Long before Snapchat began becoming popular, there was application known as Shots. If you are a regular Snapchat user, you will have an idea about what Shots was used for. Sometimes, typing messages to your friends takes the best out of you. At times, you are just not in the mood for communicating with words, at the same time you wish to be silly; because of course, being the perfect you does not always work. In times like these, you can simply send out snaps of yourself around- whether you are just sitting on your couch, whether you are in bed cold and sick, whether you are bored at work, whether you just got your food after waiting for a century or whether you just wish to show off your outfit of the day! And if you have loosened up yourself and do not wish to leave behind any tracks, such applications work the best. In this article then, we will be talking about what Shots application for Android and iPhone was and how it has re-branded itself!
Shots began as tool for those obsessed with social media; a tool that helped individuals share their selfies and other snaps with their friends. This application was founded by John Shahidi. In the beginning Shots application reached the heights (approximately 8 million users) and allegations suggest that Twitter itself tried to purchases Shots application for a sum of $150 million! Shots application was readily available on Android and iOS supporting mobile phones. This application allowed users to access its content with their smartwatches as well! Once you had downloaded Shots on your mobile phone, all you needed was an account. Shots application allowed you to register with your mobile number, confirm your account through an auto generated call. Or if you wanted, you could register for Shots with your email and set your password!
What was attractive about Shots application was its interface. When you log in to your account, you could view videos with puppets that helped you in understanding how to function this application. Shots application had a Cliffs Notes version that you could function through these quick tutorials. Other than that, these fun tutorials also taught you how to upload and share your shots, copy-paste links, share videos, find your friends on Shots and build up your profile.
Shots application simply looked for your friends with their mobile numbers. It gave you the idea that you are communicating with your friends through your assigned sim cards. Then, if you wanted to find or add friends all you had to do was click on “Add Friends” on the home screen and find your friends. While you had the opportunity to become friends with people you already know, Shots also allowed you to get your funny on with complete strangers. Shots application had a built in feature known as the “Radar”. Enabling this option allowed Shots application to use your cell phone’s location and find Shots users near you. This way you were able to chat or add anyone in your local community. Of course, if you were too shy, Radar was optional. With that, Shots also allowed you to pull your friends from other social media accounts as well. Whether they were on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, Shots application allowed you to increase your reach!
Overall then, Shots application allowed you to connect with your friends and your family anywhere in the world; Send personal messages and chat with other Shots users; Share links to videos, memes and so on with your Shots friends; Watch funny video posts by other users; Create videos using the 80s and 90s camcorder styles and then connect with famous comedians!
Such were the wonders you could do with Shots application before it re-branded itself to Shots Studios- a video playing website like YouTube. Although Shot application reached its peak, it became harder for the founders to compete with emerging applications like Instagram as Snapchat as well. Despite additional features, Shots team concluded that the application will go down the drain since it cannot hold up with the competition. And so, Shots reached out to social media stars from Instagram, Snapchat and Vine for a new purpose. With that, Justin Bieber’s new affiliation with Shots helped save its credibility. This way, Shots was able to sign contracts with high profile video makers such as Rudy Mancuso and Lele Pons. Recently now, Shots application has turned itself into Shots Studios- a website that allows web celebs to upload videos that showcase their funny skits, reach a higher fan following and take themselves to the next level. Shots studios contains high production videos with a minimum length of four minutes.
With comedians like Brittany Furlan, Dane Cook, Nash Grier, Marlon Wayans, King Bach, Destorm Power, Chris D’Elia and Larry Wilmore Shots studios is now able to keep up the laughter. With this recent change, the end result is what has saved the founders of Shots their brand. Now, Shots studios has millions and millions of views on its videos, more advertisement revenue and interested users from Facebook, Netflix, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and so on. A more recent comedian that signed a contract with Shots studios is Anwar Jabawi. These comedians receive a set amount of payment in exchange for their work. And, John Shahidi has labelled Shots studios as “Creator Friendly”. Because the creators of the videos receive all the aid they wish for- film crews, editors, writers, sales help, brand management and so on.
If you are having a bad day at work and you are not in the mood to keep up with the tasks; if you are at your high school all alone and wish you had something to do; If you are home alone, sick and sad you can head over to Shots studios and brighten up your day. Because the founders and the renowned comedians have worked hard to bring out potentially best and comical videos for their viewers! We can now guarantee that Shots will become your next go to for finding content that you will remember.
Hina Akram 
Cybil