Adding on to the list of the many types of social media that influence our generation is Vine. The app that was released on Jan. 24, 2013 is slowly becoming not only a type of entertainment but a source of income for popular Viners. These six second clips feature a type of impulse comedy many teenagers thrive off of.
“I wanted to try it because everyone else started watching them,” senior Josh Magee said.
Bellevue West High School is filled with Viners of many sorts. There’s the hard-core Viners who go out of their way to ‘do it for the vine’ as they say, the ones who use it to document their lives on video and the people who barely vine themselves but spend countless hours watching others.
“I don’t make vines so I got it just to watch funny ones,” senior Billy Sherman said.
Like any kind of social media, Vine was adopted as a way of communication and for people to show off unknown talents.
“Vine has influenced our society because of the saying ‘do it for the vine’ and people try to jump over cars and end up getting hit by a car,” Sherman said.
Many vines that are created are less intense.
“I don’t really make funny ones that I’m doing I just vine stuff that I’m doing, like going on a hayrack ride with my family. It’s just a good way to document stuff you do,” junior Kimberly Gau said.
All it takes for this popular app is pushing a finger down on the screen to record. When one’s finger leaves the screen, it stops recording. Six seconds is all it takes to capture the moment–or various moments–and complete a strung together video.
Magee makes vines occasionally- “[I make them] about how most restaurants can’t do their job right,” Magee said.
Vines vary from pranks, puns and one-liners, documentations, dancing, singing and anything imaginable. Regular Viners have their favorites when it comes to the site.
“John Paul, Jack in Jack,” Gau proceeded to scream, “Jack and Jack! Oh I love Jack and Jack.”
The main reason there is so many famous Viners is that those who use Vine follow them and continue to watch their vines. Sherman also has his favorites such as King Bash and Alpha Cat.
When a certain person has an unusual amount of followers, corporations like Nike, Virgin Mobile and Mazda hire Viners to represent their company to their followers. With the endless amount of dedicated followers, Vine is a gold mine for companies eager to expand awareness for them.
Others aren’t concerned with the fame and the sponsors and just do it for the fun of it.
“Honestly it doesn’t matter how many people follow me. If they follow me they follow me,” Magee said.
According to an article released by Fox Small Business Center, Megan Cignoli is a fashion photographer who was hired by multiple brands to promote their fashion lines is making quite the income solely because of Vine.
Vines, being a source of social media, seeps into other social media sites as well. Technology users can follow “Best Vines” on twitter. Facebook also has a page regarding the app.
The 21st century has adapted to the Internet and all it has to offer. From the database came social media sites people across the globe can share their thoughts and creativity. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Vine are shaping generations. It’s a way for teens everywhere to share connect with their peers and gives an opportunity to release the creativity this generation has to offer.
Katie Allen and Bekah Hayes
Reporters
