What Iron Lung Represents for Creators

TL;DR: Iron Lung is proof that audience trust can beat gatekeepers.

And that finding the people who stay matters more than fast numbers.

Listen to this blog post below! ⬇️

I know a lot has been said about Markiplier’s new horror movie Iron Lung currently out in theaters. And I’m not here to talk about its content because personally? It was such a fun movie. Loved the lore, loved the set, the fresh new take on something not normally done before and of course, love Markiplier for really following his dream despite naysayers and Hollywood professionals acting as gatekeepers.

Because that’s really what I wanted to highlight.

What interested me more than the movie itself was what it represents for creators.

For so long, us small creatives have had to go through the traditional route of getting our dreams off the ground. From querying to finding agents to selling books to major publishers or screenplays to Hollywood studios, going one’s own way to get our art in front of audiences was never a realistic option. At least, it wasn’t back then. You’ve had your occasional outliers but their success depended so much on luck and the right backing.

Things are definitely easier now that people have options.

YouTube, TikTok, and other social platforms have made it possible for creators to pop off and garner a fanbase that believes in their potential. It’s beautiful seeing people show up and show out because the numbers for Iron Lung are IMPRESSIVE. It shows that the most hopeful part of it all isn’t just technology changing. It’s access as well.

So Inspiring, I saw it Twice!

Iron Lung is a film made with such dedication and love, a passion project that was taken seriously and shared because it was a promise made to fans who cared and wanted to see him succeed. And while it didn’t have official backing, it still beat the odds and exceeded even Mark’s expectations. It’s proof of the earned trust in one’s fan base and audience making a difference.

We can turn that example to inspire ourselves as well.

The reality is Mark’s kind of success can feel distant when you’re still creating in relative obscurity. When you’re putting work out and hearing very little back. As a comic artist, author and youtuber myself, I understand that feeling all too intimately. It can get discouraging even if the goal was just to make the art and have people enjoy it. Things get lost in the vast expanse of the internet, but just because they do, doesn’t mean there won’t be an audience for it. It’s just about finding a home.

I was very fortunate to be able to have people interested in my opinion videos on YouTube. I honestly wasn’t expecting traction when I uploaded my first. Mostly I was fed up with the majority opinion which was based mostly off feelings and interpretation than the black and white text. Which isn’t inherently wrong, but it is annoying when it destroys innocent enjoyment. Still, I kept at it and found people willing to stop and listen and then from there, they believed in what I had to say.

Sometimes success doesn’t look like numbers exploding overnight. Sometimes it looks like finding the people who stay. And for Mark, his fans stayed. And then some. For me, I have a couple who stayed on YouTube. If I can find others willing to stay for my comics, even better.

In the end, seeing Iron Lung in theatres represented to me the culmination of hardwork and being delusional about your dreams. So what if Hollywood or the Publishing Industry or other gatekeepers don’t believe in you? Your fans, your audience does. And it makes all the difference.

Look at Mark’s Iron Lung. Look at SenLinYu’s Alchemised. Look at Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper! Anything is possible.

So believe in yourself and believe in your dreams. Once you do, your fans will believe in you too.

Until next time,

DayDay 🫶🏽

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