Line #73 WebVideo/EASScenarios


1	Emergency Alert System Scenarios [[note]] (usually shortened to EAS Scenarios, but are also referred as EAS Mocks and EAS Stories.) [[/note]] are a collection of videos dedicated to telling fictional stories regarding the Emergency Alert System, the United States' [[EmergencyBroadcast national warning system.]] These scenarios usually deal with [[NightmareFuel horror related situations]], whether made [[RealismInducedHorror realistically,]] [[SurrealHorror made with surreal situations or problems,]] or [[NothingIsScarier not having the threat(s) visible or described.]] They are a subtrope of the DisasterMovie, although the DisasterMovie is usually a much more high-budget production, whereas the EAS scenario is often a single-creator or small group of creators shoestring budget independent production. Nonetheless, quite a few EAS scenarios have better quality/production value/ [[ShownTheirWork research]] than some disaster movies ever could aspire to have.
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3	Much of the trends and themes common to AnalogHorror videos were first popularised through videos like these; while [=EAS=] Scenarios themselves have been included in the Analog Horror genre, it can be argued that the genre as a whole bloomed from videos like these.
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5	Several common traits shared between them are as follows:
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7	* Screens made from the EAS, usually recreated visually and audibly to be almost as exactly as it would appear on TV. [[note]] Due to how some videos are made high in quality, these videos are often used for pranking, though it isn't recommended. Most of these videos use "valid" emergency alert tones, which run a chance of activating ''real'' EAS hardware if played over the air.[[/note]]
8	* A disclaimer detailing that the events presented in videos are not real and are not to be taken seriously. [[note]] As of late, this also includes disclaimers that discourage intentionally setting off ''real'' EAS hardware using these scenarios and/or broadcasting them in public, with the creator denying responsibility and reminding viewers of the potential consequences (fines, jail time, etc.) should such an event occur.[[/note]]
9	* A main threat, usually escalating to where it may become uncontrollable and cause dire situations.
10	* A BittersweetEnding or DownerEnding is presented, depending on how severe the threat is. In uncommon situations, there may be NoEnding. A HappyEnding is very rare, but not unheard of.
11	* Transitions used to deliver more information regarding the plot.
12	* Voice acting used to deliver a more detailed story, and can provide CharacterDevelopment if characters are used throughout the story, usually causing an EstablishingCharacterMoment.
13	* Simplistic graphics used to depict and explain disaster situations, with people represented by bathroom sign-style stick figures.
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15	Scenarios can be found on Website/YouTube.
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18	!!EAS series with their own pages:
19	* ''WebVideo/TheFinalMinutes''
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21
22	!!Examples:
23	* AlienInvasion: One main narrative for scenarios, often caused without any motive, other than extermination.
24	* AlternateHistory: Uncommon but still used scenarios, often regarding universes where the 2012 apocalypse or the [=Y2K=] virus actually happened, or where presidential elections turned out differently.
25	* AndIMustScream:
26	** According to [[invoked]]WordOfGod, those affected by the events in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSYtcEPDW5o Demonized]]'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOGufteiye4&t=961s Sleepless]]'' are aware of what's going on, but unable to do anything, as their bodies are being controlled or have their consciousness suppressed.
27	** In ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUwXsYWZDlg Do Not Look Up]]'' (not to be confused with the [[Film/DontLookUp live action film]]), if you stare at the supernova that fills the sky you will never be able to move again, and worse yet, you will be completely conscious of what is happening but be unable to do anything about it until you eventually drop dead.
28	* ApocalypseHow: And ''how''. Most scenarios often deal with many different ways of [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the world ending.]], with scenarios dealing in all categories at least once.
29	* ArtEvolution: Often, when a scenario is remade, either by its creator or by another creator, it will usually have reworks done on its screens, audio, visuals, or overall editing and may include having a longer video length.
30	* AtomicHate: Probably the most popular narrative for scenarios after zombie plagues. Sometimes both at once are mixed.
31	* BittersweetEnding: Often used for when the threat(s) of the story is over, but the damage has been done, and is the ending used often, though a DownerEnding or NoEnding is also possible.
32	* ChekhovsVolcano:
33	** While not used often as a plot, scenarios centered around this topic will usually refer to a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcano supervolcanic]] eruption, the most popular of which is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera Yellowstone Caldera.]]
34	** Yuan P's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-RwNxa0lEo V-DAY]]'' takes this to its extreme conclusion, albeit one that has to rely on a lot of ArtisticLicense to get its premise to work[[note]] In the scenario, ''every'' volcano that exists on the planet today erupts in quick succession, including some that have been extinct for millions of years, even if the chances of them erupting in reality is close to 0%, hence why we call them extinct. Plus, if every volcano on Earth was erupting at the same time, this would probably be a symptom of something much, ''much'' worse than just an impending volcanic winter.[[/note]] - by having ''every volcano on Earth'' erupt within the span of 24 hours.
