This writing, I hope, can be somewhat valuable since I assume that almost everybody wants to be a youtube sensation at points in life. Of course, the classic, text-book way to achieve the feat is that you need to be either super talented or really terrible at doing things. In most case, people seem to prefer the latter, quite unfavorable method, which sometimes can break bones, burn houses down, or ignite a religious war. However, looking at the most popular hits on Youtube in recent years, I have recently discovered another simple, less painful trick that may significantly improve the probability of one getting millions views without causing any significant unnecessary damage. That is dancing.
Just look at the sheer view numbers of some of the most popular videos about dancing and one'll see the enormous potential of what a few cocky moves are capable of. Examining the basic elements that constitute those dances, I believe, can help one gain some insights about the most up-to-date secrets of being popular on Youtube.
Starting with "The evolution of dance", published 7 years ago, now reaching over 233 millions view. In this video, there's a guy standing in the spotlight and trying to mimic all of the popular moves in the entertainment industry over the last 50 years. He was decent and the message of humor was so successfully delivered that his video was once ranked the most viewed on Youtube. Still, we are talking about human's dance, and it's amazing how that clip was brilliantly titled to serve as a strangely acute prophecy about the upcoming evolution of dance.
Gangnam Style is a no-need-for-introduction. Came out last year, rose up to be a worldwide phenomenon as the first Youtube clip to reach one billion views. The music video introduced what would be known as the "horse-ride dance." It is simple and involves the co-operation of two major movements. The first is spreading your legs at an angle to look like you're riding a horse. The second is swirling your arm in the air or crossing them just like you are holding the rein. As weird as it may sound, the move became a instant sensation, being imitated by thousands of people around the world.
The animal trend does not stop. The new face on Youtube this year is "What does the fox say," which, of course, features the fox dance. With this speed of dance evolution, I believe that the introduction of even more superb animal dancer such as the Blue-footed boobies is coming close. Watch for it. Or better still, do it.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Encourage and discourage
Last Friday's afternoon I was strolling around the campus on a photographing session with one of my good friend from Vietnam named Hung. He is three years younger than I am. The kid possessed a warm and interesting character; he is seemingly extrovert but at the same time extremely quiet, humble, and devoted when talking about photography. Very likable guy overall. What gave me the biggest surprise was that Hung had been hanging out with photography for only three years and yet already proved to be so mature in both the techniques and psychology of the job. He was so knowledgeable about the tiny light box and the mindset required to harvest a good picture out of every situation.
He spoke to me about how he came to show interest in photography and the obstacles his parents set up to isolate him from the camera. Hung's parents did not want him to take on photograph, and they made every attempts to let him know that. This is quite understandable since in my country, photographers are mostly associated with penniless, leisured and slovenly guys travelling around the country to seek for beautiful shots that are not quite convertible into meals. It is an unsecured future. So his mom took away his sophisticated DSLR camera and strictly regulated his association with photography clubs or fellow photographers. I suppose her purpose was to keep anything photography out of Hung's sight and with time, he would forget it. Yet it was kinda counter-productive. Out of the passion for photography and the resistance to his parents' arbitrary suppress, Hung skipped his breakfast for months and saved enough money to purchase an ancient 35mm film camera (if you are not familiar with the name, it's the sort of camera that existed before the easy-handy-dandy digital era and demanded a dark room with gallons of chemical to develop the film into pictures.) Since the film camera did not have light meters and all the convenient automatic features of a digital one, Hung had to go back and study every basic stuff there was about light, photograph development, ISO, apertures, shutter speed ... you get the idea. The more his parents impeded him, the more he grew resolved and insistent. As a result, the more he knew, mastered, and the more he loved photography.
Had Hung's parents not forbidden him to take on his new-born passion for photograph at the first gear, would he has learnt as much as he has now? Or with his parents' consent, would he fall into the tempting paths of countless guys out there with that odious pseudo-interest, ones who might buy huge, expensive cameras with the false assumption that good cameras make good cameramen, then the next day get fed up with simply pushing a numb button a thousand times with minimal thinking investment backed up by a cursory mindset. It is not just about the conditions from themselves, it is also about their environment that matters.
Encourage and discourage, it seems, are not much far away from the same word. Sometimes, I even wonder if only Romeo and Juliet are not a star-crossed couple and their families had never been in such a feud, how long their days of romance would last?
