https://blog.penelopetrunk.com/cdn/home/pt-logo.png00Penelopehttps://blog.penelopetrunk.com/cdn/home/pt-logo.pngPenelope2011-03-03 13:26:212011-03-21 09:36:27Secrets to good blog posts (in video!)
I thought it was funny. I especially like the part where people watching it don’t get the fact that the robotic voices are part of the technology and are, thus, part of what’s funny. This is cutting edgy stuff, P. I think you should do more of it.
huh. kind of cute, actually. i rather enjoyed the deadpan, robotic putdowns.
thatgirlinnewyork says:
as someone who does voiceover, it’s the deadpan that pays off the dialogue. the resemblance to those other korean info animations is brilliant, on-trend.
The only reason I was able to sit through the painfully slow-speaking, slightly garbled computer voices was because the interaction was kind of funny in an illustrative sort of way.
Great job with this Penelope. I love your cartoon character! The information you conveyed through this medium is great, but next time I hope you do a video of YOU instead.
Stephanie Harnois says:
I too was hoping that the video would be Penelope…
Great job with this Penelope. I love your cartoon character! The information you conveyed through this medium is great, but next time I hope you do a video of yourself instead.
Dan says:
I think the xtranormal videos are too constrained by the “wise, weary person talks to incredibly stupid person” format everyone insists on using with them.
Elizabeth says:
I think that format is what makes them both profound and funny.
We don’t tell people in real life how stupid they are when we are experts and they are stupid. There are an infinite number of those scenarios and at various times in our lives we take on both roles. So it’s fun to see the experts generate those videos and to get a perspective on what we’re stupid at that people would not tell us in real life.
Add the voices and the bad animation and I think it’s really smart and funny stuff.
Loved Penelope’s.
Olivier says:
Please keep the videos occasional: some people are deaf or hard of hearing, you know.
Wooden U. Lykteneau says:
This is amusing as a one-off, but on a regular basis… without the option of reading? No. I come here to read pithy writing.
LarryT says:
Is it possible that these two people have aspergers? They have very flat affects and don’t show have emotional clues in their spoken voices.
Hello,
This is good I really liked it. Would the voice of the lady be yours? It really is good though.
Regards,
Adam
Lauren says:
Definitely MAKE MORE! Extranormal “wise, weary person talks to incredibly stupid person” is hilarious.
parneet says:
Love it!! At least you’re not talking about “the Ben Barnanke” or iPhones. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, try googling these keywords in YouTube.
Penelope, when are you going to start using Disqus for comments?
No not these kind. But you should definitely write scripts like this and try out other types of video. These video’s are limited on what you can do with the avatar’s expression, tone of voice, body language etc… I hate watching them because they all sound the same and IDK how to say exactly what I mean but they’re just not “real” enough. I enjoyed this one because it was funny and helpful and I could picture you having this conversation with someone. Oh and the avatar doesn’t do you justice. You’re hotter.
alexandra leh says:
except for the content, which had a decent combination of entertainment and edification, the filmmaking is been here, seen this. animation is a good hiding place for those who don’t wish to be on camera, but this particular style (in my opinion) has already (didn’t take long, i know) trended beyond its shelf life. i know, it’s cheap and easy…and it plays that way. but, if you’re sold on the images, then — in keeping with the previous commentary about the annoying robotic voices — do something (as you advise in the piece) different: give your robots your own human voice.
thatgirlinnewyork says:
it simply wouldn’t be as funny/ironic with non-synthetic voices. you can say it’s played out, but if it sparks enough people, so what?
Ben says:
My favorite are the head glances to the camera when the guy says “what’s hubris”? Really funny. Loved the voices especially.
Do videos if you love videos! More mediums can make you more interesting.
But please, not in place of writing. In order to watch this (which I haven’t, and probably won’t since today’s a busy day) I have to find a quiet moment, get my headphones out, make sure none of my coworkers would walk by and see me watching cartoons. I have to go at the pace of the video and wait for the lines to be delivered.
Then again, when you post a new blog post all I have to do is pull it up on my RSS reader. No one looks twice at an employee browsing a web page every now and then. I can read at my own pace, and spend 2 minutes or 20 depending upon how busy I am, and how much I care about your topic.
