Don't you hate it when someone forwards you a video, innocuously titled something like "calm car ride" or "watch closely," and it turns out the video is just a cheap scare in the form of a grating banshee or a creepy child?
I know I do.
But alas, I've been forwarded two such videos in the past week, each time in the form of a YouTube link. And so, this appeared in my recommendations this evening:
(Wait for it - wait for it)
Confused? Yes, so was I. I wouldn't have even watched it had I not wanted an example of the above prank for this blog, and for once I was actually disappointed by the lack of a sickly surprise -- the only thing scary about this video is its Alabama setting. It took me twice to even notice the thin wisps of smoke that we are meant to understand comprise a ghost
Wait - I take it back. What's scary about this video is that it's amassed 43,000 views and a four-star rating. Were that many people just relieved when they got to the end with no jolt? Or did that many people buy into the notion that a ghost flits across in the screen in these painfully long thirteen seconds?
I have no idea, but what I do know is that the only merit I find in this recommendation is an ironic love for the muzak and the misspelled video description "at nigth" [sic].
I award you no points, YouTube, and may God have mercy on your lack of a soul.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Are You A Gleek?
Glee, Glee, Glee. What am I ever going to do with you? This is one television show with which I have a very complicated relationship, and as far as I can tell I am not alone in my mixed feelings.
On the one hand, I find the writing to be uneven and shallow. I love twisted humor (perhaps too much), and I can laugh at the occasional stereotype-based caricature as much as the next guy, but I need strongly defined characters to anchor my fictions, and this show just doesn't have them. The "baby drama" isn't interesting, the drawn-out preparation for sectionals grew tiring rather quickly, and the songs often spring up inorganically, as though they were transition effects instead of storytelling devices (e.g., the use of Lily Allen's "Smile").
But oh, those songs are catchy.
That's why I always listen to them on YouTube while I do other things. And you know, I also like a few of the home recordings of friends getting together and performing their own renditions of the Glee choreography - it's an infectious kind of happy when it works. So, after watching enough videos in that vein, I was recommended this:
How interesting that Kurt wasn't originally in the script, since that means the original script didn't feature a gay character, and come on, it's the gayest show on television. In the spirit of full disclosure, I auditioned for my own senior musical with "Mr. Cellophane." Oh dear.
Anyway, I've heard that Glee is going on a long hiatus after this week's episode, and I can only hope that the writers sit down and seriously think about where they're going instead of letting the flimsy conflicts they've already written play themselves out. If this recommendation reveals anything, it's how experimental the whole project has been.
But I'm still hopeful. As they sing (so unforgettably): Don't Stop Believin'.
On the one hand, I find the writing to be uneven and shallow. I love twisted humor (perhaps too much), and I can laugh at the occasional stereotype-based caricature as much as the next guy, but I need strongly defined characters to anchor my fictions, and this show just doesn't have them. The "baby drama" isn't interesting, the drawn-out preparation for sectionals grew tiring rather quickly, and the songs often spring up inorganically, as though they were transition effects instead of storytelling devices (e.g., the use of Lily Allen's "Smile").
But oh, those songs are catchy.
That's why I always listen to them on YouTube while I do other things. And you know, I also like a few of the home recordings of friends getting together and performing their own renditions of the Glee choreography - it's an infectious kind of happy when it works. So, after watching enough videos in that vein, I was recommended this:
How interesting that Kurt wasn't originally in the script, since that means the original script didn't feature a gay character, and come on, it's the gayest show on television. In the spirit of full disclosure, I auditioned for my own senior musical with "Mr. Cellophane." Oh dear.
Anyway, I've heard that Glee is going on a long hiatus after this week's episode, and I can only hope that the writers sit down and seriously think about where they're going instead of letting the flimsy conflicts they've already written play themselves out. If this recommendation reveals anything, it's how experimental the whole project has been.
But I'm still hopeful. As they sing (so unforgettably): Don't Stop Believin'.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
You Don't Say
Tonight's recommendation features one of those aforementioned popular commercials - the ones that aren't masquerading as fan-made videos. The ones that are just funny.
Not surprisingly, it's pretty sexy. YouTube is a great venue for all those "banned" commercials to go viral as they were intended to do. Good news for all those advertisers who I imagine were conscientiously bating the censors; the hard-won "too-hot-for-TV" label no longer just means the occasional, paradoxical TV special.
What is surprising, though, or least noteworthy, is that YouTube recommended a commercial that's entirely in Spanish: title, description, user, and the commercial itself. Unfortunately, I can't understand any of it.
I Google-translated the two captions. Apparently, this is about "friends having a desire for you," and I'm gathering a secret desire at that, while Sprite represents "things as they are." But without the benefit of the voice-over, I can't quite connect all the dots.
