Influencers University is a satirical comedy series and digital brand that parodies the world of online content creation, influencer culture, and the absurdities of modern social media fame. Created as a humorous critique of the influencer economy, IU presents an exaggerated fictional university where aspiring content creators learn the "dark arts" of going viral, monetizing attention, and navigating the chaotic landscape of digital celebrity.
Through its blend of sharp wit, social commentary, and over-the-top characters, Influencers University explores themes of authenticity versus performance, the price of fame, and the surreal reality of making a living through likes, views, and follows in the digital age.
Learn about Damian Rodriguez, the creative mind behind Influencers University
Discover the history, achievements, and offerings of Influencers University
Behind the scenes of the Influencers University series and brand
Damian Rodriguez is the creative visionary behind Influencers University, bringing authentic insider perspective to the world of content creation satire. His journey from passionate young animator to algorithmic victim to satirical genius provides the real-world foundation that makes IU's commentary so devastatingly accurate.
Discover Damian's journey from innocent creator to algorithmic casualty to satirical mastermind
Explore Damian's creative work across animation, design, websites, and art
Damian's story began at age 9 when his father suggested uploading his tablet animations to YouTube. Starting with "TheJohnnyandSamanthaShow" in 2014, young Damian created purely for the joy of making his family laugh, spending years at just 6 subscribers without caring about metrics. His early work included original books like "BarnacleBart" and weekly animations that steadily improved as his parents supported his creative growth with professional software and encouragement.
This innocent creative period, where success was measured in family smiles rather than view counts, would later inspire IU's portrayal of authentic artistic expression versus algorithmic manipulation.
Damian's transformation began innocuously with cooking YouTuber parodies that earned recognition from creators like Guga Foods and Sam The Cooking Guy. But the real turning point came with his 2023 rebrand to "Daangdamon," when he shifted from fan animations to harsh "roast parodies" designed to provoke reactions and chase viral success.
The strategy worked devastatingly well. His "Ocky Way" TikTok exploded to 3.6 million views, followed by YouTube hits like "Literally every Ray William Johnson video" reaching 3.7 million views. By late 2023, he had grown from obscurity to 33,000 subscribers, describing it as "the best time of his life" while simultaneously noting how he was "holding back" and finding his videos "less funny."
The dream shattered on July 28, 2024, at 11:29 PM CST. At 86,900 subscribers—just months away from his coveted 100,000 subscriber play button—Damian received the notification that would change everything: "Your YouTube channel was terminated for repeated/severe violations of the harassment policy."
The cause? A community post about Dr. Disrespect that YouTube's algorithm interpreted as harassment. Ten years of creative work, from age 9 to 20, vanished overnight. Despite massive support from fellow creators and the #freedaangdamon movement reaching 200K+ views, appeals failed. Damian eventually deleted his entire Google account and accepted the permanent death of his YouTube dreams.
This personal devastation became the crucible for Influencers University. Damian's intimate experience with every stage of creator corruption—from innocent passion to algorithmic addiction to systematic destruction—provides the authentic foundation that makes IU's satire so precisely brutal.
The series channels his real journey: the early joy of creation, the gradual selling of creative soul for metrics, the psychological toll of chasing validation, and ultimately the systematic termination by the very platforms creators serve. Characters like Dantavionne directly mirror Damian's own arc from passionate creator to bitter algorithm-worshipper seeking revenge.
Through Influencers University, Damian transforms his personal trauma into powerful artistic commentary. His work doesn't just mock influencer culture—it exposes the psychological machinery that destroys authentic creativity while offering hope for redemption. The show's religious framework, with The Genuine representing pure creative joy and The Algorithm embodying corrupted validation-seeking, reflects Damian's own philosophy about the spiritual dimension of artistic work.
At just 20 years old, having experienced the complete cycle from innocent creator to algorithmic casualty, Damian Rodriguez offers both warning and healing through his satirical masterpiece, proving that even the most broken creative spirits can transform their pain into meaningful art.
Video content & motion graphics
Logos, illustrations & branding
Web design & development
Traditional & digital artwork
2D animated series pilot showcasing satirical take on influencer culture
Viral roast animations of popular YouTubers and internet personalities
Original animations from TheJohnnyandSamanthaShow and Doodles and Things era
Logo design and brand identity packages for various clients and projects
Custom character designs and caricatures for content creators and businesses
Promotional graphics, thumbnails, and social media content design
Original digital artwork and illustrations for various projects
Website headers, banners, and user interface design elements
Full-stack website development with interactive features and content management
Custom portfolio websites for content creators and small businesses
High-conversion landing pages for product launches and promotional campaigns
Original digital artwork exploring themes of internet culture and modern society
Hand-drawn character studies and conceptual artwork from early creative years
Pre-production artwork for Influencers University characters and environments
Welcome to Influencers University, the world's premier institution for digital content mastery and algorithmic excellence. Founded in 2024 by President Dantavionne Rodriguez and Chancellor MrBeast, IU operates under the revolutionary motto "Where Views Go High and Morals Go to Die," representing our commitment to prioritizing performance metrics and audience engagement above traditional academic constraints.
