COMMUNICATION WITH AVATARS: A REVIEW ON VIRTUAL INFLUENCERS AND PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

Yıl 2023, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 16, 90 - 105, 31.07.2023

Hüsnü Çağlar Doğru

Öz

With the 21st century, borders have disappeared in the world of social networks after web 2.0, which
allows two-sided data flow, and the individual influence power of people has turned into a marketing
tool as a commodity. In this period, the options for the end user have increased in terms of digital
tools in which they can express themselves socially. Mobile devices, which have become a part of
daily life, have allowed new forms of narrative and expression. Another advantage of bilateral
interaction has been the increased availability of experience. Social media users, who shared their
knowledge and experiences, also made it possible to create a unique network around them. These
networks, which have quickly turned into a marketing tool by advertisers, and which are reliable and
directly appealing to the target audience, have also made the concept of "influencer" a part of daily
life.
The ecosystem that has developed around the cinema, animation and game industry has created new
areas of expertise and facilitated the application methods. The concept of avatar, which is the user's
own representation within the concept of social media, has also evolved from a transformed
representation to original digital characters thanks to these techniques. As a result of this period, the
concept of virtual influencer has rapidly created its own space and audience in virtual social
networks.
Virtual influencers are virtual animatic characters designed according to the content and medium to
be transmitted. They require technical expertise from many branches of art to produce the content
they share through social media. Academic studies on virtual influencers at the intersection of
animation, game and communication disciplines were scanned and it was seen that there was no
research in terms of production techniques. Considering the detailed production techniques, the
production styles of the selected virtual characters were compared.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Virtual Influencer, Social Media, Animation, Game Engines

AVATARLAR İLE İLETİŞİM: SANAL INFLUENCERLAR VE ÜRETİM TEKNİKLERİ ÜZERİNE BİR İNCELEME

Öz

21.yy ile beraber iki taraflı veri akışına olanak veren web 2.0 sonrası sosyal ağlar dünyasında sınırlar
ortadan kalkmış, insanların bireysel etki gücü meta olarak bir pazarlama aracına dönüşmüş
durumdadır. Bu dönemde son kullanıcı için sosyal olarak kendisini ifade edebileceği dijital araçlar
bakımından da seçenekler artmıştır. Günlük hayatın bir parçası haline gelen mobil cihazlar yeni anlatı
ve ifade biçimlerine olanak tanımıştır. İki taraflı etkileşimin bir diğer avantajı da deneyime
ulaşılabilirliğin artması olmuştur. Bilgi birikimlerini ve deneyimlerini paylaşan sosyal medya
kullanıcıları, çevrelerinde kendine has bir ağ oluşmasını da olanaklı kılmışlardır. Reklamverenler
tarafından hızla bir pazarlama aracına dönüşen, güvenilir ve doğrudan konuyla ilgili hedef kitleye
hitap eden bu ağlar “influencer”1 kavramını da günlük yaşamın bir parçası haline getirmiştir.
Sinema, animasyon ve oyun sektörü çevresinde gelişen ekosistem yeni uzmanlık alanları yaratmış,
uygulama yöntemlerini kolaylaştırmıştır. Sosyal medya kavramı içerisinde kullanıcının kendi temsili
olan avatar kavramı da bu teknikler sayesinde dönüşmüş, temsilden, özgün dijital karakterlere
evrilmiştir. Sanal influencer kavramı da bu dönemin bir sonucu olarak sanal sosyal ağlarda hızla
kendi alanını ve kitlesini yaratmıştır.
Sanal influencerlar, aktarılacak içeriğe ve mecraya göre tasarlanan sanal animatik karakterlerdir.
Sosyal medya aracılığıyla paylaştıkları içerikleri üretmek için birçok sanat dalından teknik uzmanlık
gerektirmektedirler. Animasyon, oyun ve iletişim disiplinlerinin kesiştiği noktada bulunan sanal
influencerlar üzerine hazırlanan akademik çalışmalar taranmış ve üretim teknikleri bakımından bir
araştırma yapılmadığı görülmüştür. Detaylandırılan üretim teknikleri göz önünde bulundurularak
seçilen sanal karakterlerin üretim biçimleri karşılaştırılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sanal Influencer, Sosyal Medya, Animasyon, Oyun Motorları

Kaynakça

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