The “barrier to entry” on consuming videos is a lot higher for me than text. I’m probably not the only one.
But some people love videos. So you could make videos for them, but please, keep writing for me too?
Christina says:
Exactly to everything Sara Eileen said. I almost never watch videos on my work computer, so I probably won’t watch this for a week or two.
On top of the barrier to entry issue, if I’m in video-watching mode I go directly to youtube though I will sometimes click on friends’ linked videos on facebook. Videos on news sites and blogs are mostly an annoyance, even when they’re good, even if I’m using the computer at home. When I’m in reading mode I don’t like having the pace of a video/having to wait until it’s over to keep scrolling imposed on me.
To be honest it was just ok, but I don’t think I’d watch another one. I guess I enjoy your writing too much. I would like to see a live video like you did for Brazen Careerist. That would be a lot more interesting.
I’d say this was good, because the dialogue was funny and it worked dead-pan, but loads of similar videos will not be funny.
The joke can only work once. Maybe twice.
Unless your videos were dramatically different every time I’d say no to doing this TOO often.
But once in a while, nice! Thumbs up!
Ps – I have very conflicted feelings about driving traffic :
I have a blog where the readership is about 9 people, and I really want high traffic because I am obsessed by stats. I check my stats constantly. (I’m a bit better now, I check it less)
But I had to shut down 2 blogs because my parents found them when too many people from my home town read it and send them the link.
They first got mad at some of the content of my posts, then they got mad when I killed it. My dad wouldn’t talk to me.
So now I obsessively check sitemeter’s location tab to find out who is reading my blog and where they are, and then I get really paranoid that people will find it and know its me, (esp work and home-town) but I am also really really happy when more people are reading it.
So this is a problem. Maybe I just need an (free) editor who will prevent me from writing dangerous posts?
This is the 2nd xtranormal video I’ve seen today and I’m already sick of the medium. This was funny and had some great points, but it was a tad too long. The computer voices are distracting… you start having side thoughts, like “Does he have an accent or not?” More videos? Sure, but not this kind.
I enjoyed the video! The pace was slow, though. Is there a way to make the voices go a bit faster? The content was basic but presented in a fun way. I’d say do it again but not more than 1-2 times/month.
The video was okay but the voices were boring. I would have preferred to see you videotaping herslf and talking to the audience. To see the real Penelope is cool.
Cute gimmick, but please don’t do many of these. I can’t take the slow, monotone speech pattern. The video doesn’t add anything extra that your blogs don’t have. When I read your blogs, I actually hear your voice talking and that was lost with these. There’s actually a bunch of compliments in here, if you read closely…
cynthia says:
I love this. Have you seen the bear ones “you should be on broadway/you should sing opera”?
Lydia says:
I would rather sit through a video of you feeding your goats than have to be subjected to that nonsense. Stick to what you do best.
Jeff says:
I agree. Being brutally honest, xtranormal vids have been done better by others, on other topics (deficit, lawyer, internet startup).
Stick with straight writing. So few are good at that.
Sandy Coury says:
even with a fast broadband connection, the video loads slowly and in fits and starts.
please do find a way to use your own great voice!
Kusandra says:
How about a mobile friendly version? Is it on iPhone/YouTube?
Ditto that. I can’t watch it. I’ll check out the next one if it’s mobile compatible.
Corrie says:
A blog post on “hubris” might be nice…
Jane Eyre says:
I’m another one of those folks that rarely gets around to watching videos…because I have to do it at home at the end of the day…rather than text, which I can read anytime.
Sandy Coury says:
loved the dialog, just not the voices or the slow loading. please do more videos.
The workplace should be segregated. Maybe.
the dialogue was funny…but the computer voices suck. You should do more videos, with better voiceover.
I thought it was funny. I especially like the part where people watching it don’t get the fact that the robotic voices are part of the technology and are, thus, part of what’s funny. This is cutting edgy stuff, P. I think you should do more of it.
I’ll have to look later as I am in Webinar training hell right now and can’t listen to two voices at once. I am sure yours is much more interesting!
huh. kind of cute, actually. i rather enjoyed the deadpan, robotic putdowns.
as someone who does voiceover, it’s the deadpan that pays off the dialogue. the resemblance to those other korean info animations is brilliant, on-trend.
that was hilarious! and exactly like one of your blog posts – but set to video. loved it . . . more, please!
