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Lights, Camera, Going Live?
JANA ANTONIA NG speaks to two full-time live-streamers to understand why live-streaming is becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment.
Some popular live-streaming applications and platforms, including arguably the most known platform, Twitch.
PHOTO: JANA ANTONIA NG
The day’s work begins as they sink into their desk chairs, switch on the monitor and see their own faces reflected on the screen. Comments pour in and they chat away happily, eager to catch up with their viewers.
Who are they? They are none other than live streamers who engage with viewers on live-streaming platforms.
According to a survey conducted by Streamlabs network, in the first quarter of 2021 alone, a total of 6.34 billion hours of live-stream content was watched on Twitch, one of the many live-streaming services available. In addition, the demand for live video is expected to grow in the coming years.
“I always call them my friends instead of fans, because I feel like we're building a much closer and personal bond. And I think the viewers like that, they like being heard and seen and listened to, despite it just being me talking to the camera.”
PHOTO: DENISE TEO JIA YI
“I had already been an active viewer on Twitch but never thought to start streaming myself. After some encouragement and desire to try something new amidst Covid-19, I thought, 'Why not make some friends and play video games at the same time?’ and that's how it all started 9 months ago,” says local Twitch streamer Ms Denise Teo Jia Yi, better known by the username, @supercatkei, who has over 8,000 followers.
“I find that I'm able to build more authentic and true connections with my viewers, and I can create content more catered to my audience because I know them on a deeper and more personal level.” PHOTO: DENISE TEO JIA YI
When asked why she pursues live-streaming as opposed to pre-recording her videos, she says, “There was just something about doing pre-recorded content that always made me nervous… I always had this nagging feeling that each shot had to be perfect… [live-streaming] taught me that there is no such thing, and since everything is live and in actual time, viewers would see me in my most authentic and genuine self, even if I made mistakes.”
Additionally, many have turned to viewing live streams to placate the loneliness that has been brought on by the large reduction of social interaction due to Covid-19.
“I am able to hold conversations with people [in] real-time, and it is always a joy to check in on the audience…” says Ms Tea Zi Le. PHOTO: TEA ZI LE
Ms Tea Zi Le, another Singaporean Twitch streamer, started using her platform to advocate for mental health. She began streaming as an outlet to release stress while still a student in SMU, eventually dropping out after finding a passion for streaming and having built a small audience, with about 1,000 of them keeping up to date with her through the platform, Instagram.
Ms Tea also introduced ‘Just Chatting’, a category of live streams on the platform, Twitch, which enables content creators to chat about absolutely anything they wish. “Just Chatting allows people to speak about different things under the sun, and this segment has the most interaction with chat”, she says. “You are not bound by any distraction… and your eye contact can be with the camera as well which enhances the personal connection with the viewers.”
Ms Joy Koh, an active viewer who has been following multiple Singaporean live streamers, says she mainly started watching due to a friend who had begun streaming during the circuit breaker period last April.
“The interaction! [There is] more close interaction as compared to pre-recorded content. For example, YouTube is pre-recorded and all you get to do is like and comment on the video but [in] streams you get to have real time conversations with the streamer,” she says.
With the continuing upward trend seen in the industry, many hobbyists are turning their passion for live-streaming into a full-time job. For a majority of live-streamers like Ms Teo and Ms Tea, gifts from fans and sponsorships from major companies contribute to the bulk of their income.
In some streaming platforms such as BeLive, virtual gifts that are usually given during the live-streams can range from as little as 1 cent to $150 on average, and creators can later cash out the gifts into real money at a certain value threshold.
Live-streams have created chances to form friendships, enhancing connectivity and creating communities that span borders. Ms Teo says, “Some of my viewers have become very close friends with other viewers, almost feeling like family, and I'm thankful that my community can feel like a safe and happy space for them to come together, be it to tide through the lows or to celebrate the wins together.