This just happened. One week ago, the internet microcosm was jolted by yet another meme. A simple ~30 second video, a simple trap drop, and digital hell breaks loose. The best part is NOT jumping on the trend grenade as a cutting-edge reporter
; this is entertainment war, ladies and gentlemen. As time goes by, and usually before the meme stagnates, some of the more memorable iterations will be revealed. For instance, the catalyst for this wave of social virality was (allegedly) initiated with this video:
It isn't anything special, other than four dudes dancing in a bedroom wearing costumes. Standard internet shenanigans. It even has a video quality worthy of Web Soup firsties.
What gets my goat in the days since Baauer's "Harlem Shake" inspired people to join the craze is the thought, "WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE?" That trap song has been around for a while, long enough to become embedded in the electronic dance world of yesteryear. The concept is deceptively effective as well. The elements are basic, and that is what is expected from the fresher crop of videos:
One person doing a low intensity dance while standing still (for 15 seconds)
A crowd of disaffected people around the lone dancer
After the 15 second mark, things go crazy
By crazy, it is suggestive of a shift in behavior and scope of [all] the people in the video. If there were not costumes or masks worn before the 15 second mark, there will be. If anyone was inactive, they won't be. Inhibitions have been loosed. A party happens when none expect.
Jimmy Fallon's version was the first video I saw from a link on Baauer's facebook page. I nearly creamed my cords. Still not sure if thats Spielberg's E.T. or not. And the better thought is where's ?uestlove.
In response to my posting the LNJF version, the homie Ike showed me the Pool Party Edition with his InterVision Studios crew. ANONYMOUS and moto-helm guy strike again. What most of these videos lack is a healthy dose of beautiful women. This one satisfies my personal craving ;)
This one was half-surprising since it is a news outlet accurately reporting an internet trend. Seems like network programming is getting with the times, when I thought they were totally out of touch with the 'cool' stuff.
The dedication, the pronounced insanity. There was a certain level of disbelief that a troop of warriors would actually pull this off. In the snow, too! We salute you.
Now this one is an exceptional contextual meme response. Plus the guy is rockin the trash bin head. I commend the bravery of a fully public flash mob. In a metropolitan city. During rainy weather. Props.
After a while (20+ pages of youtube results for "Harlem Shake") the comedy dies off in my mind. It becomes just another dead-red-horse-herring gimmick. And then I watched The Black Edition. Way to take it to advanced stages of hilarity.
Damn Matt and Kim. Really, just Kim. So hot. My goodness. I LIKE THE WAY SHE MOVES. But yes, they did this one proper. We cannot expect anything less when you have throngs in attendance at a concert-sized venue.
What preceded are the quintessential 'spring-loaded' videos that make up this fad. Lots of mundane settings turned topsy turvy wibbly wobb-- we get the idea. Lots of fun compositional productions, especially with the Ignite crew using a conference call to get down in a work day.
A million views in three days? Wow, get on this guy's level. That is the power of viral videos, it is preposterous all the time. This particular trend is in chronological pubescence, considering the outside quality of the music genre and video premise so we have already seen the common factors such as props, transformation, and overall scenic illusion. Now, we must see some wilder, imaginative scenarios. How about a setting of males, the-ugg-the-bett, transposed to sexy women. Clothing and facial hair and all.
No comments:
Post a Comment