FOLLOWING is an intimate portrait of a family unraveling under the hidden pressures of influencer culture.

This NYU Tisch School of the Arts thesis film, written and directed by Amanda Skye Acosta, follows Caroline, a fitness influencer whose rigid routines and need for online validation begin to shape her younger sister’s idea of health and beauty. As their mother struggles to intervene, Following exposes how digital fame can fracture family bonds and quietly endanger those most impressionable.

Amanda Skye Acosta, a Senior Film and Television Production student at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, brings a personal perspective to the story—

"This project draws directly from my lived experience as a teenager during the rise of pro-eating disorder forums on Tumblr, Twitter, and Reddit, where harmful behaviors were encouraged to young girls chasing a narrow beauty ideal. Looking back, engaging with these online communities significantly damaged my relationship with food, exercise, and my body in ways that took years to repair. While those forums still exist, a less explicit but more pervasive threat has emerged: disordered habits are now being promoted in online spaces that claim to represent health and wellness.

FOLLOWING explores these issues through the perspective of Caroline, a fitness influencer whose disordered habits and spreading of misleading health advice bleed into her family life. Tense and intimate interactions with her mother, Deb, and her impressionable younger sister, Maggie, reveal how the pursuit of internet fame can strain and distort personal relationships. Through Caroline’s relentless workouts, rigid dietary rules, and the pressure she imposes on herself and those around her, the film also sympathizes with the very real consequences of influencer culture on both mental and physical well-being.

In an era where celebrity status is more accessible than ever, it’s become too easy to lose sight of the real people who exist behind every view, like, comment, and follow. Yet hundreds of thousands of young girls are consuming contradictory health advice from unqualified influencers every day—challenged to get abs in two weeks, cut out entire food groups, and optimize their bodies at any cost. FOLLOWING aims to hold up a mirror to the online culture we’ve created, and to ask those with platforms to reckon with the true weight of their influence.

Ultimately, our ethical use of the internet depends on our ability to stay grounded in reality. By centering Caroline’s fractured family dynamics, this film reminds us that compassion within our closest relationships must guide how we choose to engage with audiences online."

Our team is seeking partners and supporters who recognize the urgent need to examine how online wellness culture shapes real lives. With your backing, we can bring FOLLOWING to the screen in a way that not only captures the complexity of these family dynamics but also sparks dialogue about the hidden costs of influencer culture on young people’s health and self-image.

The money raised will provide the essential resources to bring this story to life at the highest level. Funds will cover production expenses including equipment, transportation, and meals.