TASK 1D: Importance of Images & Audio-visual

Task 1D: Importance of Images & Audio-visual

The use of social media in my professional practice has skyrocketed, even since 2011 when I began drama school! In the arts today self promotion via Web 2.0 forums such as Instagram and twitter is constantly rising. Having so many friends and acquaintances in the acting world I notice it's near impossible to scroll through any social media and NOT see something relating to someone's work. Whether it be a link to a short film, a showreel, a poster for a play or someone wanting opinions on their new headshots. These are just a few of a number of ways in which audio-visual and images are used via social media to support and potentially further ones career. And with the accessibility of those posts reaching thousands of people in a matter of minutes the amount of people using this tool are constantly growing. On the one hand to this is the possibility a casting director or producer will stumble across your audio-visual one day whilst looking thorough their timeline and make you the next HOLLYWOOD STARRR. On the other hand is, if one is careless with what is posted on their social media and mixes professional and personal posts, that someone influential in the industry will come across the post. Then instantly have a link to a profile spanning since the beginning of high school, has access to hundreds of status', pictures, videos and so much more at the touch of a button. Will they then see someone they want to make the next star?

I think social media can be a fabulous tool at the disposal of so many people, however the differentiation of personal and professional must be clear and not interlinked in my opinion, as I mentioned in my previous blog for TASK 1B. 

For this task I created a different Instagram, professional, profile. As it's a system I'm very aware of, I posted an array of videos of my choreography whilst teaching, myself singing, and acting self tape and my new headshots I had updated last week. Once it was set up and after posting various things over a few days I noticed that I have very few followers and likes and comments in comparison to my personal account. This made me feel as though my work wasn't enjoyed and liked, which I know is silly to feel like that! But is that a reason people post things on their personal social media? For the likes and comments? Does a video of someone's choreography with 700 likes prove they're more talented than another choreographer's video with 25 likes? Of course not! But living in a society where social media plays such a huge part in so many young peoples lives, is it causing people to overlook the detrimental effect posting professional work on a personal account?

For me, of course not, and it's not something I personally would do (mixing professional and personal accounts). However I know it happens, I've seen it first hand. It's really made the think though! On the odd chance someone of influence could see the post and contact your agent for a series or film they're casting, should you? Whether they have dangers or not. It left me really interested to find out, and I couldn't help but wonder... Are most actors and performers cross sharing images and audio-visual on social media? Or like me and think they should remain separate? Maybe over time on this course my opinion on the matter will change.. I look forward to finding out!

H x