The most popular UFO videos : The real stories behind them

I sometimes get a bit, well, frustrated with the frequency with which I see certain “UFO” videos crop up again and again on the Internet despite the fact that they have been repeatedly dismissed on extremely good grounds. This thread is my latest (and most ambitious) attempt to do something about this problem. I hope some fellow members of ATS will work with me to build on the work below.

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Ufology has never been very good at policing itself. There is a complete lack of an organised effort to fight back in a constructive manner against some of the more persistent hoaxes and misrepresentations that have circulated within ufology for years. This applies to various “classic” cases, documents and photographs but perhaps the most egregious examples relate to “UFO” videos.

In this thread I highlight known facts about various very popular “UFO” and “alien” videos. When looking into UFO videos during the last decade or so, I have generally prioritised videos with the most views online. Many of the videos below have received over 1 million views on Youtube.

Some of the videos below are over a decade old. Some are much newer. Many of them continue to circulate with surprising frequency, particularly on Facebook. It is rare for me to visit a UFO discussion group on Facebook without seeing at least one of these videos having been reposted there recently. During my travels on Facebook, I generally see one or two of these videos being reposted there EACH DAY. Between them, the videos below account for a significant percentage of the material posted on some UFO discussion groups on Facebook.

This problem has been of interest to me for over a topic. I have posted a couple of small threads here on ATS over the years about possible ways to address these problems, including experimenting in 2007-2008 with posting extracts from my database on infamous UFO videos, and in 2010 posting a thread entitled "How do you kill an alien zombie? (Edit to add : This title involves a metaphor explained in the OP)" and in 2011 posting a thread entitled Visual guide to (HOAX) forum : UFO and Alien photos and videos.

This thread is, well, bigger.

Despite these videos being posted regularly on Facebook and Youtube rarely see any responses on either of those platforms which point out the real background to these videos. Usually responses are limited to comments like “Looks legit”, “Fake”, “I think this is real” and “CGI”. I hope the information and links below may help anyone that sees such discussions and wants to help inform those involved.

I have notes on a number of further videos which I will upload when I get time, but I would obviously welcome any addition by other members of ATS to the list started below. I recommend focusing on videos that have, say, over 250,000 views on Youtube (since videos with that number of views tend to get reposted most often on Facebook and elsewhere).

I hope this thread is the start of something which, with the help of members of ATS and others, could be a useful resource to those interested in ufology (particularly those new to the field that could use a helpful introduction to some of the more popular UFO videos).

I have sought to keep this thread as focused as possible by:

(1) Only posting brief introductory text in relation to the real stories behind each of the videos below. In relation to each video, I have included a link to further information, links and evidence. (I was tempted to post everything here, but the thread would then be – er – longer by far than anything even I have had the nerve to post here and required a lot more work to reformat material. Those familiar with some of my familiar threads will know that I’ve posted some pretty long threads, but I think there is probably a limit...).

(2) Not getting into general issues as to how such video are created or how to look into them. Over the years, I’ve noticed that there appears to be have been a reluctance on the ATS forum (and elsewhere within the ufological community) to really get to grips with these issue and set out in clear terms the fundamentals of production/investigation of possible. Almost all the discussions (and I’ve read quite a few...) merely look at one video at a time rather than detailing a general approach. In addition to doing my own reading, I've asked on the ATS forum and elsewhere before if anyone has references to general articles on this subject. I _really_ can't believe that so much time has been spent writing about individual videos without much being written in articles which are _not_ online about the use of CGI. I must admit to being a bit bemused. I would be prepared to work with a few people with more technical / compositing experience than me on such an article, if there are any volunteers with relevant experience (e.g. with Adobe After Effects and Cinema4d) willing to adopt a patient attitude with me. I have some knowledge of these packages but am not an expert in them. Perhaps a few of us could get together to work, e.g. via Facebook, on writing/researching a separate relevant thread?

