I wanted to marry Vine immediately and run off into the sunset. This week in our series of interviews with professional Vine creators, we talk to Viner and musical comedian Nicholas Megalis about improvised Vines, committing to an idea, and, most importantly, how to #singwhatyousee.
Nicholas Megalis is a musician, artist and, most recently, Viner based in NYC. With followers on Seenive, Twitter and Facebook, he has 2.4 million people viewing his comedic Vines. In this interview, we asked him about his road to becoming one of the most recognizable and beloved Viners out there:
Tribeca: Youve been a musician for many years now and have come up with some very poignant lyrics ("Maybe youll realize life is short and love is shorter", from "Pillow Talk Forever" is one of my favorites.) And youve also racked up over 2 million Vine followers from being unabashedly goofy and coming up with hilarious raps. How did you transition into being one of the most beloved comics on Vine?
Nicholas Megalis: I laugh all day long, usually Im not even sure what Im laughing about. I wanted to make people laugh and make them think. Vine came along and I fell in love. Deeply in love. I wanted to marry Vine immediately and run off into the sunset. I dont know how I transitioned. I just like experimenting with video and sound and Vine was an instant obsession. It felt right. Even as I am answering this question, I am watching Vines. Just kidding. Or am I?
Tribeca: How much planning goes into a Vine? Or do you try to film a song the moment you have an idea? (basically, whats your process like?)
NM: I sometimes will be in a restaurant and will see a guy wearing an amazing scarf and I will stop eating immediately. I will put my fork down and just start filming and singing about him. I wont even chew my food because I am so compelled to sing. It sometimes is that instant. Other times I will be sitting in my apartment for four hours trying to attach forks to a "fork helmet".
I thought that I was probably borderline psychotic for walking around and singing stuff about people and small dogs.
Vine is such a weird experiment. I literally have no idea what will happen tomorrow. I just hope I dont get abducted by aliens or hit by a skateboarder.
Tribeca: For the Vines you film in real life (like when you sing to cashiers or try to strike up conversations about flowers with strangers), do you have to explain what Vine is after the fact or do you just let the interaction run its course?
There is no other you. So do what you do.
NM: I stood with an elderly woman for a half hour one time trying to explain Vine and finally she said, "You want to put this video on your computer?" She didnt understand that it was an app. So I said "Yes! Exactly. I want to put this video on my computer, so other people can see it on their computers and enjoy it!" And she smiled and grabbed my shoulder and said, "Thats amazing!" She laughed and walked away. It was so epic.
Tribeca: You started the #singwhatyousee trend on Vine. How did this come about, and did you expect the amount of responses you got?
NM: For a long time, I thought that I was probably borderline psychotic for walking around and singing stuff about people and small dogs. But when Viners started to do #singwhatyousee Vines, I freaked out! I am so happy to know that there are freaks out there who are compelled to sing about old people and baby carrots.
Tribeca: What Viners/artists inspire you the most? Which collaborations with other Vine artists were your favorites?
NM: I am inspired by anybody who does something unique and special and magical. There is no other you. So do what you do. Do what you do all day long and dont stop. Dont sleep!
Tribeca: If you could change one thing about Vine, what would it be?
NM: I would have a randomizer button. You click the button and it introduces you to somebody youve never heard of. Its just a shuffle for the weirdness of the Vine world.
Tribeca: Have you or do you plan to film anything on Instagram Video, now that its an option?
NM: I do Instagram videos daily now. Its a totally different platform. Its longer, the videos dont loop. Its a different world. I found a single dirty sock in a rain puddle the other day, which isnt abnormal for NYC, and I filmed it for Instagram. I wanted to try it on, it looked about my size, but I didnt want my foot to fall off from the six hundred and seventy diseases the sock carried. Maybe Ill go back and try it on if its still there, Im thinking about it.
Tribeca: What is one piece of advice you'd give to beginner Viners?
NM: Make sure you call off work for the next four months because youre going to be full-blown addicted to Vine within seconds.
Julia Pugachevsky is Tribecas Vine Correspondent (among other things). Check out her round up of the Weeks Best Vines every Friday morning on TribecaFilm.com, and come back next Wednesday for another interview with an expert Vine user (and see last weeks, with Brittany Furlan).
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
08/05/2024
zweiB updates to latest version of R&S CLIPSTER Specialist in deliverables for cinema, events and trade shows
Rohde & Schwarz, a global leader in broadcast...
07/05/2024
NAB Show 2024
Utah Scientific rocked the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas, unveiling two new game-changers in video signal management.
Our primary focus this yea...
07/05/2024
7th May 2024 The nations favourite comedy channel Gold has teamed up with the ma...
07/05/2024
There's something special about summer. We're not sure whether it's the warmer weather, the longer days, or something else a bit more magical, but s...
07/05/2024
NITV appoints Michael Rennie as Presenter and Senior Producer for NITV News
Media releases
NITV has announced the appointment of Michael Rennie as Presenter...
07/05/2024
The ability for line-of-site tactical voice and data networks to seamlessly traverse over Satellite Communications is an emerging requirement to assure warfight...
07/05/2024
On April 5, 2024, the L3Harris Avionics Products Repair Station (NN2R037L) in Gr...
07/05/2024
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
07/05/2024
Share this article
width=32 height=32 loading=lazy data-lazy-src=https://apogeedigital.com/app/themes/juniper-theme/src/img/icons/facebook-purple.svg />
wid...
