If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’

As a seasoned documentarian who has delved deep into the lives of various generations, I must admit that this project, “Social Studies,” was particularly eye-opening for me. The conversations with the parents were heartfelt and honest, much like the ones I had when I found out my own kids were into BDSM (I almost fell out of my La-Z-Boy too!).

As a passionate cinephile, I found myself shadowing a group of high school students one day. A shockingly intriguing discussion unfolded that left me pondering deeply, prompting me to rush home and pose an intriguing query to my two boys, aged 14 and 20: “Could it be that BDSM is indeed gaining popularity?”

She remembered one of her sons casually mentioning, “Apparently, girls find that thrilling – I’m talking about that dangerous sexual behavior some teenagers indulge in.”

In the year 2021, Greenfield found herself exploring a fresh creative horizon, immersing herself in the daily experiences of those who were part of the very first generation to grow up with social media as a constant presence.

She became curious about understanding the impact of social media on teenagers’ thoughts, having observed the unique connection her children have with these platforms.

“She remarked not long ago from her workplace in Venice, ‘They belong to different generations.’ Her oldest child enjoys reading, while the youngest prefers getting news via TikTok. Observing this gap and worrying about his excessive use of it sparked some of the ideas behind this.”

Starting this Friday at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, “Social Studies,” a five-part series, will debut. From September 27, it will be available on FX. This new project by Greenfield is another exploration into capturing the reality of teenage life in Los Angeles.

Her collection of works, featuring “The Queen of Versailles” from 2012 and “The Kingmaker” from 2019, has for a long time focused on portraying beauty, riches, and power, as well as the destructive impact that comes with their overindulgence.

She’s always had an enduring fascination with youth trends: For instance, “Fast Forward: Growing Up in the Shadow of Hollywood” is a compilation of images and stories about Los Angeles youth during the 1990s; similarly, “Girl Culture” explores the impact of American pop culture on young females; and her brief film, “kids + money,” showcases L.A. teenagers talking about finances.

Speaking about his initial project titled ‘Fast Forward,’ Greenfield shared, “At that time, I was at a completely distinct stage in my life.” Fresh out of college and embarking on my professional journey, I felt a strong connection to those students. “Crossroads School in Santa Monica was where I studied as a teenager,” he added.

Instead of “But for ‘Social Studies,’ ‘I came to this project as a mother, in terms of how the kids see me,'” the filmmaker expressed it as: For the part of ‘Social Studies,’ I approached this project with the perspective of a mother, considering how the children view me.

During the pandemic, there was a significant increase in the reliance on devices and hours spent on social media platforms, as restless and secluded teenagers sought refuge. In 2021, the surgeon general issued a public health advisory concerning adolescent mental well-being; nevertheless, studies have yet to establish a clear correlation between the crisis and excessive social media activity.

Greenfield’s series delves into the daily stressors faced by teenagers that are amplified by social media, such as cyberbullying, self-perception troubles, and a competitive culture stemming from comparison.

Greenfield explained that his book, ‘Fast Forward’, focused on the impact of media, particularly celebrity culture and materialism, on children. He noted a specific Hollywood influence in this regard. Now, he wishes to revisit this topic, but this time with social media as the main focus. Social media, according to him, represents an enhanced version of all the themes he’s studied throughout his career, like a turbocharged version of it.

The show was mainly produced in Los Angeles and highlights students from approximately ten schools, such as Pacific Palisades, LA, and Hamilton high schools. Over a period of 150 days, Greenfield captured around 1,200 hours of footage – this spanned the 2021-22 academic year and some additional months. Moreover, she documented the students’ phone and social media interactions as well.

Among the adolescents sharing their worlds through their smartphones are Sydney, who struggles to create engaging content for her social media feeds by posting provocative self-videos and images; Ellie, whose brief stint in viral popularity stemmed from her romantic involvement with actor Jack Dylan Grazer, a relative of renowned Hollywood producer Brian Grazer; and Jonathan, a volunteer at Teen Line, a nationwide nonprofit hotline service. Interestingly, Jonathan, a filmmaker himself, embarks on a dual venture, producing a movie about teenage existence featuring many of the same subjects while also participating in Greenfield’s documentary project.

1. The series reaches a crucial juncture: On Wednesday, California lawmakers approved the Phone-Free Schools Act, mandating public schools to establish regulations limiting or prohibiting mobile phone usage by 2026. Earlier this summer, the Los Angeles Unified school board enacted a measure to ban phones on campus, with the implementation scheduled for January.

