Social Media Revolution

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.

Watch the video. Then go to Task and do the activities.

Preparation

Think about the following questions:

  • What kinds of videos do you enjoy watching on the internet?
  • Have you ever seen a series or film that was made for the internet?

Watch Wendy as she learns about videos made for the internet and what role social media have played in their creation.

 

Transcript

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.

Task 1

After watching Wendy's documentary about social media, choose the correct option to complete each sentence.

exercise

Task 2

Read the extract from the documentary and find eight more words connected with the topic of TV and film. Add them to the list.

exercise

Task 3

Can you remember the TV and film words from Task 2? Type in the correct words.

exercise

Language level

Topics

Average: 5 (1 vote)

Submitted by mohamed atef 115 on Thu, 26/10/2023 - 12:15

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We really appreciate your effort.
Hats off

Hello mohamed_atef_115,

Thanks for letting us know -- it's always great to hear!

Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by cjlci0823 on Thu, 19/05/2022 - 06:57

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This website is amazing. So many good resources that keep my students engaged. If you are a part of the BC team, see this. You are doing an amazing job.

Hi cjlci0823,

We're really glad to hear that. Thanks for your kind comment and best wishes to you and the students :)

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by Rafaela1 on Fri, 05/06/2020 - 13:34

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Interesting. Everyone can be a media tower. :)