This series showcases those who have expanded their artistic palate, moving from still to motion, or motion to still.

In this Internet age we are all aware that social media often glamourizes our daily lives. By showing only the highlights, everyone’s life seems full of accomplishment and adventure. We all understand that these online personas are misleading at best, but director Matthew Rycroft takes the idea of selective history to the extreme in his short film Hashtag Nofilter. Accompanied by a sinister soundtrack, a single man sits alone in a dark room crafting false Instagram persona. Under the username “Jenny Wanderlust” he carefully collages and manipulates images of a young woman having adventures around the world. After posting each clichéd lifestyle photograph he sits quietly, alone, waiting for brief moments of happiness that come from the validation of number of “likes” his photographs receive. The film makes an important point about what we believe to be true. While we may not believe that everyone’s social media projection is always as upbeat as it seems, rarely do we question the authenticity of the photographs themselves.

View more of Rycroft’s work on his website.

Do you make moving images or know of someone who does? Let us know at info@donttakepictures.com.