The Modern Implications of Masterful Fan Edits

TikTok is likely one of the only places you’ll see bubbly pop music paired with unrelated television characters — such as media conglomerate board members from “Succession.” While this is not the first association one would typically make, it seems that when different media are combined into one piece of art, popularity ensues. This is seen particularly in the videos that get millions of views on TikTok.

For example, after actor Kieran Culkin’s win at the Golden Globes on Jan. 7 and his acceptance speech’s tease towards his fellow nominee Pedro Pascal, a scene starring Culkin’s character from the television show “Succession,” Roman Roy, was edited and paired with a remix of the upbeat pop song “Boss Bitch.” Short-form art like TikTok edits seem to be the go-to method of fast, artistic responses to cultural moments.

Within seconds of opening TikTok, users typically find ads, live streams, and “Get Ready With Me” videos on their “For You” pages. While users scroll through the slew of semi-curated content of about tens of millions of videos posted a day, the real gems begin to appear. With mashups of television clips, political content, and movie scenes to trending audios, TikTok edits have begun to shape contemporary arts culture.

Edits — a different art form that highlights both the subject and creator due to personal touches and nuance to the video — have consistently remained popular since their creation.

One popular theme within the world of social media edits is the side-by-side comparison of film and television clips with popular songs. For example, early 2000s icon Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron in the movie “High School Musical,” has been the star of edits numerous times.

One particular example is an edit to the trending song, “We Both Reached For The Gun” — from the motion picture version of the musical “Chicago.” In the film, Bolton struggles between pursuing theater and sports, and this edit masterfully encapsulates the dynamic between both of his worlds and the mentors in each of them by quickly alternating scenes of the theater teacher Ms. Darbus and the basketball coach and dad Jack Bolton.

Social media edits also extend out of the world of fiction. For example, TikTok user @flextillerson posted an edit of Vice President Kamala Harris’s iconic coconut tree phrase, pairing it with Charli XCX’s newly released song “360.” Edits covering various celebrity and pop culture niches seem to follow a clear template: fast-paced creativity mixed with a dash of cultural relevance.

For social media edits, clinging to what is socially relevant and amusing yields success because of the tinge of nostalgia, amusement, and ingenuity. Creative plays on words and engaging visuals allow viewers to immerse themselves in a fraction of the original project, leaving them wanting more. Videos can reach unprecedented success by finding a niche audience that truly values the content — or at least casual fans that appreciate the unique artistry of crafting original videos.

Ultimately, edits can offer a sense of community by allowing viewers to resonate with the content. They speak to the necessity for artists to create digestible content for broad audiences, while still not seeming overly fabricated.

Creating repetitive and unoriginal content for a generation that has grown up alongside the internet is bound to lead to failure. With a magnitude of content being created daily, it is easy to distinguish between original, quality content made for connection and content strictly made for clout. Overall, edits are meant to be entertaining — both for the creator and the viewers. They are fun, creative, and ultimately not that serious. So the next time an edit goes viral, know that there’s something there worth enjoying.