David Dobrik’s new photo app that reimagines the old way photography worked has launched a new version of the app with an ad that dresses the YouTuber up in an old costume.
Dobrik’s app is called Dispo. It’s essentially a digital version of an old-school disposable camera. (Get it? Dispo.) A new ad features Dobrik as an old man, crying and flipping through old photos of his partying with influencer pals. The spot was directed by Mark Romanek — director of the film One Hour Photo, which does not feel accidental — the makeup was done by Oscar- winning artist Kazu Hiro. It’s super realistic.
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Right now Dispo remains invitation only and people are fighting to get in. Basically you take pictures through a small aperture with a crude zoom function, just like an old disposable. Your photos “develop” the next day at 9 a.m. There’s no editing, the pics just are what they are. The relaunched version of Dispo will let you create both public, collaborative, and private rolls of photos but no actual social feed. The idea is the app is aimed at simple, fun photography, not curated social clout.
The app is seemingly designed to capture candid moments with friends — it seems it would be fun at a party — which, of course, is a concept pretty limited by the pandemic. Dobrik told the New York Times the app was inspired by parties he’d attended.
“When I used to go to parties with my friends, they would have disposable cameras all throughout the house, and they’d urge people to take pictures throughout the night,” he told the paper. “In the morning, they’d collect all the cameras and look back at the footage and be like, ‘What happened last night?'”
However, despite the hype around Dispo, Dobrik has been the recent subject of a sexual assault allegation.
Joseth “Seth” Francois, a former member of the Vlog Squad, said a prank Dobrik pulled for one of his videos was assault. Francois alleged in a BuzzFeed report that he was tricked into kissing Jason Nash in a June 2017 video, thinking it was a different person. The video is titled “HE THOUGHT HE WAS KISSING HER!! (SUPER CRINGEY)”.
Francois also said he had been the subject of racist jokes.
A representative for David Dobrik was not immediately available to comment on the allegations.