By Bowie Gray-Savitt

Letterboxd is an up-and-coming social media platform that will greatly impact the future of film. Launched in 2011 by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow, Letterboxd is a social network based on the two creator’s love for film. With features such as a user’s diary, watchlist, favorites, and recent activity, Letterboxd offers a log for film enthusiasts to record movies they have watched in the past, are currently watching, or plan to watch. These components provide users with an easy-to-understand method that helps to keep track of the films they enjoy as well as others they want to look into in the future. Letterboxd grants the opportunity for any film consumer to become a film critic. Users can freely express their criticism, ideas, and opinions, as they watch movies and leave ratings and reviews. For those who prioritize organization, Letterboxd includes features such as “tags” which help to arrange and order the movies on an individual’s page. Adding a tag to a film in your activity history will classify it into a list. For example, using this feature you could create lists based on who you watched the movie with, and when or where you watched it. 

In addition, before you proceed with watching a movie, you can use Letterboxd as a tool to confirm your interest and make sure that you are watching something you will enjoy. Using the search feature, Letterboxd provides short descriptions, average ratings, and additional information (such as a list of the crew and cast) for millions of movies. Correspondingly, to make your movie-watching experience even easier, Letterboxd displays a box attached to each movie’s profile titled “where to watch”. As the title explains, this section of the webpage offers a list of streaming services where the movie is available to watch. 

Along with its practical benefits, Letterboxd has many social and collaborative aspects. Just by following one another, content consumers can see what other people are watching and interact with others’ reviews by leaving comments and likes. Being able to follow and connect with other participants allows individuals to learn more about a larger variety of movies, therefore broadening their perspective on the film industry. Letterboxd opens up a new world to ordinary movie consumers by providing different features and applications that guide users through the appreciation of film.