If a Hollywood production studio had been charged with the task of producing this…
it’d probably look something like this…
Joey Manderino and David Young, the minds behind those zany videos on JoeyandDavid.com, just launched Viralcom, a journey behind the scenes of the imaginary, high-stakes world of viral video production. It’s a timely concept ripe for sharp parody of an entertainment industry that takes itself too seriously, and its impending collision with a internet video culture marked by absurd narcissism and young girls in low-cut shirts. That’s the funniest concept I’ve heard this month!
###The show has the feel of a big studio production and it should, considering it’s by Warner Bros Studio 2.0. It’s well done too, if a bit spot on. We see the world through two earnest writers, Joey and David, who, when casting an upcoming vid, must choose between the guy who’s taken his picture every day for six years
and those dudes humping furniture. Remember them? When Mentos can’t be used due to legal holdups for an exploding coke bottle, the imagineering duo must experiment with other noxious compounds. And when a studio exec scoffs at an unruly10-page script, they hand him one really long page. HA!
Here’s the thing. This was entertaining, but it was EXPENSIVE and, as with Vuguru’sThe All For Nots, I wonder how (if) it pays off. Jake and Amir are ridiculously hilarious with just their desks and a hand-held camera. Sometimes those forced constraints encourage creativity. They have for Joey and David.
It begs the question: can ephemeral, (relatively) big-budget series (brands) like this one garner the numbers that substantiate their costs? I know they will, but can they yet?