Calling all creators!
Derrick Downey Jr., known to many online as the “Squirrel Whisperer,” turned a common content creator problem into a No. 1 app. His app, DualShot Recorder, reached the top of Apple’s paid App Store chart within its first day of launch, proving that sometimes the best ideas come from solving the thing everyone is tired of dealing with.
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For creators, the issue is simple: you often have to record the same content twice, once vertically for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts, and once horizontally for other formats. DualShot Recorder was built to fix that by allowing users to capture portrait and landscape video at the same time in one take.
The app saves both versions separately to the user’s Photos library, making it easier to post across platforms without extra editing, cropping, or reshooting. It is designed especially for creators who want to shoot once and have both formats ready to go.
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Shortly after launching, Downey shared that DualShot Recorder had reached the No. 1 paid spot on the App Store. The moment was a major win not only for creators, but for a Black founder who saw a need, built a solution, and got the internet’s attention in less than 24 hours.
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Downey’s story is also a reminder that innovation does not always come from the places people expect. He had already built a large community online through his viral squirrel videos, and then used that same creativity and problem-solving spirit to step into the app space.
DualShot Recorder is currently available for iPhone, with an Android version in development, according to the app’s official site.
A Black man made this, and creators everywhere are already seeing the value.
Congratulations to Derrick Downey Jr.!
