Why AnzacLive is an experience like no other. Give it two minutes on Facebook and you’ll understand

IF you truly have no spare time, don’t read this story. It exposes something special but hugely addictive. Two minutes will show you why.

THERE’S something truly special happening right now.

Thousands of people around Australia are taking part in a two-way experience unlike any other — full of vivid imagery, incredible story-sharing and, at its heart, conversations with some of the most extraordinary people this country has known.

Our most popular character ... meet the amazing Alice Ross-King.

Standing out from traditional sombre reporting of events a century ago, the AnzacLive project has captured attention across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — the hashtag #AnzacLive reaching more than 4.5 million in less than one week.

It relives the wartime experiences of a group of real people in their own words, 100 years exactly to the day since the events they describe.

That readers can talk to those characters and gets answers in their own words has captured hearts throughout Australia and beyond — resulting in moving, exhilarating, and fascinating conversations across time.

GET ABOARD ANZACLIVE: IT’S ALL HERE

Ladies’ man ... one of our characters’ Facebook cover pictures.

“This gave me goosebumps — incredible.”

“This site is turning into something special.”

“Technology + people interested in history = amazing connections”

“WOW!!”

Those were all remarks on just one post of the hundreds since Sunday’s launch. It was started by a reader who had sent a picture introducing one of our characters — Arthur James Adams — to a sister-in-law he never met. We then shared it — and it set off a chain reaction of responses.

Vivid, but not imagination ... welcome to a colourful new approach.

It is just one of many such interactions, with followers offering their own emotional connections to the characters and sharing their own incredible stories.

“This is just the best use of social media!” posted teacher Debbie Walters on Facebook, where the characters’ pages have amassed more than 26,000 likes in a few days. “Have loved every minute of this and can’t wait to share the stories with my students!”

On the supporting AnzacLive Twitter account, Suan Pola tweeted: “Loving reading the posts! What an amazing way to share information and make it real. Congratulations!”

Show no merci ... this guy didn’t.

And a linked Instagram account is taking even further the striking Facebook visuals — from colourised stills, through videos, to infographics and memes.

A shortcut to getting involved is just search #AnzacLive on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram; or head to www.anzaclive.com.au for an overview.

In the meantime we really don’t want you to miss out; explanations and recommendations can only take you some of the way — the best thing is to try it. As more than one person has remarked, “It’s addictive”.

Kangaroos and pyramids ... we’ll tell you why this happened.

SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR POSTS IN THE FIRST WEEK

Welcome to AnzacLive: our first post introducing the characters. Reached 126,900 and got 7,400 engagements.

April Fools’ French-style: how a pilot pranked the enemy. Reached 12,100 and got 1,213 engagements.

Ship of shame: how soldiers carrying a shameful secret were sent home. Reached 6,000 and got 877 engagements.

Heat and dust: soldier Archie Barwick’s video on sand storms. Reached 9,000 and got 590 engagements.

Your favourite character: invitation to get to know inspirational nurse Alice Ross-King. Reached 5,600 and got 743 engagements.

Funny guy ... Ellis Silas was chuffed by this punishment.

WHAT YOU’RE SAYING TO THE CHARACTERS

Romance — a hot topic especially for fans of Alice Ross-King and Ellis Silas.

Kenny Chu: Who is this Waterhouse lady? Any link to the current racing Waterhouse family?

Ellis Silas: A charming damsel, rather like one of the dream maidens that John William Waterhouse delights to depict.

How are you coping? Do you miss home and family? These are questions asked of many characters.

Julia Thornton: It’s still hot in Qld. How is he weather there?

Alice Ross-King: The heat is overpowering and one feels absolutely limp and useless ...

Bad boys or lacklustre leaders? ... Cairo tested the troops and their officers.

What the troops think of the seedier parts of Cairo, where they are waiting for the big push.

David Crowe: Come on Archie, you went to these dens with your mates didn’t you?

Archie Barwick: I can truthfully say that they had no attraction for me.

John Monash: Egypt is a land of sand, sin, sorrow and syphilis. Everything is dirty, squalid smelly and repugnant to any refined sense.

I’m related to you! I know someone you are with! Many readers have dug up old photos.

Steven Bone: I know you worked the stretchers, so hopefully you might know him. He is a top bloke from Melbourne.

Bert Reynolds: There are a decent lot of chaps in the unit

Three men and a donkey ... these guys were NSW politicians. Really.

The British were atrocious ... or maybe they weren’t. A big debate from Day One.

Richard Burgess: The price at Gallipoli was unnecessarily heavy. Not a Churchill fan I am afraid. Badly devised plan, poorly delivered.

Shane Blackman: Everyone is so quick to judge. It is called hindsight.

Originally published as Why AnzacLive is an experience like no other. Give it two minutes on Facebook and you’ll understand