Mondays: the time when I watch my favorite TV drama, Once Upon a Time, as it airs its new episode. For months now I’ve been dedicating this time for the show for a reason that it wasn’t just a good show, but it allows fans to experience more than watching a great twisted show. Watching, the series and seeing the scenes in real time is a norm but having to watch it with a whole lot of people from parts of the world and sometimes with the actual cast is what makes it special. One might think that it is not possible to be watching it along with the actual cast but it is and that is why I finally found a purpose for my Twitter account. We call it Live Tweet Events.
So what is a Live Tweet?
In a regular basis, people share their thoughts and converse via Twitter. Technically, it is a sharing of thoughts about a show as it airs on TV or live internet streams. In OUAT’s case, it is the kind of networking that does not just involve the fans that are tweeting about the show, but the cast or the creators and writers being involved and followers can interact with them.
How does it work?
During its television airing, people are mostly tuned in stating their thoughts on Twitter, which usually lasts from the beginning to the end of the episode and sometimes follows through the hours with post thoughts on the show At times, the cast, will announce the schedule the time they will be “live” on Twitter. It is a queue to the fans that they are open to entertain questions, comment on a scene or anything related to the show, or just tweet with the fans as the fans do themselves. There are times that a unified hash tags are created to follow the trail of thoughts in the show and would serve as a format for participants. Normally to follow the trail, the hash tag for the show is a given or used but one of the famous hash tag used particularly in Once Upon a Time is #Ask which is used to suggest that fans are welcome to ask the cast while they are live in Twitter and the cast may answer. Usually the show suggests the hash tags to be used prior to the beginning of the episode but in my experience, a hash tag suggested by a fan and agreed upon by most participants in tweeter can be noticed and made official or permitted and can be used throughout the session.
How fun is it?
It’s quite entertaining as people are joined in real time, usually one hour or two tweeting a common thought in an understandable format. One of the common scenarios between me and my fellow fans in our area most often share our question and interpretations while the show is on a live stream. It’s like having a movie buddy at all times and on special occasions your buddy could be the cast themselves. The thought of having to know that a person can relate to your message in real time via Twitter is rewarding. At times, an answer coming from one of the cast could be a golden moment for a participant and would become a hit topic as well. At these times, Twitter has become much more interactive, rather than a normal network sharing of what you think at the moment. Beyond the show though, people had testified becoming close friends because of these sessions. Personally I’ve experience a live tweet that woke me up all day as the session between me and tweeter people lasted even after the show was done. Season 3 kicked off with a bang as most of the cast went live on Twitter and it felt like a Twitter party. Fans “cry” together in one scene and find a common comedic point at another, get mad at a certain thing together, trend a certain hash tag used in the event, be surprised at the same time and the conversation could go on.
Live Tweeting is a new way to be a couch potato as one can enjoy the show on their own, and one can enjoy sharing thoughts on Twitter, but to enjoy the moments together in a Live Tweet event is a great experience.
Ladyxkerrigan 