I Forgot My Phone-- A Short Film Critiquing Smartphone Overuse

by Hannah Hollins

Before stepping out of the door every morning, you ask yourself, "Wallet? Keys? Watch? Smartphone?" Now that the mobile phone has become a requirement-- a safety blanket, rather-- for modern society, its presence is becoming obnoxious in many situations. Last night on the 2013 Video Music Awards, the cameras had difficulty getting shots from the crowd-perspective because cell phone screens-- also recording the event-- were raised up, impeding the TV camera's vision. Where do smartphone users draw the line for documenting memories? Is it proper to instagram every meal and happy hour drink? Do you check your facebook feed absentmindedly while waiting for the bus to come, or when your friend excuses themself to use the bathroom? Charlene deGuzman wrote and stars in the short film, "I Forgot My Phone," which attacks the oversaturation of cell phone use in any given day.

 

While people are connected in new and innovative ways, social media and smartphone habits are actually alienating people from real life happening around them. Now that smartphone has become so ingrained with peoples' lives, the appearance of wearables on the market will create another buffer between tech users and the rest of the world. The world behind the google glass, the world around the bright little screen, is giant, compelling, and stimulating. Unfortunately, some smartphone users need a push-- or a day when they forget their phone-- to realize this.