decision from an outsider's perspective. Bring in major fans who actually know the ins and outs of the series and provide insight.
Don't make assumptions. Learn, research, and understand why the thing you're hating managed to become so big even among adults now and managed to maintain their reputation to this day. Doug seemed to think Pokemon is a fad when not really... His excuse that he was in high school when Pokemon came out is weak when I know full well high school and college students are in love with Pokemon. Adults love Pokemon and they are unrelenting about their love.
It would be disingenuous for the fans who love the series Doug hate. Even if he would never understand, he could at least make an effort to understand the fanbase since he seems to like being praised.
That's all I've been asking him.
I'm pretty sure the fans of Pink Floyd's The Wall want the same thing too given how much backlash he did not understand what the album means personally to Roger Waters or its historical context. I'm pretty sure they don't care if you hate or love the product as long as you review it and not waste time with repetitive badly written 'parody' songs.
The reason I'm saying this is because of Doug knows how to put in the research. For the most part, his editorials can be a hit or miss. Just look at his Whitewashing video for the love of Godoka.
He can put in the research if it's something he loves like TMNT. Just look at his Ducktales 2017 video.
And even then he doesn't do that much. Just look at his poor understanding of Jean Grey and her character development. Listen, the comic history is convoluted but he could at least reach out to people who know the history or look it up for better understanding.
It's not that hard. A simple Google search is all he had to do. Go to forums or go to his friends who actually know it. For the love of Godoka, Calluna released a retrospective on Sailor Moon.
Seriously, a Google search is all he can do so he doesn't embarrass any further by portraying himself as an auteur director when he's anything but.
When his fanbase is based entirely on new fans with old fans abandoning due to disillusionment.
What he can do to rebuild the bridge and reach out to those he hurt in his ten-year reign with Rob and Mike.
What he can do is learn and understand.
Channel Awesome might never reach the level of its golden days but the complications may prove difficult for those who want a happy ending.
But considering real life, I don't think Doug would be apologizing or understanding of differing opinions or listen to criticism.
Listen, unlike Arin Hanson who doesn't see the comments he gets about how he's terrible at games or how he's bullying Dan but if you know the long history, they are best friends and stuck together for years now. His comments are basic and there are times Arin has shown to be a decent player. Like he's no Jirard or Joe Vargas but if he knows how to play a game, then it's all fine. He's not an egotist since I bet he's fully aware of his flaws and is a good friend up to including to letting SuperMega go as his editors for their happiness despite knowing he has to hire another editor.
Doug, though, has an ego and thinks himself a next Steven Spielberg. He doesn't listen to his friends when all they want is to give advice so he could make a better product. Yes, he has issues during his production which he admitted to not eating or sleeping for long periods. But his depression doesn't give him the right to have negligence in the set as forcing people to endure in a hot attic with no filming or go to the local Walmart to buy bottled water in bulk or just call crafts services for the love of Godoka.
What Doug has to do is learn, understand, and become better for it.
Listen, for those who are still watching Doug's content, keep watching him for all your heart's content.
I honestly do not care if people still enjoy it.
There's a difference between cancel culture and the death of the author.
The problem is Doug himself and his unwillingness to change or grow in the decade he got his Internet fame. And he's losing it the more he doesn't do the research or respect the material he's reviewing when all he had to do is just search online.
Come on, he has problems with tech and a single Google search is probably the easiest thing anybody can do, even the least tech-savvy. He should have an easy time researching, given he actually went to college where research is definitely required for a better essay. It should be a no-brainer that he could do a simple Google search on the Wall gave how much he said this is his pet project, something he had been working on for months.
Instead, that effort clearly went into getting collabs and those collabs have a tight schedule for the release of the video, and the songwriting and just basically recreating the scenes probably from one watch. I doubt he even saw the movie again.
By someone who outright mistakes names and not jokingly too and outright misinterprets scenes when the scene is right there in the original. It's alright for a bad movie since everybody can watch a fascinatingly bad movie like The Room but it's another when it's something that actually has exposition right there and it's spelled out to you like Deadpool and the newer Jurassic Park movies.
Doug does have potential and I will never deny anyone their dream.
But the way he's going is showing he isn't growing and learning the more he continues in his trek. What he must do is obvious if he truly wants to become an indie filmmaker and that's to learn and grow.
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