Dan & Phil Part 89: So what now?

citizen_erased · Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:36 pm

flarequake wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:10 pm Awful to hear about him getting stressed out from taking on so much, I know the feeling, though have had such different stress over work/lack of, it’s been the bane of my life for years. Also his dad and I’m glad he’s in remission. That was a weird one for me, mine had 6 years of treatment and when he died the lonely feels led me to these boys, they’re forever connected in my heart. I’ve had the lonelies lately too, having only a handful of rl friends left and feeling like few are interested does feel crap. Reminds me I saw their friend Adam at SITC, he moderated a panel, though I forget which.

just gonna quote this bit here, because this is what hit me too. I've seen some "only 4 friends? oh wow, loneliness sucks" floating around, and as someone who has 4 friends in total who all live in different cities, don't know each other, and are generally too busy to see me (and as someone who is also perpetually either paid minimum wage or unemployed, and is single) it just really hit me how incredibly lonely I actually am and how lucky Dan and Phil are to have each other. Part of me is incredibly jealous of them, and part of me is very happy to know that at least in this terrible world, these two have made it through all these awful times together, and that I get to live through them in a way.

But I was also thinking about how, on top of everything he talked about in the video, there was still the remnants of the v-day video leaking and Dan's depression. I can't even begin to imagine how hard everything was. They're so strong to have made it through this far, and really, they deserve to take it easier and focus on what they want and need in their personal lives. Doesn't mean I don't miss them though. I know they're like right there and they gave us a lot today, but also. I miss them together.

I'm also a bit more conflicted on the phandom and our relationship with them. I'm not saying I'm innocent in any of this, and I still stand by some of my opinions, but after their coming out videos and now this, I do wonder how much unnecessary stress we all added to their - and our - lives and what kind of terrible behaviour we've normalized within the phandom.

I don't know. I've been feeling weird for a while, and this video - through no fault of Phil whatsoever - made it a bit worse.

sapienveneficus · Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:58 pm

Phanshy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:29 pm Curses to the company that robbed us of a Dan and Phil travel show. ✈

bantsandpheels · Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:02 am

Just wanted to throw this out before I arrive at work in 10 mins. Phil has always been applauded (over Dan) as the more consistent content creator, but I've never stopped to think about how hard it might be and the toll it could take on him. I'm really appreciating this new Phil who is trying to be a bit more personal with us. I do feel a bit silly now about how hyped I was for this video. It's just that after the video I've begun thinking: if I'm going to let Phil live his life, I have to go live mine (instead of rewatching their videos constantly)... which is slightly terrifying.

Also I'm not sure if I'm right about this, but something tells me this is not the end of joint projects forever. I do believe it when they say they love working together - You can see it through SAP, the radio show, DAPG and everything else they've done together. I feel like a break from joint branding may be just what they need though, at least until the next creative idea hits.

socksparadox · Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:08 am

All the videos in the PCOU are so....cathartic. I'm grateful Phil truly seems to be making an effort to be open with his audience. I'm happy he feels safe enough to.

I'm also hopeful for the future of content - joint or solo. On the topic of joint content though, I'm really hoping the first collab is a mukbang aaah

Can't believe people are saying that this was "nothing we've never heard before". It's extremely superficial and dismissive to gloss over not only how honest and open Phil was in this video, but the fact that this is pretty much the first time he's really talked about the dark aspects of his life. This may not have seemed like a big step to you, but to him it may have been.

abundanceofbees wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:33 pm So this Phil vid really “hit different” as we say here because I’m leaving for college in a few days and having dnp move forward into the rest their lives at this time gives me a lot of hope. Anyways, I really loved the video and can’t wait for everything that comes next!

I just moved into college yesterday. Good luck!

snoopysadie · Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:19 am

bantsandpheels wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:02 am Just wanted to throw this out before I arrive at work in 10 mins. Phil has always been applauded (over Dan) as the more consistent content creator, but I've never stopped to think about how hard it might be and the toll it could take on him. I'm really appreciating this new Phil who is trying to be a bit more personal with us. I do feel a bit silly now about how hyped I was for this video. It's just that after the video I've begun thinking: if I'm going to let Phil live his life, I have to go live mine (instead of rewatching their videos constantly)... which is slightly terrifying.

Also I'm not sure if I'm right about this, but something tells me this is not the end of joint projects forever. I do believe it when they say they love working together - You can see it through SAP, the radio show, DAPG and everything else they've done together. I feel like a break from joint branding may be just what they need though, at least until the next creative idea hits.

the first paragraph looks like you took sentences out of my head and typed them out.
the second paragraph scares me and i don't want to discuss it so i'm going to pretend it doesn't exist even though i'm going to think about it several times a day.

basically i came back to ask if there is any space left up there on moving hill because y'all need to rearrange your tents, i'm pretty sure 80% of us are packing up or climbing up rn.

