03 - The Double Kill

With the template and concept of the show already sorted out Epic Meal Time (EMT) is now free to deal with more thematic elements. This third episode pushes idea on the possibilities of an epic meal. To this point, their creations have been semi-homemade, however they now go full-force into creating the entire food themselves. Not only that but they choose to dominate a fast food creation that some would already declare “epic”.

Format

With a conducive format already set up by the second episode, this one followed the same sequence for the show. For the most part, the Introduction phase and the ingredient list phase are merged together, creating a more streamlined viewing and also decreasing the duration of the entire episode. In the course of three episodes, the time frame had gone from almost 3 minutes to 1 and a half minutes. The slimmer time frame led to more information-pertinent cooking and usage of only the best of each shot. Another potential benefit could be the ease of viewing for newcomers who, perhaps, did not want to spend three minutes on their first visit.

An additional technique to note about the editing is that each phase is divided by additional and often humorous comments by Harley.

The Food

“Who's the Colonel now? Us.”

This quote sums up the cooking decision of this episode. Previously the foods had been a combination of fast food items using a few cooking techniques, this foray, on the other hand, is almost completely homemade.

The Double Down is a bread-less chicken sandwich that KFC started selling early 2010. It was massively blogged about as being a tremendous hazard to the health of the public. EMT, on the other had, chose to go the less traveled route and declare it “an overrated little, b***h!”. What they created was an item far exceeding the double down in all possible ways.

Originally, the Double Down consisted of chicken, bacon and cheese. The Double Kill, in addition to the previous items, includes burgers, mac & cheese, onion rings and buns. The additional items seem to fulfill further expectations of that a vertical sandwich could become. Buns serve an ironic role as they are present, yet not used on top or below the sandwich.

Characters

In this episode we are introduced to the bold version of Harley Morenstein. Through the course of this episode Harley makes no statement that could be construed as apologetic. Each statement is decisive and screams confidence in both the food and the shows concept. Another new aspect of Harley in this episode is the glazed-eyes expression that Harley uses. This expression can almost certainly be paired up with some of Harleys most impressive improvised statements in the show.

We are also introduced to Tyler Lemco. Tyler is a hip-hop musician and prominent character in the EMT show. He and Ameer both don black t-shirts and perform the feast. Sadly, this episode is void of Alex Perrault (Muscles Glasses). Perhaps at this time, he had not become an essential aspect of EMT, but he would soon return.

Creativity and Humor

Alcohol has always been a shadow in the corners of each EMT episode, but in this episode it is directly brought to the conscious as Harley states “Yeah! We got drunk again!” in a matter-of-fact manner. Harley then commences to give some of his most well delivered humorous phrases during each phase transition.

This episode, like the previous, retain the dialogue during feasting. We soon see that Tyler is also capable of humorous commentary along with Ameers “I want it all in my mouth at once.”

Visuals

This episode features better set design than before. The angle, painting in the background, composition and lighting show the furthered progress in visuals the show is taking. This improvement bleeds unto the table display as we see each item in a clean table spread contrasted by colorful napkins, potted plants and an abstract painting. Costuming is also better. This is the second episode that Harley dons a hoodie of sorts. The loud yellow and green colors tops of his contrast from the solid black t-shirts of Tyler and Ameer as they exude a serious aura.

Much attention is paid to the detail shots of the cooking and eating phases. One very interesting shot shows the best detail of the Double Kill while artistically using depth of field. The feasting shots are surprisingly able to strike a balance that prevents them from becoming gross while also showing them actually eating the food. Another thing to note is that some of the shots are given dramatic flare such as the one at 1:20 when the camera moves into a close up at the very moment Tyler takes a bite. This is one of the few ways they give grandeur to the shots.

Sound

The music of EMT was truly made part of the video in this episode. The spots in which it is used are precise and very evocative of an epic. Even more impressive, is the beautiful choreography between the music and the images during the preparation phase. An example is the early stage of the feast as the music plays subdued by the narrative and peaks into the feasting stage proper. The song might not have been made for this particular episode but they made them match better than one could wish.

