You’ve definitely had a Draco Malfoy or Timothee Chalamet edit pop up on your Tik Tok For You page… But don’t let that be your only impression of the fandom side of Tik Tok — there’s so much more. Hear it straight from the fan creators that I interviewed!
It used to be that once you started a new TV show or heard an artist’s album, maybe you found a few tweets about it, or a fan account if you were lucky. That’s definitely not the case anymore thanks to Tik Tok, which has redefined the fan experience.
Users discover Tik Toks primarily through the “For You” page, which is curated based on the previous Tik Toks they liked or commented on. This is the perfect algorithm for falling into a fandom, just as how a friend of mine couldn’t seem to escape ‘Draco Malfoy Tik Tok’ after she liked a few videos. Personally, I found myself on the Criminal Minds side of Tik Tok a few months ago after I saw an edit, and I’ve been there ever since.
Fans, however, aren’t limited to the video edit format, a la the Timothee Chalamet dancing to “Playdate” by Melanie Martinez trend earlier this year. There’s also POVs (point of views) in which fans write themselves into a scenario or original scene. The cycle of general Tik Tok trends also infiltrate fandoms, where fans apply the video formats that align with the trending audio to their favorite characters or musical artists.
As much as I admire fandom Tik Tok and inhabit that corner of the app, I don’t have the perspective that fan creators do, leading me to decide to seek it out! I interviewed a few of my personal favorite fan Tik Tokers (two from Criminal Minds Tik Tok and two in the music fan space) about their experiences to get the inside scoop on fandom Tik Tok. Here are my takeaways:
There’s different sides of the fandom side of Tik Tok.
There’s so many niches within fandom Tik Tok: video editors, POV creators, and comedy creators, which can all overlap. In Joselyn’s case, she started as a comedy-based Criminal Minds Tik Toker, but decided to try her hand at POVs. She’s recently created a POV storyline where she is an FBI agent in the show, stitching together clips from the show and her own video. Julia is also a POV creator for multiple fandoms beyond just Criminal Minds.
On the music side, Jess’ videos of ranking her favorite albums and sharing new music releases or her concert experiences fall under the pop-punk community. Tori’s content is similar, focusing on her concert stories or encounters with artists.
They’re inspired by their love and passion.
I could feel the passion exuding from each of these creators as I interviewed them. They love what they do and feel connected to the subject of their fandom.
What inspired Julia to start creating Criminal Minds videos was how much joy the show gave her during quarantine and how much she fell in love with the characters and actors.
It’s empowering.
For many fans (including myself), being a fan is part of their identity to claim as their own. It allows for “something to be super passionate about” and an outlet to express that passion as Jess said. Fandom overall, but especially fandom Tik Tok, lets you share your stories, opinions, and creativity. Tori summarized that it’s empowering to know that you can be heard, and comforting to hear people who have thoughts or memories in common with you. Joselyn even added that she has “become a stronger person in general because of Criminal Minds Tik Tok.”
It’s a community.
Fandom is synonymous with community. Whether it’s sharing your theory about a plot hole or your reaction to a new song, a fandom provides the space to connect with people about it. The Tik Tok emo community encouraged Jess to stick with making videos. From her first Tik Tok about her record collection, she realized there were so many people who were fans of the same bands, and that she’s “not alone as an emo kid in today’s world.” Each of the creators I talked to mentioned the friendships they’ve made from Tik Tok, which has, and always will be a staple of being a fan.
It’s a resume builder.
Fandom Tik Tok is even giving these creators accolades to add to their resumes. Joselyn was featured in an LA Times article and appeared on Access Hollywood because of her Criminal Minds Tik Toks, an area of fandom Tik Tok that has blown up these past few months. Julia is an aspiring actress and uses her POVs as practice for her future career. Jess has gotten the chance to work with some of her favorite bands like Neck Deep and Mayday Parade through her Tik Tok collaborative group. Tori has a career in the music industry and uses Tik Tok to share her stories from work and give career advice.
Fandom Tik Tok is a widespread community encompassing almost any interest you may have. There are so many creators on this side of the app, discovering every day what they can create with their passion. So next time there’s a fan edit or POV on your Tik Tok feed, give it a like to support the creator, and find out where your For You page takes you next (warning: it may be addicting).