The Business
'Web Junkie' Filmmakers; 'East Los High:' A Soap with Smarts
Filmmakers Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia tell us about the secretive, years-long process of making Web Junkie, a documentary about an internet addiction treatment facility for teens in China. Then, the executive producers of the Hulu hit East Los High share how their show is filling a void in the teen media market.
By Kim Masters • • 28m ListenIsraeli filmmakers Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia's documentary Web Junkie follows Chinese teenagers undergoing treatment for internet addiction at a controversial facility outside Beijing. The filmmakers knew they'd have to make their movie without permission from the Chinese government. Then, the executive producers of Hulu's original series East Los High tell us how the drama about Latino high schoolers was created with the hope of lowering teen pregnancy rates.
Photo: Teen undergoing treatment for internet addiction in China in the documentary Web Junkie. Photo courtesy of POV.