Grey · Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:54 am

My initial reaction to this video was sadness. And guilt that his life which brought me enjoyment was so horrible and he hated it so much. The optimism expressed here surprised me a lot because that was not what I heard on my first take AT ALL. But I’ve thought about it, and it strikes me that this might have been a very difficult video for Phil to make. The coming out one seemed like a big deal, but he knew that a lot of his audience was already supportive of lgbt people and even of the concept of *him* being not straight. This video, however, he talks about things that are hard and not positive, which Phil doesn’t normally do. Like he said in the video, he doesn’t want his channel to be a place that burdens others with his problems. So I don’t think there was as much safety that we might react positively to it.

Change is hard for me (and lots of people). Uncertainly is hard for me (and lots of people). So this is hard. But I’m not sure the message was entirely how I originally took it. I think him mentioning negative things about his life doesn’t mean he thinks it was all horrible and he hated it. I’m just not used to him mentioning negative things so it was jarring. I hope he doesn’t feel that way. I want to be optimistic like some others here. Regardless, I feel a sense of gratitude for Phil tonight, for the enjoyment and comfort his videos and things have brought me over the years.

coconut · Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:59 am

abundanceofbees wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:33 pm In honor of the upload I guess now is the time to finally make an IDB account/post after… 4??5?? years of watching dnp

This video felt like such a breath of fresh air to me and I’m not sure if anyone has had the same experience, but the era’s of dnp always seem to happen exactly at the right time for me. Being 14/15 and binging all of their videos when I was just looking for entertainment and something to fill the little bit of free time the new “high school” thing left, being 16 and watching Daniel and Depression and the more serious content as I was experiencing some of the first true family loss in my life, and being 17/18 with the endless void of possibilities that was late 2018 1st half of 2019 that perfectly lined up with college applications and the “whats next?” question.

So this Phil vid really “hit different” as we say here because I’m leaving for college in a few days and having dnp move forward into the rest their lives at this time gives me a lot of hope. Anyways, I really loved the video and can’t wait for everything that comes next!

...are we living the same life?! i know i'm not the first person to comment this but it feels like you've literally taken the thoughts straight from my head and put them into words. (and very glad that we got to share these experiences!

)
everything they've done has lined up with my life & its changes, which is why this video made my heart heavy and full at the same time. i don't know how to explain the feeling of growing up watching dnp's videos and how much they really mean to me. i can't really talk about it with anyone i know in real life as they don't understand and also don't care, but dnp have had such a huge impact on my thoughts and my life and have always made me smile like nothing else ever could. i'm not really an idb regular-- but it's times like these i'm especially thankful for this very understanding community :')

tldr: dnp are good eggs and deserve the world

autumnhearth · Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:25 am

blahblahblah8 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:04 pm Hm I just noticed there was no ads (or maybe it’s just me?) I’m guessing maybe he didn’t want to profit off what was mostly personal stuff?

When I watched it the first time on my iPad there were two ad breaks with two ads each. When I watched it via the app on the PS4, on my husband’s YT account, there were no ads.

I did facepalm at the merch spon but I’m just going to think he did it for Martyn. Also I did feel a bit better watching it a second time, directly after the first Draw My Life. It helped knowing what was coming. I’m just feeling really physically crap which probably effects my emotional state. I love that Phil thinks his parents are cute. As someone whose parents should have gotten divorced before I was born I have no idea what that’s like, but I love that for them.

greenergrass · Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:39 am

I'm feeling a lot of emotions after phil's video. Feels like all their videos lately are giving me all the emotions.

I think people have already articulated most of my thoughts, but yeah. I have mixed feelings.

I'm sad for what phil went through over the years, proud of him for opening up about so many different things lately, happy for both of them for the life they've managed to build together, feeling a bit disconnected in the sense that videos like this emphasize how much we really don't know shit about them, feeling more connected in the sense that phil shared a lot and allowed us to understand things from the past in a new light, a bit sad about the (even more) confirmation of little joint content in the near to whenever future, happy for phil (and dan) that he's pursuing his own interests and most of all pursuing happiness and a fulfilled personal life, feeling a sense of nostalgia and loss for the past few years of joint content that I loved, feeling excitement for what the future holds in both their professional lives and also the way they've expressed the opportunity of being more open in their private lives, and just so many other things. It's a lot, but I think in the end the excitement for what the future may hold wins out.

Amiaw · Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:48 am

Some unconnected and poorly written thoughts about the video

I think I’m at a place where hearing about the gaming channel doesn’t bother me. All I ever really wanted was to be assured that their separate journeys would still include each other and I think they’ve shown us that they really mean it when they say they are companions through life. I’m also happy to hear Phil say that they will occasionally pop up on each other’s channels.

