Viral Goes Mainstream

By Shea Garner

The do-it-yourself production format that has helped YouTube earn its place amongst the Internet’s biggest cash cows has finally caught on in the commercial world.

YouTube has allowed amateur videophiles to share their small-scale passion projects filmed with guerrilla-style shooting techniques, cheap cameras, and at-home editing software with the whole world. “Getting your Paris Hilton on” has never been so easy.

Commercial music video and film releases have been making their way onto YouTube for years. However, it hasn’t been until recently that commercial releases have been shot with these amateur techniques. More and more, directors are using smartphones and low-end editing software to produce their products.

While guerrilla shooting-style is indeed provocative and revolutionary, exactly what separates a commercial release from an amateur viral production? Right now, it’s easy to tell the difference between Numa-Numa and Avatar, but could that change? We’ll have to wait and see.

For now, check out a few of these craftily-shot videos below:

Kurt Vile- Baby’s Arms (Music Video)

Shot entirely on the Windows phone by director Todd Cole, this video pulls off the look of a professional production. Cole enjoyed using the phone because it was less intrusive when capturing the activities and feelings projected in the song and enjoyed by the young couple in the video. Your bedroom activities can now make it onto YouTube with ease.

Night Fishing (Film)

Korean filmmaker and “Oldboy” director Park Chan-wook recently released this short film to theaters in South Korea. Shot using 10 different iPhone 4s, the film boasts a tiny production budget of $130,000. Chan-wook encourages the use of smart-phones in the creative world.

Presidents of the United States of America- Some Postman (Music Video)

Grant Marshall directed the “Peaches” -rocker’s recent video on multiple smartphones, creating an interesting effect. This video boasts the title of “first major music video shot on cell phones,” yet looks the choppiest of the three. I guess setting the standard only allows it to be improved upon.

What are your thoughts on these new viral sensations? Let us know below.