A Reference Guide to CollegeHumor's Web Site Story

Broadway meets the Internet in CollegeHumor's recent viral video hit, Web Site Story, a five minute musical, jam-packed with references to some of the Web's most popular (or loathed) services. Meet a modern version of Tony and Maria, sweethearts who hook up on Facebook, tweet about their "deets," use a secret seducing weapon known as Pandora, and complain about E-vite's click-through ads. Hulu, Transporter 3 (?!), FriendFeed and eHarmony are also name dropped.

In a blog post, writer and director of the video, Sam Reich, wrote that his work is a "tribute to my three big loves: film, theater, and the internet."

"The opening Google Maps shots are analogous with the rooftop shots that open the “West Side Story” movie. "'The Skateboard Escape' from Back to the Future is actually on Hulu.  eHarmony recently opened up a sister site for gays called Compatible Partners, but still refuses to accept gays into eHarmony because of its Christian backing.

The music was done by Carl Sondrol, who had legit trumpeters visit his Chicago recording studio, while the singing was recorded here in New York by Morgan Whirledge.  In most cases, it’s the actual actors doing the singing.

All the interiors were shot in studio and all the exteriors on very cold rooftops in Williamsburg.  ”The Net Song” was done using a rotating platform that Vince and our PM Bennett thought of day-of.  ”Twitter” and “Pandora” were choreographed by Celia Rowlson-Hall.  

The last scene, “Evite,” was shot until 6am.  We used a scissor lift to get those epic crane shots.  Around 4am, Bennett said “I wanted to go home, but then I saw the shot, and now I don’t care how long we’re here.”

More please!