This was recommended because a friend recently reminded me of that hilarious (American) Sprite commercial in which a fictitious soda mascot, a smiling sun, leaps off its bottle to terrorize a family. It was in the same campaign as the 'Splode bungee explosion and the combustible acne cream - some of my favorite commercials of all time. I watched all those that I could find.
The point here is, despite not understanding a word of this recommendation, I'm actually glad to see YouTube recommending international videos. I think YouTube provides a great forum for global communication for obvious reasons, and I think keeping the recommendations section country-specific would be lazy and narrow. Lord knows other countries have been familiar with what's streaming on American TV forever.
So, I'll consider this recommendation a prod in a productive direction. Maybe I'll learn Spanish one day, YouTube, and that's a message I can comprehend.
Not surprisingly, it's pretty sexy. YouTube is a great venue for all those "banned" commercials to go viral as they were intended to do. Good news for all those advertisers who I imagine were conscientiously bating the censors; the hard-won "too-hot-for-TV" label no longer just means the occasional, paradoxical TV special.
What is surprising, though, or least noteworthy, is that YouTube recommended a commercial that's entirely in Spanish: title, description, user, and the commercial itself. Unfortunately, I can't understand any of it.
I Google-translated the two captions. Apparently, this is about "friends having a desire for you," and I'm gathering a secret desire at that, while Sprite represents "things as they are." But without the benefit of the voice-over, I can't quite connect all the dots.
This was recommended because a friend recently reminded me of that hilarious (American) Sprite commercial in which a fictitious soda mascot, a smiling sun, leaps off its bottle to terrorize a family. It was in the same campaign as the 'Splode bungee explosion and the combustible acne cream - some of my favorite commercials of all time. I watched all those that I could find.
The point here is, despite not understanding a word of this recommendation, I'm actually glad to see YouTube recommending international videos. I think YouTube provides a great forum for global communication for obvious reasons, and I think keeping the recommendations section country-specific would be lazy and narrow. Lord knows other countries have been familiar with what's streaming on American TV forever.
So, I'll consider this recommendation a prod in a productive direction. Maybe I'll learn Spanish one day, YouTube, and that's a message I can comprehend.
Monday, November 9, 2009
A Pretentious Interlude
YouTube has been great for my appreciation of classical music. Being able to see performances really helps me to distinguish among and remember them in ways that just listening to them doesn't. Perhaps it's because I can instantly visually connect with a specific performer, whereas it takes me multiple hearings to differentiate subtly unique versions of the same song.
True, the "video snacking" habit promulgated by YouTube isn't ideal for works with multiple movements, and perhaps I'm consuming Concertos and Etudes like bite-sized pieces of decontextualized candy, but for me that's better than nothing, and anyway YouTube makes concessions for longer works. Just check out Karajan conducting Beethoven.
Without further ado:
Those hands! That face! What more could you ask for from a performance of Rachmaninoff's "Little Red Riding Hood" than a woman who could herself be straight out of a fairy tale?
I have watched a few of Valentina Lisitsa's videos before; the first was when I sought out different versions of Chopin's "Ocean" Etude, Op 25 No. 12. Hers wasn't my favorite because of its choices in emphasis, but she was a compelling person to watch, and I discovered that she has a whole channel of herself playing songs to empty auditoriums.
To be clear: she is a professional concert pianist - she just also uploads these very intimate, very electrifying recordings that are almost terrifying in their intensity. I love them.
And no, I hadn't watched this particular one. I hadn't watched any of her videos in quite a while. This was almost certainly recommended because I was recently watching Evgeny Kissin perform Rachmaninoff through the years.
But I'm glad for this recommendation. One of my secret life goals is to look as brilliant and crazed doing anything as Ms. Lisitsa looks playing "Little Red Hiding Hood." One of Ms. Lisistsa's life goals is to record all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Here's to both of our success.
True, the "video snacking" habit promulgated by YouTube isn't ideal for works with multiple movements, and perhaps I'm consuming Concertos and Etudes like bite-sized pieces of decontextualized candy, but for me that's better than nothing, and anyway YouTube makes concessions for longer works. Just check out Karajan conducting Beethoven.
Without further ado:
Those hands! That face! What more could you ask for from a performance of Rachmaninoff's "Little Red Riding Hood" than a woman who could herself be straight out of a fairy tale?
I have watched a few of Valentina Lisitsa's videos before; the first was when I sought out different versions of Chopin's "Ocean" Etude, Op 25 No. 12. Hers wasn't my favorite because of its choices in emphasis, but she was a compelling person to watch, and I discovered that she has a whole channel of herself playing songs to empty auditoriums.
To be clear: she is a professional concert pianist - she just also uploads these very intimate, very electrifying recordings that are almost terrifying in their intensity. I love them.
And no, I hadn't watched this particular one. I hadn't watched any of her videos in quite a while. This was almost certainly recommended because I was recently watching Evgeny Kissin perform Rachmaninoff through the years.
