Valentina El Harizi talks about her personal crusade against screen addiction in BEHIND THE SCENES
Seventeen-year-old Valentina El Harizi displays a remarkable sense of image and message in her short film Behind the Scenes.
As both the lead actress and writer-director, she shows a mastery of composition and mise-en-scene while also cutting to the heart of an issue particularly near and dear to her generation, and more.
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We might call it screen addiction, but it’s also FOMO – fear of missing out, and the related fear of presenting anything less than a life of awesomeness online, even at the expense of one’s own real relationships.
The film is bilingual and bicultural, like her, to show that this issue observes no borders, and can equally affect all of humanity regardless of our backgrounds.
Valentina El Harizi ‘s BEHIND THE SCENES talks about her personal crusade
She has partnered with Reboot and Recover, the first organization dedicated to helping those with screen addiction. At the risk of exacerbating your own, read on to see how she answered our questions about her themes and unquestionably bright potential.
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1. How did this film come about? Was it a Reboot & Recover project from the start, or did you make it first and see it would be a good fit?
I am part of the first generation that really grew up with social media. As Instagram came out with its unique and beloved app features, I was beginning middle school. I have first handedly witnessed how human relationships and identity evolve through the rise of social media. If before we might have joked about “doing it for the gram”, we now live in an era where undocumented events have become meaningless.
The most noticeable change, however, was after the pandemic. As we returned to “normal” life, I realized how “unnormal” our social media life had truly become. For example, my once bubbly and spontaneous best friend had become a robot programmed and hooked to her phone.
It was particularly devastating to see her suffer from anxiety and severe body dysmorphia caused by the constant influx of social media influencers’ posts promoting unrealistic beauty expectations. I also knew she wasn’t the only one feeling this self-doubt.
Generations are shaped by what they see in movies. I, personally, go back to films to sort out my feelings. To my surprise, there was no film addressing mental health issues around social media, especially from a young adult perspective.
Using the proceeds I saved over the years from a small business I own (I produce slime), I decided to write, direct and act in a short film that would tackle these issues and make my generation feel seen. And that’s how Behind The Scenes: the short film came to life.
Valentina El Harizi ‘s BEHIND THE SCENES partners with Reboot & Recover
My partnership with Reboot & Recover came about after the film’s completion. I found out about this incredible non-profit dedicated to combating screen addiction and reached out to them to partner together.
That is when I decided to film a short film “outro” so I could bring more awareness to Reboot & Recover and give the audience concrete tools they can take with them to outsmart the social media apps.
2. Tell me a bit about the production design – did you find that impeccably white room with all the mirrors, or was it designed?
I wanted to create a sort of emotional realism through the set design, so I always had in mind, even while writing the script, that act II had to be set in an uncomfortably white room.
The mirror wall alludes to the Narcissus myth and symbolizes our almost “narcissistic” need to be constantly documenting our every move on social media. I scouted many apartments around Washington DC that could maybe work for filming, but it was impossible to find one that really had this Space Odyssey futuristic vibe that I wanted to recreate. That’s when I decided to use my own home, which already had a white kitchen.
The set design team painted the rest of the living room walls white, and temporarily installed white marley flooring to make it an impeccably white room.
As for the mirrors, it was a very laborious task to find the right mirrors for the set. One of the main themes of Behind The Scenes is appearances versus reality.
While the act II room might be futuristic, I wanted the mirrors to go against said modernity, and that’s why I actively searched for vintage “renaissance” styled mirrors. There’s this sort of anachronistic feel created through the presence of old mirrors, emphasizing this clash between the “old” and the “new”, between the old way we use to look and interact with each other versus the new way we “stalk” each other online.
To find these mirrors was no easy task. I went vintage shopping with my production designer, but it was hard to find white renaissance mirrors. We decided to prioritize shape and design over color, and later the crew and I spent many days carefully spray painting every single one of the mirrors white.
3. When you’re directing a movie that has you in almost every shot, how do you manage camera rehearsals and such, especially with the opening scene shot on film that you have to develop and trust it’ll be what you’ve hoped?
Considering especially that it was my first time directing and acting in front of a camera, it was very important for me to find an efficient and successful way to be able to manage both huge responsibilities in a confident manner. I really had to learn when to turn on my “director” hat, and when to shut it down and let my “actor” side take control.
