Influencers and the Cost of Integrity

The rise of TikTok has also led to the rise of influencers and they have permeated the industries we love. Some people’s quarantine hobby of talking to the internet about the movies they like led to movie premieres and press packages. But it wasn’t without a cost, these people’s response to these movies all of a sudden got mysteriously positive and their ability to criticize or analyze evaporated.

Now there are only a handful of TikTokers that ever had my attention or respect when discussing movies and even that list has dwindled as of late. We all know I am not afraid of conflict so let's start with JStoobs. Someone who started her TikTok career as an outspoken feminist lens for the industry. She always had strong opinions and firm takes on all nerdy content, she still claims to be an influence for change and yet she won’t judge people for seeing the Flash and “enjoyed” the film. Let’s be clear that there is no reason to see the Flash. The crew has been paid and the success or failure of this movie does not hurt nor help them. The only people that stand to make money are the executives currently fucking over their writers and crew members and Ezra Miller, a person that is on video choking a woman, has a disorderly conduct charge (that should actually be an assault charge), and has been off their rocker for damn near three years now. HBO executives have gone on record stating that they are open to working with Miller in the future, based on how this movie does. So if you see it in theaters or even wait for it to stream you are actively voting for the studio to keep Ezra. But that wasn’t enough to ward JStoobs off, who could turn down a DC premier right?

Next up we’ve got StrawHatGoofy, again a man that started with outspoken and strong opinions. Watches a lot of movies and gives a lot of reviews. Now I’m sure he had a few flat takes before this but the moment I knew he was gone was when he made a video promoting Blonde. You know Blonde, the movie that over dramatizes, oversexualizes and exploits the image of Marilyn Monroe. A woman that killed herself because the industry abused her and no one took her seriously. That movie spits on the grave of Marilyn and everyone involved in it is trash. But StrawHat thinks that's all fine.

The problem really lies in the fact that we follow random people because they are articulate enough to know how to properly voice thoughts that we have. That's it, that is the end of their qualifications. I’m damn near done with a film degree, submit to screenwriting competitions all the time and as such get feedback on my writing from industry professionals. I’m not saying that makes me the end all be all of film critiques but it sure as hell makes me more qualified then these two. The second that JStoobs and StrawHat started getting invited to premieres their reviews became neutral at best, and here's the issue…we are all watching the same movies you are. Telling your followers to go see something because you were invited to the premier is dishonest. I want to be a screenwriter, being invited to these events would give me the connections I need to do that, but it isn’t worth my soul. DON’T go see the Flash, if you want it that bad you can pirate it but it isn’t worth giving your money to the studio.

Turns out the price tag on integrity is a million followers and getting noticed by a few studios. I’m mostly just disappointed, not supporting bad people is so so easy and these two couldn’t give up 1 shred of something that they enjoy to do the right thing. That in of itself is the core of what is wrong with society.