But I'm glad for this recommendation. One of my secret life goals is to look as brilliant and crazed doing anything as Ms. Lisitsa looks playing "Little Red Hiding Hood." One of Ms. Lisistsa's life goals is to record all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Here's to both of our success.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Community of Blood
I was thrilled to see this in my recommendations tonight, misspelled though its title may be. The reason? I assist in editing this wonderful book series at Penguin. Now approaching the fourth book (Eleventh Grade Burns), the series is really taking off, and as you can see here, it's partly because young readers identify with the loner main character who is bullied and hiding a secret.
I'm guessing this was recommended because I watched a video from the author's own YouTube channel, which she forwarded as a way of saying Happy Halloween. That's a pretty oblique connection, though, since she's only uploaded that one video and it has nothing to do with Vlad Tod. Maybe it's because I've been listening to songs from the New Moon soundtrack, and YouTube figured (as readers sometimes do) that one vampire equals another.
As for my thoughts on the video...well, it's just a wee bit campy. The voice-over voice is hilarious, the punch that never connects is to die for, and the "epic" running through the halls rewards slow-mo replays ad infinitum. If you're wondering why that boy throws down his hostess cupcake in disgust, it's because he stole it from Vlad, who sneaks blood capsules into his sack lunches to avoid going hungry at school.
But I'm being a little unfair. This is a school project, after all, and when you consider how video editing has progressed since when I was in high school, it's relatively impressive. I like to imagine that the maker of this video is himself a loner - maybe he's bullied at school, and maybe he wishes he were a vampire. Well, that's not likely to happen, but at least he has the books for support, and at least now thirteen hundred people have watched his school video project thanks to a diverse internet community.
The cold-hearted editor in me is glad to see that other kids commented to tell him where he got the plot details wrong. Probably not the supportive reception he was looking for, but again, this video is about progress, not perfection.
I'm guessing this was recommended because I watched a video from the author's own YouTube channel, which she forwarded as a way of saying Happy Halloween. That's a pretty oblique connection, though, since she's only uploaded that one video and it has nothing to do with Vlad Tod. Maybe it's because I've been listening to songs from the New Moon soundtrack, and YouTube figured (as readers sometimes do) that one vampire equals another.
As for my thoughts on the video...well, it's just a wee bit campy. The voice-over voice is hilarious, the punch that never connects is to die for, and the "epic" running through the halls rewards slow-mo replays ad infinitum. If you're wondering why that boy throws down his hostess cupcake in disgust, it's because he stole it from Vlad, who sneaks blood capsules into his sack lunches to avoid going hungry at school.
But I'm being a little unfair. This is a school project, after all, and when you consider how video editing has progressed since when I was in high school, it's relatively impressive. I like to imagine that the maker of this video is himself a loner - maybe he's bullied at school, and maybe he wishes he were a vampire. Well, that's not likely to happen, but at least he has the books for support, and at least now thirteen hundred people have watched his school video project thanks to a diverse internet community.
The cold-hearted editor in me is glad to see that other kids commented to tell him where he got the plot details wrong. Probably not the supportive reception he was looking for, but again, this video is about progress, not perfection.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Nervous Kid
Thanks to the popularity of meta-humor in shows like the aforementioned Family Guy, I think our culture is more conversant in and opinionated on the rules of comedy than we were before. Yes, that's a glittering generality, but the point is it seems like everyone in our generation feels comfortable asserting that a joke has gone on too long, that it is too soon, or that the delivery was just a touch off for it to be funny.
I have no idea why this was recommended. I guess sometimes I watch Memes when I hear of them, or when they appear in my recommendations, but I can only stand so many. Simply knowing that whatever slice of life I'm about to watch has gone viral is usually enough to make me wary. Does that make me a YouTube snob?
Anyway, this not-quite-Meme is cute enough, I suppose. It treads that very delicate line between too repetitive and just repetitive enough, and it even has a punchline ending as the kid slips and curses...But is it just me, or does this all feel totally contrived? I feel like this is some little adult or else a very precocious child, who, rather than actually being nervous about saying Happy Birthday Rosanne, read (and reread) the rules for a funny delivery and followed them to a "T."
Always he gets closer to saying the line we all know is coming, and the increasingly urgent refrain "Now?" adds tension. The trail-off/stutter is very well executed, and like I said, the punchline is right on time.
So I give this kid a B for effort, and YouTube a C minus. This recommendation just feels like a tired attempt at a video that I'll find funny, like when your grandmother recommends a Meme a year after it's gotten old. Thanks, but the verdict is too long, too soon, and just a touch off.
I have no idea why this was recommended. I guess sometimes I watch Memes when I hear of them, or when they appear in my recommendations, but I can only stand so many. Simply knowing that whatever slice of life I'm about to watch has gone viral is usually enough to make me wary. Does that make me a YouTube snob?
Anyway, this not-quite-Meme is cute enough, I suppose. It treads that very delicate line between too repetitive and just repetitive enough, and it even has a punchline ending as the kid slips and curses...But is it just me, or does this all feel totally contrived? I feel like this is some little adult or else a very precocious child, who, rather than actually being nervous about saying Happy Birthday Rosanne, read (and reread) the rules for a funny delivery and followed them to a "T."
Always he gets closer to saying the line we all know is coming, and the increasingly urgent refrain "Now?" adds tension. The trail-off/stutter is very well executed, and like I said, the punchline is right on time.
So I give this kid a B for effort, and YouTube a C minus. This recommendation just feels like a tired attempt at a video that I'll find funny, like when your grandmother recommends a Meme a year after it's gotten old. Thanks, but the verdict is too long, too soon, and just a touch off.
Friday, October 30, 2009
I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got
For the past week or so, I've been obsessed - obsessed - with a storyline from the British soap opera Hollyoaks. I honestly can't remember how I first got wind of it (it was a while ago), but I know it was YouTube that last week led me to watch a beautiful fan-made montage, which in turn finally spurred me to watch the storyline in its entirety. A storyline that spanned two years.
Of course, the name of the game here is to feature clips that were recommended, not clips that I happened upon. And so, instead of that stunning fan-made montage, here's a clip from near the end of the storyline, which I chose in part because it is safe for all audiences:
Synopsis of the Story:
Meeting in their senior year, John Paul and Craig become best mates. They begin dating two girls who are also best mates, but things get complicated when John Paul comes out and admits his love for Craig. Craig, after a time, realizes that he loves JP back, but insists that he still loves his girlfriend and moreover that he's still straight. The love triangle continues, until a debacle of an engagement party leads a bereft Craig to ask JP to accompany him to Dublin. At the last moment, JP decides he can't be with a boy who won't acknowledge that he's gay, and the two split up at the end of 2007. A year later, Craig returns, JP's current ex-priest fiance' is killed, and then, we have this conversation. I won't tell you what happens in the end.
It's a doozy, sure, but what can you expect from a soap opera? What I love is that, comparatively, this uproarious soap opera is still better produced, better acted, and better written than the majority of gay romances onscreen (I would know). It's a love story that takes the time to hit every beat over a two year period, and if it feels a bit dramatic, it's because it's about two nineteen-year-old boys.
This storyline really brought me back. I won't delve into the shocking but typical details of my own life, but I will say I'm glad to see an honest storyline like this so judiciously (and attractively) handled. It made for an arc that could simultaneously break my heart and make me believe in love all over again, in the ways that only fiction can do.
I have favorited a number of Craig/JP fan tributes and scenes, and I'm sure I will be holding marathons of this storyline well into the future. YouTube isn't really taking a risk in recommending clips from it anymore, but I do sort of wonder how it selects the clips it does. The above clip is, like I said, much tamer than it could have been.
But of course, I'm a tame sort of guy. So I say - well recommended.
Of course, the name of the game here is to feature clips that were recommended, not clips that I happened upon. And so, instead of that stunning fan-made montage, here's a clip from near the end of the storyline, which I chose in part because it is safe for all audiences:
Synopsis of the Story:
Meeting in their senior year, John Paul and Craig become best mates. They begin dating two girls who are also best mates, but things get complicated when John Paul comes out and admits his love for Craig. Craig, after a time, realizes that he loves JP back, but insists that he still loves his girlfriend and moreover that he's still straight. The love triangle continues, until a debacle of an engagement party leads a bereft Craig to ask JP to accompany him to Dublin. At the last moment, JP decides he can't be with a boy who won't acknowledge that he's gay, and the two split up at the end of 2007. A year later, Craig returns, JP's current ex-priest fiance' is killed, and then, we have this conversation. I won't tell you what happens in the end.
It's a doozy, sure, but what can you expect from a soap opera? What I love is that, comparatively, this uproarious soap opera is still better produced, better acted, and better written than the majority of gay romances onscreen (I would know). It's a love story that takes the time to hit every beat over a two year period, and if it feels a bit dramatic, it's because it's about two nineteen-year-old boys.
This storyline really brought me back. I won't delve into the shocking but typical details of my own life, but I will say I'm glad to see an honest storyline like this so judiciously (and attractively) handled. It made for an arc that could simultaneously break my heart and make me believe in love all over again, in the ways that only fiction can do.
I have favorited a number of Craig/JP fan tributes and scenes, and I'm sure I will be holding marathons of this storyline well into the future. YouTube isn't really taking a risk in recommending clips from it anymore, but I do sort of wonder how it selects the clips it does. The above clip is, like I said, much tamer than it could have been.
But of course, I'm a tame sort of guy. So I say - well recommended.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Whatever
No fuss, no frills:
I can only guess this was recommended because I've been listening to "Epic Last Song" by Does It Offend You, Yeah? over and over and over again. Both songs have guitar, and both were popular in the UK. I suppose that's as good a basis for recommendation as any other.
