Researching Social Media Pages

Heyy Cambridge!! Today in class, we researched different social media pages (basically just Instagram) to get some inspiration for my short film. 

Media Text: Caleb Shaw 

Social Media Tool: Instagram - @wherescalebshaw

Description of types of posts: Caleb's Instagram page has a lot of videos and photos related to filmmaking. Many of these posts show clips from behind the scenes of his short films. Some posts also have advice on filmmaking and things he learned while filming his content. For example, one of his posts was about the lessons he learned after making his veryyyy first short film. His page also has videos where he talks directly to the camera about writing, directing, and editing. It focuses on filmmaking and storytelling.

Description of how branding is developed: He mostly posts edits (their videos are really cool) and clips from his short films. The edits use different shots, clips, and colors to make the videos interesting. All of the Instagram posts also use a similar dark color scheme, which helps show the brand of the page. It honestly just looked super cohesive and aestheticcc. This helps people recognize him and connect with his content. The page mainly focuses on editing and showing parts of his short films.

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence: Looking through Caleb's content, I got a better understanding of how filmmaker
s market and show off their work. He posts teasers and behind-the-scenes content and even talks about the process. For my short film, I also want to post similar content on the Instagram page I make. I want to post clips from the film, filming moments, and updates about the project. I also want to keep a consistent visual style so the page looks connected to the film.

Media text: Scales and A Little Normal (short films)

Social media tool: Instagram - @ali.__.films

Description of types of posts:
Ali's Instagram page mainly has content related to short films and filmmaking. He posts clips, trailers, and teasers from his short films. Many posts promote the short film Scales, including the official trailer and teaser videos. There are also posts related to another short film, A Little Normal, including clips and visuals from the film and its soundtrack. Ali also posts videos in which he offers advice to people who want to become filmmakers or discusses topics like film school.

Description of how branding is developed:
Each short film on Ali’s Instagram has its own aesthetic. Scales uses a darker, more elegant, old-time visual style, while A Little Normal is lighter, showing kids in everyday settings. For each film, he posts a series of images and clips, around seven or so, that follow that film’s look. Even though the films differ, the page stays cohesive because each film’s set of posts has a clear style. The pinned posts for Scales form one large teaser image, which immediately highlights the film. This also works as a marketing strategy because the teasers help build curiosity and make people interested in watching the full short film. Overall, the branding is developed by grouping each film’s posts with a distinct color scheme and vibe, which helps attract viewers and grow an audience.

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence: This page shows how social media can be used to promote a short film and build a clear visual style. When I make an Instagram page for my short film, I am going to post teasers and clips from my film to get people interested. I am also going to try to keep consistent cinematography so the page looks professional and organized. I really liked the idea of pinning important posts, like a teaser or trailer, so they are the first thing people see when they visit the page.

Media text: Think You Know Boston? and School

Social media tool: Instagram – @_madebymojo

Description of types of posts: The Instagram shows things like trailers, teasers, and promotional videos for his short films. Many posts promote Think You Know Boston?, with different scenes and a trailer. There are also posts connected to the school, showing scenes or visuals from that project. Sometimes, he posts filmmaking tips or shares professional pictures of himself.

Description of how branding is developed: The branding on this page is developed through the visuals and style used in the posts. Many of the posts have a night city aesthetic, with shots of streets and Boston at night. He also mixes these with more professional pictures of himself, which gives the page a very balanced look. Each film also has its own visual style. For example, Think You Know Boston? often uses bold yellow text and city visuals, which makes those posts easy to recognize. The posts for the school have a slightly different style and tone. This helps organize the page because each project has its own aesthetic, but the overall cinematic style keeps the page feeling connected.

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence: After looking at these Instagram pages, I noticed that they all keep a clear aesthetic across their posts. Since my short film is a comedy, I could do something similar to the bold yellow text used in Think You Know Boston? to make my posts feel more fun and noticeable. I also saw that they post teasers, trailers, and clips from their films, which helps people stay interested in the project. Looking at these pages helped me understand how I could promote my own short film when I create my Instagram page.