Documentary producer Sam Tullen is launching a new digital-first investigative series on YouTube, illustrating how emerging filmmakers continue to explore the opportunities presented by direct-to-platform distribution.
Titled Disclosed, the series is positioned as a short-form, online documentary format focused on internet culture and the systems shaping digital behaviour. The project marks a shift in approach for Tullen, 23, who is moving toward faster-turnaround production and self-distribution via his independent banner, Tullen Productions.
The launch of Disclosed follows Tullen’s recent documentary Generation Lonely, released in January, which examined social isolation among Gen Z in the UK and the longer-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The film generated an active response on social platforms, where viewers debated technology’s role in social habits.
In 2025, Tullen also produced The AI Face Trade, exploring the emerging market for licensing personal likenesses to AI systems at relatively low price points.
With Disclosed, Tullen said he is leaning into a more immediate and iterative format. “As a doc producer, I’m always digging around for stories… so it just made sense to share those investigations with the world in real time, rather than waiting around for a documentary to potentially be commissioned,” he said.
He added: “Disclosed is essentially an internet sleuthing series, and all of the investigations happen entirely online… I haven’t really seen anything quite like this online yet, so I really hope it cuts through with audiences.”
The first episode examines AI-generated health and wellness content, including an undercover look at so-called content farms and associated ethical concerns. Subsequent instalments are set to cover topics including illegal streaming, automated engagement tools and practices described as ‘fame laundering’.
The production has been fully financed in-house. Tullen said the approach allows the team to “bypass traditional gatekeepers and deliver content quickly, directly, and to a high standard.” Episodes will roll out bi-weekly via YouTube channels operated by Tullen and DOCO Documentaries.
