Still from 'Face Filter' (2020) dir. Lauren Pringle
In June, the creators of the popular photo-editing app, Facetune2, unveiled its latest offering, Facetune Video. As the name suggests, Facetune Video allows users to digitally manipulate the appearance of their face in videos, in a similar manner to how they’ve become accustomed to doing in their photos.
Whilst both Snapchat and Instagram have offered users video face filters for some time, concerns surrounding the ethics of Facetune Video are likely to arise given the fears many have raised regarding the damaging long-term implications of using Facetune2. Whilst the drawbacks of such apps affect all of its users, there are particular worries regarding young and impressionable users. It cannot be forgotten that there is an entire generation of smartphone users that have only ever known a world riddled with digitally-manipulated images. Their perception and corresponding expectations of reality, can at times, be radically distorted from the truth because of this.
As further periods of isolation, quarantine and lockdown beckon for many of us, social media usage is likely to grow as we look to supplement decreasing rates of in-person interactions for digital ones. However, film director Lauren Pringle wants us to resist the grasps of toxic screen culture that can accompany high social media use. Keen to encourage an emphasis on inner beauty and confidence, Pringle has directed Face Filter—a short film highlighting the troubling inner conversations triggered by social media.
The film begins with the visceral image of an iPhone buried amongst a half-eaten plate of burger and chips. Far from fresh, the contents of the plate resembles a scrapheap of junk as opposed to the greasy goodness you’d get at your local, gentrified burger joint. Subsequent shots show a remote control and wire cables sharing a similar fate to the aforementioned iPhone. The viewer is then greeted by a wider shot of Stevie Stevie, sitting at a table, seemingly unbothered by the junk food that surrounds them. Their attention is firmly transfixed on their smartphone screen whilst voices are heard overhead reminding Stevie to use “Slimface”, an imaginary face filter which will make them look “so pretty”. The voice then harshly begins to deride them: “do you actually think someone would like you? You’re so stupid. Weirdo”, affirming the supposed need to use Slimface.
The short concludes with an on-screen caption that reads: “you don’t always need to hide behind a filter, whatever you are facing. There are people out there who want to support you”, reminding viewers to talk to the people closest to them, when looking to silence the voices of doubt and derision.
Watch ‘Face Filter’ below: