Monday, December 28, 2015

The Top 10 Viral Video Moments of 2015

Our AI technology has determined the top 10 moments in viral videos from 2015 based on social engagement. 



2015 was an amazing year in video.  As the medium becomes increasingly popular online, predicted to make up 84% of web content by 2018, more and more people are relying on the Internet as their main source of video entertainment. Every minute, 60 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube, making for a year of seemingly endless video moments.  Fortunately, our very own patent pending AI powered bot has plowed through it all, relying on social engagement to determine the top 10 moments in viral videos of 2015.

10.
The video: Mean Tweets - President Obama Edition: 35,874,000 views

Celebrities read mean tweets has been a gold mine of viral videos for Jimmy Kimmel and there is no bigger celebrity than the President of the United States. It is only fitting this edition of the exercise in masochism has received the most views.  Despite all the hate coming at President Obama, he was able to keep his composure and come up with a great comeback to make the tenth best viral video moment of 2015.

9.
The moment: Shaking it off

Few groups had more haters than US law enforcement in 2015.  Between all the incidents and riots, it was a rough year for police nationally. Few songs have ever caused more full-grown men to break into falsetto than T-Swift’s anthem “Shake it Off.”  It makes sense then that when the two came together in this video of an on duty Dover Police officer singing the song it began to trend.  The moment in the video when the cop forgets all the players and haters in his life and shakes them off was the ninth most popular viral video moment of 2015!

8.
The Moment: The Gold Button

Rarely can you sing a few bars and convince a whole audience that you are destined for greatness. It is even less common to please Simon Cowell, ever. Calum Scott was able to do both in his first audition for Britain’s Got Talent. From the instant he belted out his first few notes the crowd was on his side. Shortly after he had convinced all the judges that he was worthy to move on.  The moment Callum hit his final powerful note, and Simon Cowell hit the Gold button sending him straight to the live round was the eighth most popular viral video moment of 2015!

7.

 The power of slow motion can make everyday things look beautiful. When you take something unusual, say, a man inside a bursting 6ft water balloon, recording it in slow motion looks magical.  Sprinkle in some 4K-definition pixie dust for good measure and what you have got is a viral video.  Words cannot describe what happens when they free the balloon man from his wet rubber confines. The slow motion reveal of the exploding balloon is the seventh most popular viral video moment of 2015.

6.
The video: Justin Bieber Carpool Karaoke: 44, 614,000 views 









Love him or hate him, Justin Bieber is Internet royalty.  Every video he graces with his “talents” trends and then goes viral.  Whether it is owning the 4th most popular YouTube video of all time, or owning the most down voted YouTube video of all time, Mr. Bieber draws views, even if the majority of them are tweenage girls.  Even a video of him doing mundane things, such as riding in the passenger seat of a car, as is the case with this video, go on to Internet fame.  In fact the moment Justin sings along to his first hit “Baby” alongside Late Late show host James Corden in a car is the sixth most popular viral video moment of 2015.

5.

A major complaint of many YouTube celebrities in 2015 was having to compete with Late night TV shows and their unlimited budgets and star power for views.  No video in 2015 demonstrated this inequity more than this one. Putting three titans of entertainment like Ferrell, Fallon, and Hart on the same stage is almost unfair.  Then having the biggest star of them all, Will Ferrell, sing the most popular Disney song of the last decade, “Let it go,” and you’ve got the fifth most popular viral video moment of 2015.

4.


It is hard to believe that in 2015 an ad like this is still necessary to remind people to be accepting. Despite huge steps in the right direction racial tension, bigotry, and racism still exist.  This video reminds everyone that we are all the same on the inside and love has no labels.  The moment two kissing skeletons walk out from behind the screen to reveal they are both women is the fourth most popular viral video moment of 2015.

3.
The video: Crazy Plastic Ball PRANK!! :59,229,000 views
The Moment: When Mom comes home

Roman Atwood might be the king of Internet video pranks. He will go to any length to create over the top practical jokes to get his unsuspecting prey. This prank may be his greatest ever.  We have all dreamed of turning our house into a giant ball pit, but he actually did it! He may be the worst husband ever for always pranking his wife, but he is unquestionably the coolest dad.  The moment his wife opens the door and gets swept away by an avalanche of colored balls is the third most popular viral video moment of 2015.

2.

Liam Neeson has a very specific set of skills. A set of skills that allow him to sound intimidating and intense regardless of the role. Even if that role is to be a mobile gamer who has been defeated. After premiering on the Super bowl this video went viral on YouTube, reaching an audience similar to size as that of the Super Bowl. The moment Liam Neeson's scone order is ready and his name gets mispronounced by the barista is the second most popular viral video moment of 2015!

1.  


In the 60’s they were twisting and shouting, in the 70’s electric sliding was the move, in the 80’s they did the robot, in the 90’s the Macarena was in, and the 2000’s saw the rise and fall of 'Superman'ing. In 2015, they whipped and they nae naeighed. Heaven King and her dance crew nae naeighed all the way to the most popular video of 2015!  A song with less than 15 different words and a 2-part dance move owned the year in viral videos.  The moment these little girls ‘break their legs’ was the top viral video moment of 2015!



Friday, December 18, 2015

Star Wars In Viral Videos


Unreel Entertainment is on a mission to map and index the worlds digital media. To do so we have created an advanced AI bot we call Bumblebee. Our patent pending bot is able to determine which videos are trending online and then catalogue social engagement around them across several channels. In other words, when Bumblebee decides a video is trending it then collects and analyzes what people are saying about it on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. We have gone through the data collected from Bumblebee this year to determine which Star Wars Characters and movies are most popular in internet videos. 


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Star Wars The Force Awakens Review: NO SPOILERS!

I saw the Star Wars The Force Awakens world premier and here is my spoiler free review...

I can’t tell you how, but Monday night I was able to secure a seat at the most hyped event in the galaxy, the world premier of Star Wars The Force Awakens. It was the experience of a lifetime to meet all the stars and then attend the after-party on George Lucas’s mega yacht shaped like the Millennium Falcon.  I saw everything, from the red carpet to the final scene, and all I can say is 'What a movie!'
This is the type of film that causes a reaction when its over, one that gives you an opinion about the film. Now I promised no spoilers at all, so I will do my best to review the movie and let you know what to expect without giving away too much…

Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and Wife Calista Flockhart (Chewbacca)
Chewie We're Back 

First of all be ready to get a blast from the past; parts of this movie are like heat seeking nostalgia missiles headed right for the feels. The one part where a significant character from the previous films makes his/ her first appearance on screen, the audience went crazy and you will too.  The whole movie reminded me, and many I talked to, of the other six Star Wars films.  From Jedi’s wielding Light Sabers, I won’t say who, to Storm Troopers missing their targets; this was just like all the classics. 

Perhaps the best part of the movie is the villains. 

The movie picks up at some point in the future after Luke and the Rebellion maybe defeated the Empire, possibly destroying the Emperor/ Darth Vader and the Sith as a whole.  The Rebels could not have predicted who and how this movie's antagonist rose/continued/want’s to spread injustice around the galaxy. The leader of the dark side is… I really shouldn’t give this away, but rest assured you are going to love to hate him/her/it.  Just as in the previous movies the villains will be wearing black and using red light sabers to distinguish themselves as the bad guys.
"ABSOLUTELY NO PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE THEATER"... didn't stop me from snapping this sick pic.

Like all Star Wars movies this film comes down to good versus evil, the dark side pitted against the light side.

Even my dear personal friend Joseph Gordon-Levitt nerd-ed out
The characters are all memorable and many will make awesome toy figures your kids and inner kid will want to buy–Disney is banking on it. I can reveal that Jar Jar Binks and all other traces of Lucas’s racist aberrations from the most recent trilogy are nowhere near this production; disappointing internet fan-boys everywhere who were convinced by the theory that Binks was in fact a Sith Lord. Also bet on the droids, specifically BB-8, the rolling, extremely marketable, ball of joy, to have a spunky personality that should not be possible for an artificial being.

