Allegations of poor working conditions on YouTuber MrBeast’s new Amazon Studios show have pushed some people who work with creators to call for more

‘Beast Games’ set issues highlight growing pains in YouTuber-run productions

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2024-10-20 12:00:05

Allegations of poor working conditions on YouTuber MrBeast’s new Amazon Studios show have pushed some people who work with creators to call for more safety oversight on their sets.

During the filming of “Beast Games,” MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, faced public backlash amid claims that he fostered an unsafe working environment. At least five contestants filed a class action lawsuit in September alleging they were “shamelessly exploited” while competing. Representatives for Donaldson have not commented on the lawsuit but previously said the production team has “taken steps to ensure that we learn from this experience.”

The accusations highlight what some in the digital production world — which typically refers to content created for social media platforms — have identified as a growing concern in the industry for years. Online content creators, they say, often fail to ensure the same basic standards for treating cast and crew that more traditional entertainment sets do.

“I’ve worked with some production companies that are just like working on a union shoot, and some of them do operate as union shoots, and others that absolutely do not,” said Mair Mulroney, an actor who previously appeared on the popular channel run by YouTuber Dhar Mann. “It’s the wild, wild west, really and truly.”