Comments on: Video that scales (on a horse, backwards)

By: Why Old Spice matters « Snarkmarket

Why Old Spice matters « Snarkmarket — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:08:46 +0000

[…] the Old Spice campaign was funny, surprising, and perfectly-calibrated. These would be reasons enough to like it. […]

By: Guy

Guy — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:43:06 +0000

For some reason Eric Conveys Emotion comes to mind. It was done with photos, but really quick videos could have worked for this too.

By: echan

echan — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:35:52 +0000

Hm, I think a good web analogue to what Tim describes is a version of Formspring.me. It’s open-ended for people to submit any kind of question, which you can answer. Perhaps a video form of Formspring would be the solution, so that we can all be the Old Spice guy?

On a slightly different note, I think the timing of the Old Spice twitter campaign is perfect. Launched right after World Cup, when people are trying to fill the void left by end of the games.

By: Tim Maly

Tim Maly — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:20:21 +0000

If you google twitter the criterion collection you will find a pair of videos that consist of short films where the only dialog is the text of a tweet. Which is what Matthew Battles wanted more or less.

Also we should maybe be taking a look at Radiohead’s short video bursts around Kid A’s release. And maybe the video edition of layer tennis.

By: Tim Carmody

Tim Carmody — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:07:58 +0000

Huh?

By: Tim Maly

Tim Maly — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:13:09 +0000

Twitter, the Criterion Collection. Exists.

By: Tim Carmody

Tim Carmody — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:15:14 +0000

Doing it interview-style is potentially pretty amazing, although that goes against the idea of great writing. Maybe both could work. These videos are longer, but I also think "Drunk History" is a potentially instructive series. Non-animated, but similarly acts out someone's speech, with hilarious results. And even though it's longer, edited videos, with big stars, it's clearly got a throw-it-up-rough-and-make-it-work ethic.

By: Matthew Battles

Matthew Battles — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:08:34 +0000

I like all the ideas thrown out here. Tim C.‘s strikes me particularly, though, because constraints are fun. It could be a mini pecha kucha kind of thing—give someone fifteen seconds to hold forth on a topic (maybe arbitrarily thrown at them, maybe one they hold dear). And then animate it.

Animated tweets could be fun, too.

By: Tim Carmody

Tim Carmody — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:58:27 +0000

I'm wondering whether we can port the concept of an arbitrary constraint. Here, the best/most relevant analogy would be Twitter. Maybe something like: I'm going to tell you everything you really need to know about ____ (with varied topics, both obvious and nonobvious) in thirty seconds / five sentences / whatever. Sometimes it might be breaking down a problem, other times it might be an insight or observation. It could/should definitely be framed by questions/suggestions from the audience. "Tell me what you think about the iPhone 4." "What's next for TV?" "What's your favorite movie and why?" "Why is energy effeciency important?" "What's the secret to good risotto?" You could imagine lots of different topics/formats.

By: Tim Carmody

Tim Carmody — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:22:34 +0000

I think there's something to what Tim M says -- these Old Spice videos are to Strong Bad emails what Arrested Development was to The Simpsons. In particular, Arrested Development's use of cheap sound-stage sets and handheld, cinema-verité cameras let them be cheaper, faster, more immediate and topical than The Simpsons, but they kept the innovations to the idea of the sitcom. Plus, yes, great writing.