This film profiles people, particularly teenage white boys, who gain fame and even money from social media. Since YouTube was founded in 2005, we've seen people use it to create their own videos. A lot of those videos are of themselves communicating directing into the camera. YouTube provides each user a channel, which is simply a page where all their videos are collected and stored. People who use YouTube this way and have amassed a lot of viewers or subscribers to their channel are called YouTube stars or "YouTubers." There are similar stars of other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. People use those platforms, often to display some talent, such as acting, singing, dancing, comedy or some kind of technical craft like fixing electrical equipment, doing makeup or cooking.
However, there has also been a rise of people who don't have a special skill or talent. There are some Internet stars who become famous, as it were, simply because they're physically attractive. They're basically models. They look good with little clothes on or they take a lot of gym selfies. Other than that, they're just simply good at talking about themselves and/or serving up affirmations or platitudes. Because YouTube allows channels to be monetized, there is that incentive to try to build up one's channel or other social media accounts. However, some people do it simply for the desire of fame and glory. This feature debut from Liza Mandelup explores this and what has become a minor industry of teens utilizing social media.
Austyn Tester is the main subject here. Tester is 16. He lives in Kingsport, Tennessee, a rural area. He lives with his mom and his brother. He creates videos on something called YouNow. It's a site that allows users to broadcast themselves live while other people can send text messages in real time, as well as video conference with each other. He's a very good-looking kid and most of his videos are of him chatting to girls, being overly positive and optimistic. He mainly just gives affirmations to teen girls. He doesn't have any talents. He doesn't sing or dance. He basically looks pretty and tells the girls they look pretty. While it might seem incredibly vapid, there is seemingly a market for it.
When Tester is picked up by an agent who wants to help him build his subscribers and viewers, basically help him to make more money, he is taken on tour. Basically, Tester does what he does in his videos, which is look pretty and tell girls they're pretty. He's essentially a teenage hype man. He gets on stage and hypes up the girls in the group, before taking a photo with them on their smartphones, the device that most probably use to watch him online. Again, it sounds vapid, and it is, but tons of girls show up and pay to watch a teen boy display no talent. Those girls explain that his affirmations online are comforting to them because many of the girls are bullied or have negative social experiences in real life, which makes them retreat to online spaces.
Michael Weist is the other main subject of this documentary. He lives in Los Angeles. He looks like he's not that much older than a teenager himself. He might even be college-age. Yet, he runs his own company. He's a manager for social media stars. He runs a house where teen or college-age boys live. These boys get direction from Weist on how to increase their subscribers, make money through posting pictures or videos. Weist is very aggressive and runs the boys with pretty much an iron fist. He is very tough about his branding and marketing. It does cause a lot of frustration and tension among him and the boys, but it seemingly gets results.
Weist's situation is a bit different because a few of the boys he represents do have some talent. Some make music or are into acting. This documentary only provides a slice of the young people engaged in this kind of thing. However, it seems like a lot of them don't have any skills or talents. It seems like a lot of this is about the promotion of positivity and affirmation. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because bullying and online negativity have reached almost epidemic levels. It's just rather sad that the foundation for the pursuit of fame and fandom, at least for Tester, is based on nothing.
It's also a testimonial to the desperation of people in impoverished situations. Tester and his brother who is his constant companion complain about being poor and being hungry. There's even commentary about the contrast between Los Angeles versus Tennessee, the contrast between living in a place of wealth versus a place of poverty in terms of opportunity and access. There's also another sad scene when Tester is revealed to have not done well in school and not even be willing to return to school. Education has been a key to getting out of poverty for so many. Yet, Tester thinks fame is the only key, which makes this a bit of tragedy.
Rated TV-MA.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 37 mins.
Available on Hulu.
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