I also don’t really feel guilt after watching Phil’s video. I feel empathy for him and appreciation for what great guys they both are but Phil chose not to tell us about his struggles so he could be a happy place for people on the internet and his channel has always been that for me and that’s something that I’m really grateful for.

interestingly the year that we haven’t had any liveshows and that most content has went to the wayside is the first year that we’ve really gotten to know Dan and Phil. I’m finally feeling calm about this year and what’s to come and couldn’t be happier for them.

plinthofmylife · Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:05 am

So it’s 3am here because I went to bed at 10 after giving up on an upload, and then when I woke up at 2 and saw Phil had uploaded I watched it.

So I will keep this shortish because it is the literal middle of the night but:
I loved that. It was so good. He talked about all the crappy parts of making a job as an internet creator with no roadmap, but also the cool parts of making a job with no roadmap, reiterated so many things I saw from the outside, and also it was nice to hear that maybe their model of working isn’t sustainable with a real life. (As someone who wonders how tf they do it and aspires to do the same level of work productivity.)

Also love he drew a little heart between him and dan because I am trash.

Excited for the next era, this felt like the mukbang a little bit but like a mukbang with a plan. And for dog and house.

(Also was Dan’s hand helping erase when there were two hands erasing? It stylistically made sense there but couldn’t tell. IDB will know.)

Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:07 am

Two random thoughts:

First... this video feels like it has more in common with Basically I'm Gay than Phil's actual coming out video did. I just appreciate that. I appreciate that he wanted to share more about his life in the same way Dan did, but that for Phil what he wanted to share, the hard things he's gone through and the stressers in his - their - life that aren't strictly related to sexuality. This really feels like he's telling the work/life half of what Dan already talked about - the sexuality part.

Second, he has managed to share a lot but still side step the era of time around the vday video. This isn't something I mind, just something I noticed. His coming out video ends as he moved back home from uni, and this video picks back up in 2013.

Amiaw wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:48 am interestingly the year that we haven’t had any liveshows and that most content has went to the wayside is the first year that we’ve really gotten to know Dan and Phil. I’m finally feeling calm about this year and what’s to come and couldn’t be happier for them.

That's a really fantastic way of putting way this year has really been about.

spaceguitar · Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:20 am

I very much enjoyed his video. It was wonderful to hear about the whole journey from Phil's perspective. It was also super strange to think about how different it is for that content creator versus for the viewer. When they are out there taking huge risks and creating new ideas, we are passively consuming content. No matter how you spin it, the internet is 'work' for them.
I'm so grateful though that we've been let in on their journey through out their careers. I hope that they are able to find a comfortable balance with content creating and living their fullest lives.
This video also stressed for me how much D&P are a unit :happytears:

In videos sometimes they emphasize the differences in their personalities, and this video stressed for me how cohesive and unified they are behind the scenes- so sweet. And also how it was not just Dan that was struggling and Phil comforting him, but that they were both struggling with balancing their job, updating schedules, & being closeted, and that they had each other to confide in.
I also thought it was cute when Phil said how happy he was to work with his brother, and then said how great it was to drag him into their 'crazy world'. And in a way it sounded like him & Dan were even closer than him and Martyn.

yellowsubmarine · Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:36 am

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say I've never watched a more vulnerable Phil. He really opened up. To me, a casual viewer, that's what it felt like. Like a peak inside the cracked shell.

I like it. I like this Phil. I hope he stays. I wanna see more.

itasca00 · Mon Aug 19, 2019 4:25 am

I really enjoyed this video! I learned a lot of interesting (and personal) things about Phil (and Dan) from it, and I'm so glad to see Phil start to open up about some of the struggles he's experienced in his life, both professionally and personally. There were a lot of announcements about the future in this video, but I find the thing I'm most hopeful for is the success of Project Sphere... Anyway, here are my timestamps:

[0:30] Phil says the only thing he wishes he could change about his previous “Draw My Life” video is that he wishes he could add “P.S. I was gay!” to it.
[0:36] The last “Draw My Life” story left off with Dan and Phil moving to London around 2013. A year’s rent in London cost Dan and Phil their entire life savings. If they didn’t make a career online happen, they would be left with no money and some student loan debt.
[1:04] Thankfully, they got a show on BBC Radio 1. The contents of the show were a lot of fun but also very ambitious.
[1:40] Phil tells a story about the radio show. In the beginning, Phil was in charge of pressing buttons on the control panel during the radio show. However, he once pressed the wrong button, which resulted in a full minute of dead air. After that, Dan was put in charge of pressing the buttons.
[2:03] Phil talks about hitting one million subscribers on YouTube. This was the point that Phil decided he was certifiably a full-time internet entertainer.
[2:40] As the radio show continued to get bigger, Phil says that he and Dan got an agent (presumably at FlipSide).
[2:48] Not having much money at the time, Phil felt like he should say “yes” to every professional opportunity that came his way. He lists a variety of jobs that he agreed to do: presenting at a film premiere, doing a YouTube spon, doing the Brit Awards, interviewing Ed Sheeran on the red carpet, introducing Imagine Dragons at a festival, doing a week-long outdoor shoot in exchange for “exposure.”
[3:24] Phil’s anxiety got really bad during this time because he was juggling too much. He was working hard, not getting sleep, and worrying about not getting anything done the next day.
[3:38] During this time, Phil got a call saying that he needed to come home because of his dad’s health. His dad had a very rare form of blood cancer. He was really sick for over a year, but he was upbeat the whole time. Phil considered dropping everything to come home while his dad was fighting cancer, but his dad convinced him that it would be more helpful for Phil to stay in London and continue working. Because he was put on an experimental drug, Phil’s dad has been in remission for five years (since 2014).
[4:52] Phil shows a photo of his mom and dad holding hands while walking near a beach.
[4:56] Dan and Phil realized that all the jobs they were agreeing to do were no longer advancing their careers, and they were doing them out of obligation rather than passion. They also wanted full control over the content they created, and they felt that “the internet” was the future. So they decided to focus on their online/YouTube careers, and they decided to stop doing the radio show and everything else. At this point, they also ditched their old agent at FlipSide (who focused on TV) and got a new team from Above the Fray (who focused on the internet).
[5:28] To celebrate all things Dan and Phil, Dan and Phil decided to make TABINOF. This also felt like the perfect moment to go on tour, which launched TATINOF. Now, there was no one telling them what to do or change, but this also meant that they had to make every single decision, which came with a whole lot of office work while planning and executing an entire world tour.
[6:51] TATINOF felt like moving to London had because Dan and Phil put all their savings, even the money from TABINOF into it. Thankfully, ~100,000 people bought tickets and made TATINOF successful, and TABINOF was a #1 bestseller.
[7:52] Meeting so many people during TATINOF really affected Phil. Hearing the stories of how his videos had brightened up people’s days or gotten people through the hard times or really inspired people that related to his life made Phil realize just how special this YouTube thing he was doing was.
[8:13] During this time, Dan and Phil had to do some press to promote TABINOF and TATINOF. Phil experienced some “gay fear” during some interviews because he was still closeted publicly and to his extended family. Some reporters just wanted to talk about dating and sexuality, and they wanted to ask about liking girls and “hot female celebrities.” Some reporters were also obsessed with the idea of YouTube as a career.
[8:55] Phil tells a specific horror story about dealing with the press. During a photoshoot, Phil was made to balance on a disco ball with his legs spread out in tight jeans. The photographer sat on the floor with the camera pointed up towards Phil’s crotch, and they asked Phil to look more sensual.
[9:20] As an aside, Phil says he’s really enjoying drawing. He draws a seal on wheels. It is magnificent.
[9:32] Phil talks about starting DanAndPhilGAMES. Dan and Phil wanted it to be something they did on the side, but they quickly realized that it was a lot more work than they had expected because they wanted to edit their gaming videos at the same level as they did their other YouTube videos.
[10:07] Dan and Phil bit off more than they could chew with Gamingmas. It had them up editing until 4am most nights in December, including on Christmas Eve. However, Phil thinks the Undertale Let’s Play was worth it, and he apologizes to and thanks Dan for editing it (I presume).
[10:22] Phil says that the TATINOF era of life lasted for two years. After he and Dan got through it, their first priority was moving out of their first London apartment, and then they had to face the question of what would come next.
[10:39] For Phil, 2017 was a sad and death-heavy year as he lost his grandmother and aunt in the same month.
[11:04] Phil doesn’t like announcing that he’s working on a secret project that he can’t talk about (and that may never come to be) because he thinks it’s an annoying thing to do. He thinks it’s better to drop an announcement when there’s something interesting going on or when the project is fully ready. However, the downside is that some people don’t understand that it takes a lot of work behind-the-scenes to create the project. Phil says that this made him realize that people only know what’s happening in your life if you’re talking about it online. He sometimes wishes that people knew when he was going through a hard time rather than thinking that nothing is happening. At [12:04], Phil concludes this point saying that there’s more to people’s lives than what they’re posting on social media, and you never really know what someone is going through or working on unless they tell you about it.
[11:46] To give an example of a secret project that never came to be, Phil tells the story of how he and Dan once spent months planning a Dan and Phil travel series. It was just about ready to go when the people that commissioned it said that their plans had changed, and they would have to wait a year to film it. This clashed with Dan and Phil’s other plans, and they had to let it go.
[12:16] Two examples of secret projects that have come to fruition are: Truth Bombs and IRL Merch. Truth Bombs apparently originated as a party game that Phil would make his friends play on scraps of paper. For IRL Merch, Dan and Phil felt that YouTuber merch could be so much better than a basic T-shirt, and Phil’s brother Martyn knew everything there was to know about building a website and online shopping. Thus, they banded together to form their first business. Phil is grateful that this business allows him to spend so much time with his brother.
[13:34] Phil lists two random things that he and Dan did over the past few years: release the 7 Second Challenge app and have cameos in Big Hero 6.
[13:46] In 2017, Dan and Phil started to think about the rest of their lives/their next big dream. They decided that, before doing anything else, they wanted to tour again to try to visit as many places as they possibly could. Getting into more places was a lot easier this time, but some places still wouldn’t let them in. Phil suspects this may be due to Dan’s face looking suspicious. Regardless, Interactive Introverts was born, and they decided to also revisit the places they had already been because the show was so good.
[14:51] Phil talks about changing his hair. At the same time he changed his hair, Phil says that he also went and got a pair of ripped jeans as part of his character progression.
[15:14] With regard to Interactive Introverts, Dan and Phil had some “big issues” getting into Manila. This cost so much that they ended up spending their own money in “Asia” rather than making money.
[15:27] Dan and Phil were zombies when they got home from Interactive Introverts. Phil thinks they pushed themselves slightly too far with this tour. He felt like he had unlimited energy while on tour, but he crashed once he got home. However, he didn’t exactly rest as he and Dan immediately spent three weeks editing the movie version of Interactive Introverts.
[16:06] Phil talks about having a poor work-life balance from 2013 through 2018:
P: So if you’ve been paying attention--Hey! Get back to this tab! Don’t you like my beautiful art?--you might have realized that this chapter of “Draw My Life” has been incredibly work related. Where’s all my fun stories about the things in the rest of my life? Well...turns out I don’t really have one.

