Hulu’s Black Twitter: A People’s History is a three-part docu-series based on Jason Parham’s Wired article “A People’s History of Black Twitter.” The program charts the rise, movements, voices and memes that made Black Twitter an influential force in many areas of politics and culture.
The show was directed by Prentice Penny, and Tia Hoover (pictured) edited all three chapters, with Stefanie Maridueña also contributing. Tia recently shared some insight into how the show came together.
Hi Tia! What were your responsibilities for Black Twitter?
“Through all different types of visuals from interviews, to archival pieces, to stock footage, articles, tweets, the ever-popular memes and gifs, and everything in between, I helped tell the story of our protagonist that is Black Twitter.”
Can you talk about your editing setup?
“The series was edited on Adobe Premiere Pro, but with the help of Bebop technology, we were able to recreate the live editing process to help expedite our collaborative efforts, all from the comfort of our homes with our fur children/interns.”
The program spans three “chapters.” Is there an editorial highlight that you would point to?
“One scene I always think about is the end of Episode 1, where we switch from the humor and unseriousness of Black Twitter, to the very real life issues that plague us today in the Black community. With the jump off of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of Trayvon Martin's death, this was a shift, a catalyst, a formative moment in the life of our character that is Black Twitter. I remember talking with Prentice about this being a foreshadowing moment and the archival selects, the tense music, all of that needed to embody the tone of what was to come. Black Twitter was making a huge cultural change and we weren't all about the jokes and the savagery. We got to exert our power on a digital platform and the editing needed to reflect that.”