The videos covered in the initial posts in this thread (which will hopefully be added to, by me and – with a bit of luck – some others) are:

Koi UFO Video 001 - SciFi advert featuring a helicopter near WTC

Koi UFO Video 002 - Sarajevo film festival example

Koi UFO Video 003 - Siberian giant - “Shadow of the Colossus”

Koi UFO Video 005 - Blair Witch style forest encounter

Koi UFO Video 009 - “Act of War” Viral marketing scheme video

Koi UFO Video 017- Australian “immersive artwork” project

Koi UFO Video 024 - KBAT746432 dissection

Koi UFO Video 036 – Mexican Alien (Chupacabra) Video

Koi UFO Video 041 – Ant and Dec “new” autopsy footage

Koi UFO Video 054 – Alien girl with Scottish accent (Playstation)

Koi UFO Video 055 – Genesis UFO crash video

Koi UFO Video 057 - Los Angeles "UFO" 1984 Olympics

Koi UFO Video 058 – Case Tape 347

Koi UFO Video 059 - Oondyla fighter jets escorting UFO

Koi UFO Video 060 - Alien on stretcher

Koi UFO Video 061 - Haiti UFO with palm trees (CGI)

Koi UFO Video 064 - Galicia UFO seen from boat

Koi UFO Video 066 - UFO over Nowra, Australia (2010)

Koi UFO Video 067 - Mazsalaca meteorite/UFO (Tele2)

Koi UFO Video 069 - Canadian Spiral (Kevin Martin)

Koi UFO Video 070 - F-14B Tomcat / UFO recovery

Koi UFO Video 071 – Captive Grey (Philipe3d)

Koi UFO Video 072 – Green Sphere (TheFakingHoaxer)

Koi UFO Video 073 – Orange County ring (Steve Zingali)

Koi UFO Video 074 – UFO landing in New Mexico (Oondya)

Koi UFO Video 075 – Los Rosques (Manbird12000 - Damien White)

Koi UFO Video 076 - UFO attacks truck and flies into tunnel

Koi UFO Video 077 - Alien attacks police officer - CNN

Koi UFO Video 078 – Fun UFO / Missile launch from water

Koi UFO Video 079 – UFO behind clouds (Brazilian marketing)

Koi UFO Video 080 – "UFO Over Santa Clarita" (Meni Tsirbas)

Koi UFO Video 081 – M5 Motorway jet chase

Koi UFO Video 082 - Rubber Johnny alien video (Chris Cunningham)

Koi UFO Video 084 – Meteor changing direction, emitting sparks

Koi UFO Video 085 : Taliban attack UFO

Koi UFO Video 087 : Brian Bessent Phoenix Footage

Koi UFO Video 088 : Cape of Good Hope, South Africa - Chris Oakley

Koi UFO Video 089 : Drone Big Basin recreation – Kris Avery

Koi UFO Video 091 : UFO armada over Carmichael, California (2011)

Koi UFO Video 093 : Small alien in snow in Siberia

Koi UFO Video 094 : Norway spirals

Koi UFO Video 095 : Morristown UFOs (5 January 2009) – flares

Koi UFO Video 096 : Black triangle (2007) – Jeff Wilson

Koi UFO Video 097 : UFO tranported on flatbed truck (2011, UAV)

Koi UFO Video 098 : Nazi Alien Autopsy (Outpost 31)

Koi UFO Video 099 : UFO at Baseball Game (Vancouver, 2013)

Koi UFO Video 100 : Creature crawling up apartment building (day)

Koi UFO Video 102 : Cloud jellyfish (2015)

Koi UFO Video 103 : Pi sky writing


I also include below:
(1) A Conclusion
(2) A Postscript

Koi UFO Video 001 - SciFi advert featuring a helicopter near the WTC

Koi UFO Video 001 appears to show a UFO being filmed over New York from a helicopter near the World Trade Center.

It is one of the most viewed UFO videos online.

Dozens upon dozens of copies of this video have been posted on the Internet. One copy alone has been viewed over 8 million times. Comments are still posted in relation to copies of this video on Youtube, often consisting of the single word "FAKE" or "REAL".

In fact, as has been explained by numerous UFO researchers on countless occasions, this video was in fact an advertisement for the SciFi television channel in the USA. As detailed at the link below, this was one in a series of advertisements for the SciFi channel (collectively referred to as the "SciFi Happens" adverts) and featured actress Barbara Sicuranza.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 001

Koi UFO Video 002 - Sarajevo film festival example

Numerous copies of Koi UFO Video 002 appear on Youtube and elsewhere. One copy alone (with the title "Real UFO in Sarajevo Bosnia (8.10.2005)") has over half a million views.

The video appears to show a reporter in Sarajevo speaking to the camera when a UFO suddenly appears.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the video is an admitted hoax created as a commercial for The International Theater Festival in Sarajevo (specifically the 45th International Theatre Festival, the MESS'05, in 2005).

This is just one example of numerous videos that remains the subject of discussion online despite being admitted as a hoax years ago.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 002

Koi UFO Video 003 - Siberian giant video for Sony’s “Shadow of the Colossus”

Koi UFO Video 003 is a video that has been posted online with captions claiming that it shows scientists examining a UFO and being buried in snow.

