Hecklevision, barrage cinema and bullet screens. An intercultural analysis

Drawing on interviews with Hecklevision programmers and the founder of software company MuVChat, this article outlines three related ‘live commenting’ phenomena that cross diverse cultural contexts: Hecklevision in the US; ‘barrage cinema’ in China and online video ‘bullet screens’ (danmu/danmaku) in China and Japan. By comparing and contrasting these text-on-screen modalities of engagement, I draw attention to underlying connections around ‘bad’ behaviour and digital disruption while also noting some of the cultural specificities and discursive frameworks at play. This intercultural analysis aims to uncover what is at stake in technology-led, interactive screen experiences when audiences take centre stage via written rather than spoken interjection. Such ‘live commenting’ points to the ‘textual intensity’ of the digital era and the culturally distinct yet interrelated ways in which diverse audiences respond.