Watch: Intriguing TikTok Tic Outbreak Short Doc ‘Believing is Seeing’
by Alex Billington
December 15, 2022
Source: YouTube
“Can social media make us sick? I think it IS making us sick.” Of course it is, but everyone is still addicted to it anyway. This fascinating 10-minunte short documentary titled Believing is Seeing is a compelling look at an actual real world psychological problem. Made by a Kiwi filmmaker named Sophie Black, this is part of the latest offering of “Loading Doc” short films from the doc program. A mysterious outbreak of tic disorders among young people leads doctors to question whether social media is making us sick and how it’s affecting young people. The short introduces us to sociologist Dr. Robert Bartholomew, an expert in mass psychogenic illness, who talk clearly about how this “TikTok tic” is absolutely real and that social media should come with a health warning. It barely scratches the surface of this issue, but it should be more than enough to make you turn off your computer & put away your phone. It’s worth a watch – especially for teens.
Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip on this one. Brief synopsis for the short via YouTube: “A mysterious outbreak of tic disorders on TikTok? Join the world’s leading expert Dr. Robert Bartholomew, an expert on mass psychogenic illness, to find out why in this short doc about the mind.” Believing is Seeing is directed by up-and-coming New Zealand filmmaker Sophie Black – you can view more of her work on her official website or her Vimeo or follow her on IG @sophieblack_director. Produced by Nikhil Madhan. Featuring cinematography by Pepe De Hoyos, editing by Mike Ogle, and animation by Luke Toth. With original music composed by Tomas Iglesias. This was developed by the “Loading Docs” New Zealand initiative to support and create short documentary films. It’s part of their 2022 “Power of Emotion” collection – for Season 9. For more info on the film, visit the Loading Docs site or YouTube. To watch more shorts, click here. Thoughts?
