Benny and Rafi Fine of the Fine Bros.Image: YouTube YouTube creators the Fine Bros. aren’t sweating the 66th Primetime Emmys, despite that they’re on the nomination ballots, which are due back Friday. Too busy cranking out three videos a week to think about much else. But if the makers of popular shows like Kids React sneak in, they’ll make history. SEE ALSO: The Path From YouTube to Movie Star Just Got Wider That’s because no native YouTube creator has ever garnered an Emmy nod — and by “native” creator I’m talking purely YouTube-first series, not associated with pre-existing brands or TV shows. Digital nominations have sprang from the TV ecosystem, but one’s come straight from the YouTube mob. They’ve been eligible for a few years now. Been throwing their hats in the ring, too — it’s not a terribly high bar. And just in case you think no punk with a GoPro is ever winning an Emmy, remember that cable TV wasn’t invited until 1988, and it took six years for that uncivilized rabble to bring one home. You’ll never guess which network broke the barrier. (Hint: its name includes the letters H, B and O.) Streamed shows first became eligible for certain categories in 2008, and it took only five years for Netflix to finally crack TV’s 64-year hold with three wins for House of Cards last year (directing, casting and cinematography). A smattering of web series have gotten nominations going back to 2011, but all were riding some other brand’s coattails, and none have won. Last year, for instance, Machinima’s web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn competed for Best Main Title Design; all of its rivals also had name recognition, including The Newsroom, Elementary, Vikings, American Horror Story: Asylum and Da Vinci’s Demons. Other past web-only series short-form nominees with pedigree have included Jay Leno’s Garage (2011); Bravo’s Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen (2012); and The Office: The Farewells (2013). Surely, the YouTube-native nominee is coming. It will happen, and when it does, it will touch off a cascade. Could this be the year? Mmmmaybe. The category to watch is Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program, whose 28 contenders include four native YouTube creators: Arscheerio Paul, Epic Rap Battles of History, Glove and Boots and Guy Dubai: International Gay Spy. The other is Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program, which has just one: The Fine Bros. Benny Fine — one half of the Fine Bros. — isn’t exactly planning to be up at 5:30 a.m. when the nominees are announced July 10. Not when he’s competing against established brands like NBC’s Beyond The Blacklist, Food Network’s Chopped After Hours and ABC’s Nashville: On the Record. But he’s upbeat about submitting, as he should be. “The advantage to a thing like this is showing what new media is becoming,” Fine told Mashable. “Things are just starting to shift. We used to be just two guys, but we’re a production company now (with some 15 employees) … and a nomination would bring us […]
Petal, a hero from Super Evil Megacorp’s upcoming game ‘Vainglory.’Image: Super Evil Megacorp When Apple showed off the power of the iPhone 6‘s A8 processor, it was quick add how many game makers traditionally found on console or PC were already committed to its new phone. Square Enix, Ubisoft, Disney, CD Project Red, Epic Games and EA were some of the larger publishers investing more heavily in mobile game creation, Apple revealed during its Tuesday iPhone 6 announcement. Also featured on the slide were games from smaller studios, like Proletariat and Vector Unit. Image: Mashable screenshot A studio called Super Evil Megacorp came on stage to show off its mutliplayer online battle arena for phones, called Vainglory. It’s an ambitious title bringing a genre typically played with a mouse and keyboard to touch controls. Super Evil Megacorp CTO Tommy Krul said on stage he wants to bring the hardcore gaming experience of PC and console to mobile. The game pits two teams against each other; their objective is to destroy a large crystal in the other team’s base. They can also capture a large monster, the Kraken, to battle the other team. The below video shows some gameplay. Vainglory is currently in a closed beta, but will role out globally in October. Apple iPhone 6 Event The iPhone 6 and new Apple Watch on display in Apple’s Hands-On Pavilion. Image: Apple The iPhone 6 on display in Apple’s Hands-On Pavilion. Image: Apple The iPhone 6 and new Apple Watch on display in Apple’s Hands-On Pavilion. Image: Apple The interior of the Hands-On Pavilion gallery where audience members can view the newly unveiled iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch. Image: Apple Tim Cook bids the audience farewell. Image: Apple Tim Cook and U2 lead singer Bono announce the band’s free new album (available to iTunes Store customers) and conclude the Apple event. U2 performs a single from their new album Songs of Innocence at the Apple event in Cupertino, California. Image: Apple Image: Apple Kevin Lynch discusses the apps available on the Apple Watch and how to use them. Image: Apple The different variations of the new Apple Watch. It is customizable with different bands, metals, and design elements. Image: Apple Kevin Lynch shows the audience the new Apple Watch Image: Apple Image: Apple After unveiling the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Pay system, Tim Cook prepares to announce one more thing. Image: Apple Examples of what the new Apple Pay system will look like on the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Image: Apple Eddy Cue explains how Apple Pay works and the locations to use it. Image: Apple Tim Cook introduces the new Apple Pay system. Image: Apple Image: Apple iPhone Size Comparison Chart Image: Bob Al-Greene/Mashable Image: Apple The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will use iOS 8. Image: Apple A representation of the new landscape view of the iPhone 6. Image: Apple Image: Apple Phil Schiller talks about iPhone 6. Image: […]
