This app will take you inside a YouTuber's camera roll
Roll wants to take you inside the camera rolls of influencers like David Dobrik, Tana Mongeau, and Sommer Ray. The latest way for creators to monetize content, the app offers exclusive access to snaps for $5 to $12 a month.
CEO Erik Zamudio says Roll, which launches today, was built to stand out against existing options for paywalled content (he won't name names, but Patreon and OnlyFans come to mind) that are outdated, not "brand safe," or too time-consuming to use. Roll's creator profiles look just like an iPhone camera roll, with no liking, commenting, or messaging. "We wanted this to be something where a creator could wake up, open up their phone, tap five pictures, click upload, and be done," says Zamudio. "It removes that expectation of super high quality content and lets creators be the most real version of themselves."
He hopes Roll will reduce the pressure for women creators, especially, who feel obligated to post "polished" photos on Instagram or NSFW content behind paywalls. A quick scroll through Roll shows that influencers like Sommer Ray, who boasts more than 26 million Instagram followers, are still posting those polished, Instagram-worthy snaps on the app, but now they’re joined by crying selfies, memes, and iMessage screenshots.
The Roll team has focused on recruiting YouTube creators and influencers for its launch but is eager to crack the college and pro athlete space, and expand their reach within entertainment. Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp, who is joining the app soon, says he’s excited about its potential. “Their platform got my attention because it’s actually bringing something new to the paywall space," he told Mashable. "Creators can finally be themselves and share a side of their lives that nobody really gets to see."
Zamudio has eight years of experience in the app and brand activation industry and was a founding member of David’s Disposable, a photo app co-founded by Dobrik in 2019. He left the company in August 2020, before the app rebranded as Dispo in March 2021 and Dobrik stepped down amid allegations that he facilitated sexual assault to create content for his YouTube channel. Dobrik is one of Roll’s featured creators, but is not an investor in the app.
When asked if he feels worried about how Dobrik’s history may affect Roll, Zamudio says, "It's tough to comment on that… The creator space is obviously always one of those things — it's shifting around and a lot of stuff is happening — and so it's just better to leave it at that."