How to make the perfect family TikTok? It’s a question most parents had probably never considered until coronavirus cooped up moms, dads and kids in their homes, alone, with no lines to the outside world but the screen.
The McFarland family knows something about this. A family of five from Louisville, Ky., they are TikTok famous for their comedic skits. Their account is run mostly by the two youngest members, Dylan and Colin, ages 23 and 26, but their videos feature the high jinks of the whole McFarland clan, including their mother, Kathy, 59; father, Dan, 59; and occasionally their older brother Mitch, 29, who lives in Nashville, Tenn.
The McFarland family’s version of the “Blinding Lights” challenge
The McFarlands have been growing their audience steadily for the past year and now have 1 million followers. They recently scored a viral hit with their take on the popular “Blinding Lights” challenge, in which users do a choreographed dance to the Weeknd’s hit song. “In three to four days, it got us another 100,000 followers,” Colin McFarland says.
It was also the first time one of their videos went viral outside of TikTok. “It started going viral on Instagram and Twitter, and then it started reaching a wider audience,” says brother Dylan. “It’s cool to see how once it does leave TikTok, it brings more attention to TikTok.”
TikTok doesn’t release usage or demographic data. But other data shows that as states began shutting down in March, the social-video platform reached a record 10.6 million U.S. downloads, a 63% increase over February, according to the mobile-app analytics firm Sensor Tower. U.S. users spent an average of 76 minutes a day in TikTok during March, up 13% from January. How many of them are parents and older users is unclear—but the platform has long tried to appeal to those groups.
Parents of popular TikTokers, like Heidi and Marc D’Amelio, whose daughters have a combined TikTok following of 77.1 million, are already celebrities in their own right. But new older stars have also emerged. Tabitha Brown, a 41-year-old mom who posts vegan recipes on social media, has become the latest breakout TikToker after joining the platform in early March. “I honestly feel so blessed to be embraced by the younger generation,” Ms. Brown says. “I want people to feel like I am an escape from all the craziness even if it’s just for one minute!”
Other families have also participated in the “Blinding Lights” challenge
Teens on TikTok are recruiting moms, dads and grandparents to star in their 15-second dance sequences, teaching them moves to popular challenges like “Hit Every Beat” and “Roses” and using hashtags like #quarantinelife. Other TikToks include re-creating favorite haunts at home, like clubs and restaurants. In one such post: “DJDadJeans” plays bouncer and bartender in what looks to be the family’s basement, complete with booming bass and flashing lights.
Bella Cuomo, daughter to CNN anchor Chris Cuomo (and niece to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo), who recently recovered from coronavirus, has been documenting her family’s unique experience at the center of the crisis. One video splits the screen (known as a “duet”) with Matilda Cuomo, Bella’s grandmother, and a video of the brothers Cuomo sparring on CNN. In another, she dons a full-body protective suit and mask to go visit her quarantining father in the basement where he ignores her, to comedic effect for her 324,000 followers.
As the time in lockdown gets longer, the TikToks get more absurd—see here a quest to land the perfect #TrickShot using pots and pans and a ping-pong ball, or whatever this is—even for an app that made someone famous for her relatable reaction to taste-testing kombucha.
But a TikTok video featuring the whole family is its own art. No one knows that better than the McFarlands. Here, they break down what it takes to make a hit family TikTok.
Choose your roles
Even a 15-second bit requires production assignments. After a year of making TikTok’s together, the McFarlands have very defined roles: Colin, is usually behind the camera. “Dylan is the Bradley Cooper and dad’s the Brad Pitt, our lead roles a lot of the time,” Colin says. “Mom sneaks in as an actress. Mitch, if he’s home, he plays the piano, so he’s our musical man. We all have our different roles.”
Shooting and editing takes time. (“If dad’s dancing in it, you know it took three hours,” the youngest McFarland, Dylan, says.) But the only tools you need are an iPhone and the tools in the app.
Tabitha Brown is a breakout TikTok star
Put a spin on a trend
Trends and challenges rule TikTok. Dance challenges like The Renegade have gone viral on TikTok before becoming cultural phenomena. Memes like “Hey yo, my friends think my brother’s hot check” and “Not for you, but for him” are the engine of TikTok’s popularity. “When you get family involved, you can bring a new aspect or have a different viewpoint,” Colin says.
Tell a story
A surprising amount of narrative can be squeezed into a TikTok, and it can take your TikTok far. The tiniest bit of story line added to the McFarland’s “Blinding Lights” challenge video is what set it apart. It begins with a few seconds of Colin and Dylan trying to convince a reluctant Dan. That’s followed by a quick shot of other people performing the dance, before Dan discovers his confidence. The result: “It becomes a mini hero’s journey,” Colin says. “He doesn’t think he can do it, but he ends up spinning around in the driveway, glorious.”
Have fun
A familiar McFarland tactic is to take an everyday situation and exaggerate. Take their video of Dan chewing gum loudly. The lesson: “Be yourself. Have fun. Don’t think too much about trying to perfect a video,” Dylan says. “You’re having fun with your family and you’re catching it on camera.”
Share Your Thoughts
How willing are you to try making a TikTok with your family? Join the discussion below.
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