Earlier this month, during a condensed and clear discussion I’ve rephrased, Greenfield shared insights on viewing her youthful participants as knowledgeable individuals, the simplicity of portraying teens genuinely, and the importance of parents keeping vigilant.

1. Sydney featured in “Social Studies.” (Photograph by Lauren Greenfield / Institute)

A significant part of your goal seems to be to genuinely and candidly represent your subject. Given that today’s kids have grown up in a digital world where their online presence is often carefully crafted, I can only imagine it must have been difficult to discern when you were truly capturing the raw, authentic moments.

To my surprise, they seemed genuinely authentic during our initial gathering. Unlike a typical school setting that often feels like a runway, this felt more akin to a summer camp. No one appeared in formal attire, and there was no sign of carefully crafted ensembles or makeup.

In the past, someone shared with me the idea that “Given sufficient time, genuine personalities truly emerge,” since maintaining a facade or acting requires considerable effort, eventually becoming exhausting. This concept has always been crucial to my slow journalism practice. Over time, as people grow more comfortable with me, they share more and more about themselves. Initially, I worked with a larger group, but the individuals whose stories resonated with me, we formed strong bonds. They trusted me enough to inform me of significant events happening in their lives, allowing me to be present. As our relationship deepened, I felt that by the end, they revealed their true selves to me.

In this case, it was clear that we were examining the influence of social media, and the children involved understood its significance since exposing one’s life can be quite substantial. Many of the kids seemed to find meaning in participating because they felt a sense of purpose.

Engaging in discussions with teenagers, especially strangers, can sometimes be tough. Besides conducting individual interviews, I also organized group meetings. It was somewhat reminiscent of “The Breakfast Club,” where students who typically wouldn’t interact much are brought together in the same room. This setting allowed them to discover their shared experiences, which seemed to help them feel more at ease. Was this an approach you took to make your subjects comfortable?

In my opinion, your statement is quite insightful as you mentioned “The Breakfast Club” served as a bit of motivation. At that time, the first seven groups we hadn’t yet started filming as units. Instead, I sought to understand their perspectives on what was important, what topics should be addressed, and the challenges they faced. I wanted these young individuals to guide me. One significant reason behind this approach is that I believe children are experts in their own right when it comes to this topic. We’ve listened to numerous experts, parents, tech professionals, and legislative leaders discuss this issue, but I felt that the kids were the true experts. In my efforts, I aimed to portray them as both subjects and authorities on the matter.

In this scenario, we have three distinct views:

1. The teens highlighted in “Social Studies” attended one of the dialogue sessions led by documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield. (Image credit: Lauren Greenfield / Institute)

One notable aspect of the show is the unique approach you took by asking participants to record their smartphone activities. Could you elaborate on how significant this element was in the overall production?

This project is incredibly significant as it serves as a snapshot of our culture, preserving moments we’ve documented. It’s startling to observe the intricacies of the algorithm, to navigate some of the darker corners, and to delve into its inner workings. In the show, I aimed to avoid creating separate realms by seamlessly integrating the digital world with live-action scenes. The goal was to portray these spheres as interconnected, overlapping, dynamic, and at times conflicting. They coexist, multitask, and occasionally oppose each other. There’s a blend of reality and fiction at play. While I don’t want to reveal too much for the viewers, I believe there are some truly thought-provoking elements that will leave audiences astonished.

And my hope for the series, ultimately, is that it leads to some kind of regulation. “Fast Forward” was about the early loss of innocence in the ’90s. Now, there’s no innocence. There’s no childhood. You can’t keep your child from seeing devastating things, and they can’t even keep themselves from it, in the sense that the algorithm is going to take you by the hand, and whatever you’re curious about, feed you more and more stuff, and whatever your weakness is, it’ll pull you further into that. And the companies that are creating the algorithm are not doing it with the kids’ best interest in mind. They’re doing it with the interest of keeping them engaged on the platform.

The other theme that’s gone through all of my work, which came back here with a vengeance, is addiction, because it’s really addictive. I struggled with my own son to give limits. But what I realized when I was doing this is, it’s not fair to ask kids to regulate themselves. It’s like opiate addiction.

In shows like “Euphoria,” “Thirteen,” or even “Beverly Hills, 90210,” it’s tempting to think, “That’s exaggerated, it doesn’t accurately portray teen life.” However, the initial episode of this series is quite shocking.

