When I speak at conventions and consult with people about their web videos I often talk about spectacle, story and emotions being the ingredients of viral videos and people are sometimes confused by what I mean when I say “spectacle.”

Spectacle can be just about anything that visually grabs your attention. Think about the plastic bag in the Sam Mendes directed feature film American Beauty or the young cheerleader on the bed of rose peddles in the same film played by Thora Birch or the cheerleader dance scene choreographed by Cindy Montoya in the same movie. All of those images are spectacle and they are spectacles that move emotions.

When you are writing and designing your web videos think about what emotions you can move within the context of what you are creating and try to move as many of them as you can.

Take for example the above footage of Eyjafjallajökull the erupting Icelandic volcano by Sean Stiegemeier. Alone it’s breathtaking. Add ethereal music and you move more emotions. Show it to someone who missed their flight and lost money because of travel delays and you are dealing with a whole other set of emotions.