For anyone over a certain age, the job of social media influencer exists purely in quotation marks, and anyone aspiring to be one is contemptible at best. But the new documentary “Jawline” offers a surprisingly compassionate look not just at one rural Tennessee kid’s bid for virtual stardom, but also at the digital celebrity-industrial complex that perpetuates itself by dehumanizing people into content-generating commodities.
Tracing delicate lines back to the heartthrob mall tours of the 1980s, director Liza Mandelup unobtrusively follows her subject, Kingsport, Tenn., native Austyn Tester, as he stakes his claim in the online space. Using platforms like Instagram and YouCast to interact with fans, Tester’s irrepressible enthusiasm and fresh-scrubbed sincerity comes across immediately, making him an ideal focus for the film — particularly given the skepticism and outright distaste many have for this growing community.
But what the film quickly reveals is that despite these technological advances,...
Tracing delicate lines back to the heartthrob mall tours of the 1980s, director Liza Mandelup unobtrusively follows her subject, Kingsport, Tenn., native Austyn Tester, as he stakes his claim in the online space. Using platforms like Instagram and YouCast to interact with fans, Tester’s irrepressible enthusiasm and fresh-scrubbed sincerity comes across immediately, making him an ideal focus for the film — particularly given the skepticism and outright distaste many have for this growing community.
But what the film quickly reveals is that despite these technological advances,...
- 8/23/2019
- by Todd Gilchrist
- The Wrap
“I’m telling you guys,” says 16-year-old Austyn Tester, sitting in a leather computer chair and speaking into his Macbook’s webcam. The otherwise bleak, wood-panelled room he sits in is completely taken over by soft lighting equipment; the camera pans from his perfectly coiffed hair down to his dirty socks and stained carpet. “If you’ve got a dream, you’ve got to chase it. Don’t let anyone’s opinions affect you.” In director Liza Mandelup’s feature doc debut, Jawline, Austyn speaks to himself as much as he does to the gaggle of teen girls that are watching him live-stream his motivational speech. He […]...
- 8/23/2019
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
“I’m telling you guys,” says 16-year-old Austyn Tester, sitting in a leather computer chair and speaking into his Macbook’s webcam. The otherwise bleak, wood-panelled room he sits in is completely taken over by soft lighting equipment; the camera pans from his perfectly coiffed hair down to his dirty socks and stained carpet. “If you’ve got a dream, you’ve got to chase it. Don’t let anyone’s opinions affect you.” In director Liza Mandelup’s feature doc debut, Jawline, Austyn speaks to himself as much as he does to the gaggle of teen girls that are watching him live-stream his motivational speech. He […]...
- 8/23/2019
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In a compelling new film, a 16-year-old small town boy becomes a star thanks to livestreaming and an ever-changing new world opens up
Sometime between 2016 and 2017 – a distinct period, if you follow the rapid hot and colds of social media platforms – 16-year-old Austyn Tester filmed a video just for himself. Shirtless in front of a wall in his Kingsport, Tennessee, home, Tester flicks his hair with barely contained excitement. After months of live-streaming his middle American high school life on YouNow, cultivating a following of teenage girls who tuned into him lip-syncing, dancing or just hanging out, Tester received interest from a talent manager. Clutching himself and spinning around, he tumbled through a series of revelations. “This is before I’m famous!” He leaned into the selfie lens. “It is 10.06pm. I’m not famous right now. Hopefully I’ll be famous soon.”
Related: The Obamas' first film: will American...
Sometime between 2016 and 2017 – a distinct period, if you follow the rapid hot and colds of social media platforms – 16-year-old Austyn Tester filmed a video just for himself. Shirtless in front of a wall in his Kingsport, Tennessee, home, Tester flicks his hair with barely contained excitement. After months of live-streaming his middle American high school life on YouNow, cultivating a following of teenage girls who tuned into him lip-syncing, dancing or just hanging out, Tester received interest from a talent manager. Clutching himself and spinning around, he tumbled through a series of revelations. “This is before I’m famous!” He leaned into the selfie lens. “It is 10.06pm. I’m not famous right now. Hopefully I’ll be famous soon.”
Related: The Obamas' first film: will American...
- 8/23/2019
- by Adrian Horton
- The Guardian - Film News
Jawline Hulu Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Liza Mandelup Cast: Mikey Barone, Bryce Hall, Jovani Jara, Julian Jara, Austyn Tester, Donovan Tester, Michael Weist Screened at: Park Ave., NYC, 7/18/19 Opens: August 23, 2019 In at least one sense, the social media—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter—have not changed teen-aged […]
The post Jawline Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Jawline Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/18/2019
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
The time has come for Hulu to release its list of everything coming and going in the month of August.