Coldplay‘s beautiful “A Sky Full of Stars” song just got the wacky music video treatment. Unlike the levitation-infused music video for Coldplay’s previous single, “Magic,” this one shows the band sporting weird musical contraptions while marching through the streets of Sydney, Australia. The instrument-laden outfits are an odd juxtaposition with the track’s romantic lyrics (“‘Cause in a sky full of stars I think I see you. You’re a sky full of stars, such a heavenly view”). Regardless of the garb, front man Chris Martin looks happy, a welcome demeanor for fans, considering he and Gwyneth Paltrow split up “‘with hearts full of sadness” in March after more than 10 years of marriage. Director Mat Whitecross filmed and released the video swiftly, recording the footage on Tuesday after the band asked fans on Twitter to show up for the taping. We’re shooting the video for A Sky Full Of Stars on the streets of Sydney tomorrow. Does anyone want to be in it!? PH — Coldplay (@coldplay) June 16, 2014 250 fans needed for #ASFOSvideo tomorrow (tues). Meet 11.30am at courthouse hotel, 202 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney. Bring a smile. PH — Coldplay (@coldplay) June 16, 2014 We’ve already got 250 fans at #ASFOSvideo shoot location so please DONT COME DOWN if you’re not here already. You won’t get it in. Sorry!PH — Coldplay (@coldplay) June 17, 2014 Thanks to everyone in Sydney who came out to the #ASFOSvideo shoot today. Happy times. PH pic.twitter.com/IL9HXz1PxY — Coldplay (@coldplay) June 17, 2014 Great video snippet from today’s #ASFOSvideo shoot in Sydney (thanks to @CarlaAslan for sending). Ahttps://t.co/gCpQmkdg2n — Coldplay (@coldplay) June 17, 2014 “A Sky Full of Stars” is the second single from Coldplay’s sixth studio album, Ghost Stories. BONUS: 20 Trippy Scenes From Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pills N Potions’ Music Video 20 Odd Scenes From Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pill N Potions’ Video 1. Pills flying out of a Pez dispenser 2. Dancing bunny 3. Metallic tears 4. Nicki really likes bunnies, apparently 5. Head holding 6. Stiletto stomping on Alex Mack? 7. Beats Pill with real pills 8. Pink smoke 9. Twisted airplane 10. Gooey car 11. Liquid smoke 12. Melting building 13: Flying pills 14. Smoking bunny named Lucy 15. Perfume bottle named Onika 16. The Game looks scared 17. Nicki, what is happening here? 18 Are those made out of white chocolate? 19. Blob city 20. Pills crying Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/06/19/coldplay-sky-full-of-stars-music-video/
For one group of mourners gathered at an Irish pub for a wake, the passing of a dear friend wasn’t about shedding tears. Instead, it was all about honoring his memory by rocking out in style! To mark the passing of Ger ‘Farmer’ Foley, the customers and staff of Falvey’s Bar in Killorglin, Ireland, decided to send off their friend in joyous fashion by singing his favorite song, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. What started innocently enough with one man, Brian O’Sullivan, climbing onto the bar counter to get the sing-along going, quickly became an all-out party. I might not have known Farmer Foley, but judging by the people he left behind, he clearly was a joy to be around. Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/mr-brightside-pub/
We don’t love sports so much because we actually care about who can put a ball in a net or through a hoop. The true appeal is in the way these silly, arbitrary games we invest so much in reflect and bring out core elements of the universal human experience — success, failure, determination, community, joy and sorrow, for example. The YouTube clip above captures this perfectly. Shot at a Windy City bar called The Pony on Monday night as the Chicago Blackhawks came back to win the NHL‘s Stanley Cup title in thrilling fashion, the two-minute video is raw, unedited and so, so real. The ‘Hawks scored two goals in 17 seconds just before the final horn to win their series against the Boston Bruins in six games. Watch fans in the packed bar go nuts over the first goal that tied the game, slowly process what just happened, then completely lose their minds after Chicago scores again. Unfortunately, the scene in Boston bars was probably the exact opposite of what you see here. But at least Bruins fans had one small victory to cling to for a few short hours after their team’s tragic loss. Then there was also this fantastic Vine video posted by Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference, in which he removes his burly playoff beard with an eraser and a sneeze: Time to get ready for next year. https://t.co/LIooTouZuT — Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) June 25, 2013 Homepage image by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement(‘script’);js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}; _msla(“//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”,”twitter_jssdk”); Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/06/26/stanley-cup-bar-footage/