This song makes me laugh. I have vivid memories of being in Munich and watching my German cousin try to sing it at a dinner party. It's a simple enough song that you can make up your own lyrics, and he took great advantage of that fact. In a German accent.
Whatever.
I can only guess this was recommended because I've been listening to "Epic Last Song" by Does It Offend You, Yeah? over and over and over again. Both songs have guitar, and both were popular in the UK. I suppose that's as good a basis for recommendation as any other.
This song makes me laugh. I have vivid memories of being in Munich and watching my German cousin try to sing it at a dinner party. It's a simple enough song that you can make up your own lyrics, and he took great advantage of that fact. In a German accent.
Whatever.
Friday, October 23, 2009
L33t Gam3r
Remember that 80's movie The Wizard? It starred Fred Savage (and Jenny Lewis - no joke) as the older brother of a video game whiz who is running away from home to compete in a national tournament. It was my favorite movie as a kid, and I remember identifying so strongly with that little video game prodigy, which on reflection is sad considering he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and is misunderstood by everyone...
Anyway, video games played such a big role in my childhood, as they did for many boys (and girls) of my generation. They were something I was good at, and a common language between me and other boys my age, which was key because I didn't have too much else in common with them. Girls? Cars? Not so much, but I can beat your older brother in Street Fighter.
I was thinking about all of this recently, and hoped to find The Wizard in its entirety on YouTube. No such luck, but following the related links from the film trailer, I found myself watching clips of people playing video games - especially the early Marios, since Mario 3 features prominently in the movie.
Tonight, this was in my personal recommendations:
Holy. Cow. I vividly remember playing this game when the Nintendo 64 first came out. I could paint a clear picture of the moment for you, but if you didn't grow up with this game, I doubt you'll much care. Just know that this clip showcases a stunning feat of gaming. Aided by just a few inherent glitches, and recorded by a program as part of speed competition, this user blazes through the game without so much as a single wasted jump.
My jaw literally dropped in a few places watching this video. The span between 12:20 and 12:55 simply blows my mind. I cannot overstate how incredible this guy's skillz are. Of course, if you played this game, you already know that. Just watch the whole twenty minutes, and prepare to be amazed.
What I love is that nearly two million viewers have watched and appreciated this video. One (hopefully) ironic comment says: "I THINK I MUST COMMIT SUICIDE."
With the popularity of YouTube, there is so much more incentive to master a video game, knowing your insane preparation will be immortalized for all to see. I remember watching The Wizard and wondering why I hadn't heard of any national video game championships (they weren't nearly as popular then), and feeling like maybe if there were, people would finally appreciate my abilities. I remember going over moves in my head at night so that the next time I was at a friend's house I would really impress them all.
Thank you, YouTube, for bringing me back, and reminding me that even though the numbers are bigger and the community more accessible, our video game culture is still subject to the same underlying impulses.
Anyway, video games played such a big role in my childhood, as they did for many boys (and girls) of my generation. They were something I was good at, and a common language between me and other boys my age, which was key because I didn't have too much else in common with them. Girls? Cars? Not so much, but I can beat your older brother in Street Fighter.
I was thinking about all of this recently, and hoped to find The Wizard in its entirety on YouTube. No such luck, but following the related links from the film trailer, I found myself watching clips of people playing video games - especially the early Marios, since Mario 3 features prominently in the movie.
Tonight, this was in my personal recommendations:
Holy. Cow. I vividly remember playing this game when the Nintendo 64 first came out. I could paint a clear picture of the moment for you, but if you didn't grow up with this game, I doubt you'll much care. Just know that this clip showcases a stunning feat of gaming. Aided by just a few inherent glitches, and recorded by a program as part of speed competition, this user blazes through the game without so much as a single wasted jump.
My jaw literally dropped in a few places watching this video. The span between 12:20 and 12:55 simply blows my mind. I cannot overstate how incredible this guy's skillz are. Of course, if you played this game, you already know that. Just watch the whole twenty minutes, and prepare to be amazed.
What I love is that nearly two million viewers have watched and appreciated this video. One (hopefully) ironic comment says: "I THINK I MUST COMMIT SUICIDE."
With the popularity of YouTube, there is so much more incentive to master a video game, knowing your insane preparation will be immortalized for all to see. I remember watching The Wizard and wondering why I hadn't heard of any national video game championships (they weren't nearly as popular then), and feeling like maybe if there were, people would finally appreciate my abilities. I remember going over moves in my head at night so that the next time I was at a friend's house I would really impress them all.
Thank you, YouTube, for bringing me back, and reminding me that even though the numbers are bigger and the community more accessible, our video game culture is still subject to the same underlying impulses.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Evolving Market Strategies
When I spent time with my extended family in July, I was forced to watch episodes of Family Guy for the first time in a long while. I laughed once, maybe twice, but everyone else was in hysterics. I realized how inaccessible and obscure my sense of humor can be.
