It’s pretty clear that The Book Man caused an internet frenzy over the weekend.
And it’s about them books.
Staff at the downtown new and used book shop produced a glitzy parody video of Megan Trainor’s upbeat track All About That Bass. It’s a fully choreographed, cheekily-penned ode to traditional books that pans the e-readers like Kindle, and features local actors, singers and dancers.
Almost from the moment they loaded the finished product to Youtube last Monday, it was an internet hit. Just one week later, All About Them Books (No Kindle) had received 153,234 views and 6,258 shares on Facebook. Actual Youtube views had toppled 50,000, and several news outlets were calling Book Man staffer and video producer Emily Hamel-Brisson.
“I’m really surprised,” Hamel-Brisson said. “I knew it was something cool and that we hadn’t done before, and I knew people would be into it, but I had no idea it would be like this.”
She describes the video as a “lighthearted take on loving books over e-readers.”
It features local dancers, Book Man employees, customers, and if you watch closely, even The Book Man himself. Hamel-Brisson wrote the lyrics, and the video was filmed and edited by Matthew Hawkins, and choreographed by Pauline Dynowski. Featured dancers are Hamel-Brisson, Hanna Hotanen, Pauline Dynowski, Amber Bergeron, Katrina Barson, Elizabeth Faith Monaghan, and Sheri Eyre.
Hamel-Brisson recorded the song in her office, with the help of vocalists Hanna Hotanen, Pauline Dynowski, Katrina Barson, Elizabeth Faith Monaghan, and Brittany Waslen.
While it’s been fun to get the attention for the video, she said, the great thing is that they’re driving more web visitors to discover the love of reading.
They’ve already got a bit of a presence on Youtube, and are working on a few web series that feature staff book reviews and other topics. Those videos are also filmed by Hawkins.
Last Monday they had a mere 15 subscribers on their Youtube channel. Now it’s up to 42 and growing fast. The video has been added to Ellen Degeneres’ Ellen Nation fan page, and been featured in national newspapers and on Global.
The Book Man joins a long list of Youtubers who have played around with Trainor’s campy pop song.
“It’s so catchy,” Hamel-Brisson said. “It’s just a combination of bright, fun and funky, and a little bit tongue in cheek.”
For the record, Hamel-Brisson added that while she’s not a fan of e-readers, reading is reading.
“But we’re a book store,” she said.