Summary

EMT has, to this point, been all about fast food. However this episode shows the domination of fast food and essentially warps the way we view unhealthy food. The items sold at fast food restaurants are generally declared unhealthy and fattening. However they pale in comparison to the capabilities of a determined chef. In essence, one who can cook for themselves can dominate anything made for public consumption. A chef is free to test the limits of taste combinations on his own and will not have to consult food regulations like the food service industry must.

Most children would opt for a MacDonald Hamburger, before they considered a homemade one. This has more to do with perception and miscellaneous feelings towards the fast food company as opposed to the value of the product itself. On the other hand, most adults choose fast food either because they are unable/unwilling to create the dish themselves. EMT falls in their own category.

EMT use fast food when they wish to conjure the emotions attached to the restaurants. That is the truth. Their goal far surpasses the constrictions of what is already made and pushes forth to the unknown where the crafting must be manual in order to truly derive the control they need.

Memorable Phrases

• “Yeah! We got drunk again.” - Harley

• “What's the Double Down? The manly sandwich on a fast food menu or nothing but an overrated b***h?” - Harley

• “...cheese, buns, ketchup, rum, friends, and we're going to do it proper this time.” - Harley

• “Who's the Colonel now? Us.” - Harley

• “That Bite just hurt my jaw.” - Tyler

• “I want it all in my mouth at once.” - Ameer

Additional Information

• This episode features the first glazed-look Harley and consequently the first improvised rhyming.

• This episode censors the word “b***h”. A practice that would be abandoned in future episodes.

• This is the first episode not to utilize fast food items in the final product.

• In this episode, Harley has long grown hair and a almost-full beard.

  

02 - The Angry French Canadian

Once reviewed at a knowing distance, the second Epic Mealtime (EMT) entry is a vast improvement over the first episode. In the first EMT episode, we got a sense of discovery which is most likely the same process that the EMT crew felt as they drove back home with their various fast food orders. This episode, on the other hand, is almost completely draped in professionalism while serving as a declaration of their origin.

Format

The format of this episode is similar to the first except they introduced one of their most well-conceived tradition...

The words “The Angry French Canadian” over a black slug, has become a staple with all EMT episodes. The additional subtext--”the greasiest sandwich in Canada”, has also been a vital source for continued humor when titling an episode.

In this episode, there is no specific gathering phase. It simply begin with an ingredient listing, with a short clip of the restaurant cook plating the poutine. At this point the production values we're probably quite average so their shopping at a store would most likely not be as extravagant as it would later prove to be.

Another aspect of EMT that was solidified in this episode is the ending tradition of “Next time, we eat...”. This, while not revolutionary, signifies a sense of forward thinking. Forward thinking in the idea that there will be a “next time” but also by virtue of being a tag-line that would serve as a sticky message for the audience.

The Food

Cooking during Fast-food Pizza was merely melting cheese in the oven. This was a pure-minded approach to the original ideal of EMT. EMT is, at it's core, people who wish to combine the best features of pre-existing food products together to create a sensation-combination like never before. The fast food pizza is literally a combination of their favorite fast food items, amalgamated using cheese which, in turn, is another loved food product.

In this episode they use the same approach except instead of using the canvas of a pizza, they chose to use that of the sandwich. Not only that but this sandwich also would serve as a self portrait of where the creators are from, Canada. The french-toasted baguettes, steamés, poutines, and maple syrup are extremely flamboyant signals of a French-Canadian influence.

An important point to note is the gentle involvement of bacon. At this point, bacon had not been glorified as the dominant force in EMT's process yet it had been evident even in the Fast-food Pizza. One package of bacon was used yet Perrault made it a point to stack additional strips in his sandwich and also mentioned a comment on bacon during the feasting phase.

