433 - Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach - His Journey from YouTube Creator to "Iron Lung" Box Office Success

·1 hr 38 min·5 clips

Lying in a hospital bed after tumor surgery, Markiplier realized his engineering path was making him miserable.

The episode opens with hosts Chris Barkley and Nicholas Buggs introducing guest Mark 'Markiplier' Fischbach, noting his recent attendance at the Academy Awards. Mark humorously recounts getting lost on the red carpet and trying the hors d'oeuvres. The hosts provide a bio highlighting Mark's 38 million YouTube subscribers, his dropout from biomedical engineering school, and the box office success of his film 'Iron Lung,' which grossed over $50 million on a $3.6 million budget. In the 'Story is King' segment, Mark describes wanting to be known as someone who never stops trying new things and values learning over mere persistence. He reflects on his childhood, influenced by his father's military background and early exposure to technology and gaming. Mark details a pivotal moment lying in a hospital bed after adrenal tumor surgery, where he realized his engineering path was unfulfilling, leading him to try YouTube at his brother's suggestion. The conversation shifts to filmmaking, with Mark explaining the psychological shift his crew experienced when making a feature film versus YouTube content, as they treated it with more prestige. He shares an anecdote about meeting actress McKenna Grace at the Oscars, who was a fan of his YouTube project 'Unus Annus.' Nicholas Buggs presents audience polls showing 71% would watch a movie by their favorite YouTuber and 73% are fans of video game adaptations, prompting discussion on parasocial relationships and the stigma around game-based films. Mark advises aspiring creators to start making content immediately, using 'stupidity as a method of procrastination,' and stresses the importance of output over consumption. He discusses the challenges of interactive storytelling and his philosophy of remembering fans are real people with their own lives. The episode concludes with insights on collaborative filmmaking, the necessity of a skilled crew, and Mark's love for editing as his primary creative control.

As heard by us

Mark uses "Iron Lung" and game-inspired movies to examine the responsibility behind one-sided audience trust.

Mark's discussion gives the episode a clean focus: what creators owe an audience when attention starts to feel like closeness. Around "Iron Lung," he separates genuine online friendship from the more lopsided bond that forms when viewers invest time, trust, and emotion without…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play when Mark's Iron Lung conversation has your attention, especially the part where fandom, attention, and responsibility get complicated.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The MAKE IT Podcast