35	* ChristmasEpisode: Special scenarios uploaded around Christmas will often be regarded as specials, often with the subject matter being related to the winter in some way.
36	* ClusterFBomb: "Angry EAS" scenarios, which often have the system itself go on an [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin angry]], swear-laden rant about the viewers' incompetence in following the warning directions.
37	* ColdSnap:
38	** The plot of ''[[https://youtu.be/DdUxVYSOZNk Absolute Zero]]'', revealed to be caused by [[spoiler: the Earth gradually moving away from the Sun]].
39	** The premise of [=nullDorito=]'s ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WGSZZsGOGo Piercing Freeze]]'' is that an anomaly stemming from the Earth's North Pole causes temperatures throughout the Northeast and Midwest United States to go as far down as ''negative 70 degrees''. Eventually, it's revealed that [[spoiler: It's not an anomaly at all - It's a very technologically advanced terrorist attack, which the sequel ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYZLJLK6vus Retribution]]'' focuses on]].
40	* ColonyDrop:
41	** [[https://youtube.com/channel/UCOgNR0rlutcXiBzjfQ4eQsA KnucklesHedgehog2010]]’s ''[[https://youtu.be/hbeobQY_JIM The Wrath of Jupiter]]'' has Jupiter itself inflict this on the Earth by changing its orbit and moving towards the sun in a similar scenario to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tack_hypothesis Grand tack hypothesis]]. The colony drop comes courtesy of a hail of some of the Asteroid Belt’s largest objects. Humanity manages to survive, but many millions die, and no one knows why Jupiter’s orbit happened to move, which kickstarted the disaster.
42	** A similar plot happens in Harvester’s ''[[https://youtu.be/rrVObyI4mzM Nibiru]]'', with the twist that governments have been attempting to cover up the existence of the titular planet and its crash course towards Earth in order to give everyone a chance to FaceDeathWithDignity.
43	** Yuan P's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed6ZTg2DK9E This Is The End]]" involves humanity contending with a massive asteroid headed for the planet. Most of the nations come together to attempt to deal with it, then to collectively [[spoiler: FaceDeathWithDignity when a nuclear response]] doesn't work. There's a twist though - [[spoiler: the asteroid is actually an engineered superweapon created by an alien race that was subjecting humanity to a SecretTestOfCharacter. Our unity is found wanting and the failed test is written off as a MercyKill to inspire other species not to make our mistake]].
44	* DeathOfAChild: While some creators go out of their way to avoid having this occur, some have outright made passing comments, to demonstrate how bad things get.
45	* DecadeThemedFilter: Mainly in the TurnOfTheMillennium, as most televisions still possessed some grain, though scenarios featuring the EBS [[note]] (Emergency Broadcast System) [[/note]] will possess more film grain.
46	* DemonicPossession: What's [[spoiler: seemingly]] occurring in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSYtcEPDW5o Demonized.]]''
47	* DisasterDominoes: Many of the more prolonged scenarios are like this. Sometimes in a more realistic manner (e.g., most disasters are caused by a series of events and lead to other events), sometimes in an absurd or surreal manner (e.g., that missing kid is the trigger for a series of events that lead up to global thermonuclear war, that weird little stolen artifact discovered carries destructive potential, etc.)
48	* DoNotAdjustYourSet: Often an InUniverse warning delivered through an alert, as the information needs to be relayed in order to preserve the safety of civilians. TruthInTelevision, as this is an instruction usually delivered through the EAS.
49	* DoNotTouchTheFunnelCloud: Tornado and severe thunderstorm events (whether historical or fictional) are surprisingly common storylines, and pretty much the only ones that ''don't'' end in anything beyond a Class 0 apocalypse.
50	* DontTryThisAtHome: Some EAS videos start with a disclaimer telling viewers not to play the videos over the air or in public, so people will not be scared and think there is a real emergency (and so it doesn't trigger the ''real'' EAS system).
51	* DownerEnding: This is usually done when the threat(s) end up killing off humanity directly or indirectly, with worldwide damage or destruction.
52	* DrivenToSuicide:
53	** If the threat in a scenario gets too severe, the EAS text may urge viewers to take this measure. Though depending on the threat, doing this may be more of a MercyKill…
54	--> “[[WebVideo/TheFinalMinutes Should you become infected, commit suicide immediately.]]”
