The effect of social media influencers on cinema in Turkey

A new one is added to the already extensive list of social media platforms that took a central place in our lives with the Web 2.0 technologies. Providing each user with the advantage of becoming a content creator, social media platforms brin an interactive communication model with themselves. While they can create new content, individuals can express their feelings, ideas and thoughts regardless of time and place, thanks to the new communication mediums. People with a specific number of followers on social media and those who have an influencing effect on them are called "influencers". YouTubers who produce video content in various categories on YouTube, which enables video content production, are today's opinion leaders. The relationship between cinema and social media is manifested within the context of marketing and advertisement in traditional media and new media. While film producers can advertise their new films on newspapers, radio and television, today, thanks to the presence of social media platforms, they are able to reach millions of users with the push of just one button. The presence of digital platforms such as Netflix, Blu Tv and Puhu Tv also provide great advantages for film producers in terms of film distribution. The possibility of advertising and distributing a film with the new media communication mediums gain a whole new aspect with influencers who can reach millions of followers on YouTube are now entering to the cinema industry. The number of movies made by YouTubers who include themselves as producer, actor or playwright are increasing on a daily basis. This situation brings the term of "influencer films" to the cinema industry. This is a qualitative study and in the first chapter, the concepts of social media and influencers are studied in detail. In the second chapter, the interaction between media and cinema is studied extensively in the contexts of printed media, auditual media, visual media and new media. In the third chapter, the screenplay, cinematography, poster and the number of times the films are watched are studied extensively for films of "Enes Batur Hayal Mi Gerçek Mi?, Enes Batur Gerçek Kahraman", made by Enes Batur, who has millions of followers on YouTube, "Kafalar Karışık", made by the YouTube channel Kafalar, "Aslı Gibidir", made by Aslı İnandık, a professional actress an a social media influencer, as well as "Oha Diyorum", made by the YouTube channel with the same name, Oha Diyorum. The analysis of the data collected can be found at the results page of the study.