Not even produce is safe from Disney's campaign for Star Wars world domination

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD

Star Wars may still be the creation of George Lucas, but this movie is un-mistakably a J.J. Abrams affair.  Known for his ability to balance convoluted plots and extremely frustrating cliffhangers with over zealous use of lens flare, Abrams delivers yet again.  When this movie ends with a cliff hangar of a scene many are calling the best in Star Wars history, you will be desperate for the next film to come out.  Is the ending’s twist related to Luke Skywalker who has purposely been left out of any promotional material for the film but who’s actor, Mark Hamill, is on the film's cast? I’m not telling.

It was amazing to be at the world premier sitting between Harrison Ford and James Earl Jones adorning full Darth Vader garb. It was even more amazing when J.J. offered me a role in the next film.  I hope this review convinces you 100% that I was at the premier and that The Force Awakens is a movie that you will see regardless of what I say.

Monday, December 7, 2015

The 2015 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Youtubers

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, tis the season for gift giving!
 

It seems like today everyone knows at least one Youtuber in their life who is plugging away trying to make that ever elusive viral video that will catapult them into Youtube fame.  Why not get that person in your life something they really want: one of these five gifts that will improve their chances of reaching their holy grail and creating an awesome viral video.  Its what your savior/ deity/ spirit/ pole would want this holiday season.

At Unreel we specialize in identifying viral videos and the specific aspects about them that are causing them to trend. We have noticed a pattern; that the following products show up often in viral videos , and although they are not solely responsible for the success of the video, it certainly couldn’t hurt to have them.  Here are the top 5 gifts for the Youtuber in your life:

1. A Quadcopter/ Drone
Price: $250-$5,000+
Click here to watch the best drone videos online

 Nothing gives a video a more professional feel than over-head shots that used to be only possible on the highest budget productions.  Now any video can feature breathtaking views with a bird’s eye vantage point that will significantly boost production value.  Just including the word drone within the title of a video is a surefire way to bait viewers into clicking on a YouTube thumbnail.

2. Go Pro:
Price: $129.99-$499.99
Click here to watch the best GoPro videos online


Viewing Internet videos is an escape from one’s reality, into the world of the Youtuber.  There is no better way to fully immerse oneself into another person’s experience than to watch what they are seeing from their perspective. GoPros make it possible to provide viewers with a first-person experience that makes them feel that they are there.  Any kind of extreme or action video will be significantly improved and do far better in terms of viewership if it features first person shots.

3. 4K Camera

Including the word 4K in a video tittle is instant click bait for most viewers.  Many people own 4K devices, yet rarely get to watch videos that utilize the vivid potential of such screens.  By shooting in 4K a YouTube is not only going to get more clicks, but from an artistic perspective is also matching the resolution of Hollywood’s best films right now.

4. Hoverboard

Something needs to be said for Swag, and nothing says Swag louder than a hoverboard.  There is no inherent reason why hoverboards are popular in YouTube videos, but they just are.  It seems as though many well know creators just enjoy showing off their skills during their videos. A hoverboard is not going to make or break any video, but you look good, you feel good —  and if you feel good, you make good videos.

5.  An account on Unreel.co

Unreel has a patent pending AI Bot that is constantly crawling the web to find videos as they go viral.  We pull videos and data from YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook to analyze the best content online.  For anyone trying to make it as a Youtuber, Unreel is the best way to keep up with trends and learn which type of moments in videos are getting positive responses. Using Unreel as a way to scout viral videos on the internet will help any Youtuber figure out what they need to do to improve their own videos.

Join Unreel and share it with your friends here!

Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Top 9 Christmas Songs in Internet Videos


Unreel Entertainment is on a mission to map and index the worlds digital media. To do so we have created an advanced AI bot we call Bumblebee. Our patent pending bot is able to determine which videos are trending online and then catalogue social engagement around them across several channels. In other words, when Bumblebee decides a video is trending it then collects and analyzes what people are saying about it on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. We have gone through the data collected from Bumblebee this year to determine the 9 most popular Christmas Songs featured in videos online!