As the kids say, "So this is a
thing now." People filming themselves reacting to pieces of media now
also constitute media available for our consumption in and of
themselves. Father Roderick Vonhögen, a Catholic priest, probably has
the most widely circulated "Star Wars" reaction video at this point. It
shows him watching the new trailer, providing commentary, and reacting
to the big moments with an infectious childlike excitement, including
interjections like "Holy Cow!" There are plenty of others if you poke
around on Youtube, including helpful compilations of some of the best
ones. At first the thought of watching someone watching a trailer
sounds strange, but it's easy to get sucked in. Watching people's eyes
light up when they see the fallen (Super?) Star Destroyer, or burst into
tears when they see Han and Chewbacca can be as much fun as watching
the trailer itself, because it helps reflect and magnify your own
emotions.
Similar reaction videos have been
around for a while, though usually involving more negative reactions
caught on camera. Reactions to major deaths in prior seasons of "Game
of Thrones" have been very popular. A few involving small children and
the the famous Darth Vader reveal from "The Empire Strikes Back" can be
found with some digging. Capturing shock rather than elation was the
goal, allowing those who had already been through the same experience to
relive the event through somebody else. I think it's important to
point out that it doesn't matter who's starring in these videos. It's
the candidness, honesty, and unfiltered emotion on display that are the
biggest draws. I've heard some comparisons made to watching reality
television, as all the video uploaders are attention seekers to some
extent. However, I think reaction videos can also be classified as a
variation on traditional communal viewing.
Remember
the legendary office water cooler at work where all of us supposedly
used to congregate to discuss what had happened on our favorite shows
the previous night? There's still plenty of that kind of discourse
going on through a million blogs and thinkpieces. Heck, I'm blogging
the last season of "Mad Men" as it airs. However, it's harder to
translate the more the immediate, visceral response to watching a movie
or television show to the digital arena. Watching a movie in a theater
with an audience, or even at home with friends is a very different
experience from watching it alone. I've been consuming the vast
majority of my media on my own these days, and I do miss sharing the
experience with other people. I miss the near-instantaneous
validation of laughing at jokes, groaning at bad puns, and wincing
through action scenes with somebody else.
So I
understand the appeal of the reaction video. It's a new way to indulge
an old impulse. Heck, the reaction videos even make me feel more
favorable toward the "Star Wars" trailer. Having already been spoiled
that Han Solo and Chewbacca would appear, I didn't think their
appearance in the trailer was a highlight. Watching so many other
people enjoy the surprise, however, got me to reevaluate their
effectiveness. With some tweaks, reaction videos could be an
interesting new marketing tool. It could also go bad very easily
though. I stress again that the genuine passion of these fans and their
spontaneous creation of these videos are what make them so compelling.
They're also special because they're rare so far. You're not seeing
reaction videos for the new "Batman v. Superman" trailer in nearly the
same numbers.
But that's a post for another day.
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