by Kendra Frankle
Hunter Benjamin, a second year film and television major, downloaded the app Tik Tok Dec. 2018. At first, he had no idea what it would turn into. Although he started making videos on Musical.ly as a joke, Benjamin found Tik Tok through a Snapchat ad. After just one month on the app, Benjamin had gained 10,000 followers. “I was definitely thrown back by it,” Benjamin said. Now his following has increased to 37,000. “I appreciate how Tik Tok is more serious than Musical.ly,” Benjamin said. “People compare it more to Vine.” He has started becoming recognizable in public, most recently in his apartment building.
Benjamin’s demographic ranges anywhere from 12 to 24 years old; making it challenging for him to create content that is appropriate, funny and entertaining for all audiences. He usually begins by looking at videos from the popular page for inspiration. Since the basis of the app is to lip-sync songs, he tries to find sounds he would be able to recreate in his own way.
Although he enjoys being a content creator for the app because of his following, it takes up a lot of time for him to post and make videos regularly. Making a 10-second video can take around 15-20 minutes, which can be time-consuming for a SCAD student. However, being consistent on the app is key to continuing growth. “My audience notices when I miss an upload or don’t do a live stream,” Benjamin said.
In the future, Benjamin’s goal is to keep growing as a content creator. He plans to move his following to another social media app like youtube, so he can create longer videos that will relate to his career. Benjamin has come full circle: he downloaded the app because of an ad through Snapchat, and now his videos are being used as Tik Tok ads on Snapchat. He’s content that he was able to turn his passion into a job.
Benjamin’s videos can be viewed at his profile, @HunterBenjamin3.