P: Obviously, this career has given me so many incredible adventures and experiences I could never have dreamed of, but outside of it, I suddenly realized how lame I am. I prioritized work so much, I stopped making friends. I only have about four in London that actually want to hang out, and I’ve got no real hobbies except for exhaustedly plonking myself in front of a video game after writing emails ‘til 5am. And I didn’t do any normal stuff people would do like getting a house or a dog, for dog’s sake! I think the next project should be to give myself a more well-rounded existence: Project Sphere! The sphere is me! I am the sphere! Do you think there’s a flat sphere conspiracy? I’m sorry.

P: We both realized you don’t need to say “yes” to everything. It’s up to me how much work I want to do in order to secure my future, but there should be a balance, so at the end of the day, you’re still happy. This was like the clouds parting to reveal a new land. I like to think this world was in the jurassic period. “Yee.” For the first time in my life, I felt like I could breathe a bit. I wasn’t afraid of risking everything and having to move back into my parents’ if I failed. No offense, fam. So what next?
[17:25] At the end of 2018, Dan and Phil wanted to think about what was next for them, and Dan wanted to focus on creating his coming out video. As such, they decided to pause making content for DanAndPhilGAMES.
[17:40] Phil talks about his current thoughts on the gaming channel as well as what to expect from the next big secret project (outside of YouTube):
P: The thing is: Most people love DanAndPhilGAMES just for being funny and the couch banter rather than hardcore gaming skills action. So I think if we did feel like having that thing on the side again, maybe it could transform into something new in the future. But on the other hand, I think that final Sims video was definitely a perfect ending if it is.

P: As “Dan and Phil,” we definitely feel like we’ve done every genre of big project we could do together over this five years, apart from maybe a cookbook, where we all know how much of a disaster that would be. So while we love creating together, and we’ll continue to pop up together on YouTube for more classic content, maybe for the next secret big project, it’s time for Philly to think about the big dreams he’s always had.
[18:18] Phil shows himself filming the video, breaking the customary format of a “Draw My Life” video.
[18:20] Phil talks about coming out:
P: But before anything else, there was something I needed to do. I just came out as gay! Which still feels slightly weird to say out load on YouTube. I think meeting my audience made me realize is sometimes sharing personal stuff can help others. So to do that and feel comfortable myself talking publicly about parts of my life going forward, I decided to make a YouTube video about it. This also involved telling some of my extended family beforehand, and this, thankfully, was a very positive experience. But when I read the reaction down in the comments, it really warmed my heart and gave me hope for the future of humanity, so thanks!
[19:16] Phil says that for the secret project he’s currently working on, “some writing is happening.” However, he doesn’t know yet if what he’s working on will ever become real.
[19:22] In the meantime, Phil’s still on YouTube, and he’ll keep sharing stories from his weird life and strange mind for as long as people are listening. Even if people stop listening, he might still keep sharing stories as that’s what he was doing when he first started YouTube.
In the video description, there are links to all three versions of the AmazingPhil Shop, and there is no link to the Dan and Phil shop.

glitterintheair · Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:34 am

Okay now that i feel slightly less sleepy, I can talk about the video. Basically, I love Phil and that video is exactly what i've been dreamed of for literal years. I love how open and honest he was, he's such an incredible guy who deserves the world.

