The American Meme
2018
•
1h 38min
• Documentary
THE AMERICAN MEME takes a look at the rise of the "internet celebrity." As the medium evolved from the early days of Friendster and MySpace to the more recent Vine, Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram, the documentary profiles those who learned how to use these social media platforms to create viral content that led to them having millions of followers. It explores the rise of the "internet persona," and the people behind the selfie. It shows how "influencers" are now getting paid six and seven figures by companies to take pictures of themselves using their products. While fame is pursued for its own sake, internet fame is also shown as a way to spread political activism, to bypass the traditional channels employed to "make it" in Hollywood, and to provide a direct link between a performer and her audience. The extremes that people go to in order to produce outrageous content that stands out from everything else are shown and discussed. The interviewees, celebs like Paris Hilton, DJ Khaled, Brittany Furlan, and others, reflect on the "dark side" of internet fame: the sex tapes, the loneliness, the disconnect, and the chasm between the persona and the day-to-day reality.
