YEM Interview: Katie Helenthal shares how she got inspired to make an Instagram account for The OC

Katie Helenthal is the creator of the @ thxoc instagram account. The instagram account was created in August of 2014 and is dedicated to the show The OC which ran from 2003-2007. As of now the account has about 40 thousand followers. YEM was able to speak with Katie about what inspired her to make the account, how she makes her edits, and how she keeps her page active.

Young Entertainment Mag: How long have you been running this account?

Katie Helenthal: I started my account on August 24, 2014, right before I started 8th grade and now I’m less than a month away from graduating from college. So it’s been quite awhile. It’s insane to think I’ve been running this for that long.

YEM: What inspired you to make the Instagram for The OC?

Katie: I first watched the show in the summer of 2014 and immediately wanted to make posts about it. I had already made another instagram at the time @ Delenadiarixs (fanpage for The Vampire Diaries) so making a fanpage for the show was something I already knew how to do and was passionate about doing. Not only did I want to post about it but I really wanted to meet other people who loved the show as much as I did, because nobody I knew had seen the show.

YEM: What do you make your edits with? Is there a program?

Katie: I make all of my edits on my phone even though I know it would probably be better to do it on my computer. I use the app videoshop on my iphone.

YEM: How do you get all the different photos/videos for your account?

Katie: Sometimes I use google for the pictures, and for videos I’ll get the clips off of my computer.

YEM: Since the show’s been over for years, how do you keep the fans interested and active?

Katie: I keep trying to make new content, like video edits and I try to post new pictures they may not have seen before. I make polls and quizzes for my story for my followers to do and have fun with. Melinda Clarke follows me and regularly likes and reshares my posts in her story so I think that brings interest to my page.

YEM: You seem to still have a good amount of people interested in the show and your page. Why do you think fans are still so into the OC?

Katie: I think we can all agree that just about everyone loves nostalgia and that’s exactly what my account gives. I’ve had so many people tell me that when they visit my account or watch the show, they feel like a teenager again. More recently with the introduction of Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke’s OC rewatch podcast, I think it has brought the show back into the spotlight, so more people are looking up the show and finding my page. The O.C. serves as a comfort to so many people. When we watch it, it feels like we are watching our good friends.

YEM: You have a lot of pins on your Instagram page, are those helpful in keeping your page active?

Katie: I honestly don’t know about that, I make the pins for anyone that may want to check out my past stories or polls/quizzes. I hope that it brings in activity but I’m not sure.

YEM: Which ones do you enjoy doing the most? “Crazy Theories,” “This or That,” etc.?

Katie: My favorite ones to do are the “Crazy theories” and “Ask me a Question.” It is always so funny to read some of the insane theories that the fans come up with. I love answering questions about my opinions on the show or other shows.

YEM: How would you feel if you got to do an interview with the cast?

Katie: I would freak out! That is a dream. After doing the podcast I already sort of got to interview Rachel and Melinda, so I definitely feel like I could do it. If the opportunity ever came around I would say yes in a heartbeat!

YEM: Your bio has a link for clothing. Do you make those yourself?

Katie: No I don’t, the store is actually run by @ Welovetheoc on instagram but they asked me to help them promote it.

YEM: So Mischa, aka Marissa Cooper, has liked 7 of your posts. How exciting is that for you?

Katie: It was so exciting! She’s the one cast member that I’ve always wanted to meet, so to get that much attention from her was so cool! I’m very proud of it because I admire her so much.

YEM: You’re clearly a fan of the show. What’s your favorite thing about it?

Katie: My favorite thing about the show are the characters and unbreakable friendships. I love that the main four never turn on each other or betray each other. They always support one another and joke around, it’s so fun and comforting to watch. You don’t see that in many teen shows.

YEM: What’s your favorite part of running this account?

Katie: The people I meet are definitely my favorite part of running this account. I’ve met so many people from across the globe that grew up with the show or are just now discovering it. They tell my stories about themselves and why the show means so much to them. I love talking with everyone and making friendships. Being a part of the OC community is the best!

YEM: Do you have a favorite character or couple you like to post about?

Katie: I love posting about the core four, Marissa, Summer, Seth and Ryan.