I have since watched some of the Most Viewed Family Guy clips on YouTube in hopes that I might find the place where my sense of humor and the norm intersect. And, while this recommendation draws its humor more from the juxtaposition of Wall Street and Family Guy than from the cartoon itself, at least I've finally found a use of Family Guy that cracks me up:
Superb editing is arguably the star of this apt mash-up, but what I find even more interesting is that it's an advertisement. Yes, you'll notice if you follow this video to YouTube that it was posted by the official Fox channel, "Foxabulous." Clearly, a smart team of marketers asked, "what are people watching on YouTube?" and answered "mash-ups and fake movie trailers." Just look at Shining or The Empire Brokeback.
Now, it's not unheard of for undisguised commercials to get lots of views on YouTube, provided they are funny. I almost featured an Axe commercial tonight that was absolutely terrifying but somehow quite popular. What I like about this video, though, is that a style popularized by YouTube became a made-for-YouTube advertisement, and it worked. I mean, an ad for a Wall Street anniversary DVD having over ten million views? I also like the simple yet effective combination of Stewie + "bitch."
What I don't like is that my personal recommendations are just another venue for product placement. It feels like the moment I realized Yahoo! driving directions were taking me out of my way to go by their sponsor locations. In a word: manipulated.
There's a fine line between "recommending" and "selling," and to me it seems to hinge on the level of consideration for the audience's interests. So which is this? A funny video or an ad? Is there even a distinction worth making?
I have since watched some of the Most Viewed Family Guy clips on YouTube in hopes that I might find the place where my sense of humor and the norm intersect. And, while this recommendation draws its humor more from the juxtaposition of Wall Street and Family Guy than from the cartoon itself, at least I've finally found a use of Family Guy that cracks me up:
Superb editing is arguably the star of this apt mash-up, but what I find even more interesting is that it's an advertisement. Yes, you'll notice if you follow this video to YouTube that it was posted by the official Fox channel, "Foxabulous." Clearly, a smart team of marketers asked, "what are people watching on YouTube?" and answered "mash-ups and fake movie trailers." Just look at Shining or The Empire Brokeback.
Now, it's not unheard of for undisguised commercials to get lots of views on YouTube, provided they are funny. I almost featured an Axe commercial tonight that was absolutely terrifying but somehow quite popular. What I like about this video, though, is that a style popularized by YouTube became a made-for-YouTube advertisement, and it worked. I mean, an ad for a Wall Street anniversary DVD having over ten million views? I also like the simple yet effective combination of Stewie + "bitch."
What I don't like is that my personal recommendations are just another venue for product placement. It feels like the moment I realized Yahoo! driving directions were taking me out of my way to go by their sponsor locations. In a word: manipulated.
There's a fine line between "recommending" and "selling," and to me it seems to hinge on the level of consideration for the audience's interests. So which is this? A funny video or an ad? Is there even a distinction worth making?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Difference a Letter Makes
If you haven't been watching The Guild, Felicia Day's brilliant web series about MMORP gamers, now's a good time to start. Currently midway through its third season, The Guild is fresh, funny, and incredibly addictive. Seriously - go watch it now. Stop living under the rock we call mainstream America.
Today's recommendation is a fan video loosely "inspired" by The Guild. There are just a few small differences. For starters, notice the absent "u."
Hello, Crazy McCrazerton - it's me, Peeps. I have to say, I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I think it's a brilliant commentary on The Guild, shining the harsh light of reality on the lives of adult gamers, which Felicia Day's show glamorizes and celebrates. Other times, I think this woman is whacked out on hallucinogenic drugs.
I mean, WHAT?
I love the pink heart transition effect. I love that this woman drinks from a Stein before launching into her incoherent string of gaming acronyms, meant to relay an in-game occurrence (not to worry - she features a helpful glossary at the end). I love her implied insistence that her random personal mishap will be of interest to other people - an assumption that all internet endeavors (this blog included) make. I love that she tricked the YouTube algorithm by titling her video something so close to an actual internet phenomenon. I love the phrase "emerald dream."
All that said, I hate this video. I can laugh at it for the above reasons, sure, but unlike The Guild, this video makes it hard to ignore that I'm laughing at someone's real life. And irl, it's sad. Sorry YouTube - you got tricked. And therefore, so did I.
Today's recommendation is a fan video loosely "inspired" by The Guild. There are just a few small differences. For starters, notice the absent "u."
Hello, Crazy McCrazerton - it's me, Peeps. I have to say, I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I think it's a brilliant commentary on The Guild, shining the harsh light of reality on the lives of adult gamers, which Felicia Day's show glamorizes and celebrates. Other times, I think this woman is whacked out on hallucinogenic drugs.
I mean, WHAT?