Characters

In this episode, Harley Morenstein graces the audience with a taste of his true potential as a host. Through this entire episode he speaks with determination and precision. He lets out no “uhs or “ums” as he delivers his sharp, yet natural dialog. Furthermore, Harley seems to have taken a more overlord-esque approach to his host position and performs a smaller role in the feasting process. During this second episode we get a sense that Harley is worried about the health-related ramifications when he mentions the implications of the poutine container and when he say's “you're both going to die at the end of this sandwich.”

Alex Perrault, retains the same look from the initial EMT video. He dons the same gray T-shirt and shades. Whether or not this was the moment where he got his title, Muscles Glasses, is unknown but it would seem that Perrault had already began to conceive of himself as a character with a standard costume. This worked in his favor as he did become the mascot of EMT. This, could not have been planned better as Perrault serves as both a mascot and as the symbol of the EMT concept.

Introduced to EMT in this episode is Ameer Atari, also known as Prince Atari. He is a friend of the show and previously worked on a YouTube series called The Game Haters. In this episode not much is said of Ameer but he does provide visual comfort as an additional member of the feast phase.

Creativity and Humor

After one single episode, EMT showed great progress in their humor and creativity department. Right off the bat, Harley begins the show with a dramatic turn towards the camera and a defiant statement to the audience. The strength in this scene alone dominates the viewer and instantly elevates the show to a level above the amateurism of their first foray.

In this episode Harley has additional hilariously direct commentary while listing the ingredients, especially when mentioning the poutine and finishes off with a shining monologue on the origins of the maple syrup.

At this point, the EMT crew had become aware of the potential hilarity that comes from organic conversation before and during the feasting phase. This episode had some very funny dialogue such as the phrase “I just tasted bacon for the first time”.

Visuals

Sterling Toth, the cinematographer, upped his technique on this second episode of EMT. At this point he had made a wise decision to have the camera be hand held as it adds a dramatic tension to the scenes. An important development in Toth's technique is his use of more interesting angles and framing of both the characters and the food. One of the more beautiful shots is the in-restaurant shot of the poutine plating. Although the last episode showed that Toth had a knack for b-roll, the show was made better due to him making his compositions more interesting.

The first EMT episode was shot outside during the daytime yet it was dominated by a cooler light. This was most likely due to the automatic exposure of the camera. In this episode, Toth utilizes manual white balance and color corrects most of the footage to have a warm look to it. Combined with the ample lighting used, this episode set a color scheme that would uniformly remain in future EMT episodes.

The editing process for this video was very concise and to the point. More so than the first episode. The beauty about this is that there was a lot of footage caught that was interesting and relevant thus lengthening the audiences captivation during the cooking and feasting phases.

Sound

Once again, we are treated to proper sound composition and design. From the “doom” effect during the title block, to the strategic placement of the music. The dialog in this episode had no background noise, and the vocals were crisp and well edited together. It should be noted that this is the first occurrence of the bird sound used for censorship.

In this episode, we are introduced to the most commonly utilized arrangement of the EMT theme song. The previous episode had a different arrangement that was less appealing than the one used in this video. In addition, the editing of the footage was beautifully choreographed to go with the music. In doing this both had attained synchronicity and set a rhythm that kept the audience enthralled in the video. This is a fantastic technique for any editor to have and works extremely well for EMT.

Summary

This episode took the raw doe that was EMT episode 1 and baked it into this slick and finely produced creation that strikes directly at the heart of those watching. There was a simultaneous improvement in every facet of the show and solidification of various traditions that would remain in episodes to come. The creators of EMT could not have wished for a better second step forward than this and one can only watch, in awe, all the factors that aligned to create EMT.

Memorable Phrases

• “Whenever you get anything in a silver take-out tray, you're a fat s**t.” - Harley, commenting on the poutine container.

• “This syrup is coming straight from tit of the mother maple tree in Quebec; we drained it of all of her tit syrup.” - Harley's Monologue on the Maple Syrup used.

