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sunflower123

FoodNetwork.com - 0 views

blogs.foodnetwork.com/hots

shared by sunflower123 on 20 Feb 08 - Cached
  • sunflower123 on 20 Feb 08
     
    Who doesn't love food network?  You can find the best recipes here.
daydreamr97

Smash Bros. DOJO!! - 0 views

www.smashbros.com/...index.html

entertainment nintendo videogames

shared by daydreamr97 on 01 Mar 08 - Cached
  • dracmere on 01 Mar 08
     
    best game ever comes out soon
  • daydreamr97 on 14 Apr 08
     
    Save Bookmark
richar19

Wired 14.12: The Secret World of Lonelygirl - 0 views

www.wired.com/...lonelygirl.html

shared by richar19 on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • Beckett had met him through a friend and wanted to make sure Lonelygirl15 didn't get them sued for deceiving the public.
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      This was a good idea on their part. It would be bad if they were successful and then got sued by somebody.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      could this been seen as mocking vloggers out there? hmm...
  • The phenomenon is partly driven by technology – Lonelygirl15 wouldn't exist without the explosion of broadband and the advent of YouTube – and partly by the appeal of a hybrid form of storytelling. Lonelygirl15 is a mashup of homemade video diary, soap opera, and mysterious, hint-laden narrative like Lost. It's all the more engrossing because viewers can correspond with the characters and even affect the plot. For Flinders, it's a thrillingly uncharted creative landscape, and he has no interest in abandoning it for the tired conventions of film or television. Rather, he wants to be the JJ Abrams of the Internet.
    • maureen
      maureen on 14 Feb 08
       
      I'm floored by this whole concept. I think this is one of the best new uses of technology as a writing space, acting environment and interactive literacy playground.
  • Welcome to the set of Lonelygirl15, the breakout Web hit that, in September, was unmasked by fans as a work of fiction.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • But there was an important difference: A Hollywood movie is understood to be fictional. Vlogging on YouTube is not. Plus, to fully harness the medium, they intended to carry on email correspondences with YouTubers while posing as Bree.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This seems kind of deceptive, in my opinion, especially when they realized what might be against them. On the one hand, it's wrong to make people think you are what you aren't when there is no way to note the fact it is ficiton, yet on the other hand, I don't know if they ever would've gotten the start they did without taking the steps they took.
  • Almost everything in the room was bought from Target on the same day, and the price tags are still hanging from some of her stuff. The closet is filled with men's clothing, and in the corner two guys huddle around a laptop and stare at the webcam feed.
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      I like this whole idea of making your own TV show on the Web. It makes me wonder if TV will be renamed and some acronym for computer show will replace it. Podcasts? Is that what they are? If some one can tell me, let me know!
  • webcam willing to listen
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      this sounds like half of the people on youtube, talking into the camera and wishing someone would listen....similar to bloggers.
  • When he got to college, Flinders dreamed up an alter ego – an awkward, geeky homeschooled girl. As a camp counselor, he told fireside tales about her experiences. He wrote short stories about her, and when he tried to make it as a writer in Hollywood, he put her in his screenplays.
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Being that he was beat as a kid you would think that he would have made his character cool and not awkward a geeky. This would be a way he could escape what happen to him.
  • But nobody bought his scripts: Agents and producers didn't think much of the character he had created. After working a few years as an assistant to an independent director and struggling to stay out of debt, he left town and moved in with his grandmother in Merced. He supported himself by writing a draft of a film for an aspiring producer in Maryland; it was about a serial killer.
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This shows that eventhough he did not sell any of his scripts at first that he did not quit.
    • needle10
      needle10 on 13 Apr 08
       
      This just goes to show that you need to be aware of who your audience is in order to get your message (or in this case, your creation) out for the public to view.
  • Together, with next to no budget, they have created a show that illuminates the future of television.
    • needle10
      needle10 on 13 Apr 08
       
      If this "show" is the future of television, I won't need to invest in a TV or cable anymore because I think this is ridiculous and not entertaining.
Chris Vonawrath