I love the pink heart transition effect. I love that this woman drinks from a Stein before launching into her incoherent string of gaming acronyms, meant to relay an in-game occurrence (not to worry - she features a helpful glossary at the end). I love her implied insistence that her random personal mishap will be of interest to other people - an assumption that all internet endeavors (this blog included) make. I love that she tricked the YouTube algorithm by titling her video something so close to an actual internet phenomenon. I love the phrase "emerald dream."
All that said, I hate this video. I can laugh at it for the above reasons, sure, but unlike The Guild, this video makes it hard to ignore that I'm laughing at someone's real life. And irl, it's sad. Sorry YouTube - you got tricked. And therefore, so did I.
Monday, October 12, 2009
He's Like Fire
Some of you may immediately recognize this clip from the British TV show Doctor Who. It's from the episode "The Family of Blood," the conclusion to a two-part series that - it turns out - is quite good. News to me - I hadn't seen this particular episode, or even been aware of it, until this:
I've watched other Doctor Who clips during my years as a YouTube account-holder, but they've never been recommended before. So why now? The key here is the young man (he's 19) delivering this laudatory speech. If you immediately recognize him as the little boy from Love Actually, then you're a better celebrity spotter than I was when I saw Bright Star two weeks ago. In that film, Thomas Sangster (for that is his name) plays Fanny Braun's younger brother. He doesn't have many lines, but he has lots of screen time, and I knew he looked familiar.
When IMDB gave me a name, I promptly traced his career in YouTube clips, from Love Actually to a made-for-TV Pinocchio and a few random things in between. I've always been fascinated by child stars, partly because I wanted to be one and partly because their young adult lives seem almost invariably riddled with tragedy. Haley Joel Osment pleading no contest to a DUI and drug possession three years ago comes to mind...
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was hoping to glimpse some dark secret behind Thomas Sangster's performances, but I do find it compelling to see someone's whole childhood documented in a string of fictions, and also I'm writing a few other things about child stars right now. Consider this research.
The thing is, this clip isn't tagged or titled anything to do with Thomas Sangster. The connection, I presume, comes from the comments and other viewers who likely favorited this along with his other work. The subtext there is slightly unsettling, but I'll save that for my other writing...
In any event, YouTube recommended a clip that did ultimately interest me - genuinely but for the poor editing that turns "And...he's wonderful" into a kind of tonal-shift punchline. That's just humorously unfortunate. I enjoyed watching the complete Doctor Who episodes, and I look forward to following Mr. Sangster's career. He's playing a young Paul McCartney in the upcoming Nowhere Boy. Thanks for the recommendation.
I've watched other Doctor Who clips during my years as a YouTube account-holder, but they've never been recommended before. So why now? The key here is the young man (he's 19) delivering this laudatory speech. If you immediately recognize him as the little boy from Love Actually, then you're a better celebrity spotter than I was when I saw Bright Star two weeks ago. In that film, Thomas Sangster (for that is his name) plays Fanny Braun's younger brother. He doesn't have many lines, but he has lots of screen time, and I knew he looked familiar.
When IMDB gave me a name, I promptly traced his career in YouTube clips, from Love Actually to a made-for-TV Pinocchio and a few random things in between. I've always been fascinated by child stars, partly because I wanted to be one and partly because their young adult lives seem almost invariably riddled with tragedy. Haley Joel Osment pleading no contest to a DUI and drug possession three years ago comes to mind...
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was hoping to glimpse some dark secret behind Thomas Sangster's performances, but I do find it compelling to see someone's whole childhood documented in a string of fictions, and also I'm writing a few other things about child stars right now. Consider this research.
The thing is, this clip isn't tagged or titled anything to do with Thomas Sangster. The connection, I presume, comes from the comments and other viewers who likely favorited this along with his other work. The subtext there is slightly unsettling, but I'll save that for my other writing...
In any event, YouTube recommended a clip that did ultimately interest me - genuinely but for the poor editing that turns "And...he's wonderful" into a kind of tonal-shift punchline. That's just humorously unfortunate. I enjoyed watching the complete Doctor Who episodes, and I look forward to following Mr. Sangster's career. He's playing a young Paul McCartney in the upcoming Nowhere Boy. Thanks for the recommendation.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Now Tragedy - That's Funny
Found this little gem in my recommendations this evening:
Only my second post, and already I have a reason to mention what I find most intriguing about personal recommendations on websites like YouTube: a computer has no capacity for irony; it can only be sincere.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's talk about the clip first.
Obviously it's a movie trailer, and my guess is one for a student film of some kind. I suppose it could just be a no-budget offering from a legit film crew, but I'm not willing to google KonnectProductions to find out. It would spoil all the fun. I like pretending that the MPAA would actually approve a preview for all audiences that has an F-bomb in the first ten seconds. I also like pretending that the 100,000 plus views and relatively good ratings on this trailer indicate that the movie has some merit.
Which is probably why YouTube recommended it. I occasionally watch movie trailers. I even occasionally watch trailers and clips from "gay" movies (notice the "gay" tag on this clip). I also occasionally listen to classical music on YouTube, and this trailer's use of Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach is absolutely top-notch...