This video generated a lot of discussion back in 2005-2007. It still gathers considerable numbers of views on Youtube.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the video was part of an award-winning viral advertising campaign for a Sony Playstation game ("Shadow of the Colossus").

One copy of the video on Youtube (with the title "Siberian UFO") posted relatively recently (in 2011) has over 2 million views as at September 2014. The true source of the video had in fact been revealed several years before that copy had even been posted.

Ufology often provides illustrations of people not letting facts get in the way of a good story!

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 003

Koi UFO Video 005 - Blair Witch style forest encounter

Koi UFO Video 005 is shaky footage appearing to show several young people in a forest encountering some UFOs.

This Blair Witch style "UFO" video was discussed on several UFO forums in 2006, with comments such as "oh my god i was freaking out when i saw this. all their emotions sound so real!!!!".

In fact, as discussed at the link below, this video was part of a viral advertising campaign for Toyota (specifically for the launch of the new Toyota Camry). It formed part of a series of videos that made the link to Toyota increasingly obvious (with one video including supposed alien markings that look like Toyota's logo) with the final videos featuring the new Toyota Camry itself. These videos, and a related (fake) news website, were the first viral advertising campaign by Toyota and involved work by Great Urban Myth (an Australian creative advertising consultancy).

I find this an interesting case study in relation to the role of time in investigating UFO videos. While one person ("ArMaP" of AboveTopSecret.com) was able to discover in 2006 that this video was linked to Toyota, that required a bit of detective work on his part and (until the later videos emerged) was not entirely conclusive. In 2015, however, it is possible to simply read the story behind this video on the website of one of the advertising agencies involved. Many ufologists are aware that, in relation to the investigation of genuine UFO sightings, time is often of the essence - with memories and fading (or becoming contaminated) with the passage of time and physical "trace" evidence becoming increasingly meaningless. However, in relation to videos that are hoaxed or created as part of an advertising campaign, the passage of time can actually be surprisingly HELPFUL since those involved tend to become more willing to talk about matters or include relevant details on their own websites, e.g. advertising agencies using such videos to showcase their talents or actresses including the relevant project on their resume.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 005

Koi UFO Video 009 - “Act of War” Viral marketing scheme video

Koi UFO Video 009 is video appearing to show an aircraft (resembling a stealth aircraft) being shot down by rockets in London over the Houses of Parliament.

The video was posted on at least one UFO forum in 2005. Initial opinions on the video varied from "quite intriguing" and "fascinating without doubt", to "basic 'shoot 'em up' digitally blended rubbish".

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the video was a viral advertisement for the "Act of War : Direct Action" computer game. This viral advertisement was produced and put on the Internet by a company in the UK called, Maverick Media.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 009

Koi UFO Video 017- Australian “immersive artwork” project

Koi UFO Video 017 appears to show a family in a car being frightened by an approaching UFO. This is probably the most dramatic of a collection of 31 videos that were uploaded to Youtube in 2006 purportedly showing UFOs over Australia. Many of them were simply lights in the night sky or distant objects with no distinct shape.

In fact, as discussed at the link below, the entire series of videos was a hoax (or rather an "immersive artwork" or "experimental digital video project") by director Christopher Kenworthy, funded by the Australian Film Commission. Incidentally, a statement on Christopher Kenworthy's website that "Nobody suspected it was a hoax until the end" is, um, questionable since several people (including me) had suggested it was probably composited imagery.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 017

Koi UFO Video 024 - KBAT746432 dissection

Koi UFO Video 024 appears to be a video of a woman on some sort of alien" operating table.

This video was posted on various UFO forums in 2005 and 2006, with titles such as "Smuggled Russian Footage shows Alien Expermentation On Humans". It has since been reposted at irregular intervals, including in 2014.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, this video was part of a viral marketing campaign for a little known science fiction movie called "Beings". This movie was written and directed by Fredrick Wolcott of Juniper Entertainment Corp. When I emailed Fredrick Wolcott in 2006 he stated that the "film was inspired by true events". That movie was eventually released on DVD a few years later and is available on Amazon. Trailers for the movie are also still online and (as shown at the link below) include brief glimpses of the operating table in the viral marketing video.

