Viral Hooks
Trending short videosCouple's dangerous skyscraper engagement proposal.
N

@nugget

Instagram · Carousel

@nugget Urban climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus climbed the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot antenna without safety equipment before getting engaged at the top. The pair also unfurled a banner reading, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” The unauthorized climb prompted a large emergency response, with parts of the observation deck cleared before officers safely brought them down. Both were later taken into custody, and no injuries were reported. The couple are known for documenting extreme rooftop climbs around the world, including in the Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. 📸: @angela_nikolau & @beerkus

View original on Instagram

The edit1 shot · 2 text
Shots Text

Performance

Views
5.2M
Likes
346.4K
Comments
1.8K
Engagement
6.7%

Video #35396 · Carousel

Couple's dangerous skyscraper engagement proposal.from @nugget

[01]

Overview

This is a composite photo documenting the moment urban climbers got engaged after illegally scaling the Empire State Building. The image combines a main shot of the proposal with two inset photos showing them with a banner, all framed by a headline-style text overlay that summarizes the event.

[02]

Simple outline

  1. 1State shocking event headline.
  2. 2Show the core human moment.
  3. 3Provide visual proof with insets.

[03]

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[04]

Classification

Format
Carousel
Concepts
News CarouselJourney DocumentationMilestone Celebration
Elements
Text OverlayNested CompositionGraphic OverlayLow-Angle Shot
Account
CuratorPersonal Brand
Topics
Active LifestyleCurrent EventsRelationshipsArchitecture

[05]

Hook analysis

What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds

Title hook · 45%

A COUPLE CLIMBED THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING AND GOT ENGAGED

Verbal hook · 20%

Urban climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus climbed the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot antenna without safety equipment before getting engaged at the top.

Visual hook · 35%

A dramatic and dangerous scene of a couple on top of a skyscraper, with one person kneeling in a proposal pose. The extreme height, unusual attire (all black with face coverings), and composite image layout create immediate intrigue and shock value.

[06]

Hook template

Steal this for your own video

Someone [dangerous or extreme action] and then [unexpected emotional twist]

  • — A surfer rode a 60-foot wave and then proposed on the beach.
  • — A skydiver jumped from 15,000 feet and then asked her to marry him mid-air.
  • — A free solo climber scaled a sheer cliff face and then celebrated with a birthday cake at the top.

[07]

Hook and payoff

The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back

Hook

A single, visually dense slide that combines a shocking, all-caps headline with a powerful primary image to create an immediate 'WTF' moment, compelling the viewer to stop scrolling and decipher the scene.

Payoff

The payoff is the instant gratification of understanding a complete, unbelievable story in a single glance. The composition itself is the reward, driving curiosity for the finer details which are found in the caption.

[08]

Narrative framework

The structural pattern this video runs on

Framework

The Composite News Story

To tell a complete, multi-faceted story within a single, visually dense slide by using a main image as the emotional hook and inset images as supporting evidence or context, all summarized by a bold headline. This maximizes information delivery and impact before the user reads the caption.

  1. 1

    The Headline & The Human Moment

    The main visual area is dedicated to the most emotionally resonant part of the story, while a large, bold text overlay states the entire shocking premise in a single sentence. This establishes the core narrative immediately.

  2. 2

    The Evidence Insets

    Smaller, inset images are used to provide visual proof and add layers of context to the main story. They answer the 'how,' 'where,' or 'why' questions raised by the headline, functioning as supporting evidence that validates the unbelievable claim.

Themes

  • love
  • rebellion
  • adventure
  • risk-taking
  • social commentary

Techniques

  • photo compositing
  • text overlay
  • low-angle photography

Trends

  • viral stunt
  • news-style social media graphic

Post caption

Urban climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus climbed the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot antenna without safety equipment before getting engaged at the top. The pair also unfurled a banner reading, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” The unauthorized climb prompted a large emergency response, with parts of the observation deck cleared before officers safely brought them down. Both were later taken into custody, and no injuries were reported. The couple are known for documenting extreme rooftop climbs around the world, including in the Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. 📸: @angela_nikolau & @beerkus

Text overlays

  • title · photo_0

    A COUPLE CLIMBED THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING AND GOT ENGAGED

  • contextual · photo_0

    WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE BEATS THE LOVE OF POWER, THE WORLD KNOWS PEACE.

Couple's dangerous skyscraper engagement proposal. | Viral Hooks