Social Media and Behind the Scenes: AKA Everything Else Not "News and Media"

[NumberCruncher]

Yes, I'm always here for more Manu/Slade (although I would really love more Michael Rowe/Deadshot). :D

[olicityfan25]

I'm definitely here for more Manu/Slade Wilson. Because that means going after the one who injected him. I really hope they utilize him better though.

 

I want to see more Slade/Felicity and Oliver. I just loved it all.

[fantique]

Don't know if it was mentioned before.

David Ramsey endorsed the shipping name for Diggle & Lyla. Dyla

https://twitter.com/david_ramsey/status/520751349986635776

 

Poor SA.  He sees a lot of his hard work going to hell in a Laurel basket.

 

The picture is photo shopped.  EBR's photo was taken from the shoot they did for last season.  His may have been too.

Haha, I am starting to think his lack of enthusiasm at NYCC when talking about Felicity is that they are taking her away from him. She is either getting chummy with the Flash or Ray Palmer *pout*.

This is how he feels:

Edited October 22, 2014 by fantique

[Angel12d]

Haha, I am starting to think his lack of enthusiasm at NYCC when talking about Felicity is that they are taking her away from him. She is either getting chummy with the Flash or Ray Palmer *pout*.

 

 

 

I know it sounds crazy but I wouldn't be surprised! I remember reading on tumblr that SA had said to an Olicity fan (while he was signing her photo at one of the Cons) that he wished there were more Olicity scenes in s3. I think they'd filmed five or six episodes by then. It makes sense, particularly as SA likes working with EBR and likes Olicity's relationship.

 

 

Yes, I'm always here for more Manu/Slade (although I would really love more Michael Rowe/Deadshot). :D

 

 

I'm definitely here for more Manu/Slade Wilson. Because that means going after the one who injected him. I really hope they utilize him better though.

 

I want to see more Slade/Felicity and Oliver. I just loved it all.

 

Me too. I thought Slade was one of the great things about s2 even if his motivation of hating Oliver was kinda lacking. I'd love to see what might happen if he ever saw Oliver and/or Felicity again. I'd just love to see him in whatever capacity though.

[JenMcSnark]

I know it sounds crazy but I wouldn't be surprised! I remember reading on tumblr that SA had said to an Olicity fan (while he was signing her photo at one of the Cons) that he wished there were more Olicity scenes in s3. I think they'd filmed five or six episodes by then. It makes sense, particularly as SA likes working with EBR and likes Olicity's relationship.

I wonder if even Stephen feels a little blindsided by TIIC at this precipitious rush into The Rise of Laurel Lance (tm KC blech).  The things that are coming out since they began filming certainly don't seem to follow what he'd been saying previously.  Of course, I don't do timelines very well...how far into filming were they at SDCC?

[DrSpaceman10]

 Of course, I don't do timelines very well...how far into filming were they at SDCC?

 

SDCC was during episode 3x02.

[JenMcSnark]

SDCC was during episode 3x02.

Thank you.  So yeah, it's possible that he's feeling a little blindsided by the directions they're going.

[Chaser]

I think they have and they haven't.  In terms of Oliver and Felicity it is following what he said, its just more angst filled then anyone really expected (Lighter season?? Seriously?). Of course, they couldn't talk about Sara's death and that is huge. 

 

Lack of enthusiasm? I think thats just a matter of perception, but that was the first con after Sara's death. I think that probably put a damper on a lot of things.

[fantique]

the Arrow writers retweeted this fan art tweeted at them and it's pretty cute. This is just the link to the tweet and I'll post the drawings on the fan art thread and you Mods can tell me which one is more appropriate.

https://twitter.com/saturn_queen/status/524696863669510144

[writersblock51]

I think they have and they haven't.  In terms of Oliver and Felicity it is following what he said, its just more angst filled then anyone really expected (Lighter season?? Seriously?). Of course, they couldn't talk about Sara's death and that is huge. 

 

Lack of enthusiasm? I think thats just a matter of perception, but that was the first con after Sara's death. I think that probably put a damper on a lot of things.

 

I think the timing of the con with the season premiere had a lot to do with his mood, at least that was my take on it from where I was sitting.  He was soooo enthused about Diggle's stuff coming up and we now have a clearer sense of that , too.  And they would have already wrapped that up.  So yes, I think his answers at NYCC were reflective of the many feelings he was experiencing.  Another big positive was when he introduced Colin Donnell - and was so happy to have Tommy back on an episode.

