THIS WEEK’S FEATURED FILM PREMIERE: "Social Media Delivers People” (Oct. 3-9)

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Social Media Delivers People

Description
Social Media Delivers People is a video art piece that critically examines the role of social media in the commodification of users. Drawing inspiration from Richard Serra and Carlotta Schoolman’s 1973 work Television Delivers People, this piece reimagines the critique for the digital age, exposing how social media platforms transform users into products for advertisers. Through a blend of AI spoken text, calm visuals, and bland corporate motivational instrumental music, the video reveals the unseen mechanics of surveillance capitalism—where engagement is monetized, data is harvested, and attention is the ultimate currency. Social Media Delivers People confronts viewers with their own complicity in a system that trades connection for profit. The work serves as both a warning and an invitation to reclaim digital agency, urging audiences to rethink their participation in the social media economy.

Runtime: 2 minutes, 43 seconds
Best Viewed: Cinema Presentation

Director Biography - Brandon Bauer is an artist, educator, curator, and Associate Professor of Art at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin. His work critically examines democracy, nuclear abolition, terrorism, and the climate crisis through photography, video, graphics, and installation, often utilizing archives and ephemera as a lens for ethical inquiry. His work has been exhibited and screened internationally. His writing has appeared in academic journals and books, and his work is held in multiple public and private collections. As an educator, Brandon focuses on the intersection of art and democracy through collaborative community-based projects.

Credits & Specifications:
Completion Date: March 18, 2025
Country of Origin: United States
Country of Filming: United States
Shooting Format: Digital
Aspect Ratio: 16:9