Macklemore, right, and his producer Ryan Lewis pose for a portrait at Irving Plaza in New York in January 2014. Image: Carlo Allegri/Associated Press Rapper Macklemore preached the virtues of tolerance and acceptance during a rowdy concert Wednesday night in New York City, where he decided not to dwell on the controversy surrounding his outfit choice during a performance in Seattle on Friday. This week, headlines centered on uproar from people who thought Macklemore’s wig, fake beard and fake nose were culturally insensitive toward Jewish people. But on Wednesday, the 30-year-old rapper kept the focus on the music and the empowering messages behind each song. “We believe in love and equality for all people in the world, so now put your hand up like this,” Macklemore screamed, forming a peace sign with two fingers during the same-sex anthem “Same Love” with Ryan Lewis. Macklemore, born Ben Haggerty, publicly apologized online on Monday. “I’ve always loved dressing up and have been doing so my entire career,” he wrote on his blog. “The character I dressed up as on Friday had no intended cultural identity or background. I wasn’t attempting to mimic any culture, nor resemble one. A ‘Jewish stereotype’ never crossed my mind.” A costumed Macklemore performs on May 16 in Seattle. Macklemore reiterated his love of costumes at Wednesday’s show, telling fans a story about himself at 17, when he would buy “weird outfits” from thrift stores and walk the streets of New York City as “Professor Macklemore.” The anecdote fittingly introduced the duo’s smash hit “Thrift Shop.” The show, which was the first for the American Express Membership Experiences Concert Series, wouldn’t be a Macklemore concert without a transformation into his British alter ego Raven Bowie for “And We Danced.” Raven Bowie debuted in 2011 in this sex-fueled video. So at the end of the day, fans anticipating a Macklemore costume did indeed see one — just not the controversial one consuming the celebrity scandal mill. BONUS: Surprise! 12 Musicians Who Ignore Traditional Publicity Surprising Musician Promotions 1. Beyoncé Years from now, people will remember where they were when Beyoncé dropped her surprise, self-titled album in December 2013. For two years, the pop artist was quiet on the album front, though she was still a major player in the industry (performing the Super Bowl halftime show, singing the National Anthem at the presidential inauguration, you get the drift). But on Dec. 12, she surprised fans and uploaded a brand new album on iTunes, complete with 17 music videos. And it really, really worked. Video: YouTube, Beyonce 2. Kid Cudi The rapper (real name Scott Mescudi) has been on an experimental spree. After releasing two well-received albums, he spaced out, dropping material that ran far away from traditional hip-hop. On Feb. 24, he surprised fans with Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon on iTunes, notifying audiences only two hours beforehand via Twitter. Image: Flickr, Laurence Barnes 3. Death Grips Before Beyoncé and Kid Cudi, there were Death Grips. The […]
The manically paced new music video for Will.i.am and Britney Spears‘s “Scream and Shout” throws in cameos from several gadgets, including an iPhone, an i-limb ultra prosthetic hand and the new Beats Pill speaker. A snippet of the video premiered Wednesday during The X Factor, followed by its full-length release online. It’s no surprise that a Beats by Dre product got some play in the video, as “Scream and Shout” is the song used in the brand’s most-recent commercial, which stars will.i.am and a slew of other celebrities. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/29/will-i-am-britney-spears-scream-and-shout-gadgets/
Daniel “Homeless” Mustard needs $15,000 in spare change. The musician, whose cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” went viral in 2009 when he was homeless, is asking for money to fund an album. Mustard no longer lives on New York City street or in parks, having found temporary housing at homeless shelters and Internet access to mingle with fans at Apple stores. “When you are homeless you usually have lost some sort of your will to live,” Mustard tells Mashable. “A big part of me getting my shit together has been getting that back. “And in a big way, getting exposure from the ‘Creep’ video (listen below) and all the support I’ve gotten on social media, and the making of the new record, has helped me get that back.” “When you are homeless you usually have lost some sort of your will to live.” This month, Mustard launched a project on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to pay for the cost of producing and distributing his Fragments of Bone EP and supplemental merchandise. Mustard’s Kickstarter page lists unique rewards for people who pledge money to his project. So far, 92 people have given $2,903 in four days. There are 46 days left to meet his $15,000 funding goal He will perform via Skype for backers who dish $110 or more and create cover song videos for at least $250. He’ll also do a live performance anywhere within a 120 miles of NYC for $1,500 and one anywhere outside of that distance in the U.S. for $2,500 or more. At $450, he’ll give a “homeless walking tour” of lower Manhattan. “Well, in my mind, the things to be showing people are the places I used to sleep,” Mustard says. “Washington Square Park was a huge part of my life, and talking about how the park has changed over the years,” he adds. “It’s more about telling the stories than the actual places — places where we got hassled by the police, attacked, all that fun stuff.” He has many stories to tell, the narrative of being homeless with mental health issues and a drinking problem. “Getting sober, staying sober, is a process, not an overnight thing.” “Getting sober, staying sober, is a process, not an overnight thing,” he says. “I’m also going back to school and doing other things to better my situation.” People will hear tinges of his struggles, recovery and dreams in his new music. The yet-to-funded EP, Fragments of Bone, is named after a lyric in the forthcoming song “Vanity Plate”: “Like fragments of bone, scattered across the sky.” The line describes the sky’s stars. Having gained Internet fame with covers of other people’s songs, Mustard has established a flexible strategy. “When I think about covers, as far as what I would like to do, is covers of songs that people would never think I would actually sing,” such as “Hit Me Baby One More Time” from Britney Spears, he says. Mustard performed the Spears single and “Creep” on The Opie & […]
If you’ve ever visited the Lincoln Memorial, you know that it can be a moving experience. Standing in the presence of American history in such a massive space is pretty humbling as it is, which makes what this woman just did even more incredible. As tourists crowded around the famous statue, singer G. Star Swain decided to take advantage of the acoustics and treat everyone to a special performance. And she couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate song. I hope something like this happens next time I make my way to D.C. This is an experience those tourists will never forget. Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/national-anthem/
The sports highlight is extremely predictable by now: an amazing play, sequence or moment is replayed from one or more angles, while a news anchor or announcer recaps what happened. Sometimes the video runs along with its original play-by-play audio, or maybe with the live radio call. But, in the age of social media permeation and mobile video proliferation, this is no longer enough, according to UNITE, a new late-night show that airs on ESPNU. The social media-heavy show has introduced a regular installment called “social highlights,” which leverage just how much video modern fans shoot on their smartphones while at the game. The idea is simple, but pretty powerful. Footage from commercial TV broadcasts and radio audio clips are edited together with video fans get from the stands and share to Twitter or YouTube. The result? Immersive highlights of major sports moments. “We wanted to find a way to find a different side of what a highlight is, something you wouldn’t normally see unless we aggregated the videos and put them with some high quality production,” UNITE producer Yaron Deskalo told Mashable. The example above shows the final outs of Seattle Mariner Felix Hernandez’s perfect game in August. More recent examples include the controversial ending of the Packers-Seahawks NFL game in September and North Carolina State’s last-second touchdown to beat Florida State last weekend. Deskalo produced one similar video while working on an E:60 production for ESPN a couple years ago, which planted the seed for UNITE’s social highlights. Today, however, there are few if any other examples of networks consistently producing installments that combine professionally edited broadcast highlights with fan-sourced video. The social highlights air on UNITE weekly, then go up on YouTube if ESPNU has rights to the broadcast clips used. Some have even made their way on to ESPN and ESPN2. UNITE producers scour YouTube for fan video then incorporate between five and 10 into each highlight after obtaining permission from the amateur shooters. While the resulting clips currently air primarily on a late-night show on a station that few but the most hardcore sports fans regularly watch, it’s not hard to imagine similar highlight packages becoming more mainstream sooner than later. “People are going to to able to film at these games more and more, and if we can find a way to get them to us, we’ll be able to find new ways to tell these stories,” Deskalo says. “We’re not there just yet, but I think in the next couple years we’ll start to see more social video elements in regular highlights.” Would you like to see this trend catch on — or do you prefer the traditional highlight format? Give us your take in the comments. BONUS: Who to Follow on Twitter This NFL Season 32 Must-Follow Twitter Accounts for the NFL Fan @NFL The league’s official account. A no-brainer for any NFL fan. @DeseanJackson10 The Eagles receiver is a hoot to follow because you never know what you’re going to get, […]
