BBC learning English
Word on the street: Social media
Transcript
"Stephen helps Ashlie with some ideas for her blog so that it gets more ‘views’. What does he advise?"
Ashlie: Hi, I’m Ashlie Walker and today, as you can see, I’m going to be talking about sixties fashion. The sixties is one of the most recognisable…
Stephen: What are you wearing, Ash?
Ashlie: Stephen! You’ve ruined it. I’ll just have to start again now.
Stephen: Are you filming this?
Ashlie: I’m making a short video for my fashion blog. Or I was, until you came in and spoilt it.
Stephen: Why do you want a video? I thought your blog was just words and pictures.
Ashlie: It is. That’s why I want to give it something extra – a bit of action. Now can you go away and leave me alone?
Stephen: Well, sounds a bit strange to me but OK, carry on. I’m going to make a sandwich.
Ashlie: Thank you! The sixties was one of the most recognisable styles in fashion history. We’re talking about colourful designs…
Stephen: Ashlie, is there any cheese?
Ashlie: Stephen! You are really putting me off! Anyway, what was I saying, oh yes… the sixties is one of the most vibrant design…
Stephen: Sorry, Ash. Is there any cheese?
Ashlie: I’m trying to make an interesting video and you keep wandering around in the background and talking to me.
Stephen: Do you really think anyone is going to watch that? It’s not very exciting.
Ashlie: Why not? What’s wrong with it?
Stephen: People don’t listen to you going on about fashion.
Ashlie: How do you know?
Stephen: How many people visited your blog last month?
Ashlie: Thirty-two. But maybe lots of people were on holiday last month.
Stephen: See, you have to be funny or really entertaining if you want to have lots of visitors. Here, let’s have a look at some popular blogs. I’ll show you what I mean.
Ashlie: OK. A few more visitors to my blog would be good, I suppose.
Stephen: That one’s really funny. Look at that!
Ashlie: I can’t believe they’re doing that. That’s amazing.
Stephen: Aw, that’s hilarious. Shall we have a go?
Ashlie: No, Stephen. I really don’t think that’s a good idea.
Stephen: But do you see what I mean? Look how many views that video has.
Ashlie: She’s got a whole channel of videos. Almost a hundred thousand followers. Wow! I’d love to ask her how she got so popular.
Stephen: Well, let’s post a comment and see if she’s online.
Ashlie: Hi, is that SunbeamsJess?
Jess: Yeah, it is. Who are you guys?
Stephen: Hi, yeah, I’m Stephen and this is my sister, Ashlie. We’ve just been watching your latest upload. It’s really good.
Jess: Thank you.
Ashlie: You’ve got loads of subscribers. How many do you have?
Jess: I have about 91,000 at the moment.
Ashlie: Wow, that is a lot. And how did you start?
Jess: Well I started by watching other people’s videos and then decided to make my own. At first I used the webcam in my laptop but then as I got more and more followers, I decided to switch to a camera and make higher-quality videos.
Ashlie: I’m making my own blog and I wanted to start adding video. I wondered if you had any advice? Like, how to get more people to watch?
Jess: I think the most important thing would be to choose a subject that you’re really passionate about because if you love it, then your viewers will really love it too. And also it’s important to remember that it is video, so choosing something that will look good on camera is also key.
Ashlie: Sounds like good advice. Thank you, Jess.
Stephen: Yes, thanks for that. We’ll let you go now, OK? Goodbye!
Jess: Bye!
Ashlie: Bye, thanks. Take care.
Ashlie: That was really interesting.
Stephen: I think we should start our own channel. What could we make videos about?
Ashlie: She said it should be something you’re passionate about.
Stephen: Something you really love…
Ashlie: ...that looks great on camera.
Stephen: Hmm.
Stephen and Ashlie: Poppy!
"Ashlie and Stephen’s video is a hit!"
Stephen: This is going to make a great show. Don’t forget Poppy has to go through the hoop. ‘Stephen & Ashlie TV’ – take one.
Ashlie: Stephen, it’s ‘Poppy TV’!
Stephen: Fine. ‘Stephen, Ashlie & Poppy TV’, take one… and action! And action. Ashlie, I said action!
Ashlie: Stephen, I don’t think she wants to do it. And I think you’re shouting too much.
Stephen: Poppy, if you want to be a star, you need to get into character.
Ashlie: I don’t think she understands. I know. What if we give her a treat, like a dog chocolate? Then you might want to go through the hoop.
Stephen: Great idea, have you got one?
Ashlie: Yeah. Here.
Stephen: Give it to me. Poppy, here’s your treat. You’re going to be the greatest dog star in the world.
Ashlie: I don’t think that’s going to work, Stephen.
Stephen: Of course it will. Stephen, Ashlie & Poppy TV, take two. Action!
