Written Analysis 4

As has been discussed ad nauseam, YouTube is a phenomenon that has taken society by storm. It incorporates everything that pop culture has to offer. Not only that, but it is even challenging a few pop culture topics, like stereotypes. YouTube is also home to another pop culture topic: formulas.

Formulas are everywhere. Not only do we see them in math, but we even see them in entertainment. These formulas are designed so that anyone making anything -- a film, TV show, video game -- has the bedrock of what to go off of when they start planning out what is going to happen and how the events are going to happen. On YouTube, we are able to see many user-created videos that exhibit these very formulas, such as high school plays. Some of these follow the formula to a T, while others try to spice things up and give their own spin on the subject.

In doing this, users are contributing forth their own ideas for how genre formulas can change. Or, at the very least, the videos serve as a fresh idea for a specific formula. For instance, a few years ago, a YouTube clip called "Panic Attack!" attracted a huge amount of interest from Hollywood studios, despite only being made on a budget of $300 (Rauhala, 2009). Even though the film uses a formula -- monster invasion -- that has been done hundreds of times, Hollywood studios obviously felt that it was a fresh take on the formula.

This further reinforces the reason why many people upload videos to YouTube. Perhaps one day, their video will be selected by a Hollywood studio, as it could redefine a genre's formula, or even just be a fresh take on an already existing formula. Whatever the case might be, I continue to be surprised -- even though I should not be, at this point -- at just how much creativity there is in the world. Some people have taken decades-old formulas and given them a fresh spin. One would think that Hollywood studios would be able to come up with these same ideas, but more and more seem to be taking to YouTube to find the next million dollar idea. That is what I have taken away from this analysis on formulas.

                                                              References

Rauhala, E. (2009, December 19). YouTube clip wins movie deal. Newser. Retrieved June 22, 2013 from http://www.newser.com/story/76467/youtube-clip-wins-movie-deal.html.