Move over Rotten Tomatoes! TikTok is now the go-to platform for all your film and TV -related content. Rachael Davies explores how the social media platform is actually putting the power back into the hands of film fans.
Type the word ‘film’ into TikTok’s search bar and you’ll instantly be presented with a flurry of suggested searches: film recommendations, films to watch, films to watch in 2023.
TikTok has become the new search engine for many, particularly among younger users, with Google Senior VP Prabhakar Raghavan noting at the Brainstorm Tech conference in the summer of 2022 that the company’s studies have found that “almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram”.
In the world of film, this places power back into the hands of fans. The everyday viewer can now interact and even influence the future of their favourite franchises, with the power to recreate, improvise, and comment on films quite literally at their fingertips.
From skits based on characters from major franchises like Marvel to clips from scenes that might otherwise get overlooked, there’s a wealth of different types of content available on the platform. No matter what you’re interested in, there’s something there for you – and people ready to introduce you to new content you might otherwise have not encountered.
TikTok has the power to make or break a movie
For me personally, the vast majority of my For You page is centred around film and TV. With TikTok my preferred social media platform, I trust and engage with dozens of content creators, often focusing on specific niches within film.
There lies the strength of the platform: its ability to identify and build on your existing interests. And it’s not just me.
“The discourse around Don’t Worry Darling is the only reason I went to see it,” said student Cyril Langston. “I wanted to see if I could see any of the dynamics play out that I had seen people breaking down in TikToks.”
Don’t Worry Darling. Credit: Warner Bros.
The discourse in question was arguably unrelated to the film itself. The ups and downs of the drama around the film, ranging from a feud between stars Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde, to a clip of Harry Styles with an unbelievably questionable accent, played out on TikTok, with millions of videos racking up before the film even released in cinemas in September 2022. Thousands of people filmed their own take on Harry’s lines, lip syncing along with increasing levels of over-dramatic acting.
No other platform allows users to almost step into the films they’re discussing in quite the same way. While you could argue that any media focused on film and entertainment can provide the role of offering film recommendations and discourse, TikTok caters to something that traditional media simply cannot do on the same scale: niche interests.
“Since TikTok’s algorithm allows for such niche communities, I hear really specific feedback and details I wouldn’t get otherwise,” continued Cyril. “When I watched Babylon, I noticed some similarities in the scores of Babylon and La La Land.
“I tried to Google it to find an article breaking it down but I couldn’t find anything until I saw a TikTok comparing specific motifs.”
Babylon. Credit: Paramount Pictures
TikTok’s algorithm is designed to learn what you like and show you more of it, to a degree rarely seen on other social media platforms. The For You page shows you content from creators you may not already follow but is in line with your interests and is the first page you’ll encounter upon opening the app. This is a marked difference from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where the focus is clearly on content from accounts you follow and subscribe to.
From the side of TikTok creators
Speaking to TikTok creator and actor Dujon Anderson, his motivation to create videos around entertainment is born out of a genuine love for film. Having grown up bonding with his father over Marvel comics, seeing those characters come to life on the big screen was something Dujon wanted to share. Now, he creates skits and series based on various films and TV shows for his audience of nearly 600,000, with videos often racking up tens of thousands or even millions of views.
“[TikTok] is a great way to not only bring people back, but also hype something up, as well as create something new,” Dujon said. “A great example is Wednesday. The dance and the song became such a trend, even though the song isn’t actually in the show. That went viral on Tiktok and, because of the way it went, I think that boosted Wednesday ridiculously.”
Indeed, Netflix’s Wednesday success as the most-watched English-speaking show on the streaming platform went hand in hand with success on TikTok, with 12 billion views under the hashtag #WednesdayAddams and the titular character’s viral makeup look being searched by over 84 million fans on TikTok.
Wednesday. Credit: Netflix
Moving back to the film industry, we’ve also seen TikTok boost the success of Disney’s Encanto from a modest cinema release, where it made $27,206,494 , to a streaming success of 407 million minutes watched on Disney+ during its first weekend. This at-home success for the animated movie came after the soundtrack became a TikTok sensation.
Of course, not every film lover is enamoured with TikTok. As the platform becomes more polished, the average consumer is savvier about the presence of influencers and the possibility of paid-for opinions.
“Social media posts are either sponsored or purposely saying something critical to sound edgy,” said Nicole Russin-McFarland. “This is across every social media platform.”
Instead of trusting opinions on social media, Nicole will read up about a film on her own, or watch a trailer herself to form an opinion before watching, adding that she can almost always tell if she will like something based on this content because only she knows her own likes and dislikes.
Nonetheless, it’s hard to deny that, for those who are on TikTok, the influence of the platform is unmatched.
A digital gateway to new genres and content
What’s more, according to TikTok, 52% of TikTokers have discovered a new actor, movie. or TV show on TikTok, highlighting that the platform has the power to spark movie trends and popularity. In fact, Dujon himself regularly gets comments asking for advice or recommendations when he creates videos based on genres that are new to his audience, such as anime or musicals.
“I get comments all the time saying, ‘I’m not an anime fan, where should I start?’” Dujon said. “Other people in the community will also start throwing out ideas for where you should start with Marvel, for example.”
Even for fans who’ve already watched a film, Dujon often sees comments from people saying that seeing a video of his about Hamilton, for example, has prompted them to go back and rewatch the musical film once more.
The power of TikTok is in fact so strong that industry professionals themselves are starting to see the appeal. Not only is Dujon able to connect with other fans of Marvel and film, but he’s also seen the interaction between industry professionals and TikTok creators grow more and more.
Thor: Love and Thunder. Credit: Marvel Studios
“Film companies are starting to realise that marketing could be easier done with someone…who already has a fan base or an identity [of their own],” commented Dujon.
Whether it’s viewers looking for their next movie to watch, or creators looking to find a niche community they can cater to, TikTok is providing a home where fans can have a tangible influence. Wherever a viral clip, song, or dance is, a film’s success is sure to follow. Put simply, the power to make or break a film is back in the hands of fans – and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