Ashlie: I think you need to put her treat on the other side of the hoop.
Stephen: Good idea. Take three. Poppy! Action!
Stephen: [Groans] I’m sure great directors never have this much trouble. Never work with animals!
Ashlie: Aw, don’t listen to him, Poppy. You’ve been great. Stephen’s just being bossy.
Stephen: I’m not being bossy, I’m just trying to get the best performance out of Poppy. I’m trying to make her a star.
Ashlie: Well, as you’ve been working so hard as the director, I’ll edit the video and upload it to our new channel. Come on, let’s go home.
Stephen: I’m exhausted after all that directing. I’ve got a sore throat and I’ve got a stomach ache. It must be the stress.
Ashlie: Well, why don’t you have a nap while me and Poppy work on the new channel?
Stephen: That’s a good idea.
Ashlie: That’s it, Stephen. Wake up. I’ve uploaded our first video!
Stephen: Have you? That’s great.
Ashlie: Look, someone has posted a comment already.
Stephen: Really? Let’s have a look. Wow, it says, ‘really funny… smiley face’. That’s odd.
Ashlie: Look, Stephen, we’ve already got some ‘likes’. That’s amazing.
Stephen: I didn’t think it was funny, more like Poppy being clever. Can we see the video, Ash?
Ashlie: Oh, erm, yeah, of course. It wasn’t quite what we planned but… well, you’ll see.
Ashlie: Stephen, are you ready? Hi! Welcome to Poppy TV, I’m Ashlie and this is the adorable Poppy.
Ashlie: Look, Stephen, we’re a hit! We’ve got thousands of views already. We’re going to be famous!
Stephen: Noooo!
"Have you ever wanted to be involved in making a video? Watch as Wendy visits the 'set' for a popular series and learns how social media play a key role in the production of videos made for the internet."
Wendy: Wherever we are, thanks to devices like these, we can all feel connected. They’ve created a media revolution.
Ah! Just been sent the address and a picture of the place we need to go. So come on!
This must be it. Now, part of that media revolution is happening inside that house. Let’s go and see how. There are lights, a camera, actors and a film crew. They’re filming a comedy programme.
Director: Action!
Policeman 1: AAAAAH!
Policeman 2: Right, you then, over here!
Wendy: But what’s unusual here is that this programme isn’t being made for television. This series is only happening because of the social media revolution. All about the McKenzies was launched on YouTube. They kept the costs down by filming on cheaper, high-quality cameras and using a real house rather than an expensive studio. With the help of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as its own website, it has built up a dedicated following.
Angel: Ian!
Ian: Angel!
Samuell: No, Angel, get out!
Angel: Technically, I’m not in the room …
Ian: She’s right, bro.
Samuell: Shut up, both of you.
Director: Action!
Wendy: Now, they are filming the third series. Not bad when you consider the writer, director and star, Samuell Benta, had never done anything like this before.
So tell me about All about the McKenzies.
Samuell: All about the McKenzies, basically, is centred around a Black British Caribbean family living in London, following Samuell McKenzie, who is the main protagonist.
Wendy: How easy was it to get started?
Samuell: It was just me with an idea, and I told people what I was doing in a video on Facebook. I posted an advert out saying ‘Hey, listen, this is what I want to do. Who’s interested?’
Wendy: Oh, right, so it all started with the use of social media?
Samuell: Yeah, I mean by using social media, it can just multiply rapidly. You can just share something, other people can share your stuff, and then next thing you know, a thousand people know about your idea when originally you only put one post up.
Wendy: Traditional media like magazines, newspapers and television broadcasters are also turning more and more to online media. Vice started twenty years ago as a magazine but has become one of the leading youth media brands in the world through social media. Al Brown is Head of Video at their London office.
Al: We’re in some ways classic publishers. You know, we write and we make films. What we do is that we constantly make sure that we're responding to audience feedback in terms of what we’re making, so I think our audience feel very included in the content that we make and part of that conversation. Having content that people want to talk about and want to recommend is a big part of the way that our audience grows.
Policeman: Now, you had to go there, you had to go there …
Wendy: Back at the filming for All about the McKenzies, the cast and crew told us how important social media is to their careers and to the programme.
Make-up Artist: I get about 80% of my work through social networking sites. It’s all word of mouth, and the internet is the best way to spread the word.
Actor: You hear things through Facebook through, you know, various different contacts.
Make-up Artist 2: I can put pictures of, like, my work, so that, you know, if they see something they like, it’s positive feedback and they can get in contact with you.
Policeman: LAPC. Freeze!
Wendy: There are now thousands of new programmes available online and which couldn’t have been distributed before the arrival of social media. With so much content out there, the choice for you is bigger than ever before. You just have to learn how to navigate through that extra choice to find what’s best for you.