I recently got involved in the making of a documentary about celebrity culture called Teenage Paparazzo. It was directed by Adrian Grenier, the star of Entourage on HBO. Adrian is also featured in the movie, which shows in a very personal way what it has been like for him, becoming famous playing someone famous.
Teenage Paparazzo was a special entry at Sundance last winter and will be shown on HBO tomorrow, Monday, September 27, 9pm Eastern Time.
The story revolves around Adrian's relationship with Austin Visschedyk, the teenage paparazzo he met on a rope line. The movie tracks the boy's involvement in that world and goes on to explore the nature of our society's fascination with celebrity. It includes interviews with other celebrities (Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Whoopi Goldberg) and some experts on media (yours truly, Henry Jenkins of MIT's Media Lab, Jake Halpern).
What makes this film completely unique is that it is presented through the eyes of this teenager and his family. We see, from their point of view, the compelling attractions and insidious risks of celebrity culture, shown in a format that is experiential, not didactic. Celebrities tell us what their lives are really like and encounters with paparazzi and tabloid editors and writers show us how the celebrity factory packages their lives. I don't think there is a document out there that gives a more insightful, sympathetic, and balanced account of that particular dynamic.
I co-wrote the narration with Adrian and my book was the source of some of the ideas that shaped the movie.