From a YouTube performer's perspective, can audience relationships be successfully generated through online content to the same standard as they are through live comedy performance?

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the possibility of audience relationships being successfully generated through online content to the same standard as they are through live comedy performance. This was determined through analysis and reflection on four individual YouTube videos (as presented on the accompanying DVD), each created to fit with the assigned time and content specifications, and their degree of fulfilment of a devised definition. This process was carried out by using the results of each video and comparing them to a list of criteria formed in conjunction with my own definition. My personal reflections revealed over the course of the practical process that I did feel a connection on a cognitive level with my audience and therefore, in my opinion, an actor to audience relationship did in fact exist. Moving forward in the analysis process, comparing the numeric data collected from each video to the devised criteria revealed that they were able to adhere to the qualities of a strong audience and the definition used for this process. The study concludes that in this case, using these specific self-set parameters, it is indeed possible to generate actor to audience relationships to the same strength as can been seen from live performances.