Everyone on the internet is a genius BTS (Behind the shirt)
It all begins with an idea.
If I were to create a shirt, what would it say?
How about this?:
“Everyone on the internet is a genius.”
It’s universal. It’s bold.
It speaks to something that has reshaped our entire world drumroll please the internet. A medium that just might be one of mankind’s greatest inventions.
Our means of communication now stretches far beyond our physical reach. Hypertexts and URLs become your guides. Your opening line? Wherever you want to go. The power is quite literally at our fingertips. And quite frankly… that’s the problem sometimes.
A certain set of people cough cough, keyboard warriors, capitalize on the low barrier to entry. Shaded by anonymity and comfort, words fly freely, unbacked and unchecked. You can say and do anything on the internet.
That’s the beauty of it.
And maybe… the curse
Everyone on the internet is a genius The short film.
Kenyan and I taking a look at some footage.
Okay, so now that you have this product… how would you go about promoting it?
I came up with a concept to shoot a short film. I had recently picked up a book called “The Mirror Makers”. The book chronicled advertising throughout the years. The switch of mediums, the stylistic approaches, even the demographic barriers faced by some.
Throughout all of it, writing remained at the center. I had to stop for a second and realize the impact that writing has on the world around us. A clear message has the power to make you “feel” something. A delusional me, placing myself in the shoes of a seasoned writer. My notepad and imagination led me here.
Explain this concept of yours
A satirical take on the concept that everyone on the internet is a genius. The goal is to leave the viewer with a “ what in the world?” element. The scene features a young woman sitting on a park bench . The woman (Athena) is calm and embodies patience. She is approached by a young man (Na-Kel) he is angsty and eccentric.
He perceives Athena as a “brave soul” for her ability to sit in silence without being distracted by her cell phone. For Athena her brief removal of technological dependence is a call towards peace. She finds that her use of social media leads to negatively comparing herself to others. As her usage increases, so do her feelings of anxiety and self doubt. She has come to grips with the fact she’s responsible for her own peace.
Na-kel opens up their conversation remarking that Athena is a brave soul. To that, Athena smirks replying that she appreciates the ability to detach. She’s concluded that the internet is riddled with “crazies. In this case, you can throw genius’ into the mix”. Its hard to go inside when the voices in your head are occupied by thousands of other voices stemming from being in front of your cell phone.
Na-Kel convinces himself to nod understandably. However, beneath the surface he himself Is a self-professed social media addict. He hasn’t planted himself outside of the idea of not needing outside validation. He enjoys having the reaction of a crowd. In this case, the users on the other side of the screens. He experiences a brief moment of detachment as he sparks conversation with Athena.
What was this inspired by?
My daily practice of reading youtube comments. That’s one of my personal liberties that I never want to compromise. Comment sections represent community. They`re seamless outlets for cementing your digital footprint. There’s a special kind of hurt when you realize comments have been turned off.
My solution is to try for a video that allows for comments. The phrase “Everyone on the internet is a genius” is a sarcastic nod to those commenters who always seem to have it “all figured out”. Reference wise, hands down this was inspired by “Good Will Hunting”. The dialogue in that movie, always stuck with me. Whats a conversation in the park without a little bit of substance ?
Robin Williams (left) and Matt Damn (Right) Robin delivering a speech that won him best supporting actor at the Oscars. Good Will Hunting (1997)
What went into putting a short film together?
1. Establishing a purpose : what point, do I want to communicate to you by the end of this film. How does this tie into “Everyone on the internet” being a genius?
2. Crafting a script that presented the message : My main concerns were the quality of the writing and the humor factor. What makes this dialogue relevant or engaging. Also can this even be considered satirical?
3. Setting a skeleton: Determining which elements I wanted to include (setting/location/actions). I was able to use sketches to establish some flow of the narrative. An example being, identifying which song to include in scoring. Then highlighting the right sequence leading up to the song choice.
4. Character matching: Finding the right people to complement the script. We casted two local actors: Marlo Vashti and Seth Gordon
Marlo was a gem. We connected through mutual friends. She had great energy from the start. The professional. Poised in body language and fluid in her line delivery. I was looking for someone with a sense of self. A virtue, that I feel is complimentary to patience.
Seth was contacted through a facebook advertising call. His reels provided exactly what was needed. An eccentric quick-witted actor capable of flipping from comedic to serious instantly. His ad-libs provided much needed comedic relief. Together Marlo and Seth represented a balance of hot and cold.
5. Collaborating with a Director: Our director Kenyan, Brought the lens to life. We ran track together back in high school, so the chemistry was already there ( alongside shared trauma). I needed someone open-minded and driven, and Kenyan delivered.
6. Communication : Coordination matters. We sent out dialogue sheets in advance, held zoom rehearsals to run lines, and cleaned up any rough edges in the script. From there, we locked in shoot dates that worked for everyone. A little organization went a long way.
7. Moral Support. Let’s just say the delusion can sometimes be aided by outside validation. I was running through the script with the homies constantly. The more approval I got, the more confidence I gained. Normally I’m one to let ideas sit. I decided, this time will be different. Shoutout to the homies, telling me to follow through !