 

So his toned down response about Felicity could very well be an indication as to how he was feeling about her stories and how they fit/didn't fit in with Oliver's. 

 

Sara's death and CL's departure are very likely aspects of the show that he's not happy about at all.

[wonderwall]

“I like seeing Felicity get out on the field, I do. I like seeing her be brave. I think that’s a really important aspect of who she’s becoming as a woman. I do appreciate greater, though, than her being able to fight, is her morality and her moral compass and her ability to be Oliver’s polygraph and getting him to ask new questions about himself. That, I just…if I had to sacrifice it, I wouldn’t want to do stunts or have her out on the field. But if I don’t have to sacrifice that, then absolutely.”

— 

Emily Bett Rickards (x)

 

I so, so love Emily's interviews. I love how thoughtful she is in answering questions. I love how she truly understands her character as well as her character's dynamics in relation to other characters. She's truly amazing. 

Edited October 24, 2014 by wonderwall

[Danny Franks]

Katie Cassidy just read that interview and cannot understand what the hell EBR is talking about. "Huh? She thinks there's more to a character than being a warrior and beating people up? Haha, silly cow! This show is so lucky that I'm the one who is destined to do that."

[strikera0]

Stephen Amell may be done with Twitter:
 

Stephen Amell: Facebook is Timberlake, Twitter is that *N Sync guy I can't remember

 

"As happy as I am right now with Facebook, I think I'm done with Twitter," he tells Zap2it and a group of fellow reporters in on set of his DC Comics superhero show, a display case of arrows lit up behind him. "Twitter feels like a fad to me and I've been really disappointed by just the level of vitriol."

 

He continues, "I don't know if that's a byproduct of the anonymity there, but when you're sorta scrolling through looking at Twitter reactions to the show, they exist at the edge of each spectrum. They're incredibly negative towards some characters. They're overwhelmingly positive towards others. ... I don't think Twitter's important."

 

Here's another way of putting things: If social media networks were *N Sync, Facebook is most definitely the Justin Timberlake. "Think of social media like *N Sync. I think that Facebook is Timberlake, okay? And I think that all of the other forums are the other members of the group."

And Twitter? "The one whose name I can't remember."

Whereas Amell is bombarded with vitriol and hate on Twitter, he views Facebook as a forum where he can interact with fans in a fun way. "On the Facebook side, connecting with the fans in that way I think holds a lot more value, holds a lot more sway and it's just been fun. I'm the same person as I was before I got this job, but this job has given me the platform to have fun and do interesting things on Facebook."

 

Source

 

Edited October 25, 2014 by strikera0

[apinknightmare]

Stephen Amell may be done with Twitter:

 

 

For the what...hundredth time?

 

"They're incredibly negative towards some characters. They're overwhelmingly positive towards others. ... I don't think Twitter's important."

 

AKA - when I look through it I don't see what I want to see. Just because people have overwhelmingly negative reactions to characters or story lines doesn't mean they're just anonymous meanies whose opinions don't matter (although sometimes, yeah. It does)!

 

I understand why it would be difficult for him to read Twitter reactions that were tweeted while the show was airing live. People are reacting real-time without much buffer to think through their emotions, while their gut reaction to something might be immediately negative and upon reflection they might not feel so strongly about it in an hour or two. But the whole internet is anonymous - even the people posting with names and pictures on his beloved Facebook page might not be who they say they are, and I've seen some pretty hateful stuff in there. I guess it must be easier to ignore it since he probably only looks at the stuff that filters up through the 'like' process - and all that stuff must be overwhelmingly positive. And I know people do tweet hateful stuff about him and his acting, but he must do searches for his own name since half the time when he RTs those people they haven't @ replied him.

[NumberCruncher]

I understand why it would be difficult for him to read Twitter reactions that were tweeted while the show was airing live. People are reacting real-time without much buffer to think through their emotions, while their gut reaction to something might be immediately negative and upon reflection they might not feel so strongly about it in an hour or two. But the whole internet is anonymous - even the people posting with names and pictures on his beloved Facebook page might not be who they say they are, and I've seen some pretty hateful stuff in there. I guess it must be easier to ignore it since he probably only looks at the stuff that filters up through the 'like' process - and all that stuff must be overwhelmingly positive. And I know people do tweet hateful stuff about him and his acting, but he must do searches for his own name since half the time when he RTs those people they haven't @ replied him.