Hulu - Watch your favorites. Anytime. For free. - 0 views

www.hulu.com

30 boxing clips content demand entire episodes family fox free guy live movies nbc nhl night on quality rock saturday simpsons streaming television tv

shared by Chris Vonawrath on 07 May 08 - Cached
  • Chris Vonawrath on 07 May 08
     
    You only have to watch ONE commmercial usually, and it's high quality. ONE COMMERCIAL!
Joan Vance

The Literacy Web at The University of Connecticut Homepage - 0 views

www.literacy.uconn.edu/index.htm

education lesson-plans literacy literature standards teaching-activites

shared by Joan Vance on 22 Apr 08 - Cached
  • Joan Vance on 22 Apr 08
     
    There is so much information on this site. It gives links to literacy standards for each grade, links for lesson plans, literature, professional development, integrating technology and so much more.
willis02

Photography, Pictures, Galleries, Wallpapers, Screensavers, Photo Tips, Biographies - N... - 0 views

photography.nationalgeographic.com

geographic national pictures

shared by willis02 on 21 Feb 08 - Cached
  • willis02 on 21 Feb 08
     
    I bookmarked this page because it has really neat photos. I like to look at the National Geographic photos because they are like no other. They always have the best shots and they are breathtaking.
Elizabeth Somer

How Mark Zuckerberg Turned Facebook Into the Web's Hottest Platform - 0 views

www.wired.com/...ff_facebook

facebook

shared by Elizabeth Somer on 25 Mar 08 - Cached
  • Elizabeth Somer on 25 Mar 08
     
    this page discusses the emergence of facbook
  • Elizabeth Somer on 26 Mar 08
     
    This page discusses the emergence of facebook. What is amazing is how facebook has redefined social networking.
richar19

Rowan University - 0 views

rowan.edu

netmail rowan school university

shared by richar19 on 20 Feb 08 - Cached
  • sunflower123 on 20 Feb 08
     
    This is the Rowan University homepage, very useful for any Rowan student.
  • richar19 on 14 Apr 08
     
    This is a website that I visit to get my net mail from. It is also the website for our school.
Jessica Bloom

Wired 14.12: The Secret World of Lonelygirl - 0 views

www.wired.com/...lonelygirl.html

lonelygirl

shared by Jessica Bloom on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • You make movies for the big screen, sitcoms for TV, and something else entirely for the Internet.
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      He makes a good point. You have to make something to fit the media medium you are making it for. In terms of writing you wouldn't write a poem for a whole book, unless it was a really long poem.
  • He wanted to create shows in which the line between reality and fiction is blurred, where viewers can correspond with the characters and actually become involved in the story by posting their own videos.
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      This is an interesting idea that I think internet users will love. Being able to finally interact with what you are watching instead of shouting at the TV with no results is something everybody can enjoy.
  • "It's a new medium. It requires new storytelling techniques.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      The more I kept reading this article the more I undertand, from the beginning I was just kind of freaked out that people could make this huge reality show on the web and it could be fake.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      this is true....i mostly watch tv shows online now b/c i miss them on their regular air times. people are so involved in the net now that they would probably embrace a web-based show.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      This is a really important point to realize. In this course, we continually talked about how writing technologies are constantly changing. The storytelling mediums are going to continue to change. For example, this is why so many people watch TV shows online. It'll be interesting to see how mainstream this idea becomes in the near future.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • Beckett tried to explain to the executive that the central theme of online entertainment was interactivity, as opposed to the passivity of television.
    • maureen
      maureen on 14 Feb 08
       
      To me, this is an example of the cultural lag most of us are experiencing. Executives, typical of the white male dominating elites, are not ready to embrace this new video storytelling technology. Blurring the lines between reality and fiction is groundbreaking storytelling. We participate in interactive video games via our computers, why not interactive storytelling. Again, this whole concept to me is absolutely brillant!
  • each portal wanted the series to stream on its site only.
  • Unlike television, where writers sit in a room and come up with a single script, the Lonelygirl15 team comes up with a general plotline and then sends its writer-directors out to produce independent but interconnected videos. All the characters, in essence, have their own show.
    • maureen
      maureen on 14 Feb 08
       
