Memetic Chorus:

Reinventing the Sea Shanty & Other Viral Videos

Tanya D. Zuk, PhD
 Memetics
• Memetic video create a
formula of video, sound, and
text that create a cultural
shortcut, which is easily
manipulated to allow for a
range of messages to be
incorporated, disseminated,
and understood.
Sea Shanties & Perseverance
 Functions of the Greek Chorus
• Details to Universal Truths
• Buffer between Audience
and Performer
• Personify the Emotions
• To be the “Ideal Audience”
• Comment on action
Comedic Relief, Cathartic Chorus
Phrasal Template & TikTok Affordances
Phrasal Template & TikTok Affordances
Acoustic Template Transitional Template
• Using the same song, • Using the same transitional or
beat, or sound effect framing device to connect
videos together

Affordance Affordance
• Duets, Tagging Sounds, • Duets, Stitch, Subtitle,
Song Search Hashtags
Diversifying the Collective Chorus
Diversifying the Collective Chorus

“Inuit #Passthebrush” video by Lind Jensen.

Music “Fight for the Rights” by Kelly Fraser.
Conclusion
 Works Cited
Bowles Eagle, R. (2015). Loitering, Lingering, Hashtagging: Women Reclaiming Public Space via #BoardTheBus,
#StopStreetHarrassement, and the #EverydaySexism Project. Feminist Media Studies, 15(2), 350–353.
Green, A. (2021, April 15). Sea shanty stars The Longest Johns recruit thousands-strong virtual choir.
Belfasttelegraph. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/sea-shanty-stars-the-
longest-johns-recruit-thousands-strong-virtual-choir-40318834.html
Howley, K. (2016). ‘I Have a Drone’: Internet memes and the politics of culture. Interactions: Studies in
Communication & Culture, 7(2), 155–175.
Royal Museums Greenwich. What is a sea shanty? Retrieved May 26, 2022, from
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/sea-shanty-facts-history-meaning
Shifman, L. (2013). Memes in Digital Culture. MIT Press.
Strohecker, C., Brooks, K. M., & Friedlander, L. (2003). Experiments with the theatrical Greek chorus as a model for
interactions with computational narrative systems. In M. Mateas & P. Sengers (Eds.), Narrative Intelligence
(pp. 175–188). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Weiner, A. (1980). The Function of the Tragic Greek Chorus. Theatre Journal, 32(2), 205–212.
Thank You.
Diversifying the Collective Chorus

“Inuit #Passthebrush” video by Lind Jensen.

Music “Fight for the Rights” by Kelly Fraser.