Teaser Trailer and Poster for Alex Winter's Documentary THE YOUTUBE EFFECT

A new teaser trailer and poster have been released for the documentary The YouTube Effect, from filmmaker Alex Winter. You know Winter best for playing Bill in the Bill and Ted movies, as well as his role in the cult classic The Lost Boys, but as it turns out, he actually has more directing titles under his belt than he does acting roles. Having directed several other documentaries like Downloaded, Deep Web, The Panama Papers, Showbiz Kids, and Zappa, Winter now takes on the phenomenon of YouTube, and how it has changed us as a society.

Here’s the synopsis:

The story of YouTube is both inspirational and cautionary; the video-sharing website appeared in 2005 and quickly grew to become one of the most ubiquitous and powerful media platforms in the world. It is impossible to overstate its impact on global culture by providing easy and immediate access to news, entertainment and other vital forms of information. It has, however, helped radicalize some of its viewers with right-wing propaganda and other dangerous media. The story of YouTube is the great dilemma of our times; the technology revolution has made our lives easier and more enriched, while also presenting dangers and challenges that make the world a more perilous place. And at this extraordinary moment in history, it is the story of how we got here and where we're going.

This looks like a really fascinating documentary. I didn’t grow up with YouTube, but my kids are, and it’s crazy how drawn they are to it. It’s a huge responsibility as a parent to make sure they understand that just because something is on YouTube, it doesn’t mean it’s true, funny, or something positive that they should be absorbing.

Check out the teaser trailer and poster below, and while there’s no release date set yet for the doc, keep an eye out. The YouTube Effect will be premiering at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival coming up in June. Visit the film's official site for more updates.