• “I work at a shipping facility.”
  “I work out a lot.” Atari and Perrault, while estimating the weight of a sandwich.

• “I just tasted bacon for the first time” - Alex, while eating the sandwich.

Additional Information

• This was the first instance of the “Next time, we eat...” tradition.

• In this episode, Harley dons a medium-cut hair and a five o'clock shadow.

  

01 - Fast Food Pizza

“On July 9, 2010 two men created a pizza more disgusting than we ever thought possible in an attempt to take their tastebuds on an incredible journey” -Epic Meal Time

Those words, imposed over an image of space, are the first frames of Epic Meal Time (EMT). In these words we get an understanding of the original concept of these projects. Two men, Harley Morenstein and Alex Perrault, attempt something remarkable. They describe their creation as “disgusting” which is a far cry from the confidence that would be developed in their future works. It should be noted that three years before the first EMT release, a video of Morenstein was uploaded in which he consumed a Wendy's Triple Baconator to the tune of the Terminator theme. The response to that video most likely drew attention to the possibility of a market for extreme eating videos but to actually create a YouTube channel dedicated to something like that would cause anyone to reconsider. Luckily, their reluctance does not appear in the footage itself. Instead what they create is the groundwork for various tropes, segments and editing techniques to be build on in future episodes.

Format

The video begins with a drive-through sequence at Taco Bell, McDonald's, Wendy's and A&W. In essence this is similar to the ingredient gathering process in other cooking programs, whether it's Jamie Oliver talking to a butcher or Rachel Ray's ever dangerous ingredient stacking.

The ingredient listing was solid and efficient. The calorie counter is probably one of the more successful aspects of the show. The text choice, animation and sound effect stick with the audience and adds a sense of uniformity to each EMT project.

The average time of all 36 EMT episodes (October 17^th 2010 – July 5^th 2011) is 3 minutes and 48 seconds. This episode comes in 52 seconds less than the average. 43 seconds were spent on the gathering of ingredients, 23 seconds on ingredient list, 14 seconds spent on cooking and 1 minute 16 seconds spent on feasting.

What this means is that a majority of the video run time is the feasting footage. It appears that the importance of actually eating the food is one the EMT team took seriously. In truth it serves as a sign of integrity. It fights against the idea that EMT creates food that they would not actually eat and this dedication brings more credibility to their work. Such realism and earthly grounding juxtaposed against food creations of epic proportions causes an experience that previously had no proper place.

The Food

Fast food pizza is quite self explanatory. You take various fast food items, place them on a pizza, then unite them with melted cheese. There may not be much complexity in this food but the concept is sound. In a small way, every future creation of theirs stems from elements in this dish. Something else to note is the presence of Heineken. While it's no Jack Daniels, the green Heineken bottles acknowledge the existence of alcohol in the EMT psyche.

Characters

In this very first video we meet EMT co-creator, Harley. We also meet Alex, who would later become known as Muscles Glasses. Harley, being the host, is the most audible character. He speaks respectfully to the restaurant staff which is quite different from the boldness his character would develop in time. We do, however, also get a sense of his party nature when he delivers his hyped up cheer: “Gonna hook up some Big Mac, Baby. That Big Mac Baby!”. Much of Haley's personality can be insinuated in this episode when (a) he begins his Wendy's order with “It's me. I want the Baconator again” which means he has been frequenting the restaurant and (b) he provides proof of his fast food expertise by declaring the A&W onion rings as “...the most underrated fast food item there is out there.”

Alex on the other hand is mostly quiet for the pre-feasting parts of the video but makes his true character debut during the feast as he stacks rogue onion rings on his pizza and declares the completeness of his pizza slice. In the end, Alex raises his arms up in the pose of victory. His claim to victory is very appropriate as Alex soon goes forth to become the most aggressive and consequently the most interesting personality during the feasting phase of future videos.

