If you thought the selfie stick phenomenon was over…well, you were probably right.
Now, perhaps, it is time for the super fully automated selfie stick, with wind-effect fans and LED soft light panels:
If you haven’t yet guessed, we’re sorry to inform you that the ‘Selfie Stick UnREAL’ is, in fact, not real.
The fully functional auto-telescopic selfie stick was dreamt up by marketing firm Thinkmodo to promote a new season of Lifetime’s UnREAL, a show which sends up supposedly unscripted ‘reality’ programming through behind-the-scenes access to a fictional reality show.
Thinkmodo co-founder Michael Krivicka told Mashable, “Lifetime wanted something that communicated self-image manipulation.”
Thinkmodo built the device over three months, kitting it out with the wiring, batteries and motors it would need to powers the auto-extend handle and the lights and fans.
“All the parts are custom-made,” Krivicka explained. “The fans were designed from scratch.”
Given how feature-rich it is, it’s unsurprising that the UnReal selfie stick is pretty heavy. Although created for a promo ad, Thinkmodo were keen for their selfie stick to be as functional and realistic as possible.
The UnREAL actually connects with smartphones via Bluetooth (though only iPhones) and each of the photos featured were actually taken using the selfie stick. Thinkmodo did admit that it may have had a little help in some areas, however. “The fans are strong enough to blow hair, but like in any commercial, we might have added some wind effect to enhance it,” they said.
Unfortunately, although the gadget works you’re unlikely to get your hands on one any time soon, as only two are in existence—the original prototype and a back up.
According to Krivicka, during the two-day shoot the crew were constantly fielding requests from would-be UnREAL selfie stick owners, all enquiring about where they could purchase it. Which, for the foreseeable future at least, is nowhere.
“We hate to see an awesome idea like this going to waste,” Krivicka shared. “If there was enough demand, we’d go back to Lifetime, put our heads together and see what we can do with this.”
While it’s unknown how much Thinkmodo spent on creating the prototypes, no doubt if the idea were ever brought to market there’d be people willing to pay good money to own one (inlcuding the more gullible portion of the YouTube commenters).
It seems that the public’s greed for constant, instant digital photo gratification is not waning. Whatever next? Maybe every Tom, Dick and Harry will be walking around carrying their own personal mini reflectors and portable dramatic backdrops? Only time will tell.