Now, ngl, I'm sad that dapg is dead because their joint content is what i love the most, but I understand their decision. Quite frankly, I've always had a feeling that they would never come back with regular joint content if they ever came out; maybe I'm wrong but I think that being together on screen various times at week knowing that we Know would put too much pressure on them. However, I'm glad that Phil said that they will still do videos together tho, even if they won't be as often as it used to be. It's clear that they want to focus on their solo projects and their joint life (the part about deciding to come out because it's an important step for being more honest about parts of his life going forward... MUCH TO THINK ABOUT) and that really warms my heart.

Also, I don't want to romanticize their struggles because there's nothing romantic about it and I relate to their problems, but god.. it's really fascinating to me how Dan and Phil have been able to overcome all the obstacles together - they went through thick and thin and they came out of it stronger than ever. It's not easy, there are relationships that crumble down for half of the things dnp went through so I really applaud them.

bestfriendsclub · Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:43 am

Continuing the conversation about the way Phil communicated with us leading up to the video and with D&P preferring to "just Beyonce it"? I often see people telling Dan and Phil to hurry up with new content in one way or another, and maybe they don't mean it that way, and as much as I wish I could see them every day too, I just know when D&P see that, it can't be good for them. It's already a lot of pressure to have a project to do, and to want to do it well so you can be proud of it and you can make money from it, but any time someone tells you you're not doing it quickly enough or stuff like "When's the next video? When is it going to be? Hello? Dan? Phil? Can you just post a picture so I know you're not dead? We're all starving!" And then when they finally do upload a video, we're like "That wasn't my fave, what's next? What's happening?!?!?" (I think that's what Dan meant at vidcon when he said "Bitch I don't know what I'm having for dinner!") It must take a bit of the excitement of creating things away. It turns "I'm working on a video! Should be done ~soon!" into "If I work really hard I think I can finish this one in 2 days?? And then I can start working on the next thing so they won't bombard me with tweets for that video and then I can start thinking about the next one because I don't really know what I'm going to do after that so I'll have to schedule some time to come up with some more video ideas oh right I'm supposed to be finishing this video first or they'll find out where I live and kill me I'd better leave everything else until later!" Does that make sense? It only adds more stress and it's not helping them to be more productive. It's like... We want them to turn up to work unless they have a valid reason to call in sick, but I think it would be healthier for them if we just communicate to them that they have as much time as they need to make videos. I feel like Phil was trying to explain to us that maybe... We expect too much from them? I don't know maybe no one does and I just getting that impression out of thin air. But maybe they can't realistically make content as often as we want them to. I know we can't control the entire phandom and ask them to stop tweeting them asking for more videos but... I wish we could all change from pressuring them to hurry up with more content, to sending them positive, encouraging tweets to tell them we're excited for whatever they're making, and that it's okay for them to take their time. I'd rather them be less stressed while making and editing videos and just be excited to show us what they've been working on! Instead of them being rushed and not really getting to enjoy the feeling of being done with a video or getting to rest and recharge for a while.

I also want to add my two cents to the merch releases - content ratio discussion. I don't know about you guys but I, personally, would buy merch from a TV show that only had 10 episodes and stopped airing 20 years ago if it was something I liked and identified with. I already know I like Dan and Phil because of the 10+ years of videos they've made. So even if they stopped making videos today and kept releasing merch for the rest of their lives, I'd buy it if I liked it. I think the only unfair ratio of content to merch would be if someone who had never made content tried to release merch, That's when I would be like "You think you can sell me something without giving me anything in return?" Oh wait that's every store ever

LtrllySusan · Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:45 am

Maybe I shouldn't have watched the video when I woke up at 3am to go to the bathroom, but I feel pretty disenchanted.

I don't blame them for wanting to go (largely) separate ways creatively, but tbh that's also what I was here for. And judging by how hungry people are for even a joint selfie, I don't know if 1-2 joint videos per year* will satisfy most of the fans. If I recall the phandom survey correctly, the vast majority prefers joint content. I personally didn't really enjoy 2019 AP (apart from the last 2 videos) and Dan.. god knows if he'll ever upload regularly.

I know that "time will tell", but that's been the mantra for a year now.

Sorry for being frustrated. I don't want to hate on the video at all, but he chose it as the medium to communicate some pretty big changes/confirm speculations.

