2. Mission
The professional online identity that I have constructed exists
primarily on the social media platforms of Twitter and
Wordpress. My mission is to create a professional profile that
can be identified by those professionals immersed in the film
industry and screen culture, particularly writers/critics,
distributors and other such screen culture related professions.
By immersing myself in the online communities that these
individuals have created I seek to have my own film related
writing exposed that could potentially lead to establishing my
future career in the industry as a distributor or film writer. I
succeed in doing this by promoting my Wordpress blog
through my Twitter to expose my writing.
To achieve my mission I predominantly follow Australian film
critics, particularly a younger generation of critics who are
constantly tweeting related information to film. I frequently
attempt to engage with these individuals and as a result many
have followed my own Twitter account. Finding this
community has also been made easier through the
Melbourne International Film Festival where a number of
critics have been conversing exposing me to larger amounts of
professional individuals with a strong interest in film.
Related blog entry
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=541
3. Personality and character
Through Twitter I aim to present myself as a film buff/cinephile
using a personal, quirky and witty tone. I strive to be amusing and
offer insightful analysis and comments on film. I present my
character by predominantly tweeting on film related news
particularly concerning my opinions on films, as well as re-tweeting
other insightful film related tweets. In addition to this I use my
Twitter account to promote and link my separate personality
presented on my Wordpress blog, Filmbluff.
My Wordpress blog possesses a more academic, professional tone
in its writing style. This blog is more of a professional platform
where I can showcase my film reviews for possible submission to
publications such as Senses of Cinema or The Age’s Sunday
Magazine. Additionally, I will aim to write more director
retrospectives and top 10 lists on films that admire. This way I am
able to uphold my academic tone whilst still revealing elements of
my personal character.
Related blog entries
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=541
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=562
4. Influential online identities
Lena Dunham – My professional profile is heavily based on Lena
Dunham who is a director, writer and actor. I attempt to adopt her
tone of voice and make my tweets more personal when relating
them to my filmic interests. Lena promotes her work (HBO show
Girls) and her personal life on Twitter incredibly well. She adopts a
witty and sarcastic tone of voice that I draw inspiration from and
influences me to use Instagram and connect images to Twitter.
Tara Judah – Is a critic and programmer for the Astor Theatre. She
also presents Plato’s Cave on 3RRR. Tara is a brutally honest
tweeter when it comes to discussing films. Her tone of voice is
amusing, dry, intelligent and sarcastic. Tara’s frequent tweets are
influential and inspire me to tweet regularly whilst also ensuring
that I don’t hold back with the opinions that I give on films.
Moreover, Tara frequently posts links to her radio program that is
inspiring for myself given I have delivered film reviews at 3RRR. As a
result I notify my followers of all platforms I am engaged in to
discuss film.
Thomas Caldwell - Is a renowned Melbourne critic who programs
for MIFF, hosts film related programs on 3RRR and has an
influential blog called Cinema Autopsy. I use Thomas as my
Wordpress influence given he writes regular reviews on recently
released films which is what I achieve in my own blog. Thomas’s
blog adopts an academic tone and his reviews are well structured
and possess in depth analysis on the film’s he watches. I aspire to
make my own reviews similar to small essays that analyze gritty
details of films as I find these moments most captivating and
insightful. Thomas posts blogs frequently to a high standard. He
influences me by illustrating that it is fine to apply academic
language to film reviews written as blog entries. Blogs are usually
affiliated with being personal in tone however I recognize my blog
as a platform to apply what I learn in Cinema Studies.
Tyler – New Zealand blogger who specializes in Foreign film. His
blog is titled Magnolia Forever and I enjoy how he has a specified
interest to capture his readers. Tyler has also created lists such as
Top 100 Foreign Films with brief statements regarding his thoughts
on the films. This blog is a good reference point and will strongly
influence my decision to incorporate director retrospectives and
Top 10 lists in my own blog. Tyler’s lay out is also superb with a Related blog entries
director of the week section that works well. http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=567
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=541 (Lena Dunham section)
5. ID structure
The ID structure I have created is of the main social media
platforms I use to present my professional profile. Each platform
conveniently offers me the opportunity to link to my Twitter.
Twitter forms as my main platform to unite my Instagram and
Wordpress. I link Instagram images to Twitter to enhance the
personal elements of my profile whilst my blog links to my more
professional stature. I actively avoid linking my Instagram or my
Twitter to Facebook as I find I do not require these to present
myself professionally given my Facebook is purely personal. Having
experimented with promoting my blog I concluded that it receives
the most amount of views when connected to Facebook. As a result
I promote my blog on Facebook mostly for friends to read whereas
Twitter forms as a platform where industry professionals can read it
too.
Twitter – immediate and consistent posts with a combination of
retweets, conversations, personal updates, news related updates
and academic updates usually surrounding film and University. In
depth analysis of Twitter here…
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/
Wordpress – space to write in depth film reviews and film
comments. Also a space to publish film related essays from
University.
