The original video, however, has been out-done by a fan-made video, done by popular YouTubers Tessa Violet (Meekakitty) and Shawna Howson (Nanalew). Who have a combined subscriber total of 1,567,164 (that is 1,000,022 and 567,142 respectively) However, their creation of a video for sail has 130,000,000+ views, compared to the (roughly) combined total (as it has been on the AWOLNATION official channel, awolnationvevo, and red bull records) 60,000,000 times. While there may be a number of factors at play here, such as the fact that the official video has moved around so much, this is nevertheless a very surprising achievement.
Here is the fan-made video:
Judging the videos, one might think that they would stand fairly equal chance, with Nanalew's having the inane humour to it, but AWOLNATION's featuring references to the illuminati and being backed by their record label, so perhaps appearing higher owing to some feature of google's algorithm. But the popularity of Nanalew's version has even led it to be the very thing that appears when googling the track.
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| Nanalew's version appears to be favoured even by google... |
This is a very unique case, and I, personally cannot think of a time where this has happened. And all top 3 of the most viewed youtube videos being taken up by music videos. In fact, aside from 'Charlie bit my finger -again!', the top 30 most viewed videos are all music videos, and the official ones at that. The true reason as to why this video has succeeded so much is very hard to pin point, Perhaps it has succeeded owning to it's lack of plot, it's complete pointlessness, the 'surprise twist' or the family friendliness. The inability to pinpoint the reason as to the success of this video perhaps encompasses what McDougall was talking about when they suggested the inability to conceive media audience as a stable, identifiable group.
The success of this video could be placed down to web 2.0, The video has been created by consumers, who made a video they enjoy themselves and so think others enjoy too. This video truly demonstrates the power of web 2.0. Comparatively amateur, independent film, video, music and TV makers can stand their ground against major corporations, while this may take time and luck, this video shows that it is in no way impossible.
In answer to your Q: yes, this is fine - just don't refer to Julian McDougall as 'they'! To anchor the idea, its worth getting further into web 2.0 here: eg a quote about the producer/aud divide line disappearing/blurring...
ReplyDeleteThe orig vid itself is noteworthy in its own right, I thinK: GREAT example of highly specific cutting to the beat, with the eyes ECU one strong eg of what is in effect a jump cut to one repeated beat/emphasis - and dutch eyes ECU, possibly layered/reduced opacity, is something to add to a list of possible ideas to utilise... About 0:22 in you get flash-layering (ie, cross-cutting/layering 2 shots at extreme high speed), fittingly reflecting the juddering bass note that has been cut to.
The use of stalker/obsessive photos is a m-en-sc idea IGS students have used in both vids + films, and is a good one too.
About 1:29 a nice eg of effective slo-mo (tho I dislike the over-long takes in this vid) in what seems Halloween (blue tint) meets Close Encounters of the Third Kind with (noting closing shots) a found footage contemporary twist... very filmic (slo-mo one signifier of this)
Green laser idea actually quite smart: anchors sci-fi, gives a surface sheen of CGI, but can actually be done cheaply and diegetically
2:12 - another eg of how a bath can be an effective tool, as it was in Faithless IGS vid + Pixies Bagboy
2:32 Abysmal breakout to piano performance; terrible idea; needed quirky, dutch, discoloured, distorted footage instead
Again at 3:40 really smart flash cross-layering to mark the juddering bass note; v strong idea worth noting for possible use
3:50 not the best green screen!
Odd one overall - badly let down in this case by breaking out of narrative for performance, rendering the narrative weak and unconvincing/fails to grip attention (needs visible antagonist?)
Will look at UGC next...
UGC: classic (in film terms) narr enigma start; boots, ECU on face sections. Nice use of variable focus, something you can achieve with our DSLRs. Look at the 2Twigs IGS eg to see how effective this can be for performance or narrative.
ReplyDeleteThe counter-programming of goth/Indie look alongside classic male gaze (rain to create clinging clothes [Spiderman], direct gaze/address to camera), and fem for male voice, can be really effective without being as camp as, say, our Britney vids.
REALLY like the shot/edit variation around 50-120: MLS lipsynch cut to CU for bass note; sev repeats; then cut from CU (bass) to reframed lipsynch CU, and basically reverse the established order. Smart.
The 2-shot is also a master shot, with the previous shots only revealing part of the m-en-s or location. The slo-mo stops this being too cheesy or camp, despite the red-head's gurning.
Those tracking ECUs of her thick-lipstick lips remind me of Marilyn Manson, as does the washed-out/blue colouring
2:23 boots on ground - just shows how re-framing can create a dramatic effect; what we know is lawn looks like jungle!
Worth screenshotting the 'click for more by...' and Facebook clickable captions that appear, important point there
Personally, loathe the OTT gurning that really kicks in from 2min on, tho presumably its a key factor in the viral success - without it, how would you know it was a 'fake' vid?!
Lots of good points from both you can borrow/take inspiration from!
Having talked about alternate vids, this is another option alongside the single take; using slo-mo and a single location