The past few weeks have seen DigitalDinos give you some key tips with regards to social media in our blogs section. So, here’s a little bit more… watch some movies. Yes, movies. As well as the entertainment our movie suggestions provide, there is so much to learn from these masterful films and you might just pick up a few more tips while watching…
1 The Social Network
This is arguably the most popular, and therefore the most obvious choice for the top spot. The Social Network really is a great watch. A 96% rating on popular movie critic Rotten Tomatoes should be enough to convince you. If not, then how about an all-star cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield Dakota Johnson and Justin Timberlake? The story of how Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook and made it a global superpower is told in breath-taking detail but it also gives out key messages for any young entrepreneurs with high ambitions- dare to dream big. If he can do it, why not you? The Social Network shows the struggles that can occur when chasing your dream (we won’t throw any spoilers in) and the doubts you may have with you own business during difficult times but the message is clear: whether you’re about the unearth a multimillion pound social network or simply starting a business from scratch, believe in your dream.
2 Unfriended
A teen horror flick might not have been the first thing that crosses your mind when you saw our list but Unfriended sends a powerful message. A young girl is cyber bullied and subsequently commits suicide, leaving her friends grieving. However, a year later her friends enter an online chat, haunted by the young girl. An interesting plot but doesn’t sound too big on social media, right? Wrong. The movie shows how quick teenagers scroll between the likes of Spotify, YouTube, texts and most powerfully, video chat. Not exactly Twitter and Facebook but the message is clear- an online presence is a powerful thing. The young girl was ridiculed for posting an embarrassing video online – so businesses beware, what you post online can come back to haunt you (although hopefully not literally, as in unfriended). Only last week British Gas posted a tweet barely related to David Bowie, just to use the Bowie hashtag, in a bid to get more online users to their page. They tweeted “Time flies, don’t it?” This backfired, earning them massive criticism for their rather ill-mannered tweet. Even though Unfriended won’t win any Oscars, there are some powerful messages beneath all the silliness.
3 Black Mirror (Series 3, Episode 1)
Ok, so this might not be a movie. But the hit Netflix show dedicates its spectacular series 3 opener to what the world might just be like in the future if social media keeps heading the way it is. The exact time the show is set may be unclear but it’s obvious that this thought-provoking episode is a glimpse into our future. Social media is everywhere. It quite literally defines who you are. However, in this world, the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are no more. Instead, your life revolves around one app on your (very) smart phone. It’s fascinating to watch. There’s no doubt Black Mirror gives a negative view on the future of social media. You are quite literally rated between 1 and 5, with everything you post on the app (from a wedding photo to a doughnut) rated by other users. This rating defines everything from whether you can get on a flight, or whether forced to drive the journey in a stuttering car. Whether you can walk through this door, or take the long way. Should you accidentally bump into someone on the street, they can pull out their phone and rate you down. Young office worker Lacie needs to get her rating above a 4.2 to attend her old friend’s wedding with societies elite. As you’d expect, her rating takes a roller-coaster ride through the episode. An eye opening take on the future of social media. If you’ve got an hour to spare, watch it. You won’t regret.
