According to John Green’s novel of the same name, “Paper Towns” are locations that only exist on maps, mythological places for mapmakers to ID their work. Luckily, on the evening of Friday, July 17, YouTube Space LA was definitely not one of these imaginary destinations.
Rolling out the red carpet in honor of the book’s upcoming film adaptation, Los Angeles’ YouTube Space hosted a lavish livestream event to celebrate the flick and its accompanying soundtrack. With many members of Paper Towns’ cast and contributing music artists in attendance, the event was something of a coming home for Green, whose roots to the YouTube and digital communities remain strong.
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Similar in fashion to The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack release party held at the Space last summer, the film’s guests arrived via red carpet before being whisked inside for an evening of celebration and music. Emceed by notable film critic Ben Lyons and YouTube personality Meg DeAngelis, the event alternated between a light-hearted Q&A with the film’s cast and live performances from artists on the film’s soundtrack, culminating in an evening of non-stop entertainment.
On-hand for the proceedings were author John Green and the film’s leads, Nat Wolff and Cara Delevigne. The trio carried the majority of the evening’s discussion, but were later also joined by director Jake Schreier and cast members Halston Sage and Jaz Sinclair.
Between tales of set improvisation and the studio forcing the 20-year-old Wolff to get his driver’s license due to the fact that they were making a “road trip movie,” the cast conveyed themselves as truly celebratory. Like Green’s novel itself, they made it clear that making the film was a journey…and one that they were happy to take.
The mood for celebration was only amplified by the live set of music performed by the film’s soundtrack artists. Opening the evening was Saint Motel, playing their top 10 single, “My Type.” Emerging artist Sam Bruno also wowed the crowd with her song “Searchlight.”
An extra special music event occurred when Wolff took the stage with his brother Alex to perform a live rendition of their song “Look Outside.” The duo also shared an exclusive clip from the song’s official music video, proving that Paper Towns has given Wolff much to celebrate artistically.
The evening closed with a performance from Vance Joy, who had travelled all the way from Australia to perform his contribution to the soundtrack, “Great Summer.”
Streaming live worldwide, the event saw a significant real time social media response, with the hosts fielding a barrage of questions from Twitter, and viewers across the globe tuning in to catch a glimpse of their favorite star or singalong. By merging Green’s digital audience with his traditional media followers, the event proved to be highly visible for all parties, and served as a great showcase for YouTube Space LA’s capabilities. Above all, it was a night of music and fun, and a great celebration of the work of one of YouTube’s most notable luminaries.
During the Q&A, Wolff, in an off-the-cuff moment, asked Green (with whom he had also worked on The Fault in Our Stars) what the author hated most about him. Taking a second to make Wolff sweat, Green laughed and said, “When we don’t make movies, I don’t get to hang out with you as much.”
For all those gathered at YouTube Space last night for this great event, it’s safe to say: We agree, John. We agree.