07/05/2024
BURBANK, Calif. The Walt Disney Company has finally delivered some from profits from its hefty streaming investments, with the second quarter of its fiscal year...
07/05/2024
Bonnie Hammer, vice chair of NBCUniversal, and Jen Psaki, MSNBC host, read from their new books at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan Wednesday, May 8. Hammer's...
07/05/2024
Paramount Plus has ordered the series Crutch, a comedy that is a spinoff of CBS comedy The Neighborhood. Tracy Morgan stars....
07/05/2024
Edward J. and Melody Thomas Scott and Lidia Bastianich will receive Lifetime Achievement honors at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards in June, the National Aca...
07/05/2024
The 2024 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony happens in New York November 12, and the honorees are Al Roker, weather and featu...
07/05/2024
Dabl Network has added The Wayans Bros., The Jamie Foxx Show, Living Single and Everybody Hates Chris to its weekday and weekend lineups. Those shows join the l...
07/05/2024
After winning a proxy fight, The Walt Disney Co. said its entertainment business turned a profit and added subscribers in its fiscal second quarter....
07/05/2024
NBA Entertainment is closing out the second season of its series Pass the Rock with a look at Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, the league's rooki...
07/05/2024
Syncbak, which provides stations with streaming capabilities, said it is rebranding as Zeam Media....
07/05/2024
Samsung has made a deal with Magnolia Pictures that will bring titles from Magnolia to the Samsung TV Plus free streaming platform....
07/05/2024
Amazon, which has added commercials to Amazon Prime Video, is rolling out new interactive ad formats that will enable advertisers to engage streamers and sell s...
07/05/2024
Syncbak, a 15 year-old provider of streaming tech for local broadcast stations has rebranded itself, adopting the name of its streaming service launched in Febr...
07/05/2024
POST Luxembourgs journey with TAG Video underscores how finding a vendor who und...
07/05/2024
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. New findings from Hub Entertainment Research provides extensive data showing that the majority of consumers will opt for lower cost ad-supporte...
07/05/2024
NEW YORK The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) has announced th...
07/05/2024
CBS News has named Lindsey Reiser an anchor and correspondent for CBS News 24/7, the network's live, streaming news service. Reiser, who was most recently a...
07/05/2024
NEEDHAM, Mass. After more than two years of decline, worldwide tablet shipments posted modest year-over-year growth of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24),...
07/05/2024
ESPN is reporting that April was a record-setting month as the network delivered its best April prime time audience on record, dating back more than 30 years....
07/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced that Kirsten Donaldson has joined NAB as vice president of public policy. Donaldso...
07/05/2024
The Bulls are back home again this week from May 7-12! Don't miss out on any...
07/05/2024
SVG Sit-Down: AWS's Julie Souza on the Cloud and AI in Broadcast-Content Cre...
07/05/2024
Deloitte Analysts Peter Giorgio and Michael Vovk: Sports Properties Need To Reth...
07/05/2024
University of Texas' Jeff Hanel to Keynote 16th-Annual SVG College Summit Industry vet to discuss uniting live and creative in athletic department media arm...
07/05/2024
Premier League trials RefCam during Crystal Palace v Manchester United fixture By George Bevir
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - 09:34
Print This Story
In a Premier ...
07/05/2024
CBS Sports Previews PGA Championship Plans; 125+ Cameras Include FlyCams, Bunker...
07/05/2024
Rohde & Schwarz brings cutting-edge solutions to TECNOSEC and DRONExpo 2024 Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its innovative portfolio at TECNOSEC and DRONExpo 20...
07/05/2024
Back to All News
Five New Games Join Netflix in May
Netflix Staff
Entertainment
07 May 2024
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Five new games are launching ...
07/05/2024
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of Apr. 29: Baby Reindeer' Holds Strong; Hee...
07/05/2024
Home News & Press Blancco Wins 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Award
Blancco Wins 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Award May 07, 2024
Blancco's v...
07/05/2024
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today unveiled the all-new Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for Mac 11, delivering breakthrough professional experiences for songw...
07/05/2024
Apple's new Privacy Manifest requirement mandates that apps explicitly disclose the privacy-related data they collect, the purposes for this collection, and...
07/05/2024
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour arrives to shake up EuropeHaving shaken four continents, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour finally brings the biggest pop culture icon o...
07/05/2024
Isiphetho: Destiny' beats Scandal!'E.tv's latest telenovela Isiphetho: Destiny' beat the channel's longest running soapie, Scandal!' ...
07/05/2024
Now there's HELP for ex-prisoners to find work in South AfricaNew initiative for ex-prisoners to find work in South Africa proves it's never too late fo...
07/05/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Cohen is pulled into keeping a secretDon't miss Tuesday, 7 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! on e.tv on DStv c...
07/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Monday's episode, 6 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soapie...
06/05/2024
By Ilyse McKimmie
Now, more than ever
That's a phrase so often used in the last few years that I've come to dread seeing it in notes like this one. A...
06/05/2024
alt= class=wp-image-12099 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Blog-Exabyte-Storage-Demand-960x540-1.jpg/> Demand for storage solutions has reached unprece...
I wanted to marry Vine immediately and run off into the sunset. This week in our series of interviews with professional Vine creators, we talk to Viner and musical comedian Nicholas Megalis about improvised Vines, committing to an idea, and, most importantly, how to #singwhatyousee. 
