An Evening with Adrian Grenier

Seminar Description

After eight seasons playing a popular movie star on HBO's Entourage, Adrian Grenier steps behind the camera to explore the nature of celebrity.

In his directorial debut, Teenage Paparazzo, Grenier profiles Austin Visschedyk, a unique product of our star-struck society who, at the age of 13, was already a freelance celebrity photographer earning up to $2,000 a shot.

Don't miss our screening of the film, featuring Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, Brooke Shields, Whoopi Goldberg, Mario Lopez, Lindsay Lohan, Noam Chomsky, Eva Longoria, and both Paris and Perez Hilton.

Q&A with director Adrian Grenier follows.

TEENAGE PAPARAZZO documents the true story of a relationship between a 14 year-old paparazzo (Austin Visschedyk) and Adrian Grenier, the star of the HBO seriesEntourage. Inspired by a chance encounter with Visschedyk during a night out, Grenier (who previously directed the documentary Shot in the Dark) decides, for a change, to turn the cameras on the paparazzi in an effort to document this unique teenager's world. But the actor/director soon finds the project turning into a personal challenge as Grenier is forced to take responsibility for his influence on his subject's life. As Visschedyk succumbs to the lure of fame, Grenier sets out to understand what makes that lure so powerful-hoping that he and Austin can find something more authentic than the relationship of mutual exploitation that now exists between them. TEENAGE PAPARAZZO contextualizes this vivid story of their relationship using interviews with various people who understand both the perks and consequences of media exposure—from psychologists and historians to celebrities (including Matt Damon, Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton, Alec Baldwin and Whoopi Goldberg), as well as critics, fans, bloggers, publishers and tabloid writers. Grenier ultimately offers an intimate look at the paparazzi and the celebrity culture they serve—and the way it influences this particular teenager and his family.