This was my exact thought too. I get not wanting to constantly read hate about his character or others because after awhile that would get tedious but there's a part of me that also acknowledges that if people are consistently criticizing, there's probably a legitimate reason behind it and maybe it would be wise not to ignore it altogether. I also don't think he realizes there's just as much hate (and anonymity potential) on Facebook, but it's just as you said--he's reading all the sunny comments that float to the top of his page and not seeing the rest. Don't even get me started on website comment sections.

Truthfully I don't think it's productive to single out his or the show's Twitter followers as "less than" the Facebook followers because it would seem regardless of which platform they prefer, their viewership and potential spending dollars are equally desired. Besides, Twitter allows you to block really hateful people just like Facebook does. However I think you're spot on that Stephen must be actively searching out the Twitter response and is not liking what he's seeing as opposed to getting @ responses. If that's the case, the solution is simple--just don't do it if you're too sensitive. It's like I've always said before re: celebrities on social media--sometimes you just have to put on big boy pants.

[dtissagirl]

Hahaha, this dude. All I read in that is "oh woes, I'm a control freak who doesn't really know how to use Twitter because I need everything I post online ever to be ~meaningful and people retweet me way too fast when I post *anything*, no matter how dumb, and then it's too late to delete!"

Also, sure, Twitter is not important at all to individual celebs, but it's sure incredibly important to their employers, and to the TV industry as a whole, but hey, I'm okay with Amell sitting there being wrong about this. It's kinda super hilarious.

Also also, I can't remember where I read it, but I think verified accounts have easy access to Twitter Analytics, and that probably shows them every mention of their full name, and not just the @ mentions. So he doesn't have to search himself, it's available info.

Edited October 25, 2014 by dancingnancy

[NumberCruncher]

Also, I can't remember where I read it, but I think verified accounts have easy access to Twitter Analytics, and that probably shows them every mention of their full name, and not just the @ mentions. So he doesn't have to search himself, it's available info.

That's interesting. I didn't know that but if true, it kind of makes his comments even worse because logically if someone doesn't specifically direct criticism at him on Twitter but just post their instant gut reaction, can it really be considered hate directed at him or another actor/character?

[apinknightmare]

Also also, I can't remember where I read it, but I think verified accounts have easy access to Twitter Analytics, and that probably shows them every mention of their full name, and not just the @ mentions. So he doesn't have to search himself, it's available info.

Ah, that's good to know. I was always like, wow, how vain is that?!

[JJ928]

Well there was an incident a few weeks ago, I was reminded of it by tumblr. Some guy said something about Stephens career being over after arrow, didn't tag him, but spelled out his whole name. Stephen retweeted with a comment about the grammar, I think. Of course the guy got harassed, and the other day Stephen deleted most of his recent tweets.lol

I love stephen, but he's a little dramatic at times. He may hate twitter and that's cool, but when the network wants him on it, he'll be there. Plus, his facebook is so hateful filled with sexist and racist comments, so I have no idea how that's better. I think he'll be over it soon enough, the CW likes their actors and show runners on twitter, it's why Marc & Andrew joined. Also, twitter is the only social media outlet that helps ratings.

Edited October 25, 2014 by JJ928

[calliope1975]

Yeah, any and all social media will have it's section of hate - some valid and some troll-y. If you're actually using it to interact with fans and gauge what they like, you just have to wade into the filth to find the gems. Also, he's an actor. And as with every actor I've ever met, regardless of their success level, there's bravado and insecurity in there. (That's not a bad thing, just an observation.) I, too, have noticed how he dramatically quits social media occasionally. Whatever. Do your thing, dude.

[TanyaKay]

It's not the first time he has done it. He deleted each and every one of his tweets last year after season 1 ended and then deleted his Instagram. He became active on twitter and rejoined Instagram later in the year.

I see a pattern here.

[AnalyzeAndCritique]

Small observation. He made the comparison to NSYNC. Justin wouldn't be where he is now if it weren't for his NSYNC days. He had the talent but needed the exposure. I doubt without NSYNC's success he would be where he is now.

If you want to be famous you can't just take the good and ignore the negative. Otherwise you end up increasing the role of a polarizing character.

