Find out what has been making the most buzz this week in film, photography, social media and more in the Millennial world:
1. The Modern Short Film
High profile brands like Vans, Taco Bell, and even Amtrak are looking to Millennials as the next crop of creative talent, and offering opportunities for unparalleled exposure. Premiering at a film festival is any young filmmaker’s dream, and Heineken is making that happen with their #15secondpremiere contest. Don’t miss this partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival that has Millennials submitting 15-second films via Twitter with an accompanying 140-character description. This competition runs alongside the brand’s second installment of #6SECFILMS where the entries are submitted on Vine, undoubtedly re-defining what it means to be a “short” film.
2. Photography as Artistry
We profiled five young talents worth following who are quickly gaining clout in the music, online, and even political worlds, so don’t miss our latest one to watch—photographer Lauren Marek. Her portraits of everyday life are both relatable and captivating, especially images that merge scenery with portraiture, a unique effect she has called #mergeportait on Instagram. With the sea of photographers that have flooded social media, both amateur and professional, it is easy for young talents to get lost in the mix, but Lauren utilizes multiple outlets like VSCO Grid (covered recently in Essentials) and Instagram to connect with her following of over 24,000.
3. Social Media Catch of the Day
Though Instagram is the go-to social platform for image posts, the network could still learn a thing or two from offshoot apps. We know that tech-savvy users are interested in earning extra cash with just a swipe or a click, so we don’t want you to miss Lobster, the new marketplace for selling original Instagram and Flickr photos. Users simply tag photos they want to sell with #ilobsterit and they appear in the marketplace for 99 cents. Millennials are notorious for ignoring copyrights, but this service turns the tables so that they could benefit from image property rights.
4. The Comeback Kid
Can LiLo make another comeback? That is the big question surrounding Lindsay Lohan’s documentary series on the OWN Network, which will follow her day-to-day struggles in sobriety and reviving her career. Don’t miss the trailer, which includes a warning from Oprah herself for Lindsay to shape up, that is a refreshing true-life depiction, different from the usual E! True Hollywood Story. Lohan’s Millennial peers grew up with her in iconic roles, from The Parent Trap to Mean Girls, and may be rooting for her still after all these years as shown in today’s Thumb stat.
5. Links We’re Passing
Tearjerker marketing is a staple for Millennials, but sometimes the most meaningful campaigns are created by ordinary people. The latest comes from the parents of an adorable 3-year-old girl who decided to cut her hair to give to other sick kids. On a less serious note, last week’s Don’t Miss List brought you the parody “Dunkin’ Love” and the latest remake is an emoji version, a trend we could see being used for parodies in the future.
