Why did this wedding film go viral? at DVinfo.net

Michael Silverman · February 27th, 2015, 06:12 PM

I just saw a Facebook post from Songfreedom about the wedding video below stating "Amazing wedding vid gone VIRAL by PenWeddings! 3MM views and counting!"

I think this is a very well made film and I enjoyed watching it. However, I'm wondering if anyone wants to give their input into why they think this video went viral. Is it the scenery? The story? The lighting?

I've seen many other videos online that I think are just as good if not much better, but don't have anywhere close to as many views.

With due respect the cinematographers who created this excellent video, what makes this one more appealing to the public than other similar videos?

Monday Isa · February 27th, 2015, 08:04 PM

Michael it was the vows to the little girl part that made this a viral hit. Every posting in my news feed on FB mentioned that part only. I decided to click on the video finally and had to sit through the video till it got to that part. If they only showed the vows to the daughter part this video would probably have even more views.

Michael Silverman · February 27th, 2015, 09:36 PM

Ah that makes much more sense lol. In the Facebook post I saw there was no mention of that but I can see how that's not something you'll see in most wedding films :)

Noa Put · February 28th, 2015, 03:04 AM

I checked out there website and their work is very solid and they have the luck of having all the ingredients to make their films emotionally more engaging, like the part where they read eachothers letters in the morning which I understand is done at all American weddings, that's something we don't do here, or what about those vows, they sound as if they where written for a movie, it's very rare they put that much thought into that for the weddings I do.

And then you have the little child and he reading his vows, that's instant jackpot and then ofcourse the bride and groom and the guests all up in tears at the ceremony or while reading those letters, that's all you need to make great weddingfilms, the little girl is just icing on the cake, it's also that small sequence only that made it go viral, everyone just loves that kind of thing, eventhough the little girl didn't seem to know what was going on :). The last wedding I did which I posted on this forum the bride started laughing when he said his vows, so you know what I have to deal with, that's never going viral :)

But then ofcourse you need to be able to capture it well and the couple that made this film seem to be equally skilled and have good understanding what to shoot together at those keymoments and I also liked the way they edited it all together. There just recently was a discussion here about the necessity of making these kind of emotional evoking trailers instead of long form documentary style films, this film illustrates the difference very well as more then a million of people are talking about it while otherwise only the couple and family will be talking about it. This doesn't mean those millions of views will lead into the same amount of requests but they sure got everyone attention with just one artistically made film.

Steve Burkett · February 28th, 2015, 03:32 AM

The really depressing thing about this video is some of the comments that are posted on Youtube. Suggestions the video is fake, not enough multi cultural people at the Wedding (seriously), couple are probably divorced already etc. Thankfully between the bitterness and jealousy there are plenty of nice comments too, but I can't see how a warm and loving video as this can attract such bile.

Noa Put · February 28th, 2015, 03:35 AM

It's posted on youtube, what should you expect? I think the poster of the video can delete any offensive comments? Not sure about that but I do know that on youtube you will find the most hatefull, offensive and racist comments ever, something which you hardly see for videos posted on vimeo. But it's THE place to get noticed if that is what you are after.

Monday Isa · February 28th, 2015, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noa Put

... The last wedding I did which I posted on this forum the bride started laughing when he said his vows, so you know what I have to deal with, that's never going viral :)...

Noa all you have to do is take part of what the groom says in his vows prior to the bride laugh, include the laugh but then hit a freeze frame in black and white, place rap music underneath, I suggest Snoop Dogg, and have the text Thug Life. Instant Viral as long as it's under 30 seconds. Make sure to include Thug Life in the title as well. Lol

Noah Ruderman · February 28th, 2015, 10:29 AM

The vows to the daughter is definitely the "hook" but there's also the fact that the groom is a known NASCAR driver as well. Having said that it's a beautiful film no matter how you look at it and we should all be happy that a real quality wedding film is going viral instead of a crappy one. It improves potential client's perceptions of what a good wedding film is and gives them a real reason now to pay for one instead of settling for lower cost/lesser quality ones!

As far as the YouTube comments that is to be expected, especially now that its getting 4 million+ views. If someone posted a video about curing cancer there would be comments accusing the video of being racist. Par for the course.