I've seen a lot of people say they are impressed with his personality and his interacting with the fans. I believe it helped keep Arrow endeared to a lot of fans during the tumultuous episodes. He might want to remember it.

IMO

Edited October 25, 2014 by AnalyzeAndCritique

[dtissagirl]

He could have said "I prefer Facebook, I feel more comfortable there, Twitter is not for me". I know a whole bunch of people who think exactly like that. But he went on the 'Nsync comparison and declared Twitter to be "a fad" and I just went MANSPLAINER ALERT on him before I pointed and laughed a lot.

[Carrie Ann]

This is hilarious, and yeah, I expect a reversal at some point. I actually agree that Facebook allows for less anonymous hate and craziness. It's not the immediate response tool that Twitter is, and yes, people can make Facebook accounts that aren't their real identity, but that's certainly not a majority of users. Your actual friends and family can often see the kind of comments you're leaving on things (again, I know there are ways to lock this down, but many people don't know that), and I think that makes people a little more circumspect about posting crazy things. Plus, tagging people who aren't your friends in your own posts isn't as common on Facebook, so if I were the type of person who wanted to post a status update about how Stephen Amell is a terrible actor he would never see it. Where for whatever reason people on Twitter @ the subjects of their tweets and then say, "Well, why would he look at something I posted?" Because it's in his notifications you doof.

 

Anyway, if I were a celeb, I personally would probably only interact with fans on any social media platform in prescribed ways, like the Q&As that Stephen does, and otherwise, I would probably not look at my mentions, comments, etc., at all. Hell, as a fan, I try not to look at that stuff for the celebs I follow on Twitter/Instagram, because they always make me really uncomfortable. There are a huge percentage that are gross, embarrassing, cruel. I think it's probably easier to say, "Oh just ignore it" than it actually is in practice. And even if you don't let it get to you emotionally, sifting through 90% dreck in order to interact with the 10% who are normal and decent is still not a fun way to spend your time.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Carrie Ann

[foreverevolving]

I can understand where he is coming from- social media is like the school playground only meaner cause: "sticks and stones may break my bones and they shell heal, but words cut through my soul", and if you have ever been bullied you know how true that is.

Also I would actually argue that twitter isn't going anywhere any time soon. if anything facebook has been experiencing a slow decline. i see more of my friends using Twitter, Instagram and that new website - whose name I forgot- than facebook. Personally it took me years until i got a facebook, and than a couple more until i started using it. 

 

And i agree with @calliope1975 (as an artist myself- though i work with food than on the stage) artistic individuals tend to be more sensitive and dramatic and overreact (those pan to your head stories you hear about chefs? yea i know people who actually had that happen to them), but those qualities are also what feeds our artistic drive. some just know how to utilize it better than others.

[A Cunning Stunt]

He could have said "I prefer Facebook, I feel more comfortable there, Twitter is not for me". I know a whole bunch of people who think exactly like that. But he went on the 'Nsync comparison and declared Twitter to be "a fad" and I just went MANSPLAINER ALERT on him before I pointed and laughed a lot.

I couldn't agree more with the part I've highlighted.

I'm only guessing, but part of his dislike of Twitter seems to come from the fact that commentary is unfiltered; good, bad or crazy. In comparison he's spoken of worthy/good comments, fan art or questions on his Facebook as "rising to the top" & this is due to the 'Like' system as I understand it. I'd imagine it makes it easier to try & maintain a sheltered feedback bubble which I would assume is essential if you don't receive negative criticism that well, & it would seem he doesn't.

I say that with the S3 poster furore fresh in my mind. His response was ridiculously OTT IMO, but shed an interesting light on his thought process. It wasn't just what he said in his post, it was what he said in his comment responses where in a nutshell he stated that people who were negative were assholes & if you don't like the show, to go watch something else. As you can imagine a lot of people took him to task on that viewpoint & told him so - very shortly thereafter he deleted the post. He did indeed do a new entry/apology, but I'm of the mind that his initial knee jerk response to throw his toys out of the pram was probably the more honest & not tempered to appease.