SUPER! I loved “Because your blog sucks.”
the vid is really funny. It’s to the point, and the voice grows on you. I like it. Do more.
The only reason I was able to sit through the painfully slow-speaking, slightly garbled computer voices was because the interaction was kind of funny in an illustrative sort of way.
Video good, annoying voices bad.
Great job with this Penelope. I love your cartoon character! The information you conveyed through this medium is great, but next time I hope you do a video of YOU instead.
I too was hoping that the video would be Penelope…
Great job with this Penelope. I love your cartoon character! The information you conveyed through this medium is great, but next time I hope you do a video of yourself instead.
I think the xtranormal videos are too constrained by the “wise, weary person talks to incredibly stupid person” format everyone insists on using with them.
I think that format is what makes them both profound and funny.
We don’t tell people in real life how stupid they are when we are experts and they are stupid. There are an infinite number of those scenarios and at various times in our lives we take on both roles. So it’s fun to see the experts generate those videos and to get a perspective on what we’re stupid at that people would not tell us in real life.
Add the voices and the bad animation and I think it’s really smart and funny stuff.
Loved Penelope’s.
Please keep the videos occasional: some people are deaf or hard of hearing, you know.
This is amusing as a one-off, but on a regular basis… without the option of reading? No. I come here to read pithy writing.
Is it possible that these two people have aspergers? They have very flat affects and don’t show have emotional clues in their spoken voices.
Please, do more!!! :D
Hello,
This is good I really liked it. Would the voice of the lady be yours? It really is good though.
Regards,
Adam
Definitely MAKE MORE! Extranormal “wise, weary person talks to incredibly stupid person” is hilarious.
Love it!! At least you’re not talking about “the Ben Barnanke” or iPhones. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, try googling these keywords in YouTube.
Penelope, when are you going to start using Disqus for comments?
My favorite part was the look at the end. I do that to the “camera” everyday of my life.
ohmygoodness. my favorite parts are when penlope looks at us in disgust. lol
No not these kind. But you should definitely write scripts like this and try out other types of video. These video’s are limited on what you can do with the avatar’s expression, tone of voice, body language etc… I hate watching them because they all sound the same and IDK how to say exactly what I mean but they’re just not “real” enough. I enjoyed this one because it was funny and helpful and I could picture you having this conversation with someone. Oh and the avatar doesn’t do you justice. You’re hotter.
except for the content, which had a decent combination of entertainment and edification, the filmmaking is been here, seen this. animation is a good hiding place for those who don’t wish to be on camera, but this particular style (in my opinion) has already (didn’t take long, i know) trended beyond its shelf life. i know, it’s cheap and easy…and it plays that way. but, if you’re sold on the images, then — in keeping with the previous commentary about the annoying robotic voices — do something (as you advise in the piece) different: give your robots your own human voice.
it simply wouldn’t be as funny/ironic with non-synthetic voices. you can say it’s played out, but if it sparks enough people, so what?
My favorite are the head glances to the camera when the guy says “what’s hubris”? Really funny. Loved the voices especially.
Now, that’s funny. Good dialogue.
Do videos if you love videos! More mediums can make you more interesting.
But please, not in place of writing. In order to watch this (which I haven’t, and probably won’t since today’s a busy day) I have to find a quiet moment, get my headphones out, make sure none of my coworkers would walk by and see me watching cartoons. I have to go at the pace of the video and wait for the lines to be delivered.
Then again, when you post a new blog post all I have to do is pull it up on my RSS reader. No one looks twice at an employee browsing a web page every now and then. I can read at my own pace, and spend 2 minutes or 20 depending upon how busy I am, and how much I care about your topic.
The “barrier to entry” on consuming videos is a lot higher for me than text. I’m probably not the only one.
But some people love videos. So you could make videos for them, but please, keep writing for me too?
Exactly to everything Sara Eileen said. I almost never watch videos on my work computer, so I probably won’t watch this for a week or two.
