Screengrabs taken from video posted on Facebook by Matthew Rycroft
Anyone remotely interested in social media has probably heard of Instagram "celebrity" Essena O'Neill quitting social media. The Australian teen, with over half a million followers on Insta, made big bucks thanks to her social media presence. However, disenchanted by having to constantly promote herself as the "perfect person," Essena decided to turn her back on both Instagram and her celebrity status. "I see how contrived, fake and forced consistently proving to the world 'how amazing my life/body/self is'" she explains on YouTube.
Shedding light on just how fake social media pictures can be is this short film by Austrian director Matthew Rycroft. The video shows just how easy it is for people to make their lives look more glamorous or eventful than they probably are.
Shot in a dark room with an eerie soundtrack to match, the video shows a somewhat creepy looking dude fabricating photos for social media. He goes by the name "jennywanderlust" on Instagram and fakes stunning shots in exotic locales for his account.
All he needs is some paper cutouts and some beautiful backdrops. And the occasional use of a razor and some Vaseline for a few special posts.
We'll let you watch the video to find out how exactly how he constructs this amazing facade.
If you're among those made miserable by other people's exciting Facebook and Instagram posts, this short film is just for you. Remember, not everything you see is real.