The point I'm getting to (very slowly as articulating myself isn't my forte) is that his NSYNCH comparison seems to stem from lack of understanding of Twitter as a mechanism & also he simply cannot control it in the same way as Facebook. Twitter is worldwide rapid responses & sure there are some who are absolutely insane, but the same can be said of any social media. I also think I see anonymity more positively; as a tool for people to have a voice & love/hate/comment on what they see without judgement, without being attacked personally & to keep their fan life/online interests separate from their 'real' life. This has been the case for donkeys years on message boards, forums ect so isn't exclusive to Twitter.

Personally I find Twitter trumps Facebook completely, especially when it comes to realtime episode responses & opinions that are actually honest. How many hit up his Facebook & give unvarnished reviews? I'd bet the farm it isn't many.

[TanyaKay]

He does respond to criticism in a rather dramatic way. Those of you who read Jennifer Cruise's commentary on Olicity and her reviews on Arrow season 2A would know that she was extremely fond of the show and she highlighted aspects from writing and story telling perspective because she is writer. Then came 2x13 and she was flabbergasted with the Sara/Oliver hook up as according to her, it came out of nowhere and there was no build up to that story. Then she was even more perturbed with the way Oliver and Felicity behaved in 2x14 (ooc) and I think 2x15 was the last episode she saw and reviewed because she did not want to see and write about a TV show where she had very few positives to talk about and that was that. Her problem was with story telling and never with either Stephen or any other actor.  

 

Someone posted that on Stephen's page and then he responded with a comment that was something along the line he is not gonna listen to someone who has no idea how it all works or something to that effect and his tone was rather abrupt. I guess he really does not appreciate criticism through social media.

Edited October 26, 2014 by TanyaKay

[statsgirl]

Hahaha, this dude. All I read in that is "oh woes, I'm a control freak who doesn't really know how to use Twitter because I need everything I post online ever to be ~meaningful and people retweet me way too fast when I post *anything*, no matter how dumb, and then it's too late to delete!"

He is a control freak (which is both good and bad, connecting with the audience is good, freak-outs are bad).    And he's probably pretty tired by now filming those snowy mountain scenes shirtless.  Never a good time to lash out when you're tired and feel things are getting out of control.  It's kind of like being pre-mentrual.

 

I hope he doesn't leave twitter permanently because I refuse to get a FB account.  I've seen too many friends get depressed gby following exes who dumped them or comparing themselves to others.  (A study looked at people on FB and found that those with only a few FB friends tend to be more depressed, and those who have a lot aren't because of who them compare themselves to.)

Edited October 25, 2014 by statsgirl

[dtissagirl]

The other thing with celebs on Twitter is that there is some expectation of entertainment going on there. And quite a few of the geek-friendly actors have mastered this -- being witty and funny on Twitter several times a day, while also using the platform to sell their projects. And that requires effort, and the specific talent of being zingy in real time. [Or just finding a whacky thing to do, like William Shatner live tweeting all CW shows.] I'm not sure Amell is cut out for that, which, hey, it's TOTALLY OKAY. But don't go on dissin' something just 'cause you can't and/or don't wanna do it.

Also, he seems to look at social media only from the standpoint of a celebrity who wants an online presence. i've seen this mentality from industry folks over and over, the idea that ordinary people only go on Twitter to follow celebs. Which: lol no.

And you guys are totally right about him not taking criticism well. And that's Twitter -- unfiltered criticism about everything 24/7. It's part of the culture.

[Pyramid]

SA might want to have a word with Anita Sarkeesian and Emma Watson about on line abuse. Not that he should have to put up with any, but Jesus have you seen what they've had to put up with? And now Felicia Day's had her details put on line just because she posted about Gamer Gate.

[AnalyzeAndCritique]

He does respond to criticism in a rather dramatic way. Those of you who read Jennifer Cruise's commentary on Olicity and her reviews on Arrow season 2A would know that she was extremely fond of the show and she highlighted aspects from writing and story telling perspective because she is writer. Then came 2x13 and she was flabbergasted with the Sara/Oliver hook up as according to her, it came out of nowhere. Then she was even more perturbed with the way Oliver and Felicity behaved in 2x14 and I think 2x15 was the last episode she saw because she did not want to see and write about a TV show where she has very few positives to talk about and that was that. Her problem was with story telling and never with either Stephen or any other actor.  

 

Someone posted that on Stephen's page and then he responded with a comment that was something along the line he is gonna listen to someone who has no idea how it all works or something to that effect and tone was rather abrupt. I guess he really does not appreciate criticism through social media.

