Letterboxd's Social Manager Got Her Job From a TikTok
Flynn Slicker gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Letterboxd's social strategy
Today’s much-requested interview is with Flynn Slicker, Social Media Manager at Letterboxd. The story of how she got her job rules. It goes like this. She had a job as a barista and would use her personal TikTok to create content about movies. Letterboxd reposted one of her viral TikToks on Twitter. She noticed they didn’t have a TikTok presence. She emailed them offering to start their TikTok. Interviewed for the job and the rest is history.
We chat about how her love of film makes her better at her job, that time Bryan Cranston asked her about her tattoos on the red carpet, and why their stan-style Twitter strategy works so well.
Before diving in, I quickly want to call out that there are some great new job postings on the Link in Bio Job Board! The Philadelphia Eagles are hiring a Social Media Manager—their social is so good. There are also new roles from sweetgreen, Califia Farms, Away, and Netflix.
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Rachel Karten: First can you tell me a little bit about your current role? What does the Letterboxd social team look like?
Flynn Slicker: Our social team at the moment is very small (just two of us) which always surprises people. Currently it is myself, the Social Media Manager, and Aaron, our Head of Social, who is an absolute genius. Letterboxd is based in New Zealand so we are able to cover all timezones through myself and Aaron.
RK: I know from earlier chats you have a really cool story about how you got hired. Can you talk to me a little bit about that?
FS: Over early quarantine, I started making TikToks giving movie recommendations using screenshots of film pages on Letterboxd. They ended up noticing one of my videos and posted it on their Twitter, which at the time I was absolutely mind blown.
I saw that they didn’t have a TikTok themselves so I decided to reach out and take a shot at offering to start their TikTok for them! It ended up working out and I now run all of the social platforms.
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RK: I always say that half the reason I am good at social is because I am passionate about the industry I do social for. For example, working at Bon Appétit and loving cooking and restaurant culture. I'd love to just hear a little bit about your personal love of film!
FS: I grew up going to our local video store and was lucky enough to choose whatever I wanted for the week and then would go back the next week and do the same thing. So I watched a lot of movies as a kid.
We would also go on a lot of long road trips as a family for my dad’s work, sometimes 6 day road trips and my sisters and I would have our portable DVD player set up in the back and just watch movies over and over and over.
As I got older I started to sort of find my own taste and discover films that have helped me through really hard times and it’s truly my passion.
RK: And do you think your love of film helps make you a better social manager at Letterboxd?
FS: Oh absolutely. I think doing this job would be very difficult if I didn’t have that love and passion.
A big part of my job is posting stills and quotes from films which gets a lot of engagement for us. For example, I watched Babylon for the first time about a month ago and the next day I posted a quote from the film and it ended up getting almost 300K likes on our TikTok. So even if I’m just watching a movie in my own free time and happen to come across a scene or quote that I think would do well for our socials, it absolutely helps me be better at my job.
RK: I think there are so many intangibles about being good at social that just can't be taught. It's why I am somewhat skeptical of classes that "teach" social media management. What kind of not-as-teachable skills make you good at your job?
FS: It’s really a job you somehow learn on your own. There are definitely things you are taught during training, like style, copy, and how to work with the system your company is using, but it still comes down to instinct in a way.
TikTok is such a great example of something being a not-as-teachable skill. There are certain videos that would do so well on every other platform but for some reason, just not work on TikTok and knowing when to post something on TikTok and when to not post one of our pieces of content is kind of something you can’t teach.
RK: Let's talk about the TikTok account. You started it?! What has the process of growing it been like? I really love all of the different series that ladder back to the site!
FS: It’s been so fun. Seeing all of the love and comments on our TikTok has been so fulfilling, especially because that was initially the reason I got hired. So to know it’s been successful and growing so fast has been so amazing to watch.
