This picture does a bit of digging on TikToks methods of quelling free speech in instances that are more than just anecdotal. They are vocal, they are determined, and they are not afraid. "TikTok, Boom." is screening at the 2022 . Not to mention this: What does it mean that the Gen-Z multitudes now spend obsessive amounts of time immersed in a never-ending digital casserole of content that is fast turning us into Americas Funniest/Wildest/Most Narcissistic Home Videos Nation? Her recent work can be viewed on HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Nat Geo, and many . Often, it mimics the organic flow of a conversation. That the film never seems to stay on one topic too long seems wryly appropriate for its subject; after all, no TikTok video lasts more than a few minutes either. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. TikTok - trends start here. But Kantayya doesn't just dive into their fame she examines the emotional highs and lows that the young stars have experienced since gaining huge followings on the social media app. Not only by scrolling through videos, but participating. It also interrogates the geopolitical corporate battle between TikTok and American companies like Facebook, both of which are seeking to control and exploit the social media market. Just as accounts by activists (e.g. Realscreen title, tagline and logo are trademarks of, and the events are produced by Brunico Marketing Inc. We understand your decision to use an ad blocker, however realscreen journalism takes time and funding Subscriptions and advertising are both necessary to fund the journalism we bring to you. In her documentary, TikTok, BOOM., Kantayya talks about the apps powerful algorithm and how its creating a space for young digital creators to have a voice. TikToks algorithm is designed to deliver personalized content to its usersas you watch videos on the platform, it tailors your viewing experience by providing more content similar to what youve already enjoyed. Realscreen caught up with Kantayya (pictured below) ahead of the Sundance premiere of TikTok, Boom to discuss the film. Is there something about TikTok specifically that makes it different from previous social media apps? a sense of trustworthiness its more interesting to process a sincere exploration than a pointed screed. Let us know in the comments below! Kantayyas careful construction keeps the deluge of information from overwhelming the viewer. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon, By submitting your email, you agree to our, TikTok, Boom. Over the past 20 years, Dinerstein has produced or executive produced 50+ series and feature films, premiering projects at the most prestigious festivals in the world and airing on almost every major network and streaming platform. Perhaps "TikTok, Boom" will appeal to non-users interested in the ongoing cage match between ByteDance and Silicon Valley. The film, which premiered at Sundance, examines the power and complexity of technology through the lens of the . Explore all the reviews together here. But over the course of this efficient rundown on the history, impact, and future of TikTok (which could easily be mistaken for Lin-Manuel Mirandas 2021 directorial debut) Kantayya offers a condensed look at the corporate and political chicanery around the app, and delivers some insight into the ways its most successful users are turning it into a career. Its also the story of big tech and competition as ByteDance and Meta continue competing in the attention economy to generate consumer data. TikTok Boom, the new Sundance documentary, is here to show you who's really putting together that page that's "for you". Yiming was early, however, to invest in recommendation engines optimized for engagement rather than the discovery of new ideas. Her open-mindedness gives TikTok, Boom. So Yun Um and her father, Hae Sup Um, pose in their Los Angeles liquor store. Its my belief as an artist that awareness is change. Its a geopolitical story. Shalini Kantayyas documentary tries, to varying degrees, to explore seemingly all of them. adds further global dimension, exploring some foreign-policy concerns the U.S. government feels when soldiers record and publish tours of critical infrastructure. I hope that this documentary will bring new audiences to understanding this global phenomenon of TikTok and how a Chinese app eclipsed Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and almost every other social media app. TikTok, Boom. TikTok, Boom follows Gen Z influencers to explore how a social media app best known for teenagers dancing becomes the center of geopolitical conflict. What are they seeing? Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In spring of 2021 during the pandemic I started using TikTok, and it grew very addictive very quickly, she told MovieMaker following the docs premiere at Sundance this week. It is always difficult to take on a story when were in the middle of it, and TikTok, Boom. The story of TikTok is nuanced and complex, and its my hope that the documentary reflects that complexity and nuance. Save Your Soul.", Spencer X in "TikTok, Boom." Right: Cooper Raiff and Dakota Johnson in "Cha Cha Real Smooth." Every year around this time, film critics, movie-lovers, artists and producers. Do you think your film will appeal to people who dont use TikTok? It invites the creators to have a candid conversation about their own experiences and how the app ultimately changed their lives forever. Still, for the ever-increasing number of us logging hours on the app every day, this film barely scratches the surface. Kantayyas subjects are far from the most popular TikTokers on the platform right now, but they seem to be the cream of the crop for this documentary. January 29, 2022. What was once just status updates and top eights has now become an industry, a lifestyle, an obsession. The stakes in TikTok, Boom. The video-based app has won the eyeballs of a generation, but it's also a geopolitical hot potato. John Cooper is the emeritus director of the Sundance Film Festival, a role he stepped into this summer after serving as Festival director from 2010 to 2020. What does it mean to be a digital native? He currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Buffalo International Film Festival. The film also sheds some light on Trumps obsession with requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok to a U.S. Companyafter getting trolled by teens ordering millions of tickets to his Tulsa rallyand Xi Jinpings one-upmanship to ensure a sale wouldnt happen. Along the way were introduced to userssuch as young advocate Feroza Aziz, an Afghani-American who finds a place of community online. Despite anxiety felt by Deja, an Arizona teen-turned-viral-star, she simply cant quit social mediaits one way shes able to make a living for herself as both influencer and content creator for hire. 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I make films because I think that the more literate people are and aware people are, the more people can make decisions that are more human, more sane. The issue of white creators stealing dances and other content from POC creators has received some mainstream attention. What is your opinion on the impact of social media andTikTok, Boom? John Fink January 28, 2022 The much-anticipated follow-up to her excellent documentary Coded Bias, Shalini Kantayya's TikTok, Boom. Balancing a genuine interest in the community and its innovative mechanics with a healthy skepticism, delve into the security issues, global political challenges, and racial biases behind the platform. Download the app to get started. Via a cast of Gen-Z natives, journalists, and experts, Kantayyas TikTok, Boom examines the future of social media and the increasing tension between democratic youth culture and authoritarian data surveillance. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Technology was a blessing, but it has become a beast and regulation is loose. Please, whitelist realscreen.com in your ad blocker and refresh your browser. For scores of the Gen-Z faithful, TikTok turns everyday reality into a show. TikTok, Boom. Something went wrong. Therese Lacson is a writer and editor. TikTok, Boom. The Sundance documentaryTikTok, Boom. Even though she appreciates the platform shes gained, Foxx expresses some concerns about the expectations particular to women and girls on social media and the ways in which TikTok and platforms like it can feel all-consuming and abusive. Creative Director 7th Empire Media 2006 - Present 17 years. Director: Shalini Kantayya Alan Ng reviews TIKTOK, BOOM as part of our Sundance 2022 coverage. Influencer Feroza Aziz still hasnt really come to terms with her rising TikTok fame. Overnight she amasses 100,000 unexpected views and eventually uses her platform to call attention to the plight of the Uyghurs held in Chinese concentration camps. newsletter, Lin-Manuel Mirandas 2021 directorial debut, genocidal repression of the Uyghur people. Im of the belief that all art is political. It was such an addictive thing.. At one point it was discovered that anything with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter or #GeorgeFloyd had been shadowbanned, a shocking suppression that the company tried to explain away as a technical glitch., But beyond such flagrant acts of censorship, the documentary examines the larger ethics of TikToks control of content. Production companies: Campfire Studios On the other hand, the app has a potential democratizing effect; one interviewee explains that TikTok has taken away the gate, since virtually anyone can make and post videos with access to a smartphone and the internet. Make no mistake, although TikToks connection to China might be painted as a boogieman figure, theres more to worry about than just that. And the story gets downright salty in looking at Zuckerbergs clumsy attempts to control or destroy TikToks parent company on behalf of Facebook. Should that data be going back to China? RecountingTikToks journey from its start as the brainchild of a Chinese internet entrepreneur through its explosion as the latest buzzed-about app that seemingly everyone under the age of 20 swears by (or at least were doing so at the time of this writing), TikTok, Boomtakes a deep dive intoits subject while interrogating its broader meaning, andexamining how something so seemingly superficial can have an impact on our everyday lives. ), About So Yun Um and her Liquor Store Dreams. Foxx talks about the harassment and bullying that comes from public exposure. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. When they brought it to me, it didnt have any characters or any story, so it was really mine to make. All Rights Reserved. How important was it to cover the issue of race in the film? Despite its wide scope and informative passages on censorship, there seems to be a good deal more. By Owen. Menu. For regular TikTok users, thats where most of the value of TikTok, Boom. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. This is one in a series of film reviews from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, focused on films by women, trans or nonbinary directors that tell compelling stories about the lives of women and girls. Director Shalini Kantayya answers all these questions and more in her comprehensive and informative new documentary "TikTok, Boom," which is playing as part of the virtual 2022 Sundance Film Festival. But that makes it more of a discussion piece than a hardcore dive into any given specific issue. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. In "TikTok, Boom." director Shalini Kantayya attempts to explore the massive impact Chinese social media app TikTok has had on the "the zeitgeist of the U.S." and beyond in its rapid advance to the most downloaded app in history. I eventually took it off my phone because I felt like it knew me so well. Only time will tell how TikTok is changing us, but in its very success the app could be a way of getting us to fiddle while the world burns. After this, she learned to hide her political messages, particularly those critical of China, by embedding them in seemingly innocuous content, like eye lash curling tutorials. Director: Shalini Kantayya. In doing so, the documentary mines the political potential, cultural influence and global ramifications of this worldwide phenomenon. unravels the political chicanery behind the worlds most popular app, Sign up for the TikTok, Boom, the latest documentary from Shalini Kantayya, marks a return to the Sundance Film Festival following the premiere of her previous film, the tech documentary Coded Bias, about. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Share On: Tweet . Sign up to get our cinematic goodness delivered to your inbox every weekend. Editor: Seth Anderson He originally joined Sundance Institute in 1989. Centering a cast of Gen Z subjects, like influencer Feroza Aziz and beatboxer Spencer X, the documentary explores the modern racial obstacles Indigenous people and people of color face in the digital world when it comes to algorithm and censorship. Join the Film Threat writers for a lively discussion.With TikTok crowned the world's most. The films wide view makes for a more complete portrait of TikTok than a more narrowly focused one might have offered, and possibly a more nuanced one. TikTok, the omnipresent video-based social-media app that launched five years ago, has always seemed a less serious, more frivolously youthquakey destination than a number of other online networking services most obviously Facebook. Sundance Film Festival 2022: TIKTOK, BOOM: A Comprehensive Look From Shalini Kantayya On The Social Media Giant - Film Inquiry Film Festivals, Film Reviews Sundance Film Festival 2022: TIKTOK, BOOM: A Comprehensive Look From Shalini Kantayya On The Social Media Giant January 27, 2022 Therese Lacson Therese Lacson is a writer and editor. Sundance 2022: Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, Framing Agnes, TikTok, Boom. This year the director returns with TikTok, Boom, another film about the impact of algorithms on humanity. As Kantayya raises these issues, she never seems like shes trying to push people off the app, or lecture them about its use. The setup is pure TikTok 101, walking the audience through some startling statistics about the apps meteoric growth and its boasts of a billion active users, complete with a corny montage of news footage and stock footage. Film poster: "TikTok, Boom" TikTok, Boom (Shalini Kantayya, 2022) 3 out of 4 stars.. TikTok. So whats the danger? Yet as Shalini Kantayyas sprightly, informative documentary TikTok, Boom. makes clear, there are more levels to the TikTok phenomenon than there are to almost any other blockbuster app. Via a cast of Gen-Z natives, journalists, and experts, Kantayya's "TikTok, Boom" examines the future of social media and the increasing tension between democratic youth culture and . We started principal photography in June so, it was a very quick production timeline for me. 'TikTok, Boom.' Review: A Documentary Looks at How TikTok Is Changing the World The video-based app has won the eyeballs of a generation, but it's also a geopolitical hot potato. Two years ago, Shalini Kantayya was at Sundance with Coded Bias, a documentary about racial bias in facial recognition software, algorithms and artificial intelligence. Theres a brief section about the xenophobia against Chinese people and Asians internationally during COVID, something that was exacerbated by Trump against TikTok after a bunch of teenagers sank his rally by purchasing tickets and not attending. What impact are you hoping this film has? EXPLORE THE FILM About the Documentary What does. The Polygon team is reporting in from the all-virtual grounds of the 2022 Sundance International Film Festival, with a look at the next wave of upcoming independent releases in sci-fi, horror, and documentary film. And Tiktok, Boom never loses its heart. After becoming available in the U.S. in 2018, the app has sparked plenty of intrigue and criticism. So for one content creator, TikTok might represent a gold rush of sponsorship opportunities, while for another, it might feel like a burden she cant escape because its how she supports