The millennial in me affords an unconscious amount of time I don’t have to falling down the rabbit holes of YouTube. My viewing history is best described as a drunken narrative of Ellen, news bloopers, James Franco, and an unreasonable number of “I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant” clips. To YouTube, who evidently knows me well enough to give out recommendations, I am quite the connoisseur of utterly useless information.
Despite my less than, say, sophisticated findings I have discovered a few hidden gems that are on the more stimulating end of the spectrum. These selections, as a preface, explore the lifestyles of influential people … documenting the suave, articulate intrigue of Tom Ford, the unexpected wit of Blake Lively, and life in the fast lane with Alexa Chung. They are deeply candid portraits of extraordinary people and in my humble opinion, anthropological treasures.
And so cultured readers, this is a specially curated list of series whose rich insight has (for the most part) liberated me from the Youtube armpit, I once inhabited. Go ahead, take a trip.
“73 Questions”
The ironic and quick-paced questioning of Joe Sabia forces interviewees to respond quickly and candidly. There’s a playful pressure in the one-shot takes, fast paced movement, and brief response time that leaves the subjects delightfully barefaced.
“Model Behavior”
As of late, the lives of models have increasingly become a part of pop culture. (Select one: Gigi, Kendall, Karli). This transition, I’m sure, is a result of the platforms which have given models a chance to break character like never before. Cue “Model Behavior” which has rendered the smolders of Amazonian beauties into a human and emotive context for viewers. At the end of the day, there is something disarming about a selfie stick that makes even the most stone-faced, bulletproof smize strip down.
“Vogue Voices”
Perhaps it’s the self narrative format of Vogue Voices which first caused my melting into puddle form. Ultimately I find it too hard to place a finger on the way of inspiration. But for the designers featured in this series, communicating a vision is as effortless as their art. Bravo, Vogue.
“Lynn Hirschberg’s Screen Tests”
Brief interviews of cover models meant to accompany the issue have resulted in W Magazine’s fresh series entitled “Screen Tests.” Choppy editing produces an exciting sense of spontaneity, as each subject jumps from subject to subject. It’s a surprisingly familiar encounter with Hollywood fantasy, who may or may not take the form of Eddie Redmayne.