It helps that Letterboxd is so loved and that has definitely helped grow our account, but it’s also reached a massive crowd that wasn’t there before. Our Four Favorites series has taken a whole mind of its own. It’s been wild to see how much of a cult classic it’s become, especially on the red carpet.
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RK: One of the funny parts of being a social professional is that sometimes you are also an interviewer. (I was never good at it when I was at Bon Appétit!) How has it been doing social interviews on the red carpet? Any tips for other social managers who might find themselves in an interviewer position?
FS: Oh I absolutely love it! I am a shy and reserved person but for some reason whenever I am on the red carpet or doing a sit down interview with an actor, all my nerves go away and it feels so natural. It’s such a treat to be able to do these interviews and be a part of the content we put out, rather than just being the one that posts the content.
I think my biggest tip would be to find a question that could be asked to everyone that relates back to your brand, as part of a series. This is what we did with our Four Favorites series and a big reason why we are growing so much.
RK: Any funny stories or anecdotes from those red carpet interviews? Also how the hell did you get Martin Scorsese on Letterboxd??
FS: One of my favorite moments interviewing someone was with Bryan Cranston on the Asteroid City red carpet in NYC. He noticed my tattoo on my arm of my parents hands that my sisters and I got after my mom passed away and asked what it meant and then had such a sweet reaction to it. I was tearing up on the carpet, he was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
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Also whenever I’m on a zoom interview and the actors or filmmakers see my full name, they’ll compliment it or ask if it’s my real name. Even Jeff Goldblum said he wishes his name was Flynn Slicker, that was wild.
As for Martin Scorsese, he loves us! And we love him so much.
RK: Can you talk to me a little bit about your Twitter strategy? It very much feels like a stan account...for...all films? Is that intentional? It's so fun.
FS: We love posting film anniversaries, birthdays, movie stills, basically everything film. It’s definitely intentional because it’s what has worked well for us and people love it. Even if it’s as simple as posting a still from Before Sunrise and saying “good morning”, people go crazy for it.
It’s also great that we have a platform that allows us to post so many prompts on Twitter. We do something called Letterboxd Friday where people post a screenshot of their last four films they watched, and that always goes off.
RK: I am curious how you keep track of so many important dates! Like the 15 year anniversary of 17 Again (iconic) or pretty much every actor's birthday.
FS: We have such an amazing team that is able to keep track of data for us. We have a feature on our app and website where you can see release dates for a film so that is also super helpful. Usually 5, 10, 15 years and so on is something we'd post—but make exceptions for bigger films!
RK: What advice would you give to other passionate, online people who are looking for an in to working in social media?
FS: Truly my biggest piece of advice is just keep reaching out to companies you want to work for. This is how I got my job, through emailing them and offering something I could do for them that they have yet to explore. I think this is the best way to put yourself out there.
RK: Lastly, talk to me about why Mamma Mia! is in your personal Four Favorites. What do you love about the movie?
FS: Mamma Mia! is my favorite movie of all time for so many reasons. I grew up watching it over and over again, I’ve lost count the amount of times I’ve seen it. My sisters and I would watch it all the time with my mom and we would sing all the songs together. We would always say my mom is exactly like Donna. She passed away from cancer in 2015 and every time I watch it, it’s like a piece of her is with me. I especially love the song where Donna and Sophie sing Slipping Through My Fingers together. That reminds me of the type of relationship I had with my mom.
But putting all the personal reasons aside, I do think it’s a perfect movie. Harry, Sam and Bill all have a special place in my heart.
Thanks for reading! You can support free interviews like this one with a paid Link in Bio subscription! More details on that here. I should note it’s likely an educational expense at your company—here’s a template for you to use when asking your manager. I’m biased but the Discord is worth the subscription alone!
What a story! A great case study in “shooting your shot.” For all those looking to break into social media, this is a reminder that you never know what’s possible if you don’t ask. Just ask. Oh, and be good at what you do too. 👏
Pretty incredible with what they’re able to pull off as a team of two!