herself and her family. The first generation of digital natives and how that is reshaping humanity, and how every generation after will be transformed by this technology. I hope that people will ask questions about the technologies that we interact with every day, and when it comes to social media, ask questions around content moderation and also the mental health impacts, especially on young people, she said. (Photo courtesy So Yun Um) By Vanessa Zimmer Just. Her recent work can be viewed on HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Nat Geo and many more. Who better to dissect our complicated connection to the platform than Coded Bias director Shalini Kantayya. Every app is tracking you, watching you and your behavior, and tailoring what they show you to influence you. 2023 Independent Television Service (ITVS). This isnt your first documentary about technology. But Kantayya doesnt just dive into their fame she examines the emotional highs and lows that the young stars have experienced since gaining huge followings on the social media app. (The film) really forefronts the stories of Gen Z influencers and is an exploration of what it means to have the first generation of human beings growing up online. The film mostly plays the TikTok story straight, but Kantayya does allow herself some hints of humor when addressing the politics around TikTok. Covering TikTok for the business, user, and geopolitical angles, it aims to be comprehensive as it darts between multiple perspectivesthe users, creators, activists, journalists, and lawyers fighting privacy battles. Therese Lacson is a writer and editor. As many of the expert subjects explain, TikTok is the example because it is at the top of the food chain, but the problems presented in the film go beyond just the platform. Ross Dinerstein is the founder and CEO of Campfire Studios. I would say it was a perfect storm because I had actually thought about doing this film. Danni Mynard. Thank you for subscribing! Enter for a Chance to Win a MAGIC MIKES LAST DANCE Digital Movie! We are living in an age where we are sort of sleepwalking through these technology companies that are growing extraordinarily powerful. In that film, data scientist Cathy ONeil makes a frequently stated case: we need an FDA for algorithms, especially those that truly matter. To Kantayyas credit though, its difficult to explain so much without seeming like shes stating the obvious. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. Yet heres the thing. The doc addresses widespread ideas and experiences around the app, mostly with a helpful journalistic remove that avoids either scolding or gushing. In April 2021. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. And since TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a company based in China, the fact that much of what TikTok is actually about, once you peek beneath the candy-colored surface of its endless-shopping-mall-of-videos, how-I-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-dopamine-hit mystique, is data mining (the targeting of you, the user, as a consumer, who will be digitally read like a book and pitched products until your dying day), there are sizable geopolitical implications to the TikTok story. Beyond TikTok, the doc makes it clear that data is king now, more valuable than oil. Woven around their stories are shorter appearances from other content creators (including one on Douyin, TikToks Chinese counterpart) plus interviews with experts like New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz and tech ethicist David Ryan Polgar, who provide larger context about TikToks history, its data-collecting algorithm, its effect on young people, its role in the cultural tug-of-war between the U.S. and China, and more. Her vertical video was first taken down, then she was told "Your Account . Told through the stories of Gen Z influencers, TikTok, Boom explores how a social media app became a cultural phenomenon and a flashpoint for national security concerns. The sheer hugeness of the app is its own paradigm-shifting. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The story of TikTok is a story about the future of society, of todays zeitgeist, of an algorithm like no other and how a 60-second video from your bedroom might just have the power to change the world. If theres anything new to be gleaned from Tiktok, Boom by those who are already familiar with everything presented, its a confirmation that although there is much to do, indifference has not yet settled in. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. 28 Likes, TikTok video from thenilz_ (@thesunil_): "Boom! While somewhat illuminating in regards to TikTok and its behavior, TikTok, Boom. (At one point she does an end run around their algorithm by nestling her activism in the middle of an eyelash tutorial. Once her doc gets going, its accessible enough for tech-agnostic people who still dont own smartphones, but mines insight and intel that even the most habitual TikTok viewers and creators might find useful. Shalini Kantayya's documentary examines one of the most influential social media platforms today, tackling issues of cultural influence, algorithmic bias, cybersecurity, geopolitics and more. Kantayyas documentary persuasively argues that TikToks curation results in viewers finding themselves in narrower and narrower silos, where they only see videos that confirm their biases