Influencers University occupies a building with an extraordinary educational heritage. Originally established as The Genuine Institution of Fine Arts in 1502 through Leonardo Da Vinci, it later became Director's University in 1928 under Walt Disney, training Hollywood's greatest filmmakers. The building then transformed into Ashworth Academy of Arts in 2010 under Chancellor PewDiePie, pioneering early YouTube creator education. Today, as Influencers University, we represent the culmination of centuries of creative education evolution.
Our comprehensive curriculum spans 12 specialized departments led by industry legends. The Department of Algorithmic Engineering (Dream) teaches viral content science, while the Department of Drama & Controversy (Keemstar) provides advanced training in strategic audience engagement. Students pursue degrees including Bachelor of Science in Viral Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in Clickbait Architecture, Bachelor of Business Administration in Influencer Economics, and specialized programs in Algorithm Manipulation and Thumbnail Psychology.
Our distinguished faculty includes Chancellor MrBeast with his 400+ million subscriber expertise, Dean Logan Paul contributing comeback narrative mastery, Advisor KSI providing career trajectory guidance, and department chairs like Jeffree Star (Monetization Studies), Jake Paul (Networking & Collaborations), and Casey Neistat (Authentic Expression).
Industry Placement Rate
Annual Alumni Views
Average Graduate Subscribers
Specialized Departments
IU maintains an unprecedented 100% industry placement rate, with graduates achieving immediate success across all major platforms. Our alumni collectively generate over 10 billion annual views and hundreds of millions in revenue through optimized content strategies. Recent graduates average 1 million subscribers within their first post-graduation year, while our research departments continuously develop breakthrough methodologies in viral engineering and engagement psychology that shape the entire industry.
Our digital campus features professional-grade production studios, Algorithm Analysis Labs providing real-time platform data training, and the famous Creator Commons where tomorrow's viral content is born. Students access the Gilbert Memorial Library containing the world's most comprehensive digital content strategy resources, plus cutting-edge technology centers maintaining partnerships with all major social media platforms.
At Influencers University, we don't just teach content creation – we engineer digital legends who reshape global culture through strategic algorithmic mastery and unprecedented audience engagement. Our graduates don't follow trends; they create them, leading the charge in humanity's digital evolution where views reign supreme and traditional limitations dissolve in the pursuit of viral excellence.
Influencers University is an epic 2D animated satirical series spanning 6-8 years that chronicles the rise and fall of a dystopian content creation institution "where views go high and morals go to die." Founded by the terminated YouTuber Dantavionne and MrBeast, IU becomes a toxic breeding ground where students sacrifice their mental health, relationships, and morals in pursuit of algorithmic validation.
The series follows the university's corrupt staff including Dean Logan Paul, Advisor KSI, and Secretary Speed as they navigate a world controlled by The Algorithm - a manipulative entity that represents external validation and the dark side of social media culture. Through its religious allegory structure, the show explores the battle between genuine creativity and algorithmic corruption, featuring Charlie (representing Christ) who arrives to heal students from their validation addiction.
With its brutal honesty about the validation crisis plaguing young people and its message that authentic creativity can triumph over algorithmic manipulation, Influencers University serves as both a cautionary tale and a path toward healing - asking whether broken souls can find genuine happiness beyond the metrics that define modern digital culture.
Behind the scenes of creating Influencers University
ToonBoom Harmony Premium - Professional 2D animation software used for character rigging and animation
Adobe Creative Suite - Premiere Pro for video editing, Photoshop for graphics, Audition for audio
Blender - Free 3D software for creating backgrounds and environments
Voice Recording: Blue Snowball microphone with professional voice actors from Fiverr
Writing the episode script and dialogue
Recording all character voices and dialogue
Creating character movements and scenes
Adding music, effects, and final editing
Each 2-6 minute episode takes approximately 2 weeks to complete, with animation being the most time-intensive part of the process. Character models are created once and reused throughout the series using a universal bone rigging system for efficiency.
The show maintains high production values through professional voice acting, detailed 2D animation, and custom 3D backgrounds that bring the IU campus to life.
ToonBoom Harmony: Professional animation software - toonboom.com
Adobe Creative Cloud: Industry-standard creative tools - adobe.com
Blender: Free 3D creation suite - blender.org