Ultimately, I utilized a lot of “blocking” through a body double. This way, I could work closely with my DP, and clearly envision how the shot would look without me having to be in frame. With time constraints, I didn’t get much “on-camera” rehearsal: the takes themselves were our rehearsal. I would sometimes play them back with my script supervisor and take a look whether or not I was happy with them. I absolutely love playback; not only for directing, but, as an actress, I find it extremely insightful.
Of course, when we were filming the first act on a film camera, playback wasn’t an option. These are those instances where it’s just so important to storyboard your vision of the film and try to have the clearest communication possible with your DP. Although it’s definitely more risky because you can’t really “check” if the shot is turning out as you would like, when you shoot on a film camera, the air is different. The stakes are so high, and I feel like everyone is on their A-game, and it definitely translates through screen.
4. You’ve suggested that the problem of living for social media transcends cultural boundaries, which it certainly does, but I wonder if you’ve noticed any cultural differences in the way people consume/use it?
I definitely have noticed that culture has a big impact on the way we consume social media. I think that cultures with a strong collectivist emphasis tend to use social media to connect with their close groups; social media in this case is mostly used as a tool for
communicating. Instead, individualistic cultures like the US may use it for self-expression, broader networking, and posting. That being said, ultimately I think that how we choose to use social media is such a personal decision. Most people, no matter where they are from, how old they are, or what’s their gender, are still learning how to navigate this new “parallel” life: the world of social media. Social media is such an enigmatic novelty, surreptitiously playing a big part in each of our lives. It’s crucial that everyone takes a moment to step back from the social media haze and assess what kind of relationship they want to have with it.
5. I would imagine you’d like to continue filmmaking after this. Do you have specific plans as to what you might make next?
I’ve been struck with a lot of inspiration recently. I’ve been drafting a new semi-autobiographical screenplay for a feature film that would be set and shot in the French Riviera. That’s all I can really say, right now!
6. Additionally, having created something of a call to activism, do you see yourself continuing as any kind of activist after this?
I’m so concerned about screen addiction, and the need to bring concrete change to this issue, that I see myself continuing my work as a youth leader on screen addiction. Last January, I met with Rep. Jamie Raskin and his policy advisor on technology Lucy Shaw, to discuss screen addiction and Behind The Scenes. We agreed that once the film would complete its festival circuit and be available online, his office would share it with other policy advisors to continue bringing awareness to this issue.
Beyond screen addiction, it’s important for me to keep making films that tackle important issues in our society. Instead of making documentaries, I want to use my unique approach to filmmaking to talk about complex social issues in a more poetic (but equally as effective) way. Compassion is the key to progress, and what better way of building compassion to a subject if an audience can enter and personally relate to the psyche of a film’s character.
7. Conversely, do you think the boyfriend goes a bit too far in his intolerance of it? Is that something we as the audience are meant to decide for ourselves?
It was really important for me not to make any one of the characters the “bad guy” in the story. I wanted the audience to both be able to empathize with each of them, while also keeping a critical eye on each of the characters’ choices/actions. You might have noticed that most of the shots in the film have a wider framing, this was purposefully done to create an “objective” point of view. The spectator watches the boyfriend and the girlfriend interact with each other from “afar”; it’s up to the spectator to decide how they feel about their choices.
Likewise, having adopted a “judgement-free” perspective for the storytelling creates a safe place for the audience members to freely see themselves in the characters. Behind The Scenes is not a story to give moral lectures on the “right” and “wrong” way of using social media. Instead, I see it as a catalyst for introspection and thoughtful discussion on our tech habits.
In other words, I’m leaving the boyfriend’s intolerance to the girlfriend’s social media behavior up to interpretation. I think it’s crucial that, as social media becomes an important “third party” in relationships, we make it a priority to define what kinds of social media practices make us happy, and what kinds of digital behaviors negatively impact our relationships. Everyone has different preferences/needs, thus it is essential to have this open communication.
8. Popcorn or candy?
You probably won’t believe me, but I’ve never tried candy. No lollipops, no Sour Patch Kids, no nothing, just chocolate. So I probably have to go with popcorn! Plus, nothing beats popcorn as a movie snack!
While Behind the Scenes continues its film festival tour on the regional circuit, Valentina El Harizi has just begun classes for her first semester at Berkeley.
Valentina El Harizi talks about her personal crusade against screen addiction in BEHIND THE SCENES