What theatrical elements are utilized in Tik-Tok videos to engage audiences with the Black Lives Matter movement?

Abstract

This thesis presents an investigation of the theatrical elements utilized in Tik-Tok videos to engage audiences with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Following the death and murder of George Floyd in 2020, the BLM movement surged and sparked an internet frantic, causing people to use TikTok as a platform of expression. Operating with critical literacy and multimodal discourse analysis, 35 TikTok videos are analyzed quantitatively, while five of them are evaluated through the qualitative method of analysis. This mixed method ensures a reliable and valid data sample while answering a variety of research questions. The quantitative method recognizes the specific features and the frequency of which the features occur, while the qualitative analysis assesses their potential effect on the audience. The effect of the visual, audible, and theatrical components are built on Judith Butler’s assumption that humans only act when they are affected emotionally. This meets the aim of using critical literacy in TikTok videos to engage people to become activists. This emotional response is related to the theatrical components, in which the objective is for the audience to reflect upon the topic presented in relation to their own lives. In other words, the TikTok videos are being analyzed as a play being performed. The purpose of the study is to identify the visual and audible elements present in the videos that affect the theatrical elements of expression. The research focuses on the visual and audible elements as branches of the theatrical expression, with the ultimate goal of discovering what truths unfold in the TikTok videos. The quantitative findings show that the most prominent features are action (body language) and word choice (verbal and written text). The most-viewed videos included the demand gaze, an effective tool in breaking the fourth wall and engaging the audience. The least-viewed videos excluded features such as the demand gaze and close-up shots. Consequently, these elements focus on details and allow us to draw a correlation between the most-viewed videos and the importance of showing details to captivate the audience. The theme of identity and power emerges from the qualitative analysis. This investigation will explore the meaning behind this theme and how it connects to the audience. Correspondingly, it shows the tremendous viable impact of reaching large audiences, and the valuable message conveyed in these TikTok videos.