Creativity and Humor

By virtue of their work with food, EMT is naturally creative. However they are also making creative leaps in their filmmaking process, narrative and character development. The most obvious creative leaps come from Harleys monologues. This episode is very light on the humor, but over the course of 5 episodes, Harleys narrative had developed profound humor, creativity, and organic delivery. His advancement in the area is one of the most important detail in EMT. To recreate EMT without Harleys attitude, vocal characteristics and word play would most likely be futile.

Visuals

EMT is filmed on a Canon EOS 7D by Sterling Toth, the Co-creator. He and Harley had worked together previously on a winning entry to the John Tesh Contest. Sterling shoots the entire episode handheld and while the camera shakes often the effect is never rapid enough to draw attention to itself. The footage shows proper exposure, creative us of focus, and good camera control such as the precision of his quick zoom onto the McDonald's arches (0:17).

The editing of the video is excellent. The cuts are appropriate and the pacing is fantastic. Sterlings instinct for b-roll and close ups is fantastic and serve as another key aspect of EMTs quality. There was not much color correcting in this episode but the quality of the 7D still let warm colors shine through.

Sound

Part of EMTs charm comes in the music. The music used are created using Video Copilot Pro Scores, a popular program amongst filmmakers. The music is used during the preparation and the feasting; a tradition that will permeate through subsequent episodes.

Another point of interest is how clear the dialog is. There is no visible lavalier microphone on Harley so we're left to assume the audio is caught by the on board microphone of the 7D. Some background noise is evident yet unobtrusive. However they did it, the audio of EMTs first episode is solid.

Summary

On this first episode, we get accustomed to the format of EMT. This format will be the start of a visual and creative maturing process that would lead to great things. The opening text of the video gives an accurate feeling of mightiness to come.

Memorable Phrases

• “That Big Mac, Baby!” - Harley (in an exaggerated tone)

• “Fresca” - Harley (in response to being asked what drink he would like at the Wendy's drive through)

• “Are you ready?!” - Harley (in an exaggerated tone)

• “But then I remembered that I had a giant piece of Crunch-wrap that I put in the Burger, ...so nothings missing.” - Alex

Additional Information

• The green terminator shirt Harley wears could be a homage to the 2007 video of him eating a Triple Baconator to the Terminator theme.

• The most common three comments on the videos YouTube page: (a) refer to the insufficient amount of bacon, (b) exclaim the shock of Alex sans shades (muscles without glasses) and (c) demand that Jack Daniels be retroactively inserted into the video.

• In this Episode, Harley Sports medium an average haircut with a light full-beard.

Introduction

On the 25th of February, 2011, FreddieW uploaded a video called Epic VFX Time. I watched the video and experienced something unexpected. A strange, tall bearded man began speaking... no... it would be more accurate to say he began exercising his will on the camera and the very street on which the video was filmed. I had to know who this man was. This man who referred to himself as...

Upon completion of the video, I searched YouTube for Epic Meal Time (EMT) and clicked on what would be my first true taste; TurBaconEpic Thanksgiving. Immediately after, I subscribed to the channel, proceeded to watch each and every single video they had created. I watched their origin as Fast Food Pizza, I watched the creative crafting of Fast Food Sushi, I watched the evolution of Harley's facial hair and I watched the thematic dedication of Tequila Taco Night.

These individuals, with nothing more than their instinct, stomach, stomach and effort, created one of the most influential and honest videos of this generation. The many tributes, off-shoots, variations and other miscellaneous creations stemming from EMT stand as testaments to that part of our heart that has a curiosity... no... a desire to push the possibilities of food.

...and Bacon.

This is one of the few times I will mention myself directly. I have created this blog, not as a direct opinion center, but as a study of each video created by the EMT team and the virtue that may be found within. Each work and how it shapes the members. Each work and how it progresses the advancement of their creativity. Each work moving them one step closer to more Epic creations.

I am Anewkeitaro.
And I love Epic Mealtime.

“We make your dreams come true, and then we eat them.” -Epic Meal Time