Camcorder News

You may have seen the "Google Maps" video on Revver about two average Joes who discover the invasion of the popular street map service. This viral video has hit 1,000,000 views alone between Youtube and break.com. Hear what The Vacationeers team had to say about their success and the tools they used to achieve it.

The Vacationeers: I believe it was Mark Twain who wrote "Humor must not professedly teach, and it must not professedly preach, but it must do both if it would live forever." We also like it when people fall down stairs.

CCI: Your videos are featured on Revver.  What sets Revver apart from other uploading sites?  Do you use other sites such as YouTube or Google Video?

V: We have been known to use other sites here and there, but so far, Revver just seems to have the best quality up-load. [It] is super easy to embed on other sites and actually cuts you in on the profits they make from hits.  They’re also just cool folks. They even had us over to the offices recently to hang out.

CCI: What camcorder equipment do you use to create your videos? Do you use any special software?

V: We use a Panasonic DVX 100 and then edit on Final Cut Pro (on a Mac, of course) – no real bells & whistles.  We do use special "Funny5000" software purchased on the Burmese black market that allows us to take any clip and make it 5 to 10 percent funnier.
 
CCI: What do you think it takes to make a popular online video?

V: If only we knew. There’s no real formula we’ve found so far and are just as surprised as anyone by our success.  It’s like capturing lighting in a bottle, all of our grandpas used to say.  We do think that people really respond to quality to storytelling, and we tell the best stories ever (the previous sentence was run through the Funny5000.)

CCI: Are you capitalizing on these videos monetarily?  Is it enough to quit a 'day job?" What The Vacationeers has done is sort of the dream for online video enthusiasts.  Do you have any advice for them?

V: Not quite yet.  The whole "making a profit off of new media" thing still seems like its having the kinks worked out and only time will tell.  In a few years, we’ll all either be sitting in swimming pools in the Hollywood Hills or cleaning said pools.  Our advice to any budding enthusiasts would be to just throw as much stuff out there as possible – because eventually something will stick.