and undergird their beliefs, with little regard for fact, accuracy or diverse perspectives. By Vanessa Zimmer. The film itself may be a valuable tool for Intro to Media Study courses in high schools and colleges, but its story lacks stakes comparable with Coded Bias. At the rally, there were large sections of empty seats; Trump was infuriated; the denizens of TikTok had pranked the president. Shalini Kantayya Sundance 2022 Sundance Film Festival TikTok TikTok Boom. was directed by Shalini Kantayya and shot by DP Steve Acevedo, who used a Blackmagic Ursa Mini and a Sony equipped with Rokinon Cine DS Primes and Canon L Series lenses. Its a brisk, capable, entertaining act of synthesis, seemingly designed to get its viewers on the same level of understanding of TikTok, no matter what level they start at. The film takes on a wryer tone when addressing a viral stunt that humiliated Donald Trump and seemingly sent him on the warpath against the app, while he simultaneously demanded a finders fee if his administration regulated the app in a way that forced it to sell its U.S. operations to Microsoft. The For You Page is a groundbreaking feature that makes TikTok terrifyingly good at tailoring itself to a users specific tastes; what shady things it does with the information it gathers isnt necessarily all that different from what every other social media site does with it, as documented in other projects like The Social Dilemma or Kantayyas own Coded Bias. Enter for a Chance to Win a TRAINING DAY 4K Digital Movie! On the whole, however, its an engaging and compelling film, one that will encourage conversations about digital freedom and the potential of new forms of creative and political expression. Help bring programs like Independent Lens to your PBS station. TikTok, Boom. Founded in a small apartment by Zhang Yiming, the platform is primarily a remarkably accurate machine-learning tool built around user engagement in the for you page. . examines the app so popular among Gen-Z users that its quickly surpassed Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as the most-used social media. We see people educating others about their culture, proudly embracing themselves, and finding their voice on the platform. But TikTok, Boom is not for the experts. On the surface theres no harm in that, yet we should increasingly be skeptical of it, especially when were encouraged to think that TikTok, through the very grip of its appeal, creates a place for people to speak truth to power. The movie plays up the moment when a TikTok user got the idea to reserve a ticket to a Donald Trump rally in Oklahoma and then not show up for the rally. will come in not in putting numbers on the popularity of the popular app they use, but in laying out exactly what theyre exposing themselves to in terms of data-mining, privacy concerns, and control over what theyre allowed to say. It seems less likely to come as a revelation to people who are Too Online as it is (myself included, admittedly). premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2022. Because, while TikTok might just seem like any other social media app, it also has a deep geopolitical history due to its ownership by a Chinese company. Sundance 2022: "TikTok, Boom." Interrogates the Rewards, Risks and Politics of One of the World's Most Popular Apps 2/4/2022 by Aviva Dove-Viebahn This is one in a series of film reviews from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, focused on films by women, trans or nonbinary directors that tell compelling stories about the lives of women and girls. Please enter a valid email and try again. the Wall Street Journals Facebook Files and documentary films such as the aforementioned Coded Bias). Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. TikTok, Boom, the latest documentary from Shalini Kantayya, marks a return to the Sundance Film Festivalfollowing the premiere of her previous film, the tech documentary Coded Bias, about the human biases that end up reflected in algorithmic learning, in 2020. And she admits that a huge challenge was balancing the anecdotal, academic analysis aspect of the film and the telling of compelling stories from digital natives. It is currently seeking US distribution. is currently seeking distribution. examines the algorithmic, sociopolitical, economic, and cultural influences and impact of the history-making app.A cast of Gen Z subjects, helmed by influencer Feroza Aziz, remains at its center, making this one of the most needed and empathetic films exploring what it means to be a digital native. Instead, this documentary is very much like an introduction to truly understanding how young people operate on social media today. Oops. Uprisings in the summer of 2020 also receive the same treatment, terms like George Floyd and BLM becoming temporarily unavailable to view until TikTok blames an undisclosed technical error for suppressing millions of videos. Editors note: Throughout the month of February, Aviva Dove-Viebahn will review 12 films in total from Sundancesix feature films and six documentaries. Kantayya was very selective about the content creators she chose to work with during this project. comes close to sounding the alarm on the platforms geopolitics, as well as other generally creepy behavior on the Duets feature courtesy grown men who probably should be put on sex-offender registries.
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