 

So in other words if you want to keep him happy, smile and agree with him and never offer an opinion which differs from his. 

 

As a writer, you don't ever want to hear something negative about your work. As a photographer, you don't want to hear about what would improve your image. As a perfectionist, you don't want to hear about your shortcomings because it reinforces what is in your head. I'm all three. My creative process is torture. I get an idea and it consumes me. A lot of energy is expelled and at the end there is relief and accomplishment. Of course since it is my "baby" I am protective. 

 

However, if I don't ever listen to criticism I won't grow. If I don't see room for improvement, I remain on a plateau. 

 

Side note: It is a bit interesting fans offered the same criticism and made note of the same writing weakness the actors themselves voiced. I'm not sure why it is ok for the actors but not the fans or critics. 

[catrox14]

I don't know if he's a control freak or not but I have read that his wife had received a lot of hate directed to her account and she is not on the show.

Maybe some of his frustration comes from that on top of the other stuff. I suspect he's been reading equal amounts hate and love towards EBR/Felicity and KC/Laurel and CL/Sara.

He's also said some things on Twitter about sports that has got him, in hot water with fans of certain teams. He just needs to talk to his pal Jared Padalecki about what not to do on Twitter. SMH @Jared sometimes.

[Happy Harpy]

S.Amell is entitled to whatever he feels. I'm always amazed that public personas would submit themselves to social networks, where many people have no filter and imo, don't realize that they're read by people of flesh, blood and feelings.

I'm quite sure he's between a rock and a hard place, or several rocks and hard places, between his personal views on how the show should go, how the EPs direct the show, how bad he feels for his co-workers who are criticized, and how disheartened he must feel that his hard work isn't met with enthusiasm. Moreover, I agree that Twitter and its handful of characters doesn't allow for more than zingers (says my verbose self) and doesn't allow people to think before they post or to temper their views. 

 

But I retain one thing from his message. It seems that the huge S3 Saving Private L***** campaign didn't succeed to turn the tables, and to quench the discontent/dislike toward a certain character that shall remain anonymous, at least on the Twittersphere.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Happy Harpy

[foreverevolving]

And you guys are totally right about him not taking criticism well. And that's Twitter -- unfiltered criticism about everything 24/7. It's part of the culture.

 

It's funny that you brought up culture. I'm, at the end of the day, a foreigner in the US; I come from a culture where strangers feel free to tell you what they think you should or shouldn't do/wear/eat/buy so froth without a second thought- it's considered the norm, in my home country we view it as advice giving. But, it can be tiresome and bordering on rude in terms of privacy invasion at times. While I am not the Twitter user I get that it has a similar culture.

However, ever since i moved to the US i noticed that a majority of individuals who are my age and above don't take well to twitter- unless they have a specific reason to use it, like celebrities- that is unlike those who are 25 and under. now i may be wrong but i think this has everything to do with culture, American culture and what is appropriate and what not is shifting and changing (slowly but it is changing!) and the Internet and now social media is a major player in this change.

 

Amell is 33, he's part of my generation (well on the cusp he's right between gen X and gen Y) he grew up at a time where social media didn't exist, the most you did was write emails, or maybe used message and chat boards, and in all honesty he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who was active with that; he is used to the slow paced type of virtual persona. Which is why I think he prefer facebook.

of course I could be totally wrong.

[dtissagirl]

But I retain one thing from his message. It seems that the huge S3 Saving Private L***** campaign didn't succeed to turn the tables, and to quench the discontent/dislike toward a certain character that shall remain anonymous, at least on the Twittersphere.

 

This is a really good point. Twitter has been filled with rejection for Laurel all day every day from pretty much day one of the show, and she's still there standing, and now poised to get a greater storyline. And it kind of disproves the theory that the EPs are catering to the loud fans on Twitter, because they are sticking to the one narrative choice that, above all others, has been decried non-stop.

 

And looking back, it's no wonder Amell freaked out about fans altering the official poster. He definitely shouldn't have done that in public, but the two main modifications people were doing to the poster were either replacing Laurel with Sara, or removing Laurel altogether. And that's THE OPPOSITE of what happened so far in S3. Suddenly they were getting super harsh criticism about something they were actively pursuing, but before the general public ever knew they were gonna do it. I legit cannot think of a more disconcerting critique.