(* guess based on upload frequency)

thatspecificboob · Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:17 am

I liked the insights into how they really felt about starting the radio show and their first attempts to take the success they'd built on YouTube and transition into mainstream entertainment. I guess at the time it seemed like the sensible career path, but I love how they trusted their instincts when they realised that it was actually a step backwards in terms of losing the control and creative freedom they'd previously enjoyed.

Now it feels like they are ready to try the transition again but from a very different place - partly as they are now financially secure, and partly because of how much their confidence in themselves and their abilities has grown, having conceived and delivered such hugely successful projects over the last few years.

knq wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:05 pm I’m really sad to hear that they feel they’ve done all the projects they can/want to as a duo. It’s something they’ve been hinting at since the beginning of II, but it still feels like a stab to the heart. They’re so good and funny and uplifting together. I’m sad. I don’t have anything more articulate to convey than sad.

I’m sure they’ll both do fulfilling and wonderful things in their careers and private lives moving forward. But like. Sad.

My thoughts when watching the last two videos on Dan's channel before BiG (bearing in mind that watching BiG was the first I'd ever heard of either Dan or Phil so I'm watching everything for the first time in 2019!) were that they felt like a celebration of, and also a closure to a particular period of their lives, and Phil's video seems to confirm this, as it talks about their creative paths diverging.

My prediction would be that we'll continue to see fairly regular videos from Phil with Dan popping up here and there, but that Dan's channel might almost be kind of....done? He's mentioned a few times about preferring longer, more involved projects so it feels to me like he's really looking to make that transition away from the YouTube creator model and have the experience of working in a more traditional way, like working on BBC projects or film scripts. This would also tie in with Phil's comments about work-life balance etc so while it makes me sad, it also feels like it's coming from them wanting to be happier, healthier and more fulfilled in their personal lives which is obviously the priority.

plinthofmylife · Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:47 am

That video gave me weird dreams (I dreamed there was a professionally illustrated comic book to go along with it that included more stories!) but also it's making my do some big thinks about my life. I really, really liked this video - it was on-par with Basically I'm Gay to me personally, though I'd LOVE to hear dan's side of the business things, a bit, just like I'd love to hear Phil's side of Dan's stories (BIG + Daniel & Depression).

I'm just really, really proud of them for how much they've opened up in their own voices this year and I don't think he'll do it but I would still LOVE a business podcast from Phil + Martyn with guest spots by Dan.

I'm actually not worried about joint content, I think because he only confirmed what I assumed is coming true - there will be less of it, they may do another side project like DAPG but it would be more collab-y. I would like SOME joint content soon - and quite honestly, I don't think Dan is done with youtube, at all, I just think he's trying to find his stride making longer, more perfectionist works while also being a whole-ass person and not just one half of a duo.

(ALSO how many times have I said the gaming videos seem to be a nightmare to edit and people need to give them slack about how much work they do? I mean, that's all I say I think.)

George · Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:36 am

Thinking about this now, this really was the only way for Phil to announce these things. If he had drawn his viewers while bubbly telling us what's the future gonna (not) hold, phandom would've been throwing tantrums. But actually honestly explaining why and being vulnerable... I think he had to do that for us to move on so that he (they) can move on. Kinda smart move...

(if this makes no sense, it's the 3 hours of sleep I had after watching this in the middle of the night)

noodlebum · Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:45 am

Everyone's already said most of what I want to say but I'm going to brain dump anyway - I loved the video. I'm sad about the things that were going on in his life (dads illness, 2 deaths) he had to work through, and how stressed and anxious he made himself with how much work they piled on constantly/fear of wasting all their savings... sad to hear about the joint channel, but hopeful for future projects/side channel (also I love that Phil chose to draw him in the cheese outfit as an example of classic joint content, as I'd be thrilled with any other fashion based content ngl

).
Phil was so vulnerable in this video, and he did at least give us some background juice (rip travel show dreams, lol at seductive disco-ball crotchtastic photos

).

Phil going back to his early dreams of writing/directing is really exciting, I hope someone picks him up on one of his ideas

Phil wanting to be a more rounded person with actual hobbies outside of work is really positive, alongside a house and maybe dog

I don't know. I love the joint content most of all, but I really do appreciate all they've done these last 10 years and of wanting to do a few projects solo. They did allude to it at the end of interative introverts (albeit jokily about Phil directing a hamster film or something), so it's not a surprise at all. PJ would be a great person for him to work with on wacky film/tv ideas if he did want help from a friend.

So overall, personal selfish sadness for lack of joint content at the mo, but great big happiness for Phil (and by extension Dan) and their future. Good job they have such a large back catalogue of joint videos for me to watch haphazardly in between their solo projects/videos

Also spoilers for a DnP dream I had last night after watching Phils video straight before going to sleep:

onemoresock · Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:05 am

alittledizzy wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:07 am First... this video feels like it has more in common with Basically I'm Gay than Phil's actual coming out video did. I just appreciate that. I appreciate that he wanted to share more about his life in the same way Dan did, but that for Phil what he wanted to share, the hard things he's gone through and the stressers in his - their - life that aren't strictly related to sexuality. This really feels like he's telling the work/life half of what Dan already talked about - the sexuality part.