During my review sessions, I presented the work to filmmaker Nicole Holofcener, and after the initial episode, she commented, “This feels like a horror movie.” However, I don’t believe it qualifies as a horror movie for children. Instead, I found that both young viewers and twenty-somethings could relate to it. They seem to be expressing a desire to discuss the issues portrayed. There’s a scene where Sydney’s mom says, “I don’t want to go on my kids’ TikTok.” My intention is to convey, “We should be involved in this digital world. We need them to share their experiences with us.” What I find intriguing is that the kids are the ones pointing out concerns. They’re essentially telling us, “You need to pay attention.” Interestingly, while parents — including myself — often post about accomplishments on social media, we may not always recognize how detrimental it can be.

Correct. Sydney’s mom discusses her personal usage of social media, focusing on Facebook. How curious were you about insights into the parents’ social media habits?

Initially, I hadn’t intended for the parents to be involved in the story. I envisioned a scenario similar to Charlie Brown’s, where parents are somewhat detached and play secondary roles. However, Sydney’s mother turned out to be a crucial character. It seems that the parents are generally responsible and loving but are clueless about the situation their children find themselves in. They aren’t indifferent or unwilling to assist; rather, it’s as if they’re unaware of what’s happening and lack the knowledge to intervene effectively.

In a conversation with Sydney’s mother, I captured an instance where she expressed her concern about Sydney wearing a short skirt outside. As a follower of feminism and new feminist movements, I understand her perspective on the sexualization that can come with such attire. However, it’s challenging to discourage this trend because many girls view revealing their bodies as a personal choice, an expression of themselves.

Here’s one way to rephrase that paragraph:

What were those conversations like to get parents of the teen subjects in the film on board?

It’s clear that many people checked out my previous projects, recognizing that this isn’t meant for entertainment. Instead, it serves a purpose, and while not everyone chose to participate, those who did viewed it as an engaging prospect. We initiated discussions with children and their parents in the spring of 2021, and we didn’t begin filming until August 2021. I am deeply appreciative of the kids and families for their cooperation; it was a significant request to make.

How do we strike a balance between presenting an authentic anthropological perspective on modern teenage life and, simultaneously, encouraging them to share their experiences on a potentially wider stage, such as a television series?

In discussing the selection process for children, particularly on social media platforms, one topic that frequently arises is fame and its value. During my work on “Generation Wealth,” I noticed a significant shift in values among kids; when asked about their future aspirations, they often responded with “rich and famous” rather than specific careers. When searching for children, I made an effort to avoid those who sought fame through this project. Interestingly, it turned out that the idea of using the project as a means to gain fame wasn’t as prevalent as I had anticipated, as I believe none of them considered this opportunity to be a route to stardom.

As a cinema enthusiast, it’s truly fascinating to witness the creative spark ignite in one of my young filmmaking students, Jonathan. His endeavor to craft his own movie not only mirrors my own journey but also offers a unique perspective that I find intriguing. What specifically captivates me about his approach and viewpoint is something I’m eager to explore further.

1. Participating in a documentary is quite significant, so it’s only fair that everyone benefits from it. Many of the children were creators, and Jonathan, who handled video production for the school, stood out as an attractive choice due to his unique approach towards social media. I didn’t want everyone becoming constant social media posters, and he fit the bill perfectly. Moreover, he was deeply committed to his filmmaking and wished to interview kids from our group. Essentially, he was embarking on a similar journey with me.

Jonathan generously extends much; he stands out as a deeply compassionate individual amidst an era and societal norm of self-centeredness, which I believe is crucial to our collective wellbeing. Empathy, in contrast to narcissism, serves as another vital remedy against excessive self-absorption and the cycle of introspection.

What do you want audiences to take away after watching this documentary?

Reflecting on the scene where they’ve put down their phones to converse, I find it incredibly heartening. It’s a moment that feels like an epiphany – here we are, connecting through conversation rather than screens, and it’s simply wonderful. On one occasion, watching this, I almost burst into laughter because of the unexpected yet profound realization it brings.

It’s a particularly tough period for young people to mature, as they display remarkable resilience and insight in a difficult environment that, unfortunately, is largely shaped by adults. My hope is that we recognize this fact and strive to improve the situation, ensuring the safety and fair treatment of children, since it’s unjust to expect them to navigate such complexities alone.

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2024-08-30 13:32