Edited October 25, 2014 by dancingnancy

[catrox14]

And you guys are totally right about him not taking criticism well. And that's Twitter -- unfiltered criticism about everything 24/7. It's part of the culture

I don't think it's because he doesn't take criticism well. I mean we don't know the guy really. I I would imagine as an actor he faces criticism all day from directors, EPs, the media and fans.

[apinknightmare]

I don't think it's because he doesn't take criticism well. I mean we don't know the guy really. I I would imagine as an actor he faces criticism all day from directors, EPs, the media and fans.

 

I'm not quite sure how he takes criticism of his acting, although judging by the responses he sends to people calling him out on it on Twitter, not very well. Not that I blame him, non-constructive criticism is difficult to read, but he would do well to just ignore it. Nothing good ever comes from responding to people who are nasty for the sake of being nasty.

 

And he definitely doesn't take criticism of Arrow well. I can't blame him for that either, since the guy clearly works his ass off, so it must be very difficult to read that a group of people don't like the direction of a show that he put a lot of time and effort into. He doesn't write the show, it's not like he can really do anything if people don't like that Sara died or aren't happy with Laurel's journey. But again, he'd be better off to just ignore it rather than making statements about Twitter just being a fad, or commenting that people who don't like the show or its direction are negative assholes who should just stop watching.

 

Yes, there are a lot of negative assholes out there. But a lot of people respond negatively to things they're genuinely invested in, and if people are genuinely invested in your show to the point where they express concern about the direction it's going in, it's probably best not to act like an asshole yourself. Again, he should just ignore it.

Edited October 25, 2014 by apinknightmare

[BkWurm1]

like William Shatner live tweeting all CW shows

 

Does he really do this???  That's hilarious. 

 

On topic, Beyond the show stuff, I think the vitriol directed at his wife really influenced his view of Twitter and it isn't/wasn't so much that there were negative responses then that the negative responses snowballed and in at least a few occasions over complete fan misunderstandings.  I think he does feel less control over expression on Twitter since the nature of the broad platform makes it nearly impossible to follow all the threads of a conversation so it's probably easier to start a frenzy on Twitter than Facebook. 

 

In the end, he's still doing an awful lot for the show that I'd say goes over and above his required commitment as an actor.  I do think the guy is overworked and under rested so he has my benefit of the doubt pretty much all the time when he is working meaning he'd have to start advocating the beating of puppies before I'd really think negatively about the guy. 

Edited October 25, 2014 by BkWurm1

[Kordi]

I don't know if he's a control freak or not but I have read that his wife had received a lot of hate directed to her account and she is not on the show.

Maybe some of his frustration comes from that on top of the other stuff. I suspect he's been reading equal amounts hate and love towards EBR/Felicity and KC/Laurel and CL/Sara.

He's also said some things on Twitter about sports that has got him, in hot water with fans of certain teams. He just needs to talk to his pal Jared Padalecki about what not to do on Twitter. SMH @Jared sometimes.

Regarding the last point: This is something that really bothers me. On the one hand, Amell complains about receiving hate from other twitter users. On the other hand, he actively participated in "twitter hating" by writing pretty rude comments about certain athletes, coaches, teams and even some politicians. Either you are willing to accept harsh criticism of the kind you yourself put out or you have to stop first and refrain from treating others in a way you yourself don't want to be treated.

[apinknightmare]

In the end, he's still doing an awful lot for the show that I'd say goes over and above his required commitment as an actor.  I do think the guy is overworked and under rested so he has my benefit of the doubt pretty much all the time when he is working meaning he'd have to start advocating the beating of puppies before I'd really think negatively about the guy. 

 

I agree. Even though he's prone to dramatics, I do find him to be an affable, entertaining guy. I like reading his posts on Facebook, and I also enjoyed reading his tweets - his tone is different on both sites, so I never felt like they were the same "experience," I guess. He does more to engage his fans than most other celebs, and I'll always appreciate that about him. Like someone suggested upthread (I think it was dancingnancy), it would probably be better if he just said that he prefers Facebook and will be limiting his twittering from now on instead of calling Twitter a fad. That just makes him sound...I don't know, kind of bitter.

Edited October 25, 2014 by apinknightmare

[Morrigan2575]

like William Shatner live tweeting all CW shows

Does he really do this??? That's hilarious.

I don't know if it's all CW shows but I've seen him live tweet Arrow and Supernatural.

