$25,000 Internet Video Winner

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Keith Eddy of Russellville had an unusually productive freshman year at the University of Arkansas. The computer science major earned a 4.0 grade point average for both semesters. He also spent about a month this winter making a video in his Yocum Hall dorm room for the online “New Numa Contest.”

He won the contest, beating out more than 300 entries from around the world, and he’s waiting to collect the $25,000 grand prize.

“The sponsor called me in May to tell me,” Eddy said. “I couldn’t breathe at first when he told me. I had thought I might be able to place in the top 3, but I wasn’t expecting first place.”

The New Numa Contest is part of a pop cultural phenomenon that is probably familiar to regular visitors to YouTube, but for everyone else, not so much. It started in late 2004 when Gary Brolsma sat in front of the webcam on his computer and lip-synched, with movement, to an obscure Romanian pop song. The “Numa Numa Dance” video made its way to the Internet where Brolsma joined “The Star Wars Kid” and “Angry German Kid” as unlikely Internet stars. By 2006 the video had collected a reported 14 million views, plus dozens of homage and parody videos. Brolsman returned in August 2006 with a “New Numa” video, a new song, an Internet sponsor, and a contest offering a total of $45,000 in prize money.

The contest rules were simple enough: take the “New Numa” song, create your own video, and post it to YouTube.

Keith Eddy and his friend William Topp, who lived down the hall from each other at Yocum, came across the contest last winter and decided to enter. They both knew and liked the original video. Keith had previously made his own stop-action animation videos “just for fun,” and William bears a striking resemblance to Gary Brolsma. They started working on their video in early February, shooting entirely in Keith’s room.

The video tells the story of what may happen when someone downloads the “New Numa” song. A faceless student (Keith, seen only from the shoulders down) starts the download onto his computer and then leaves his dorm room. The song, personified by William, takes control of the computer and brings various inanimate objects in the room to life. Together they start performing the “New Numa” song. There are a few false starts, some squabbles, creative differences and one major interruption, but the song prevails. The end result is funny, creative and technically impressive.

Keith spent about a month, off and on, working on the video. He shot it with a Sony home digital camera and edited on his computer, using Adobe Premier Pro software. He said his initial idea evolved while he was working on the video and new ideas came to him. The final cut runs 9 minutes 17 seconds, with the credits, just under the limit set by the contest rules.

One of the most difficult parts of making the video had to be listening to the “New Numa” song over and over. It’s both very catchy and very irritating.

“I don't really want to think about how many times I had to listen to that song,” Keith said. “When I was trying to come up with ideas I would always listen to it, and during editing I had to hear it to sync the video with the music, and then I'd hear it every time I'd watch someone else's movie. It did get kind of annoying, but I guess I've just heard it so many times that it doesn't bother me anymore.” 

All contest entries were posted on YouTube, and users voted for the best videos. The top 100 were reviewed by a panel of judges. There were 47 third place winners, one each for second and first place, and the grand prize, which went to Keith. He said his winning video had about 3,000 views the last time he checked, but the contest sponsors are trying to get it a featured spot on YouTube, which should lead to a dramatic increase in viewing. 

To see the winning videos, go to http://www.newnuma.com/contest/.

Meanwhile, Keith plans to share the prize, 75/25, with his leading man. Beyond that he said he hasn’t decided what to do with his winnings, except “probably buy a better camera.” He said he has thought about going to film school after getting his degree in computer science.

As for William Topp, the freshman from Little Rock says the video hasn’t changed his life — yet. He’s trying to decide between a business or marketing major, but he’s not considering an acting career — yet.