This will come in handy after the “Bachelorette” season finale in late July leaves us in desperate need of something else to watch.
In August, a new episode of Hulu’s horror anthology “Into The Dark” arrives, in which a group of social outcasts who are stuck in weekend detention are confronted by the school’s legendary hauntings.
Also Read: 'Mrs. Maisel' Star Alex Borstein Is Frequently Asked to Sign Plungers, and She Thinks It's Weird
Other Hulu originals include: “The Amazing Johnathan Documentary,” in which a filmmaker profiles a dying magician on his final tour, but the lines between reality and magic begin to blur; Season 2 of “Find Me in Paris,” and “Jawline,” a Hulu original documentary that follows 16-year-old Austyn Tester, a rising star in the live-broadcast ecosystem...
This will come in handy after the “Bachelorette” season finale in late July leaves us in desperate need of something else to watch.
In August, a new episode of Hulu’s horror anthology “Into The Dark” arrives, in which a group of social outcasts who are stuck in weekend detention are confronted by the school’s legendary hauntings.
Also Read: 'Mrs. Maisel' Star Alex Borstein Is Frequently Asked to Sign Plungers, and She Thinks It's Weird
Other Hulu originals include: “The Amazing Johnathan Documentary,” in which a filmmaker profiles a dying magician on his final tour, but the lines between reality and magic begin to blur; Season 2 of “Find Me in Paris,” and “Jawline,” a Hulu original documentary that follows 16-year-old Austyn Tester, a rising star in the live-broadcast ecosystem...
- 8/1/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
"They're like those friends that I'd never had and I wish I had." Hulu has debuted an official trailer for the award-winning documentary Jawline, the feature directorial debut of Liza Mandelup. This won Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival where it first premiered earlier this year. It also just won a Youth Jury Award "Special Mention" at the Sheffield Documentary Festival. The film follows 16-year-old Austyn Tester, a rising star in the live-broadcast ecosystem who built his following on wide-eyed optimism and teen girl lust, as he tries to escape a dead-end life in rural Tennessee. "A film that captures a complex emerging subculture and truthfully reflecting the online world and what lies behind it." Here's the first trailer (+ poster) for Liza Mandelup's documentary Jawline, direct from Hulu's YouTube: Liza Mandelup's feature debut, Jawline, follows the 16-year-old Austyn Tester, a rising star in the...
- 7/9/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Everyone loves to rag on social media celebrities, but what about the people who see online fame as their only route to a better life? That’s the question at the heart of “Jawline,” the feature debut from filmmaker Liza Mandelup, who won a Special Jury Award for Emerging Filmmaker Award at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. A new trailer released today by Hulu, which will release the movie in theaters and online, offers a sense of Mandelup’s singular vision.
“Jawline” made its New York debut at the 2019 BAMcinemaFest, where the festival provided this synopsis: “16-year-old Austyn Tester has not had an easy life, growing up poor in an industrial Tennessee town, but what he does have—teen idol good looks, an outgoing personality, and an internet connection—are enough to make him an object of adoration for the thousands of teen girls who tune in to his social media livestreams.
“Jawline” made its New York debut at the 2019 BAMcinemaFest, where the festival provided this synopsis: “16-year-old Austyn Tester has not had an easy life, growing up poor in an industrial Tennessee town, but what he does have—teen idol good looks, an outgoing personality, and an internet connection—are enough to make him an object of adoration for the thousands of teen girls who tune in to his social media livestreams.
- 7/9/2019
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
With social media so ubiquitous, it was only a matter of time before documentarians tackle the trend of social media celebrity. Last year, one of our favorite docs that was making the festival rounds was the film “Social Animals,” which looked at Instagram and the rise of teen celebs. Now, Hulu is getting involved with another festival darling doc, titled “Jawline.”
Unlike other social media docs, “Jawline” focuses on the fairly under-the-radar world of personal internet broadcasting, specifically with the young teen Austyn Tester.
Continue reading ‘Jawline’ Trailer: Hulu’s Sundance Award-Winning Doc Takes A Look At A Wannabe Social Media Celebrity at The Playlist.
Unlike other social media docs, “Jawline” focuses on the fairly under-the-radar world of personal internet broadcasting, specifically with the young teen Austyn Tester.
Continue reading ‘Jawline’ Trailer: Hulu’s Sundance Award-Winning Doc Takes A Look At A Wannabe Social Media Celebrity at The Playlist.
- 7/9/2019
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.