February 27th, 2015, 06:12 PM	#1
Michael Silverman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Charlottesville Posts: 255	Why did this wedding film go viral? I just saw a Facebook post from Songfreedom about the wedding video below stating "Amazing wedding vid gone VIRAL by PenWeddings! 3MM views and counting!" Whitney Kay & Brian Scott will make you cry \| Shore Lodge wedding video - YouTube I think this is a very well made film and I enjoyed watching it. However, I'm wondering if anyone wants to give their input into why they think this video went viral. Is it the scenery? The story? The lighting? I've seen many other videos online that I think are just as good if not much better, but don't have anywhere close to as many views. With due respect the cinematographers who created this excellent video, what makes this one more appealing to the public than other similar videos?

February 27th, 2015, 08:04 PM	#2
Monday Isa Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: College Park, Maryland Posts: 913	Re: Why did this wedding film go viral? Michael it was the vows to the little girl part that made this a viral hit. Every posting in my news feed on FB mentioned that part only. I decided to click on the video finally and had to sit through the video till it got to that part. If they only showed the vows to the daughter part this video would probably have even more views. Attached Thumbnails

February 27th, 2015, 09:36 PM	#3
Michael Silverman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Charlottesville Posts: 255	Re: Why did this wedding film go viral? Ah that makes much more sense lol. In the Facebook post I saw there was no mention of that but I can see how that's not something you'll see in most wedding films :)

February 28th, 2015, 03:04 AM	#4
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Why did this wedding film go viral? I checked out there website and their work is very solid and they have the luck of having all the ingredients to make their films emotionally more engaging, like the part where they read eachothers letters in the morning which I understand is done at all American weddings, that's something we don't do here, or what about those vows, they sound as if they where written for a movie, it's very rare they put that much thought into that for the weddings I do. And then you have the little child and he reading his vows, that's instant jackpot and then ofcourse the bride and groom and the guests all up in tears at the ceremony or while reading those letters, that's all you need to make great weddingfilms, the little girl is just icing on the cake, it's also that small sequence only that made it go viral, everyone just loves that kind of thing, eventhough the little girl didn't seem to know what was going on :). The last wedding I did which I posted on this forum the bride started laughing when he said his vows, so you know what I have to deal with, that's never going viral :) But then ofcourse you need to be able to capture it well and the couple that made this film seem to be equally skilled and have good understanding what to shoot together at those keymoments and I also liked the way they edited it all together. There just recently was a discussion here about the necessity of making these kind of emotional evoking trailers instead of long form documentary style films, this film illustrates the difference very well as more then a million of people are talking about it while otherwise only the couple and family will be talking about it. This doesn't mean those millions of views will lead into the same amount of requests but they sure got everyone attention with just one artistically made film.

February 28th, 2015, 03:32 AM	#5
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: Why did this wedding film go viral? The really depressing thing about this video is some of the comments that are posted on Youtube. Suggestions the video is fake, not enough multi cultural people at the Wedding (seriously), couple are probably divorced already etc. Thankfully between the bitterness and jealousy there are plenty of nice comments too, but I can't see how a warm and loving video as this can attract such bile.

February 28th, 2015, 03:35 AM	#6
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Why did this wedding film go viral? It's posted on youtube, what should you expect? I think the poster of the video can delete any offensive comments? Not sure about that but I do know that on youtube you will find the most hatefull, offensive and racist comments ever, something which you hardly see for videos posted on vimeo. But it's THE place to get noticed if that is what you are after.

February 28th, 2015, 10:29 AM	#8
Noah Ruderman Regular Crew Join Date: May 2013 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 51	Re: Why did this wedding film go viral? The vows to the daughter is definitely the "hook" but there's also the fact that the groom is a known NASCAR driver as well. Having said that it's a beautiful film no matter how you look at it and we should all be happy that a real quality wedding film is going viral instead of a crappy one. It improves potential client's perceptions of what a good wedding film is and gives them a real reason now to pay for one instead of settling for lower cost/lesser quality ones! As far as the YouTube comments that is to be expected, especially now that its getting 4 million+ views. If someone posted a video about curing cancer there would be comments accusing the video of being racist. Par for the course.