On top of the barrier to entry issue, if I’m in video-watching mode I go directly to youtube though I will sometimes click on friends’ linked videos on facebook. Videos on news sites and blogs are mostly an annoyance, even when they’re good, even if I’m using the computer at home. When I’m in reading mode I don’t like having the pace of a video/having to wait until it’s over to keep scrolling imposed on me.
Enjoyed! Hilarious. Do more.
Great Video! You should do more. I’d watch.
Hey Penelope, this video was great. Both entertaining and informative for those who are listening. :) I would love to see more of these.
Yes.
So that’s why my blog sucks balls!
Loved it! I love these xtranormal videos that have been popping up everywhere.
Yours was well done – keep it up.
That site is awesome. I spent several hours making one 1:33-long video for my friends.
Ha! “You need someone to tell you your ideas suck, so that you try harder.” More please.
Um, not my cup of tea. Took to long to “get it” but the subtlety was interesting.
How do I unsubscribe from this? I seem to get private messages come through my twitter account and don’t know how to stop them.
Cheers.
hysterical. i also thought it would be you, and it was, as you do. i’m still chuckling…
To be honest it was just ok, but I don’t think I’d watch another one. I guess I enjoy your writing too much. I would like to see a live video like you did for Brazen Careerist. That would be a lot more interesting.
I’d say this was good, because the dialogue was funny and it worked dead-pan, but loads of similar videos will not be funny.
The joke can only work once. Maybe twice.
Unless your videos were dramatically different every time I’d say no to doing this TOO often.
But once in a while, nice! Thumbs up!
Ps – I have very conflicted feelings about driving traffic :
I have a blog where the readership is about 9 people, and I really want high traffic because I am obsessed by stats. I check my stats constantly. (I’m a bit better now, I check it less)
But I had to shut down 2 blogs because my parents found them when too many people from my home town read it and send them the link.
They first got mad at some of the content of my posts, then they got mad when I killed it. My dad wouldn’t talk to me.
So now I obsessively check sitemeter’s location tab to find out who is reading my blog and where they are, and then I get really paranoid that people will find it and know its me, (esp work and home-town) but I am also really really happy when more people are reading it.
So this is a problem. Maybe I just need an (free) editor who will prevent me from writing dangerous posts?
Bye!
This is the 2nd xtranormal video I’ve seen today and I’m already sick of the medium. This was funny and had some great points, but it was a tad too long. The computer voices are distracting… you start having side thoughts, like “Does he have an accent or not?” More videos? Sure, but not this kind.
Definitely do more! I kept re-watching this one. :) I can’t stop smiling now.
I love the “don’t start your own company and work for someone that treats you like crap.”
You are more than welcome to tell me my ideas suck any time. Would love the encouragement. :)
I enjoyed the video! The pace was slow, though. Is there a way to make the voices go a bit faster? The content was basic but presented in a fun way. I’d say do it again but not more than 1-2 times/month.
The video was okay but the voices were boring. I would have preferred to see you videotaping herslf and talking to the audience. To see the real Penelope is cool.
Cute gimmick, but please don’t do many of these. I can’t take the slow, monotone speech pattern. The video doesn’t add anything extra that your blogs don’t have. When I read your blogs, I actually hear your voice talking and that was lost with these. There’s actually a bunch of compliments in here, if you read closely…
I love this. Have you seen the bear ones “you should be on broadway/you should sing opera”?
I would rather sit through a video of you feeding your goats than have to be subjected to that nonsense. Stick to what you do best.
I agree. Being brutally honest, xtranormal vids have been done better by others, on other topics (deficit, lawyer, internet startup).
Stick with straight writing. So few are good at that.
even with a fast broadband connection, the video loads slowly and in fits and starts.
please do find a way to use your own great voice!
How about a mobile friendly version? Is it on iPhone/YouTube?
Ditto that. I can’t watch it. I’ll check out the next one if it’s mobile compatible.
A blog post on “hubris” might be nice…
I’m another one of those folks that rarely gets around to watching videos…because I have to do it at home at the end of the day…rather than text, which I can read anytime.
loved the dialog, just not the voices or the slow loading. please do more videos.
ROFL! That is hilarious and I love the mechanical sounding voices. That’s what makes it so funny! You might have just found your new career!