Twitter 280

What if we took the time to dive beyond the tweets? To look at the power, persuasion, and possibilities that one tweet can hold. In 280 seconds, let’s explore any given tweet on any given week.

There’s something so satisfying about a well crafted tweet. And something so mystifying about the tweets that break through the noise. Furthermore, we can’t seem to stop scrolling that never ending feed.

Whether we like it or not, these tweets are becoming part of our cultural history, so we might as well start analyzing them more critically. It’s like if history class had more memes.

This trailer was created for the 2021 My RODE Cast podcasting contest and was selected as one of the Highly Commended Winners.

Transcript

*birds tweeting in background*

Devin (host): There’s nothing special about Twitter… except that we just can’t seem to stop tweeting.

Twitter notification sound and phone vibrating.

Unlock phone sound.

Typing sounds.

Voices reciting tweets overlap each other in varying volumes.

Breathing sound subtle in background.

Heartbeat subtle in background and steady at first but slowly picks up.

Sounds of typing and notifications.

Close app lock phone sound.

Silence.

Pause to emphasize contrast of the silence.

This isn’t based on a tweet. It’s every tweet. It’s the sounds and the silence of scrolling.

slow piano music fades in underneath script.

In a year of isolation, where the term “doom scrolling” took hold, maybe it felt like we needed to surround ourselves with some kind of voices. They were meant to fill a void. But these 280 character sentiments are stronger than we even understand yet.

Murmurs of twitter voices and typing sounds fade back in, but just in background

Why is there something so satisfying about a well crafted tweet? It’s like copy writing on steroids. They’ve got that real Don Draper energy.

Beyond that, most of us probably spend our time as observers. Just kinda lurking through the timeline.

And yet, even as a lurker, you continue to scroll, taking in all the doom and gloom, because there’s some twisted sense of connection woven through it all. You feel part of it. Or part of something.

upbeat electronic music fades in loudly between lines and then fades down as script begins.

Do you remember your first tweet? Or that funny meme you liked last week?

They’re fleeting but this isn’t about fleets. It’s just tweets.

What if we took 280 seconds to explore any given tweet on any given week?

It’s real main character energy. It’s the milkshake duck moments.

What if we took time to dive beyond the tweets. And look at the power, persuasion, and possibilities that one tweet can hold.

This is Twitter in 280.

Tweet whistle sound.

Typing sound.

Send message sound.