Traver Danielson is rarely without his trusty Kodak Zx1 pocketvideo camera. even at school.
That’s because the Corvallis High School sophomore is alwayslooking for new material to film for his “Random funny Videos”club. he founded the club at CHS in September. and since then,Danielson and about four regular members have produced about 24videos. all of them are less than three minutes long, oftenimprovised and packed with physical comedy.
Most of the videos focus on capturing peoples’ reactions duringstaged events. For example, one of Danielson’s recent projectsinvolved him presenting another CHS student with a “winning”lottery ticket. (Reaction: bemused, mild teen disgust, caught ontape.)
“Sometimes we come with a script but most of the time, we planon the fly,” Danielson said. “We want these to be random andquick-hitting.”
Sometimes the club members write scripts, such as when they arefilming commercials or movie spoofs, which are popular among clubmembers. Some of them just wrapped up filming a spoof of TheWolfman, a werewolf movie that opened in theaters last month.
Danielson said he came up with the idea of a video club duringhis study hall time at school because he has a knack for makingpeople laugh. he and the other club members meet after school twotimes a week to discuss new projects. The club tries to produceabout one video a week. Once they are done, the videos are uploadedonto the club’s YouTube page.
Senior Casey Schreiber, who acts in many of Danielson’s videos,said he joined the club because Danielson’s view of the world canmake even the most mundane topic hilarious.
“(He) and I had a class together last semester and one day, hejust started talking about mushroom soup. he kept going on and onabout it. It was so random but funny at the same time,” Schreibersaid.
Some titles to their offerings at www.youtube.com/trilleneum:“There is a person in my nose” and “You see some crazy people onthe bus.”
Danielson said he hopes that the club generates more than justlaughs. If enough people start visiting the club’s YouTube page, hewants to sell space on the site to advertisers. he intends CHS toreap any monetary benefits.
“The real reason I am doing this is to make money to give to theelective classes here,” Danielson said. “They could use the help; Idon’t want them to be cut.”
So far, there have been 738 views of the club’s YouTube page.That’s not exactly “viral,” but Danielson remains confident thathis comedy will find its audience. In fact, he already hasattracted the attention of producers the MTV network’s reality show“Made.” In January, a crew interviewed and filmed him for apossible episode. The hour-long show is about teens working towardan ambitious goal of quickly becoming athletes, rock stars, pageantcontestants or ace skateboarders. MTV provides an expert adult whoserves is part mentor, part drill sergeant working with the teen,usually toward some kind of competition in the activity of theirdreams.
Danielson’s dream? he is hoping to made into a stand-upcomedian. As of March 18, he wasn’t sure what his status was withthe show, though.
“I truly believe I have a unique outlook on things,” Danielsonsaid without hesitation. “I take life, and I make it funny.”