maandag 6 januari 2014

Analysing the Slow Mo Guys!

If you like educational videos with an awesome twist, you have probably heard of The Slow Mo Guys on YouTube. As you might have guessed from their name, these two guys, Gavin and Daniel, make videos of things or stunts in slow-motion. However, it's not like your average scientific Discovery Channel show, Gavin and Daniel try their hardest to not only make their videos educational, but also entertaining. Currently, they have over 3 million subscribers. As always, how did these children packed into adult bodies become big on YouTube?

The Slow Mo Guys started in 2010, and quickly became popular because their videos were one of a kind on YouTube; no other channel made the sort of videos they made. Gavin (right on the picture above) worked with Slow Motion cameras before YouTube, as a Data Technician and Camera Operator. He worked on several advertisements, music videos, and even movies, such as Hot Fuzz. In 2010, he teamed up with his friend Daniel and started making videos in which they did stunts, filmed it with a 10000 frames per second camera, and posted these on YouTube.

Their videos started out big right from the start. Not only because they were one of a kind, also because Gavin had experience with slow motion cameras and data, and Daniel was a soldier, so he knew a lot about weapons and explosions and such. This made sure that the second video they made went viral right away, a video in which they made lighters explode.

If there is one reason why these two Brits got big on YouTube, it's because of the awesome and diverse stuff they come up with. From paint bouncing on speakers to destroying a watermelon using rubber bands and from being hit in the face to shooting guns under water. Furthermore, their quality is amazing. The videos are in HD and are edited very well. Not only that, but they are funny as well. As stated above, their videos aren't some boring Discovery Channel show, they actually add humor to their content. They do this by vlogging a bit before, during, and after they film their stunts.

Another reason for their popularity is that they haven't only been mentioned and seen on YouTube, they also made the news several times, which adds to the amount of viewers they have. They even made a video in which two old power station coolers were being demolished, and they got to film it.

After all of this, I hope that you now know why these two British chaps got so big on YouTube.

Be sure to stay tuned for the next YouTuber(s): VSauce!






zaterdag 4 januari 2014

Analysing Smosh!

There is quite a chance you have never heard of Smosh, unless you're quite the YouTube-fan. This is because Smosh mainly makes videos for a somewhat younger audience, because their videos contains a lot of very cheesy, child-like humor, in my opinion, integrated in sketches. Besides this, they also make awesome parodies and movie trailers which make you forget they are for fake movies! Anyway, as usual, I will try and answer the standard question: How did they become big on YouTube?

The Smosh YouTube-channel was made less than one year after YouTube started, so in 2005. Currently, they have over 15 million subscribers, making them the second most subscribed personal channel on YouTube, behind PewDiePie. Smosh made videos before on another site, Newgrounds, but eventually they quit Newgrounds, and focussed on YouTube. Their videos started out with short sketches, without a lot of editing and cutting, and recorded with a bad-quality camera. Yet, they got popular, because they uploaded regularly and were on of very few who made videos. They simply were the first to come, and therefore the first to get served. Of course, other people who made videos back then had the same chance, but their videos weren't as good and they eventually stopped growing of stopped with YouTube. Smosh however, they kept making videos which is a part of their success.

Secondly, as said before, their videos contain humor, and, surprise surprise: people like humor. They are sort of the same with NigaHiga with their videos, only they are with two and their videos contain less of a message. However, to make up for this, they upload twice a week. This is another part of their success, since they are very active and still manage to make awesome, creative content. Another reason is that they picked their audience very wisely. Instead of making informative, educational videos, they created funny videos for the biggest audience on YouTube: teenagers and children. Almost every teen with a computer regularly checks YouTube, and may come across Smosh this way.

Furthermore, they make their videos seem interesting by making inviting thumbnails for their videos. Even though this is a small thing to do it has a big impact, because people will feel more attracted to their colorful thumbnails, than some boring one. Furthermore, they edit there videos really well which makes them way more interesting and attractive to watch than a poorly put together video. Nowadays, this is done by a professional team, but even when they didn't have those people their videos were put together very well.

After reading all of this, is hope that you've learned why Smosh is such a big hit on YouTube, and as always, be sure to stay tuned, since next post I'll be analysing the SlowMoGuys!