In 2018, Stephanie Brown graduated from NYU with a degree in film, but after graduation she struggled to find a purpose for her BFA. That is, until she finally took everything she learned in college to craft the perfect selfie.
“After graduation I worked odd jobs as a barista, cater waiter, even a clown for children’s birthday parties,” Stephanie said. “I was feeling directionless and like my degree was for nothing, but then finally it happened: I took a perfectly composed selfie with great natural light. I never could have done it without my degree.”
“It took months of rehearsal, research, and storyboards to make this selfie happen,” Stephanie explained. “I knew that if I wanted to prove to my parents that my film degree wasn’t useless and they didn’t waste $70k a year, I had to make a masterpiece. This selfie is my masterpiece.”
The work is a stunning commentary on self-image, social media, and it is also just a picture of her making a duck face at the camera.
When Stephanie premiered her selfie on Instagram and Twitter it received a cumulative 100 likes. After the selfie’s debut, the reviews came flooding in. One Instagram user commented, “Hot.” and another commented, “You are serving.”
Some might consider Stephanie’s work vapid and unproductive, but Stephanie argues that she is reframing the image of the director.
“When I was in film school I learned about auteurs like Truffaut, Hitchcock, and Welles,” Stephanie said. “An auteur reinvents, and I’ve done something none of these male directors have, I took a perfect selfie.”
Talk about making sure women are behind, in front of, and holding of the camera.
We wanted to know where Stephanie plans to take her perfect selfie, talents, and film degree.
“I hope a selfie can one day win an Oscar,” Stephanie said. “I know mine can start that conversation.”
“Also, prop work can be difficult to pull off,” Stephanie adds. “But if I get the chance to take a selfie holding an Oscar, well, I’m up for the challenge. Then I’ll probably just do a Marvel movie!”.
