Random Encounters

Last updated
Random Encounters
RE Logo 2017 (HQ).png
The Random Encounters logo used on all channel/video branding as of 2014, consisting of a backwards R ligated to an E with a similar appearance to the Cyrillic letter Yae
Genre Musical
Created byAJ Pinkerton
Peter Srinivasan
StarringAJ Pinkerton
Nathan Morse
Gwendolyn Pinkerton
ComposerAJ Pinkerton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons11
No. of episodes150
Production
Running time2–6 minutes
Release
Original network YouTube
Original releaseJune 7, 2011 (2011-06-07) 
present

Random Encounters is an American musical web series co-created by AJ Pinkerton and Peter Srinivasan. The series' first official short, "Singachu: A Pikachu Song", premiered on YouTube on June 7, 2011. [1] Since launching, the series has partnered with Disney Digital Network, Maker Studios, and at one point with IGN Entertainment. [2] [3]

Contents

Each regular Random Encounters musical consists of an original song number (mostly performed by live costumed actors recreating scenes or starring as characters from a popular video game series, such as Super Mario Bros. , Pokémon or Five Nights at Freddy's ). The creators were first inspired to found the series in 2010, when their Sonic the Hedgehog musical parody won the grand prize in an international video competition hosted by Sega. [4]

Random Encounters has previously performed some of their songs live at events. [5] [6]

History

"Random Encounters" was initially conceived during a Sega-sponsored contest, for which Andrew John (AJ) Pinkerton co-developed the winning entry and his first video game parody song, "Needlemouse: The Musical". [7] The Needlemouse song was requested by Sega to be performed live at their 2011 Sonic Boom community event, where AJ Pinkerton and Peter Srinivasan first recognized the demand for their product and began development on a series of popular games such as musical numbers. [8]

Style

Random Encounters music videos are generally family-friendly and often written to be cleverly self-censored, such as utilizing creative alternatives to obscenities and disregarding the rhyming scheme abruptly to dodge profanity. Shorts based on mature content, such as Assassin's Creed, Five Nights at Freddy's and Dead Space, typically present light-hearted versions of the characters, rather than their colder in-game incarnations.

Musical styles for each short vary but often consist of bouncy rhythms and upbeat tempos. Some songs borrow heavily from other sources, such as Disney numbers or in-game themes. The series' derives much of its humor from each song's lyrics, which often refer to in-game events, pop culture or internet memes.

While most videos are performed with live-action setups, some songs feature 2D, 3D, and stopmotion animation.

Musicals

Games

April Fools videos

Beginning in 2015, Random Encounters has consistently made clickbait-style videos and uploaded them on April Fools Day pretending that they are new musicals or series installments; while most are not musical in nature, original music was written for:

Other

Primary actors

Former cast

  • Peter Srinivasan is Random Encounters' former digital effects editor, sound editor and mixer, and its second co-founder. He sang for or starred in many videos before 2018, notably playing The Neighbor in RE's Hello Neighbor musical. Peter created digital effects for the series and was the primary audio engineer for each song. During RE's February 2018 live stream, Peter announced that beginning in April he would be taking a three-month hiatus, in the interest of mental health and alternative creative endeavors. [11] He later announced that he would be officially stepping away from both Random Encounters and YouTube as a whole.
  • Miss Bird is a former RE cast member who was featured in numerous musicals between 2012 and 2017. Her most notable roles for the channel included Yandere-chan in RE's Yandere Simulator musical, Circus Baby in "FNaF: Blood and Tears" and Franziska von Karma in "Phoenix Wright: The Turnabout Encounter", in addition to both large and smaller roles in many other musicals. She left RE in late 2017.

Guest stars

Original characters

Corporate relationships

Sega

After "Needlemouse: The Musical" won top honors in their Sonic Birthday contest, Sega arranged to have the Random Encounters team perform an alternate version at Sonic Boom 2011, this time highlighting the Modern Sonic/Classic Sonic chemistry from Sonic Generations. [15] Nine months later, Random Encounters co-produced a musical game trailer for the fictitious title "Sega Bass Fishing of the Dead" as part of Sega's online April Fools' prank. [16] Sega approached the Random Encounters team a third time with the release of Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure, which became the focus of the first sponsored Encounter. [17]

In August 2012, the Random Encounters Facebook page confirmed their involvement with Sega on a Super Monkey Ball video. [18]

Sega collaborated yet again with Random Encounters on a musical promoting the Sonic Boom franchise when the channel uploaded a live-action musical in late 2014. [19]

Nintendo

In 2013, Random Encounters joined the Nintendo Ambassador program as part of the Wii U Challenge. Their first project as a brand ambassador, for the Challenge, was a musical promoting The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. [20]

In June 2014, Nintendo sent Random Encounters to E3, along with Black Nerd Comedy, Lamarr Wilson, and Smosh Games. [21] To help promote Nintendo's titles, Random Encounters produced a short musical starring Wario, which included a surprise Charles Martinet cameo at the end.

Nintendo teamed with RE again in 2015 for the launch of their new franchise, Splatoon, by helping host a multi-cam let's play tournament [22] and inviting AJ to compete at their Mess Fest obstacle course promoting the game on the Santa Monica Pier. [23]

For the launch of 2018's Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Nintendo recruited Random Encounters (as well as Ryan Higa, Matthew Santoro, Kandee Johnson, Devinsupertramp, Feast of Fiction, and ESAM) to promote individual fighters from the game. [24] Random Encounters chose to highlight the Inkling character from Splatoon with a musical number titled, "If I Was an Inkling."

Disney XD

In August 2015, Variety.com posted an online article linking Random Encounters to a Disney XD initiative labeled "Disney XD by Maker." The crossover will reportedly seek to "find and develop video concepts for distribution on YouTube, as well as potentially DisneyXD.com and the Watch Disney XD app. It was later reported by Random Encounters that Disney XD by Maker would be funding Resident Enis 2: Monster Gulch, which was released early February 2016" [25]

Joey Drew Studios

After releasing their Bendy and the Ink Machine musical, Random Encounters was approached by The Meatly with a request to include their song in Chapter 3 of the game. Players can uncover the song from a hidden radio. [26]

NIS America

In May 2022, Nippon Ichi Software America offered Random Encounters a paid opportunity to create a music video promoting the release of Disgaea 6 Complete at the end of June. [27] NIS approved a script in June with minimal changes and featured the completed musical on their social media accounts. [28]

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