55	** Some [[ApocalypseHow end-of-the-world]] scenarios will actually try to avert this by urging viewers ''not'' to commit suicide, on the basis of suicide causing unnecessary emotional and physical pain instead of a [[FaceDeathWithDignity calm and peaceful end]].
56	* EarnYourHappyEnding: ''[[https://youtu.be/5EiG6ihuMI0 The Asteroid]]'' plays this straight, [[spoiler: as humanity manages to fight back against the aliens' forces, bringing in an era of peace.]]
57	* EmergencyBroadcast: How scenarios are presented, naturally.
58	* EmergencyPresidentialAddress: For any scenario that contains an Emergency Action Notification, this is common. This is rarely if ever visually shown, only heard through the broadcast. Sometimes they're text-to-speech and sometimes they're fully voice acted, but oftentimes, they're on the more pessimistic side of the scale.
59	* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Arguably [[DownerEnding the most common ending in most scenarios]]. ''[[https://youtu.be/T6DlXGndpZE The End of the World]]'' is titled almost word for word as such.
60	* ExtremelyShortTimespan: Scenarios will often show events unfold over the course of a few hours or a few days and will sometimes mention the aftermath of such events despite never being seen in the scenario.
61	* TheFaceless: If a character is used, expect to not see what they may look like. Obviously [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] if recorded live-action scenes are used.
62	* FlamingMeteor: Another popular narrative for scenarios, whether world-destroying, or not as major.
63	* FromBadToWorse: Threats in scenarios will always get more severe as it progresses.
64	* GenreBlind: Quite a lot of apocalypse scenarios happen because of many idiotic actions humans take.
65	* TheGreatFlood: Alert World’s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm51IMxLkI0 two]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsBv2m2pBpw&t=158s part]] ''The Flood'' series focuses on this.
66	* GreyGoo: One such scenario, titled ''[[https://youtu.be/hGdI937djvM [=Ecophagy:=] The Gray Goo]]'' has this as the main threat.
67	* HeatWave:
68	** ''[[https://youtu.be/DK1OUo8M_WA Rising Heat's]]'' plot is the focus of one. [[spoiler: The exact reason being [[OhCrap that the Earth is moving closer and closer to the Sun.]]]]
69	** On the [[ColdSnap other end of the extreme]], we have ''[[https://youtu.be/DdUxVYSOZNk Absolute Zero]]'' by the same creator. This time the threat is [[spoiler: the Earth moving ''farther away'' from the Sun]].
70	* HellOnEarth: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSYtcEPDW5o Demonized]]'' has this occur.
71	* HellIsThatNoise:
72	** The sounds used during scenarios are designed to attract your attention and to add realism due to adding depth to the videos. TruthInTelevision, as the EAS is designed this way to get your attention.
73	** In addtion to the EAS sounds, there is also the occasional air raid siren, which drives home the fact that something ''very bad'' is about to happen ''very soon''.
74	* HumansAreWarriors: [[https://youtu.be/5EiG6ihuMI0 The Asteroid]] has this occur near the end, where [[spoiler: the humans fight back against the invading aliens]].
75	* JumpScare: Often, a scenario may include static as a type of jump scare to indicate that things are worsening. Other forms include images, sounds, or even mobile emergency alerts.
76	* KillSat: The ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v2T8LXS2eA Rods]]'' ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY2wrAsoZJc From]]'' ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h2gXihBog8 God]]'' videos involve satellites launching tungsten rods, creating a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment kinetic bombardment.]]
77	%%* ManVersusMachine: The plot of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z8EXb4zEec War of the Machines]]''.
78	* MultipleEndings: While not as common as before, some scenarios often include two endings: one good, one bad.
79	* NoEnding: Many scenarios will have no conclusion and creators often leave the ending to be pondered by the audience.
80	* NothingIsScarier:
81	** Due to how many scenarios are made, if a threat is mentioned, expect it to only be described through a voice, or through audio.
82	** Lost In Silence scenarios will never have any information regarding the main threat due to a glitch, which leaves the alert with mostly complete silence, until the end.
83	** In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3VwBcfBAyc No Way Out]]", the monster on the moon causing the anomalies gets more powerful when people look at it, so in Veritas' broadcasts, it is just represented by a red X.
84	* NotUsingTheZWord: Subverted. Very few zombie scenarios will often refer to zombies as creatures.
85	* NukeEm:
86	** The most popular narrative for scenarios, often done with one country deciding to launch nuclear warheads at another, usually at the U.S.
87	** In "No Way Out," Veritas launches every nuclear bomb on the planet at the monster on the moon. They don't even leave a scratch.
88	* OurDemonsAreDifferent: The demons in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSYtcEPDW5o Demonized]]'' are more akin to stereotypical demons. [[spoiler: At least, until the end.]]