I've been thinking this too. It's almost as if this video gave Phil the opportunity to really open up about his life (and remind or explain to us that we really don't know everything), in the same way that BIG did, whilst still allowing him to have the super low key coming out that he wanted with COTY.

I think both this video and BIG had an element of... going into a level of detail about their personal lives that we've very much never been given access to previously, but that both Dan and Phil chose willingly to share, but also... those details were shared almost as an explanation for things that happened in the past or things that are happening now, alongside an element of really making us understand that even when we think we known everything, we truly don't. It's not that I feel D&P were using their respective videos to lecture us, but more that... I think they clearly both had a specific and incredibly fair point that they wanted to make, in the most loving way possible.

Clearly that wasn't the main point of either of their videos, but it was definitely part of it. It's good though and absolutely has been for the best. I'm super grateful that they've decided to share what they have.

I really never expected it of Phil, just because he always has been so notoriously private, but he really... made a video talking candidly about business and his struggles and hardships and money and giving his opinions about his and Dan's incredible impact on the youtuber career landscape... I'm so impressed and pleased and overwhelmed (and also i want to give him a massive hug).

I really think that, even with all the frustration phandom has had this year, Dan and Phil have really handled their move away from their joint Dan and Phil™ branding and taking time for themselves and their own personal projects so well? Plus, they both seem so happy and settled? Yes, it's sad that the gaming channel is probably not coming back (at least not any time soon) and it's sad that we're not getting the amount of Dan and Phil™ we've had previously, but knowing that they're doing this for both the benefit of their real life relationship and to give them space to be more open in other ways and live their lives with more personal freedom I think makes it so, so, so much easier to accept.

Again, they both just seem so happy now and that's impossible to begrudge.

Especially given that we know that they're absolutely not done with working together - just that the Big Project Joint Branding is probably a thing of the past (at least for the moment). They still get to work together, just not as YouTube Duo Dan and Phil™, rather as Dan and Phil, companions through life and soulmates, just because they want to and enjoy doing it (and uh, they know that The People *cough* enjoy watching them).

Speaking of, I love that Phil was clear that he'd still be making videos and that he and Dan would still pop up on one another's channels (two months til the mukbang y/y?) and that creating content still makes him happy, as well as working on big things of his own. I mean, he made the masterpiece that was The Mark of Oxin when he was just a teenager. I'm so ready to see the kind of thing his mind comes up with.

Honestly, this was just a really incredible video. It was filled with so much - so much we didn't know. I'm so glad he decided to share what he did. I'm glad he took the extra time he needed to pull it together. 2019 has been.... such a weird year. Good god.

This post is such a long and rambly mess; it's so early and I had feels I'm sry.

sapienveneficus · Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:20 am

I just finished reading everyone's reactions to Phil's video, and I'm going to try not to repeat what others have said. I enjoyed the video in so much as it's the kind of content I think Phil should be making. Still light-hearted and funny (a seal with wheels)but ultimately more honest and mature. So, on that level, I was pleased.

But the biggest emotion I experienced while watching Phil's video was sadness. It confirmed something I've suspected for awhile but have been too afraid to voice, Dan and Phil aren't coming back from the hiatus. All year I've been telling myself, they just need a break, and once they've recharged their creative batteries, they'll come back. They'll rebrand the gaming channel as a joint content channel, Dan'll start making videos again, and they'll find a fun new way to bring back liveshows (maybe a podcast?). Since the final liveshow in December, that's been my mantra, and it's gotten me through the last 8 months. But now, I guess, I have to accept that it's not going to happen. Dan and Phil are moving on which I suppose means I need to move on as well. I joined the phandom back in 2016 and these past 3 years have been an absolute blast. Well, 2016-2018 was an absolute blast, but this year has kind of sucked (from a fandom perspective). Ug, I guess this means I'll need to find something else to obsess over that'll distract me from work/life.

I'm not going to leave the board just yet because I enjoy reading what you all write. But I know now that I need to change my mindset when it comes to Dan and Phil. I need to face facts and stop waiting for something that's never going to happen. Somber thoughts for a Monday morning.

noodlebum · Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:23 am

onemoresock wrote: ↑Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:05 am 2019 has been.... such a weird year. Good god.

That's exactly right!

I really do think this step back from Dan and Phil as a duo constantly working/working together did need to stop, for their sakes... just sucks for us right now. I do wish them so much luck and success and happiness though as they deserve it so much