While I hesitated to take/waste time posting my notes from 2005/2006 in relation to this viral marketing video, I have drawn some comfort from the fact that some other researchers spent a lot more time than me on this video. I have to feel a bit sorry for Italian researcher Antonello Lupino, since his website contains a detailed analysis of this footage which must have taken him quite a while to perform. I presume that detailed analysis was conducted without the benefit of seeing the official trailer for the movie "Beings" or contact with the producer of that movie.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 024

Koi UFO Video 036 – Mexican Alien (Chupacabra) Video

Koi UFO Video 036 appears to show some people approaching some an outbuilding and then running away when some sort of alien being appears.

This video is almost invariably posted with a title that refers to a Chupacabra in Mexico. One copy of this video on Youtube had approximately 450,000 as at March 2015.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the video was created as part of a "mockumentary" film making project called "Unexplained Mysteries" in Colombia run by a group known as "Grupo Enmente". Grupo Enmente openly stated on its webpage in 2006 that this "mockumentary" project was one that "mimics all aspects documentaries and news programs but is based on fictitious events". The plan, as explained by Grupo Enmente on its website, appears to have been to use a website to seek raw footage from amateur film-makers and then include "special effects" to create "believable" video of with themes relating to UFOs, ghosts and the supernatural.

This is one of several "UFO"/"alien" videos in relation to which the true story was easier to find at the time of the videos original release. Several years on, relevant websites that clearly stated the "mockumentary" nature of the relevant film project are defunct and not all relevant webpages are archived. Hopefully, pages like this one will help make some of this information more easily accessible and partially overcome the problem of relevant websites fading away.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 036

Koi UFO Video 041 – Ant and Dec “new” autopsy footage

Koi UFO Video 041 is black and white footage appearing to show an alien on a stretcher surrounded by men in military uniforms. It has been posted online with titles indicating that it shows an alien recovered at Roswell in 1947.

A copy of this video posted on Youtube in July 2006 had over 1 million views by October 2014. The footage has been repeatedly posted on various UFO discussion forums since 2006.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the footage was filmed by the producers of the movie "Alien Autopsy" - a comedy released in 2006 starring British entertainment duo "Ant and Dec" (i.e. Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly).

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 041

Koi UFO Video 054 – Deformed/Alien girl with Scottish accent (Playstation ad)

Koi UFO Video 054 is a video of a girl with (apparently...) an unusual appearance, talking with a Scottish accent.

One of the copies of this video on Youtube has over 1 million views. Comments are still regularly added to Youtube in relation to the video.

Since 1999, this video has occasionally prompted discussions online with titles like "Is this an Alien Hybrid???" and "Cummingham Video - Mental Wealth - Make-Up Or Gray Alien Girl?".

Various individuals have asked online whether this video showed the girl's natural looks or involved some special effects, with a small number of people speculating that she may be an alien or "alien hybrid". As with many comments online about UFOs and aliens, it is difficult to be sure whether some of the comments were intended to be taken seriously or were just a joke.

The true position will probably unsurprising to most people.

As detailed at the link below, the video in fact shows the relevant actress (Fiona Maclaine, photos of whom are included at the link below) subjected to various special effects as part of a television advertisement entitled "Mental wealth" by Chris Cunningham for the Sony Playstation. The nature of the video was clear in the original advertisement, which ended by showing a link to a Playstation website.

Copies of the video which do NOT show that link to a Playstation website seem to be more popular on Youtube and also generate more discussion. I wonder what the implications of this fact are for ufology???

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 054

Koi UFO Video 055 – Genesis UFO crash video

Koi UFO Video 055 is footage which begins by showing a tumbling disc-shaped object falling towards the ground. The second half of the video shows a disc-shaped object partially buried in a desert.

Various copies of this video have been posted on Youtube with titles such as "UFO Crash Footage". One such copy has nearly 1 million views and is accompanied by a caption which states the following:

"This is the most amazing UFO crash footage ever captured and judging by the audio it was videoed by US Military. No more grainy out of focus UFO footage, This is crystal clear".

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the video shows a sample return capsule from NASA's Genesis space probe crash-landing in Utah on 8 September 2004, after a design flaw prevented the deployment of its drogue parachute.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 055

Koi UFO Video 057 - Los Angeles "UFO" 1984 Olympics

Koi UFO Video 057 appears to show a large flying saucer, with various different lights, hovering in the night sky over Los Angeles.

This video was filmed during the closing ceremony of the Los Angeles olympics in 1984. Some ufologists, particularly conspiracy theorist Bill Cooper, have claimed that the saucer was under its own power. Several other individuals have posted online that it is difficult to obtain any information about the "UFO" , e.g. stating that if it was a hoax then one would expect some of those involved to have talked about it but in fact they "cant find any info anywhere".