He spoke to me about how he came to show interest in photography and the obstacles his parents set up to isolate him from the camera. Hung's parents did not want him to take on photograph, and they made every attempts to let him know that. This is quite understandable since in my country, photographers are mostly associated with penniless, leisured and slovenly guys travelling around the country to seek for beautiful shots that are not quite convertible into meals. It is an unsecured future. So his mom took away his sophisticated DSLR camera and strictly regulated his association with photography clubs or fellow photographers. I suppose her purpose was to keep anything photography out of Hung's sight and with time, he would forget it. Yet it was kinda counter-productive. Out of the passion for photography and the resistance to his parents' arbitrary suppress, Hung skipped his breakfast for months and saved enough money to purchase an ancient 35mm film camera (if you are not familiar with the name, it's the sort of camera that existed before the easy-handy-dandy digital era and demanded a dark room with gallons of chemical to develop the film into pictures.) Since the film camera did not have light meters and all the convenient automatic features of a digital one, Hung had to go back and study every basic stuff there was about light, photograph development, ISO, apertures, shutter speed ... you get the idea. The more his parents impeded him, the more he grew resolved and insistent. As a result, the more he knew, mastered, and the more he loved photography.
Had Hung's parents not forbidden him to take on his new-born passion for photograph at the first gear, would he has learnt as much as he has now? Or with his parents' consent, would he fall into the tempting paths of countless guys out there with that odious pseudo-interest, ones who might buy huge, expensive cameras with the false assumption that good cameras make good cameramen, then the next day get fed up with simply pushing a numb button a thousand times with minimal thinking investment backed up by a cursory mindset. It is not just about the conditions from themselves, it is also about their environment that matters.
Encourage and discourage, it seems, are not much far away from the same word. Sometimes, I even wonder if only Romeo and Juliet are not a star-crossed couple and their families had never been in such a feud, how long their days of romance would last?
Saturday, November 9, 2013
LEAPS and a lesson on painting
I must admit that I have always not been really interested in volunteering since I keep to myself a mindset that I should be able to lift myself before I can help the the others; this may probably be an uneven comparison but I learnt that attitude from the cases of people like Bill Gates who spent the first half of his life studying, working and fighting until he is able to help millions of people around the world.
This Saturday's afternoon, I got to think it over after going to LEAPS event at the Catholic Charities. The volunteer site was a residence complex where household who are financially struggling can find for their kids a safe, affordable neighborhood with opportunities for education. Our group was assigned to paint the walls and fences. It was fun since I got a chance to talk with friends and get dirty with paint. Later, while we were working at a building, there were three kids playing in the area who got excited with what we were doing and asked if they could help us. Getting our permission, they rolled their sleeves up without any hesitation and started picking up the brushes to the work right away with the utmost joy as if they were helping Santa Claus packing up the Christmas presents. They loved what they were doing, and they were even more excited than we were. It was their house. They made sure their mom knew it and be proud of them, for the first time, painting their house. It was such a memorable afternoon for me.
As I reflect on this experience, these kids taught me something about volunteering, simple but somehow I had ignored for a long time. For the most part, the point of a volunteer work is not about doing something of significant tangible value for people in need. Most of us do not have the necessary means to do that. Rather, it is about raising awareness and motivation in whichever community that you are helping. At the end, seeing those kids learning how to take responsibility, paint their own walls, and enjoy what they do was our best achievement of the day.
This Saturday's afternoon, I got to think it over after going to LEAPS event at the Catholic Charities. The volunteer site was a residence complex where household who are financially struggling can find for their kids a safe, affordable neighborhood with opportunities for education. Our group was assigned to paint the walls and fences. It was fun since I got a chance to talk with friends and get dirty with paint. Later, while we were working at a building, there were three kids playing in the area who got excited with what we were doing and asked if they could help us. Getting our permission, they rolled their sleeves up without any hesitation and started picking up the brushes to the work right away with the utmost joy as if they were helping Santa Claus packing up the Christmas presents. They loved what they were doing, and they were even more excited than we were. It was their house. They made sure their mom knew it and be proud of them, for the first time, painting their house. It was such a memorable afternoon for me.
As I reflect on this experience, these kids taught me something about volunteering, simple but somehow I had ignored for a long time. For the most part, the point of a volunteer work is not about doing something of significant tangible value for people in need. Most of us do not have the necessary means to do that. Rather, it is about raising awareness and motivation in whichever community that you are helping. At the end, seeing those kids learning how to take responsibility, paint their own walls, and enjoy what they do was our best achievement of the day.
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