If you're in the mood for fun, try and find Shatner, Orlando Bloom and Misha Collins live tweeting the S9 episode that Misha directed.

[AnalyzeAndCritique]

I don't know if it's all CW shows but I've seen him live tweet Arrow and Supernatural.

If you're in the mood for fun, try and find Shatner, Orlando Bloom and Misha Collins live tweeting the S9 episode that Misha directed.

 

OMG I must be living under a rock. Bloom tweets? I remember during the height of the LOTR days the Hobbits mocking him for not being able to email. 

[olicityfan25]

Does it seem to anyone that he does this when a "certain" individual from the cast is being talked about for her poor portrayal on the show?

 

To me it seems that way.

[NumberCruncher]

Regarding the last point: This is something that really bothers me. On the one hand, Amell complains about receiving hate from other twitter users. On the other hand, he actively participated in "twitter hating" by writing pretty rude comments about certain athletes, coaches, teams and even some politicians. Either you are willing to accept harsh criticism of the kind you yourself put out or you have to stop first and refrain from treating others in a way you yourself don't want to be treated.

This exactly. I'm very glad this point has been brought up because it's true. For example, I recall him very recently having to apologize for lashing out at a Men's Health mention of his workout regimen which was meant to be positive but he took it the wrong way so even he has to realize that people sometimes say things on social media (even without the cover of anonymity) that they don't really mean or may regret later. I'm really not trying to pile on him, but I do wish he would recognize that even if some fans might say inappropriate things from time to time, it doesn't mean they are necessarily haters. Maybe they're just like him and had a moment of weakness.

[Morrigan2575]

OMG I must be living under a rock. Bloom tweets? I remember during the height of the LOTR days the Hobbits mocking him for not being able to email.

Craaaaappp I always do that. Orlando Jones not Bloom.

[Happy Harpy]

 

Beyond the show stuff, I think the vitriol directed at his wife really influenced his view of Twitter

OK, then I understand him 100%. His wife (or kids, I think he has one at least?) should be off off off off off limits. What the hell?!

I wish people had boundaries. Attacking his family is just not acceptable in my book.

[apinknightmare]

OK, then I understand him 100%. His wife (or kids, I think he has one at least?) should be off off off off off limits. What the hell?!

I wish people had boundaries. Attacking his family is just not acceptable in my book.

 

I think if it had something to do with his family he wouldn't hesitate to say so. He's specifically talking about negativity directed toward the show/characters and him being tired of reading that negativity. I'm going to believe a spade is a spade and that what he said is exactly what he means.

[BkWurm1]

I'm going to believe a spade is a spade and that what he said is exactly what he means.

 

While that would make life much clearer, people rarely only have one reason motivating how they feel toward something.  I take the stuff that happened with his wife as not the deal breaker but how could it not have influenced him?

[apinknightmare]

While that would make life much clearer, people rarely only have one reason motivating how they feel toward something.  I take the stuff that happened with his wife as not the deal breaker but how could it not have influenced him?

 

I'm not saying it didn't anger him, but I don't think it was a motivating factor or a reason for him to quit Twitter this time, because he was actively involved on the site after that incident with his wife happened, and only pulled back after the 3rd season of the show started airing.

[calliope1975]

Yes, there are a lot of negative assholes out there. But a lot of people respond negatively to things they're genuinely invested in, and if people are genuinely invested in your show to the point where they express concern about the direction it's going in, it's probably best not to act like an asshole yourself. Again, he should just ignore it.

 

Absolutely. While some people hate watch shows, I would suspect the majority of those who visit this board daily to dissect each scene and moment truly love and are invested in the show. That doesn't mean it doesn't have some massive problems, and damn right, I'm going to mention them. And when you put yourself out there on social media and promote the show, you invite criticism as well as praise. Every time I post a story, I brace myself for every comment that rolls in because of course, no one wants to be criticized. And I'm able to dismiss the comments that aren't helpful (or at least, I try my hardest) and really think about the genuine constructive criticism. It's the only way I'll become a better writer. 

 

Overall, though, SA seems like a nice guy, generous and charitable. I think he does his best to make the best show he can. I do think he should lay off the cons because he IS overworked and probably overtired, but he's an adult and I trust he can make his own decisions. I would actually hate for him to disappear from social media for good if only for those workout videos.