So what I do think of this recommendation? Well, each of the three times I've watched it, I have laughed myself breathless, so I guess you could say I *enjoy* it...But come on, this trailer is just awful. The cynical pleasure I derive is from the extreme close-up at 0:50 (and all the subsequent eye close-ups), the utter camp permeating every scene, and especially the line "How would it be like if you killed me right now?" Pure. Gold.
But YouTube couldn't have known that - could it? Surely it was a genuine offering, and the fact that my enjoyment is on a totally different level is beyond the scope of the algorithm...right? What I mean is, surely there is no intersection between the reasons I love this clip and the reasons why YouTube recommended it, right? Because after all: the day that computers can anticipate irony - the day they can recognize that I will love a movie trailer because it is so hilariously bad - is the day that all those artificial intelligence nightmares come true...
Only my second post, and already I have a reason to mention what I find most intriguing about personal recommendations on websites like YouTube: a computer has no capacity for irony; it can only be sincere.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's talk about the clip first.
Obviously it's a movie trailer, and my guess is one for a student film of some kind. I suppose it could just be a no-budget offering from a legit film crew, but I'm not willing to google KonnectProductions to find out. It would spoil all the fun. I like pretending that the MPAA would actually approve a preview for all audiences that has an F-bomb in the first ten seconds. I also like pretending that the 100,000 plus views and relatively good ratings on this trailer indicate that the movie has some merit.
Which is probably why YouTube recommended it. I occasionally watch movie trailers. I even occasionally watch trailers and clips from "gay" movies (notice the "gay" tag on this clip). I also occasionally listen to classical music on YouTube, and this trailer's use of Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach is absolutely top-notch...
So what I do think of this recommendation? Well, each of the three times I've watched it, I have laughed myself breathless, so I guess you could say I *enjoy* it...But come on, this trailer is just awful. The cynical pleasure I derive is from the extreme close-up at 0:50 (and all the subsequent eye close-ups), the utter camp permeating every scene, and especially the line "How would it be like if you killed me right now?" Pure. Gold.
But YouTube couldn't have known that - could it? Surely it was a genuine offering, and the fact that my enjoyment is on a totally different level is beyond the scope of the algorithm...right? What I mean is, surely there is no intersection between the reasons I love this clip and the reasons why YouTube recommended it, right? Because after all: the day that computers can anticipate irony - the day they can recognize that I will love a movie trailer because it is so hilariously bad - is the day that all those artificial intelligence nightmares come true...
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Video Snacking = Soul Searching ?
The concept is simple; the possibilities are infinite. Each post, I'll feature one video from that alarmingly apt section of my YouTube homepage, generously titled "Recommended for You."
Seriously - I don't know what the algorithm is, and I don't much care for the programming specifics. But with each solipsistic post, I'll try to figure out why in the world YouTube might have recommended whatever it is they're recommending this time. For example, I'll start with something easy:
I can imagine two obvious reasons why this was recommended. First of all, I love Disney movies. Sorry. Just the other day, I watched "Vanessa's Song," "I Can Go the Distance," and "Belle - Reprise" all in the same day. CLEARLY YouTube can't go wrong recommending another song from Beauty and The Beast. And if that's not enough, just yesterday I found myself watching "My Heart Will Go On" for the first time in many years. And I'll admit it: I even cried a little. So, while I don't like this video nearly as much as the film's original version, I appreciate this admirable effort on YouTube's part. I can see where you're coming from, YouTube.
You get the idea.
Aided by tangents, less obvious selections, and the inherent, ironic entertainment proffered by ninety percent of the videos on YouTube, I (and whoever else might happen to be reading this) will hopefully come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of my own tastes, as reflected by an algorithm. Because who knows, maybe YouTube knows me better than I even know myself.
Seriously - I don't know what the algorithm is, and I don't much care for the programming specifics. But with each solipsistic post, I'll try to figure out why in the world YouTube might have recommended whatever it is they're recommending this time. For example, I'll start with something easy:
I can imagine two obvious reasons why this was recommended. First of all, I love Disney movies. Sorry. Just the other day, I watched "Vanessa's Song," "I Can Go the Distance," and "Belle - Reprise" all in the same day. CLEARLY YouTube can't go wrong recommending another song from Beauty and The Beast. And if that's not enough, just yesterday I found myself watching "My Heart Will Go On" for the first time in many years. And I'll admit it: I even cried a little. So, while I don't like this video nearly as much as the film's original version, I appreciate this admirable effort on YouTube's part. I can see where you're coming from, YouTube.
You get the idea.
Aided by tangents, less obvious selections, and the inherent, ironic entertainment proffered by ninety percent of the videos on YouTube, I (and whoever else might happen to be reading this) will hopefully come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of my own tastes, as reflected by an algorithm. Because who knows, maybe YouTube knows me better than I even know myself.
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