Theatre "Influencers"- Page 2

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 3:55pm

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "This is how I feel about that one influencer that works for Gatsby. I tried watching one of her YouTube videos once and had to shut it off because she didn’t know what she was talking about… just… nothing.

I feel like social media has led us to “monetize” everything, and people who are not “industry” see “influencing” as a way in to the industry… they are fans first and foremost.

“Content creator” is more akin to what I’d call others that work directly with shows. Broadway marketing really feels lost these days."

Theater "Content Creators"-- that's what I should have labeled this as. Yes. Thank you. 

But they still bug the kjflksdjfasdf out of me. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 4:18pm

Also, kudos to those making money doing this, but I always feel like being an "Influencer" is a short term career choice. Whatever your doing will fade away at some point and people will lose interest eventually. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 5:05pm

Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 5:12pm

Wick3 said: "Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?"

Isn't he more of a reporter? He actually works in an official capacity. He hasn't just gained a following. 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 5:20pm

As someone that does follow a few of theater content creators... did you ever think that maybe what they are doing just isn't for you? And if it isn't for you than... you don't have to watch it? You can even block them and their content so you don't have to be so bothered by it. I follow some but I also have just as many (if not more) blocked because I don't like the content they are doing or the message(s) they are delivering. 

Personally, I have found a number of smaller shows because a creator visited and spoke highly of seeing something regionally or off Broadway that I never would have heard of otherwise. I specifically went to see Water for Elephants this season because of a creator talking highly of the show's potential while it was out of town while still highlighting what the show had to work on. There is also usually decent conversation in the comment sections of these videos with others that are interested in the same show/content. Conversation I don't find elsewhere in such a civil way.

At the end of the day, most of them are not harming anyone (MOST I didn't say ALL but that's what the block button is for). Also, most if not all of them (again at least of the ones I follow) have day jobs and do the content creation thing in their spare time. No one is making theatre content creation their entire career. It's a hobby or even a side hustle of sorts. Power to them. Wish I could be so lucky.

[clowchan]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 5:29pm

Theatrefan2 said: "Yes they're nearly all awful, same with the youtube 'reviewers'. They also can be incredibly rude to people they consider lesser than them. And when they get called out they usually pull an excuse like social anxiety and it's like no, you're just an entitled rude person who has behaved badly. At the end of the day these people don't have any more knowledge or insight than you or I, and sometimes much less.

I exclude channels like Wait In The Wings who do well researched and presented video essays (although they do sadly bring in occasional guest 'influencers' which makes thatvideo unwatchable)"

Out of curiosity - which ones cause I love when MickeyJo is a guest

[BETTY22]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 5:34pm

What an interesting thread.

We are all influencer, but our 'power' depends on how many people we can reach.

Very few people with less than 100,000 social media followers are considered to be 'influential.'

 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 6:02pm

The people spending hundreds of dollars to sit in the last row of a big stadium are people who want to see some big star like Taylor Swift.  People don’t shell out that kind of money for anything.  I find that sporting events can be pretty reasonable, even cheap. Broadway is way more expensive. 

[Sammy232]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 7:36pm

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "This is how I feel about that one influencer that works for Gatsby. I tried watching one of her YouTube videos once and had to shut it off because she didn’t know what she was talking about… just… nothing.

I feel like social media has led us to “monetize” everything, and people who are not “industry” see “influencing” as a way in to the industry… they are fans first and foremost.

“Content creator” is more akin to what I’d call others that work directly with shows. Broadway marketing really feels lost these days."

You mean the one who says Broadway tickets are too expensive and should be lowered while at the same time saying everyone who works in theater should be paid more? Because while both those things are true, how exactly would that work from a business perspective?

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 7:42pm

I think she’s talked about streaming being the future of theatre, and something that could bring in another source of income, but I agree it’s contradictory.  That being said, I enjoy watching her stuff because she actually works on broadway unlike these other ones.  And has actually had good results working on the marketing for both Shucked and The Great Gatsby. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/1/24 at 8:58pm

I can see the deleting comments police are out and about on this one 

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 2:21am

They sure are. Racism and xenophobia? Just fine. Let's keep our keen eyes on a dumb thread about influencers though. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 8:52am

Scarlet Leigh said: "As someone that does follow a few of theater content creators... did you ever think that maybe what they are doing just isn't for you? And if it isn't for you than... you don't have to watch it? You can even block them and their content so you don't have to be so bothered by it. I follow some but I also have just as many (if not more) blocked because I don't like the content they are doing or the message(s) they are delivering.

Personally, I have found a number of smaller shows because a creator visited and spoke highly of seeing something regionally or off Broadway that I never would have heard of otherwise. I specifically went to see Water for Elephants this season because of a creator talking highly of the show's potential while it was out of town while still highlighting what the show hadto work on. There is also usually decent conversation in the comment sections of these videos with others that are interested in the same show/content. Conversation I don't find elsewhere in such a civil way.

At the end of the day, most of them are not harming anyone (MOST I didn't say ALL but that's what the block button is for). Also, most if not all of them (again at least of the ones I follow) have day jobs and do the content creation thing in their spare time. No one is making theatre content creation their entire career. It's a hobby or even a side hustle of sorts. Power to them. Wish I could be so lucky."

The thing is, I do like the majority of their content. I don't like the people who beg for tickets to opening nights, gala events, etc. People who are already getting very exclusive access, yet they still beg for things like that? Puts a very very bad taste in my mouth. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 8:55am

Wick3 said: "Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?"

Just put him into Google- he's official. He's actually the Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com. He appeared in The Prom, he is official. Not just some rando on social media. 

[DaveyG]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 9:08am

hearthemsing22 said: "Wick3 said: "Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?"

Just put him into Google- he's official. He's actually the Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com. He appeared in The Prom, he is official. Not just some rando on social media."

Correct. Paul is no influencer. He is very respected within the industry as an interviewer, reporter and editor. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 9:32am

DaveyG said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Wick3 said: "Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?"

Just put him into Google- he's official. He's actually the Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com. He appeared in The Prom, he is official. Not just some rando on social media."

Correct. Paul is no influencer. He is very respected within the industry as an interviewer, reporterand editor."

Doublechecked and I follow him on social media! Duh. Yes, he's definitely official and respected 

[Huss417]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 11:30am

hearthemsing22 said: "DaveyG said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Wick3 said: "Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?"

Just put him into Google- he's official. He's actually the Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com. He appeared in The Prom, he is official. Not just some rando on social media."

Correct. Paul is no influencer. He is very respected within the industry as an interviewer, reporterand editor."

Doublechecked and I follow him on social media! Duh. Yes, he's definitely official and respected"

Hopefully you never have to sit behind him in a theatre.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 3:25pm

Huss417 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "DaveyG said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Wick3 said: "Is Paul Wontorek a theater influencer?"

Just put him into Google- he's official. He's actually the Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com. He appeared in The Prom, he is official. Not just some rando on social media."

Correct. Paul is no influencer. He is very respected within the industry as an interviewer, reporterand editor."

Doublechecked and I follow him on social media! Duh. Yes, he's definitely official and respected"

Hopefully you never have to sit behind him in a theatre."

 

I've sat behind, in front of and next to Paul on a myriad of occasions and he is always incredibly respectful and lovely. 

 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 3:36pm

I think Huss just means he's quite tall.

[DaveyG]

Posted: 5/2/24 at 4:21pm

Kad said: "I think Huss just means he's quite tall."

And his hair style is quite tall, too.