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Studio Systems · Episode 8 · 0:56

How to go viral (according to the internet).

Eight rules for viral short-form video, acted out in a TV studio: the one-second hook, animals, near misses, oddly satisfying shots, trends, glow-ups, ending bigger, and the loop.

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Key takeaways

  • Hook viewers in the first second, or less.
  • Animals, near misses, oddly satisfying moments, trends and glow-ups are the formats that keep winning.
  • Always end bigger than you started.
  • Under the jokes the real formula is simple: hook them, make them feel something, keep it short, post consistently.
  • Make it loop so people watch it again.

Chapters

  • 0:00Rule 1: You have one second
  • 0:04Rule 2: Animals win
  • 0:12Rule 3: The near miss
  • 0:18Rule 4: Oddly satisfying
  • 0:24Rule 5: Jump on the trend
  • 0:29Rule 6: Show the glow up
  • 0:34Rule 7: End bigger
  • 0:38The real formula
Read the full transcript

Rule one of going viral. You have one second, maybe less. Rule two, animals beat everything. You spent 40 grand on cameras. The cat got the views. Rule three, everybody loves a near miss. Also, tape down your cables. Rule four, oddly satisfying. Every audio tech watching just felt that. Rule five, jump on the trend fast. Dignity is optional. Rule six, show the glow up. Before, after, done. Rule seven, always end bigger than you started.

Under the jokes, the real formula is simple. Hook them in the first second. Make them feel something. Keep it short. Post consistently. And rule eight. Make it loop so they watch it again and again and

About the host

Tom "Lucky" McNulty is a broadcast technical director and studio engineer with 20+ years building and running studios, control rooms and live shows: Big Brother and Hell's Kitchen, studio services at Bunim/Murray Productions, Apple launch productions, and festival VJ and IMAG work including Daft Punk's 2006 Coachella set. Studio consulting · Portfolio

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