Trendspotting Tuesday: For Those About to Mock...

Welcome to Trendspotting Tuesday, week four, in which we take a not-so-straight-faced look at the genre known as "mockumentary."

From quirky pseudo-sports to rock bands that go all the way to eleven, countless subjects have been given the mockumentary treatment. Filmmaker Christopher Guest is arguably the master mockumentarian, having perfected many of the genre's conventions in films like Spinal Tap and Best in Show, while the Ricky Gervais-created British TV show The Office has spawned international spin-offs in America, Germany, France and Quebec.

Online video makers have not been slow to document – or perhaps that should be mockument – the antics of characters who take themselves, and their hobbies, a bit too seriously. With over 9,500 videos on YouTube tagged as "mockumentary," you can expect plenty of deadpan voice-overs, fictitious "facts" and painfully embarrassing interviews.

YouTube users have posted mock-docs created as film-school projects, high-school projects and no-frills backyard productions. And while they don't all reach the giddy heights of hilarity that Christopher Guest can wring out of an over-earnest interviewee, it's obvious that people are having fun with the format. We've gathered together some of our favorite mocks for a Trendspotting Tuesday homepage takeover and this misinformation-packed playlist. Perhaps it will provide you with the inspiration to create a mock-classic of your own.

Tune in next Tuesday for another take on the trends that make our video community unique. And if there's a trend you'd like us to highlight, leave a comment below or drop us a note on the Trendspotting Tuesday channel, where you can find playlists from our previous trendspotting features.

Cheers,
The YouTube Team