Update: The site for the film is now live at Twittamentary.com
Original Article: This week Murdok reported on a Twitter documentary that is in the works. The project’s creator Siok Siok Tan of Singapore answered a few questions for us to give people an idea of what to expect.
Murdok: How did the idea for the concept of the Twitter documentary come about?
Siok Siok Tan: The idea of doing a documentary on Twitter crossed my mind more than a year ago. I put the idea aside because I could not think of a way to put the film together. It is a very difficult film to pull off because it involves people in far flung corners of the globe and Twitter itself is a new experience that is hard to visualize on film. For instance, I keep hearing people say Twitter has changed their lives. Yet they have a hard time explaining it to their friends who don’t use Twitter. Many non users think of Twitter as the breeding ground for ‘narcissists’ and ‘micro celebrities.’ Twitter is revolutionary and also controversial, which makes it a great subject for a film.
murdok: What is the timeframe like for production? When do you aim to release the film?
SST: We started preparations a few months ago. We are looking to release the film in March 2010.
murdok: Do you have a title?
SST: Yes. We have a working title – Twittamentary: Travels Through A Long Good Night. But I think we will end up referring to it as “Twittamentary” most of the time.
murdok: Have you spoken with Evan Williams and/or Biz Stone for the project?
SST: No, we have not spoken to the founders of Twitter about the project yet. It would of course be very lovely if they could find time to speak to us. But the film is really more about the people who have imagined and created all these uses for Twitter, many of which the founders would have never thought of.
murdok: What kinds of Twitter-related topics will the film cover specifically?
SST: This may surprise people but the film will not be covering specific Twitter-related topics in the sense that a book about Twitter will cover them. There will not be a ‘chapter’ on marketing, another on ‘activism’ and one on ‘learning” etc. The reason is that what makes a good book often end up a very boring film.
The film explores the idea that Twitter accelerates serendipity. When lives intersect at an ever-increasing speed, great stories happen at an astonishing rate. We want to tell these wonderful stories. All the rest of it, the themes and the topics are just part of the great backdrop.
murdok: What do you think about Twitter as a marketing tool?
SST: I think Twitter is probably a better tool for social influence than for marketing. Twitter is wonderful if you have the patience to stay with it and use it day after day and be authentic and playful and empathetic towards others. It can be frustrating if you just want to get something specific out of it very quickly.
murdok: How has Twitter impacted your own lifestyle?
SST: I share my thoughts more frequently with more people than I have ever done before. As a result, I have met many interesting people that I would never have met otherwise. I have also come to think of my work and myself in more global terms because I enjoy this instantaneous connection to people around the world.
murdok: What kinds of ideas are you looking to find from the community for possible inclusion?
SST: We are looking for great stories about how Twitter has affected the lives of real people, stories that have visual potential. We will be launching our web platform in the coming weeks and Twitter users will be invited to contribute story ideas, rich media and videos. This is going to be the first “do-it-ourselves” movie about Twitter!
We really need help to get the word of the project out to as many Twitter users as possible. So if anyone who runs a popular blog, news outlet or technology platform, wants to be our media partner, please send me tweet @sioksiok.
Wrapping Up
Murdok would like to thank Siok Siok Tan for taking the time to answer our questions and wish her the best of luck with her project. Twitter enthusiasts will surely be interested in seeing the film. Keep an eye out for the web platform if you are interested in sharing Twitter stories.
Are you looking forward to the Twitteramentary? Tells us what you think about the concept.