89	* PoorCommunicationKills:
90	** The "Lost in Silence" scenario among various channels, popularized by ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9ujfAvcIh4 The [=EAS=] Experience]]''. The scenario involves a national emergency of any sort being played but the listener unable to receive the message before it's too late. Whether because of poor connection, an internal failure within the EAS system, or trouble finding the channel that serves the listener's area, it almost always ends in a DownerEnding.
91	** Deconstructed in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTfHCYQBAbw "Silenced"]] bu junedegaussed. Silenced starts out similar to other Lost In Silence works. Communications slowly go down, which inspires fear and panic; leading to national messages that get intercepted and disabled to prevent humanity from stopping the alien threat until it's far too late to do much about it, eventually forcing Humanity into a psuedo-Dark Age due to the loss of communications. Except...[[spoiler: the aliens aren't a threat at all; they ''don't'' take over. All they do is sit there and disrupt technology - no invasion, no hostility...just presence. Ten years after communications are entirely gone, the aliens finally reveal that they were actually SpacePolice the whole time and were only disrupting our communications to prevent an EldritchAbomination from consuming Earth]]. Shame they didn't start with that.
92	* ProperlyParanoid: In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Dw_ut5n_0 "End Of the World - Hacked Emergency Alert System"]] by Alert World, much of the mock involves a collective of doomsday-preppers hijacking the airwaves to warn of an incoming disaster. Much of what they say is unsubstantiated and comes off like a gaggle of conspiracy theories. The mock ends with the government issuing alerts about an "unknown danger"; the exact disaster the hackers were warning about.
93	* {{Retraux}}: Scenarios taking place further back in time will often evoke older graphics in some way to represent older emergency systems such as CONELRAD, the EBS, or a pre-IPAWS EAS.
94	* SchmuckBait: Some EAS scenarios warn viewers to stay in their homes until further notice because there is an unknown killer creature on the loose. Then, the creature hijacks the broadcast (often impersonating a government agency such as the FBI) and tells viewers that it is safe to go outside, and in fact it is highly recommended that they do so.
95	* SecondComing: Some videos deal with the eponymous hypothetical scenario which involves Jesus returning to the earth.
96	* SettingUpdate: ''[[https://youtu.be/UpA3T-gbLWU Without Warning]]'' is a modern retelling of the [[Film/WithoutWarning1994 1994 film]] of the same name, with the events presented through present-day EAS broadcasts.
97	* ShownTheirWork: Often, creators will replicate alerts with incredible accuracy, which includes alert tones modified to sound exactly as they do on different stations, to the inclusion of weather radars, and even the air raid sirens used.
98	* SpidersAreScary: The main focus of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWyVHBYxNms Spider Earth]]''.
99	* StiffUpperLip: In scenarios where the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is broadcasting about an apocalypse/alien invasion/etc., they will always tell viewers to remain calm and not panic, even when the world is ending.
100	* StylisticSuck: Some scenarios, as things get worse, will have graphics worsen (or disappear entirely to audio-only) to match the severity of the situation affecting broadcast ability/quality.
101	* SyntheticVoiceActor: Most dialogue in EAS scenarios is done by text-to-speech programs.
102	* ThatsNoMoon:
103	** The asteroid in [[spoiler: ''[[https://youtu.be/5EiG6ihuMI0 The Asteroid]]'' isn't an asteroid, but an ''alien spacecraft.'']]
104	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs3VgEj5CII That's No Moon...]]'' is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, with what can only be assumed is the Death Star itself [[spoiler: vaporizing Earth]].
105	* TheVirus: Scenarios often will feature a pandemic starting due to the discovery of a new disease, with varying results.
106	* ThisIsAWorkOfFiction: Disclaimers are often used to ensure that no events portrayed are occurring.
107	* {{Wendigo}}: ''[[https://youtu.be/fGJjGq_2-ns The Wendigo]]'' focuses on the eponymous creature, though on a grander scale.
108	* WhamShot:
109	** ''[[https://youtu.be/Eh6qZ5WvBys Extraterrestrial Invasion]]'' ends with [[spoiler: the epilogue revealing the invaders managing to remain hidden amongst humanity, not having been defeated.]]
110	** ''[[https://youtu.be/DK1OUo8M_WA Rising Heat]]'' reveals the reason for the [[HeatWave rising temperatures]] is due to [[spoiler: the sun approaching the Earth.]]
111	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOGufteiye4&t Sleepless]]'' ends with [[spoiler: a shot revealing the scenario being part of a bigger reality.]]
112	* ZombieApocalypse: Most scenarios often include this as a plot, often with the ending varying.

Context WebVideo / EASScenarios