It feels like being a DJ and scratching a record back and forth ... thus, the name, ScratchReel.
On Thursday, Twitter posted a ScratchReel on its official account, encouraging users to scrub back and forth with their mouse or trackpad, controlling a World Surf League contestant, as he attempts to ride a wave. Scrubbing to the extreme left will have the surfer bracing himself to ride this monstrous wave, while scrubbing to the middle and right, will guide him straight through the tube. Quickly move your finger back to the left and you can run the process all over again.
Spotted a ScratchReel yet? Scrub back & forth to help the @WSL surfer escape the tube! Only on Twitter, dude. pic.twitter.com/Ajh8Rmjz7W
— Twitter (@twitter) November 12, 2015
As Engadget points out the ScratchReels only seem to apply to the GIFs created by @SnappyTV publishers as of now and Twitter seems to want to spread the word and have their impact felt.
In addition to the surfer riding the wave, ScratchReels posted Thursday allow followers to control everything from spiking in volleyball to guiding Sidney Crosby in his game-winning shootout goal from Wednesday night, slamming a NASCAR vehicle up against the wall of a race track, going for a header in soccer and getting Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas to do a dance.
While all the ScratchReels floating around the social media giant Thursday are sports action clips, it will be interesting to see how the technology could be used in other areas if it becomes the norm for Twitter videos.
In any event, practice your scrubbing.