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the UFO was suggested by the Olympic's Director of Ceremonies, Tommy Walker, as a Ceremonies highlight. He requested the construction of a saucer with hundreds of lights on a 50 foot diameter giant saucer. The saucer was designed by John McGraw and John Miles. Bob Gurr (the designer of many of the rides at Walt Disney's Disneyland) was put in charge of the technical side of this "spaceship". Gurr arranged for Broggie-Elliot Company in North Hollywood to build themain flying saucer structure in a contract with UMF. The Olympic's team had a giant military helicopter that was painted black and flew with no lights of any kind. The spaceship was attached to the helicopter on a 100-foot black cable. The spaceship was reasonably light since it was not solid. It had lights in the outline shape of a spaceship with hollow areas between. Against a black sky, the naked eye perceived it as solid. It featured multicolored flashing lights and a giant spotlight that was powered by a small generator inside the spaceship. The spaceship was escorted by two smaller helicopters hovering around the spaceship, to cover up the sound of the big helicopter carrying the spaceship.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 057

Koi UFO Video 058 – Case Tape 347

Koi UFO Video 058 is a video entitled “Case Tape 347". The captions on-screen indicate it was filmed on 14 February 2005 (i.e. on Valentine's Day 2005) and it appears to show a couple seeing a UFO crash while hiking. At the end of the video, a being appears to emerge from the crashed UFO/fireball.

Several copies of this video appear on Youtube (one of which has over 7 MILLION views as at September 2014) as well as on various other websites.

As detailed at the link below, the relevant video is in fact a production by film-makers Kyle Rankin and Efram Potelle, both of whom are (or at least were) associated with Newborn Pictures. They reportedly have shown the film in several sci-fi and fantasy movie festivals since 2005.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 058

Koi UFO Video 059 - Oondyla fighter jets escorting UFO

Koi UFO Video 059 is a video appearing to show two jet fighters escorting a UFO.

As detailed at the link below, it is a hoaxed UFO video signed (pun intended) by the hoaxer, "Oondyla".
Many UFO hoax videos in fact indicate their creator, in the same way that some crop circles were signed by their creators.

Many people that comment on such hoaxes/artwork don't seem aware of the fact that a game is being played, let alone the rules of the game or the identity of the major players in the game...

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 059

Koi UFO Video 060 - Alien on stretcher

Koi UFO Video 060 is a video that zooms in and out of various parts of a still photograph which appears to show an alien on a stretcher, with a gun lying on top of it. Several people in military uniforms are near the stretcher.

The video begins with captions that state that "the military had taken a dead Alien".

A copy of this video on Youtube (posted with the title "UFO Crash, The military had taken a dead Alien") in August 2014 gathered nearly 750,000 views in just its first month online.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, the video shows a rubber dummy used by Ballahack Airsoft for an airsoft scenario entitled "The Nokri incident" (sometimes spelt "Nokiri") in 2014.

(Ballahack Airsoft is the largest airsoft field on the East Coast. "Airsoft" is a sport in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other with spherical non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms called Airsoft guns).

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 060

Koi UFO Video 061 - Haiti UFO with palm trees (CGI)

Koi UFO Video 061 appears to clearly show several craft flying over palm trees.

This video was originally uploaded to Youtube by an individual with the username "Barzolff814" in August 2007. The original title referred to Haiti (although as at October 2014 the video has a title that now refers to Mexico).

The Haiti UFO video has become one of the most-watched UFO videos on Youtube, with over 19.8 million views as at October 2014.

In fact, as discussed at the link below, this video was created by French artist/animator David Nicolas using Vue 6 and other commercially available software on a MacBook Pro.

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 061

Koi UFO Video 064 - Galicia UFO seen from boat

Koi UFO Video 064 is footage of a UFO dropping into (or at least towards) the sea, with a helicopter and military jets flying in the area. The video appears to have been filmed from a boat (which appearing to be a fishing trawler) near Galicia (Spain).

The video was uploaded to Youtube in October 2009. By October 2014, the various copies on Youtube had a total of over 1.5 million views.

In fact, as detailed at the link below, this video was part of a series of hoaxes created as a tribute to Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast by the Spanish "Terra" online media website.

Would you be surprised to hear that copies of a video by the hoaxers explaining how they made their hoaxed footage have a tiny fraction of the number of views of the hoaxed footage??

Further information, links and evidence at: Koi UFO Video 064