Facebook – personal space to promote my blog amongst friends
and wider public in groups (ie. MIFF) Personal interactions and
space to organize University group assignments.
Instagram – rarely utilized but making a conscious effort to connect
images to Twitter enhancing my personal nature on this platform.
ABC Pool – creative content uploaded, comment and engage in
communities.
Flavours – space to provide links to each of my platforms.
6. Relevance of communities to my ID mission/persona
Film critics and other film related industry professionals form
as a group of people whom I follow and aim to engage with.
Moreover, recently the MIFF2012 hash tag on Twitter was a
strong community that I engaged with throughout the festival.
Through this hash tag I was able to engage with individuals by
retweeting and striking up conversation relating to the films
screening at MIFF this year. This formed as an excellent way of
establishing new connections and finding more followers who
share a similar interest to myself. This succeeds in bolstering
my persona, especially my position as a film professional by
simply following other like minded people.
The IM212 hash tag on Twitter is another community relevant
to enhancing my online persona. I have been able to affiliate
course content with my interest in film and tweet these
related matters, indicating how my tweets can be
academically related to film enhancing my professionalism
online.
Our Radio 2 subject this semester has also enhanced my
professional persona given each student presents the weekly
show Room With A View. On this program I have had the
opportunity to give film and television reviews that I have
promoted on Twitter. This has enabled me to engage with the
RWAVRRR hash tag as well as conversations with @RRR.
Although my engagement with ABC Pool has been minimal, I
have contributed two projects that concern film related
content. I have attempted to engage in ABC Pool by
commenting on work, liking work and joining My Tribe. ABC
Pool compared to the hectic nature of Twitter is important in
emphasising the creative elements of my personality. The
community itself as demonstrated through the comments I
have read is incredibly considerate. To be able to engage with
this platform I need to be creating and uploading more
creative content. This adds another element to my persona,
indicating that I am also actively creative in radio production
relating to film.
7. Community and platform analysis of Twitter
Twitter as a platform
The main benefits of Twitter are that it caters for both professional and personal identities and
even a blend of the two. Not only can you construct personal tweets but also share news and
promote your own professional work amongst similar industry professionals.
Twitter’s relevance to my online ID:
- enables me to promote my professional writing, radio documentaries, RRR reviews and other
University related content created to industry professionals
- a platform where I can incorporate my personal tone to my professional interests
- engage in conversations with industry professionals and make myself known
- present myself as a film interested professional by acquiring followers that fit this persona as well
as tweeting about film related news
Things to be aware of:
- acknowledge that not all of my followers may be professionally related to film therefore
undermining my status
- may be retweeted by individuals who are not related professionally to film
Communities on Twitter
Related blog entries • MIFF2012#
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=582 • Film industry professionals who promote their own professional work
(Twitter community analysis) • Comedic, witty, sarcastic and insightful tones
• Frequently engaging with one another particularly tweeting their
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=588 thoughts on each other’s work such as radio podcasts, reviews in print
(Twitter platform analysis) publications and blog entries etc.
• Engaging academically with specific films they’ve seen – both recent and
old films
8. Platform analysis of Wordpress
WordPress is a sophisticated blogging platform where I write film reviews on
current theatrically released films. WordPress enables me to present an
image of myself as being a film related professional by applying a relevant
background image, header and blog title. Moreover, it offers the opportunity
to expose who you follow on your blog, as a result I attempt to follow as
many film related bloggers as possible. It forms as a space where I can
combine my personal profile with my professional by also linking to my
Twitter account. The space itself enables me to experiment with my writing
style and offers me with the option to edit previous posts to
continuously/adjust enhance.
However, it is necessary to acknowledge that blog hierarchies do exist online
and it is difficult to attain readers and grab their attention when you are
merely a student writer. However, I am attempting to increase viewers by
writing more frequent entries and linking my blog to both Facebook and
Twitter.
Related blog entry
http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3238111/blog2/?p=593 (Wordpress platform
analysis)
9. ID links
Promotional links to 3RRR, Film Bluff and ABC Pool
Conversation and retweets by bloggers
Interaction with film related information
Conversations with industry professionals
11. Ways to continuously adjust/improve ID
Wordpress
• More frequent blog entries on my Wordpress blog to keep
audiences engaged.
• Retweet my own blog entries via Twitter. For example, when
Moonrise Kingdom is released theatrically in Australia on 30
August.
• Construct top 10 blog entries to increase diversity of film
related content. Create monthly entries surrounding certain Post more images on Twitter via Instagram
directors, actors I admire.
• Continuously follow other blogs I admire and actively seek
out more blogs to gain inspiration.
Twitter
• Comment on other blogs.
• Include tags for further exposure. • Post more images via Instagram.
• Be persistent and engage in conversation with other
industry professionals – they may reply one day.
• Continuously promote Wordpress blogs entries as well as
ABC Pool content, perhaps even post blog entries relevant
from my RMIT blog.
• Balance retweets with personal tweets – my retweets can
get excessive.
• Engage further in hash tag communities.
• Attain more followers