MUSE TV’s Lidia Mosqueda talks with director Nick Bilton and Dominique Druckman about the documentary Fake Famous on HBO and HBO Max.
Fake Famous explores the meaning of fame and influence in the digital age through an innovative social experiment. Following three Los Angeles-based people with relatively small followings, the film explores the attempts made to turn them into famous influencers by purchasing fake followers and bots to “engage” with their social media accounts.
First-time director and veteran journalist Nick Bilton and his team kick off the experiment with a casting call in Los Angeles. The young trio he selects — aspiring actress Dominique, fashion designer Chris and real estate assistant Wylie — in return have wildly different experiences as their fake followers grow by the thousands each day. Peeling back the layers to reveal what’s really happening behind the scenes of influencer fame, the film highlights our obsession with the number of likes, followers, and favorites we get and how most of our online world is more fabricated than we realize.
In association with Consolidated Documentaries, Fake Famous is directed, written, and produced by Nick Bilton; produced by Annabelle Dunne and Mary Recine; executive produced by Graydon Carter.
You can view the documentary now on HBO Max or for more information visit https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/fake-famous.