      Collaborative video storytelling.....who would have thought!
  • It's enough to keep the operation afloat until they can find a way to take serialized online entertainment to the next level.
  • The exec responded by walking them through his fall lineup and pointing out that the network's Web site had great supplemental video material for the season's upcoming shows.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Apr 08
       
      I think that Beckett is on to something, but the TV world just isn't ready for it yet. I think that we may see shows similar to "Lonelygirl" soon, because people want to be involved and participate in what they watch. Why do you think that shows such as Dancing with the Stars and American Idol are so popular? It's because everyone gets to be their own judge in a way. Also, they develop "relationships" with the contestants. They want their favorite singer to win or their least favorite to get booted off. Successful shows such as these are highly interactive.
  • If it couldn't be shared – if hard borders were put around it – how different was it from TV?
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I think that this feature is what made so many people interested in it before, and led them to be currently interested. There were no boundaries with this show. It's creators were free to do whatever they wanted with the show. This is part of what made it different from an ordinary television show.
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 13 Mar 08
       
      So, Internet as a writing space remediates early TV as a writing space, which was at the time remediating radio as a writing space. Only later did innovations for each particular space come to exist.
  • The way the networks look at the Internet now is like the early days of TV, when announcers would just read radio scripts on camera.
  • f it couldn't be shared – if hard borders were put around it – how different was it from TV?
  • If it couldn't be shared – if hard borders were put around it – how different was it from TV? If this was going to be the first successful Internet TV show, they felt it needed to embrace the medium
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 13 Mar 08
       
      It must have been a tough choice for the creators to trade a deal for the freedom to screen their shows wherever they want, but it only makes sense. The designed the series for a writing space that was based on sharing, so signing exclusively with a website would defeat the point.
  • Flinders can't write and film them all, so new writer-directors have been hired and paired with actors playing the new characters.
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Interestingly enough, while this separate collaboration doesn't happen in TV or film, it does happen with longer book series. For example, Star Wars books are authorized by George Lucas but written by multiple people. Sometimes single series within that larger group are written by different authors.
  • What's needed, he says, is content that's built specifically for the Web. It doesn't need to be lit like a film – that would make it feel less real.
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Oddly enough, this idea contradicts the remediation theory. Instead of saying, "it's like film, only [insert difference here]," they're saying it's unike film.
  • Beckett tried to explain to the executive that the central theme of online entertainment was interactivity, as opposed to the passivity of television.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      There's a big difference here before the standard of television and today's internet. Interativity is a lot more involving, and a person can grow more emotionally attached as opposed to the "passivity of television." Emotional attachment equals addicted viewership, which equals popularity and success of the show. It's really an ingenious new medium for the entertainment industry to consider.
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      I do not thing it's a good idea to blur reality and fiction. As we saw in "A Rape in Cyberspace," problems arise when you mix VR and RL.
  • 9 Unlike television, where writers sit in a room and come up with a single script, the Lonelygirl15 team comes up with a general plotline and then sends its writer-directors out to produce independent but interconnected videos. All the characters, in essence, have their own show.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      That's an interesting concept to consider when you think about it. By having separate vlogs, you're able to give separate points on view on different "issues" going on in the characters lives, and it makes the audience feel like they can relate even better. Some movies give you the first-person-point of view, so you know exactly what one person is thinking (like Bree), but you don't know the mind of the other characters (like Daniel). By giving them their own "spotlight," the viewers can form a greater attachment and interest in the stories presented.
  • 13 They don't have a big TV deal, or even a big Internet deal, but they're convinced that what they're doing is important anyway. And they're still here, in Flinders' bedroom. Rose leaps onto the bed and jumps up and down.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Even after people realized that the story was fictional, they still retained their viewership, and that really testifies to the success they had. But even then, Beckett and Flinders didn't choose to "sell out" on the idea; they've kept it as they intended it, and I think that's a pretty important thing to observe. They didn't try to modify it to fit onto the big screen so that they could earn even more money from it.
  • This Web series not only looks different, it's made differently than other filmed entertainment.
  • They don't have a big TV deal, or even a big Internet deal, but they're convinced that what they're doing is important anyway.
  • outing benefited from the publicity surge and pushed a few of Lonelygirl15's clips close to the million-viewer mark.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      I guess any publicity can be good publicity.
  • Emails flooded in – Amanda now responds to roughly 500 a day. The show has a reliable viewership of 300,000 per video, and the team posts two, sometimes more, each week.
    • Danielle Rabello
      Danielle Rabello on 16 Apr 08
       
      It didn't seem to matter whether she was real or not in the end. People wrote to her and contacted her regardless, and now she i watched more than ever. People become angered at being tricked, but fascinated all at once.
  • supplemental material is boring.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      I don't think it has to be boring. If you are really creative you can make it interesting.
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      The concept that this is a whole new form of entertainment seems totally spot on. People treat YouTube differently than they do television. It kind of seems like an evolved reality show phenomenon.
    • Bianca Pieloch
      Bianca Pieloch on 17 Apr 08
       
      It wil soon blow up. Everything starts out small-if they get enough views it will go big sooner than later.
Danielle Rabello

Wired 14.12: The Secret World of Lonelygirl - 0 views

www.wired.com/...lonelygirl.html

videos

shared by Danielle Rabello on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • $500 a week to play Bree full time
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      I wish I got paid that much. Thats pretty cool for her to get paid to be on Youtube. Just more evidence that Youtube is taking over.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      I wonder if that was tax-free money. I don't think $500 would be enough for me to run around hiding from everyone. This girl seems to be so trusting and naive.
  • But the fans – raised on the unreality of reality TV and with the role-playing ethos of the Web – seemed to take the revelation in stride.
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      Seems like viewers treated like a regular show. I know if I was a viewer I wouldn't of cared. If something entertains you then just because it isn't real doesn't mean it will stop entertaining you.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      True the whole point of entertainment is to captivate you, but it still has to be something tht you can identify with and that speaks to you. She obviously spoke to a lot of people so the fact of whether it was real or not didn't matter in the message.
  • several people noted that everything in Bree's room seemed to come from Target
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      That is amazing that people really looked that deeply into the veidos.
  • ...27 more annotations...
  • It hadn't taken them long to figure out, by trial and error, what worked in this new genre. Viewers wanted family and relationship drama mixed with a rich, mysterious backstory that could be explored and debated.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      The more I read the more interesting it sound, it is to bad they could not have just admitted from the beginning that they are just trying to get a web tv type show. People would still watch if it was interesting enough.
    • kimmerzx0 C
      kimmerzx0 C on 12 Mar 08
       
      People want something they can relate to and many teenagers have family problems.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      By not telling the audience whether this character was real or not, everyone automatically assumed that she was real. Maybe it was just realistic casting. This is like an online mockumentary but instead of being viewed by a small group of followers gained an enormous following almost instaneously.
  • In return, she had to stay home as much as possible and wear sunglasses and a hat when she went out. For Rose, it was a dream come true – she was a working actress. She just couldn't tell anyone.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      Yes making 500 dollars a week is okay for a 27 year old, but I would personally hate the fact that I'd have to keep my identity hidden all the time, and couldn't tell anyone what was really going on, that has to get stressful.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      This is so old hollywood. During the filming of Gone With The Wind, the studio forced Vivien Leigh to live separate from her husband to continue the illusion of her being a single eligible southern belle. Also, many of the studios knew then and still use the practice now of setting up known gay actors with romances to throw the public off. I think the studios care more about this than the public does now, but the practice still goes on to this day.
  • The YouTube community was sucked into the plot and speculated endlessly about Bree's faith. Some thought she was Mormon; others insisted she was a Satanist. Another group tried to figure out where she lived: The leading guess was somewhere in the Midwest. Viewers spent hours Googling the possibilities and posting their results on YouTube.
    • maureen
      maureen on 14 Feb 08
       
      Brillant! Getting the community sucked into the plot is big, but getting the community to start speculating about the plot is even bigger. When people start speculating, a dialogue occurs and from that dialogue the speculation spreads like a virus, which in turn promotes more interest in Bree and more viewers to follow the story.
  • Fair enough," the fan wrote back, and then went on to tell Bree the latest news in his life. To many, it didn't seem to matter whether she was real or not. A number of posts appeared on YouTube denouncing the series, but many more responded with variations of this simple statement: If you don't like it, don't watch.
    • maureen
      maureen on 14 Feb 08
       
      Who cares whether she was real or not. The purpose of watching the videos is for entertainment and to get in on the new wave of storytelling.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      it is interesting that people would get to the point that they would correspond with her. I can understand why if they thought she was real, but after that, I'd think to continue would be strange
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      I think when people find a connection with someone, real or imagined, it gets in touch with something inside of them that reaches out. This maybe is the whole point of cyberspace, to reach outside of who we are and try to connect on a difference level
  • ithin 48 hours, the video had half a million views.
  • That couldn't have happened on television. A conventional TV episode airs once at a certain time; even if it's great, it can only serve to attract viewers to future episodes. On YouTube, a video can be streamed at any time.
    • hughes27
      hughes27 on 14 Feb 08
       
      This is a good point. I never thought about how youtube videos are basically in the hands of its viewers
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 15 Feb 08
       
      Yes many of the YouTube videos show what work and what doesnt work according to how good the video is.
  • The good ones are watched again and again, sending a clear message about what works and what doesn't. When "My Parents Suck …" broke 500,000 views, Beckett and Flinders realized this wasn't just an experiment or a setup for a film.
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      It's amazing how addicting things like this are. Even though people have already viewed the "episode," they return to it. Maybe they're hoping to find out more about her? Perhaps it became part of the investigation into who she is. To me, it's a little reminiscent of releasing DVD versions of television shows.
  • Meanwhile, the online celebrity started spilling over into the real world. Rose was browsing for a book in Santa Monica after "My Parents Suck …" was posted and noticed two girls watching her closely. That night, Amanda received an email from a fan: "Hi Bree. My friend and I thought we saw you at the Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica, but it couldn't be you, right?"
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      This attention as I mentioned before can be both positive and negative. It raises concerns
  • If you want to talk to Jessica Rose, you can go to her MySpace page. If you want to keep talking to Bree, use this email."
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      The character and the actress need to separate. It's dangerous when the two become fused.
  • The editing was too sophisticated and the music too well integrated,
    • kimmerzx0 C
      kimmerzx0 C on 12 Mar 08
       
      This was the only aspect that threw me off from thinking it was real.
  • IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, MATTHEW FOREMSKI, the 18-year-old son of a Silicon Valley tech reporter, dug up an old version of Rose's MySpace page. She'd deleted it when she became Bree, but Google cached a copy, and Foremski posted the link to his father's blog. Within 48 hours, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and a slew of TV stations ran the story. The jig was up.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      This just goes to show how the idea of privacy has changed in a technology-oriented society. As Vaidhyanathan talks about in his article, we can always be tracked somehow given the technologies we use daily.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      This idea of always being tracked just makes me nervous. I am such a private person when it comes to certain things. I will tell you 90% of my life story, but that last 10% is mine. I think about that about that alot in relation to all of the sites that I belong to and subscribe too. They probably have more information on me than my own mother knows and there really is no way to exist without it.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      people like the idea that they are watching reality, hence the fascination with dating shows and reality tv. they feel closer to the characters and the experience. we feel a need for shared experiences.
  • hadn't taken them long to figure out, by trial and error, what worked in this new genre. Viewers wanted family and relationship drama mixed with a rich, mysterious backstory that could be explored and debated. > The YouTube community was sucked into the plot and speculated endlessly about > Bree's faith. Some thought she was Mormon; others insisted she was a Satanist. > Another group tried to figure out where she lived: The leading guess was > somewhere in the Midwest. Viewers spent hours Googling the possibilities and > posting their results on YouTube. >
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      people like the idea that they are experiencing reality. we liked the shared experiences with others...it makes us feel more human to witness them occurring in someone else's life.
  • explored
  • (One viewer annotated each item with its SKU number.) Could it be, one fan wondered, that the whole thing was an elaborate ad
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      it is amazing that people get so involved and look so far into this. when i go on youtube, i am looking up a music video, i don't latch onto a series.....are there more like this on youtube?
    • zimmer67
      zimmer67 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Who actually has the time to watch something that intently and notice the SKU number on background items in a video? that borders on obsession
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      Reading up until this point, I kept thinking how creepy the creators were. Now I'm thinking they played into their target audience very well. They were able to create online videos that attracted such a faithful audience (possibly crazy with too much time on their hands as well, but nonetheless) willing to go over every detail.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      Just goes to show you what you can accomplish with a well dressed set. Iam still so fascinated by the public's love for stuff like this. I guess it brings out the voyeurism in all of us in what many consider a safe outlet.
  • lucrative career as a surgeon before he started making little videos and posting them online.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      it seems crazy that he would give up a career, any career let alone being a surgeon, to start an unpaid youtube series. what was in it for him?
  • Miles, it's time you quit being a doctor," he said. "We just passed 200,000 views."
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Although, I am not really for what these men did, I do give them credit. They took a risk, and it proved to be revolutionary for both the Internet and You Tube. It changed the way that many people view, You Tube. They created a story which captured the lives of many audience members. This must have been a great feeling when they realized that their story was changing the world.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      This is so war of the worlds. People assuming that what they are seeing and hearing is real because they are seeing is depicted as real. If this was on ast teeno'clock on a Thursday night we would not assume the same thing.
  • When viewers suggested that he had a crush on Bree, they changed the story line to include a romance.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is interesting, because the Internet does allow the audience to interact with the content presented. In the Lonelygirl's story, viewers were able to present all types of ideas and feelings. This, in turn, allowed them to feel connected emotionally, much more than if they watched a reality television show. This is what they believed to be a "real" person who cared about their imput and feedback.
  • #4 The YouTube community was sucked into the plot and speculated endlessly about Bree's faith. Some thought she was Mormon; others insisted she was a Satanist. Another group tried to figure out where she lived: The leading guess was somewhere in the Midwest. Viewers spent hours Googling the possibilities and posting their results on YouTube.
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is a great way to keep people comming back alway make them wonder what is going to happen next.
  • "I don't want you to ever set foot in another TGI Fridays," he said, explaining that he'd pay her #14 $500 a week to play Bree full time . #13 In return, she had to stay home as much as possible and wear sunglasses and a hat when she went out. For Rose, it was a dream come true – she was a working actress. She just couldn't tell anyone.
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is something that I would have a problem with I could not stay home that much. Plus i would want to tell everyone.
    • alieraisu1
      alieraisu1 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Now this is ridiculous. Did she not see she is losing her life to this? Come on, she's a young adult and if she plays this character on a Youtube video she has to stay home in the dark and not have a life? This is totally ridiculous! Where are her parents in all of this? Her friends? What's going on here?
  • so his father, a marketing executive at an IT company, agreed to invest in the newly formed Lonelygirl15 production company. Beckett immediately called Rose
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      It is a good thing that his father gave him the money because if not she would have started to work at Fridays and they could not have used her in the series.
  • but Google cached a copy
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This shows that you can never really escape from things there is always a trail.
  • #17 "I don't want you to ever set foot in another TGI Fridays," he said, explaining that he'd pay her #16 $500 a week to play Bree full time . #15 In return, she had to stay home as much as possible and wear sunglasses and a hat when she went out. For Rose, it was a dream come true – she was a working actress. She just couldn't tell anyone.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 07 Apr 08
       
      That's about the most unusual proposition available for an actress, isn't it? It's kind of hard to believe she even agreed to it at first, especially since she wasn't even paid! And even once she was, she couldn't tell? Her career changed her lifestyle, though not in the way it usually tends to for celebrities.
  • It was a medium in its own right.
    • Danielle Rabello
      Danielle Rabello on 16 Apr 08
       
      Again, demonstrating how convenient Youtube it. As Americans, we want instant gratification.
  • It hadn't taken them long to figure out, by trial and error, what worked in this new genre. Viewers wanted family and relationship drama mixed with a rich, mysterious backstory that could be explored and debated.
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      Sure it worked, it plays out like a soap opera. Look how many years Erica Kane from "All My Children" survived on TV. People love the suspense and drama that unfolds in the world of others
  • IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, MATTHEW FOREMSKI, the 18-year-old son of a Silicon Valley tech reporter, dug up an old version of Rose's MySpace page. She'd deleted it when she became Bree, but Google cached a copy , and Foremski posted the link to his father's blog. Within 48 hours, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and a slew of TV stations ran the story. The jig was up.
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      This should make the Internet users more cognicient that nothing is ever ireally private. You need to be aware, if it is out there, anyone can gain acess to your infomation.
Gail Ramsey

Wired 14.12: The Secret World of Lonelygirl - 0 views

www.wired.com/...lonelygirl.html

shared by Gail Ramsey on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • Don't sell merchandise and don't use any copyrighted music without a license. If people buy Lonelygirl15 stuff thinking she is real, they could claim false advertising and sue.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      I guess that was smart that he thought that much into, but it still doesnt sit right with me. When I watched the viedos I couldn't help but think how fake it all was.
    • zimmer67
      zimmer67 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I don't feel creating a fan base based on lies is the best way for a young film maker to start his career.
    • alieraisu1
      alieraisu1 on 13 Mar 08
       
      Really quick here: isn't it false advertising? They made a series of FAKE videos about a girl. It's all scripted... but no one says that out loud... isn't that false advertising?
  • It was a sly move: Post a video that comments on an already-popular vlogger and piggyback on the existing audience.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      Deffinitley a smart tactic, I commend him on his genious ways, he most be a intelligent person, writing skits and planning this all.
  • But he did persuade her to meet again the next day. It was at a crowded coffee shop – she figured she'd be safe. Beckett showed up alone and explained the plan this way: The project was a sketchbook for a film. If it was a success online, they could go to the studios and use the material as a screen test for both her and the story. That seemed to soften her. This was just a stepping stone to a feature film. She decided to give it a try.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      At least that shows that lonelygirl has respect for herself. I don't no anything about these veidos except for what is on here, so I didn't no if she did anything inappopriate and that statement shows she isn't a so called "veido whore".
  • ...37 more annotations...
  • Her character is also deliberately crafted to target the Web's most active demographics. Nerds geek out on the idea that this beautiful girl lists physicist Richard Feynman and poet e. e. cummings as heroes. Horny guys respond to the tame but tantalizing glimpses of her cleavage. Teenage girls sympathize with her boy troubles and her sometimes-stormy relationship with her strict parents. Early on, viewers started emailing to offer advice and sympathy. Others wanted to talk dirty and discuss mathematical equations.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      Yes it is nice that all different types of people can relate to her...but they were not relating to a real person, so that could of really upset them when they found out it was fake. That could cause someone to do something out of hand.
    • goulds28 gould
      goulds28 gould on 14 Feb 08
       
      The point is that people were relating to the story. It was what held their interest. Whether or not she is fictional is unimportant. The fact that people were interested in this is what made it so substational to the future of "tv on the internet"
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      i noticed that they did this....they have every boy's dream...a beautiful nerdy girl who isn't afraid to be herself....not sure how much girls would like her though...
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      She's extremely cute. I watched the three videos on the side of the first page, and I can see why people would think she's adorable. However, the things she does and says seems a little immature for me, maybe that's the point but I don't see why people would tune into her like they apparently do. I just don't know...
  • As Bree, she struck up friendships with people in Sweden, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Australia, Mexico, and all over the US.
    • goulds28 gould
      goulds28 gould on 14 Feb 08
       
      Thats the difference with having this series on the internet, it is worldwide not only reaching select television networks.
    • hughes27
      hughes27 on 14 Feb 08
       
      These characteristics are doing exactly what is intended to do. Just from the small three video's that i have watched so far, im interested to watch more.
  • Now Beckett and Flinders had made her sign a nondisclosure agreement and, clearly pleased with themselves, told her that they wanted her to play the lead in what they billed as the future of entertainment.
    • Jennifer Dougherty
      Jennifer Dougherty on 18 Apr 08
       
      The people on Survivor and the Bachelor and any other show that ends prior to the last air date must sign agreements of nondisclousure so that the ending is not revealed. How is this any different. This actually makes me think about the movie The Truman Show with Jim Carrey.
  • The title of the video was "My Parents Suck …," and she explained that her religion prevented her from doing things that other kids did. Still, she felt that her parents had gone too far when they said she couldn't go on a hike with Daniel. It was the first time Bree was emotional on camera.
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      This change really brought drama to the plot, but I can see how the mystery drew people in. I remember thinking the Law & Order episode that was based on this story was intriguing since it implied a future for this type of entertainment.
  • In fact, Beckett and Flinders hadn't even found an actress to play the part.
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 15 Feb 08
       
      SO, Lonelygirl15 wasn't sure if this was a scam or not? Did she even look into it first?
  • It was exactly what her acting coaches at Universal Studios' film program had warned her against: unkempt producer-types hawking shady deals.
  • THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT JESSICA ROSE that the webcam loves. Her distractingly large eyebrows and small round face are bent and stretched by the fish-eye lens into a morsel of beauty that fits perfectly in a pop-up window. That's not to say she isn't pretty off camera – she is – but every step she takes closer to the cam multiplies and enhances her looks. It's a face made for the browser screen.
    • Aaron D
      Aaron D on 25 Mar 08
       
      I can see that. =D
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 15 Feb 08
       
      So Jessica Rose had to be pretty to be on camera...that is not right. If the person has something to say...let them no matter what.
  • As Bree, she struck up friendships with people in Sweden, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Australia, Mexico, and all over the US. > She never offered much information about her character. Rather, she'd research an emailer's
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 15 Feb 08
       
      Doing this screen play was also a way for her to meet new people and to keep in contact with people she already knew.
  • The previous week, one guy had offered her a part in a movie if she would use her student ID to buy him discounted film at Kodak
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      These people are receiving instant fame. Like any celebrity there are positive and negative consequences. While Youtube may have in fact helped this actress's career, it could have also easily shattered it
  • A day or two after that, a new user named Lonelygirl15 posted an animated scene of a dinosaur stomping on a house, intercut with Emily's original videos.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      good segueway.....pretty inventive and it would get vloggers interested
  • Emily's fans loved it and offered a deluge of comments, giving Lonelygirl15 instant cred. Viewers praised this funny, creative new vlogger, encouraged her to keep the videos coming, and signed up to receive her future clips.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I can't believe that people would actually get so involved in this. When you think about it, it's kind of ridiculous. It's as if people don't value their lives enough that they have to rely on someone else's story for entertainment. Then, after all of that, they find out that it's fictional. I just think that this was very deceptive.
  • . #15 The previous videos had gotten between 50,000 and 100,000 views after a week, but this one logged 50,000 in its first
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is very interesting and shows a huge jump in popularity.
  • The previous videos had gotten between 50,000 and 100,000 views after a week, but this one logged 50,000 in its first two hours.
    • needle10
      needle10 on 13 Apr 08
       
      The amount of people that view the "diary videos" from LonelyGirl15 is not surprising to me because there are many shows on television these days that I thought no one would ever watch and yet millions do.
  • Goodfried's advice was simple. "If anyone asks point-blank if you're real, don't answer the question," he said. "Don't lie to people. The answer is no answer. In my mind, it's the equivalent of not lying. But if people talk to Bree like she's Bree, that's fair game."
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is something that happens all the time were someone is asked a question and they just don't answer it or they change the subject. I had never thought of it from a legal stance though.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      I am still not sure how legal not answering the question is. In the series, she is saying she is a certain individual. How is that different than if someone asks via email? Most likely, the dollar issue is the one you could get in trouble for because that would bring in false advertising.
  • #8 The previous week, one guy had offered her a part in a movie if she would use her student ID to buy him discounted film at Kodak
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This to me is something that would seem very weird. I do not think film is that expensive so i would not see why he would do this. I would probably have a bad feeling about it.
  • It sounded a lot like porn.
    • alieraisu1
      alieraisu1 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I would have bacxked out right then and there. It sounded shady to me too, and I wouldn't have gone along with it. I wonder why she did.
    • Aaron D
      Aaron D on 25 Mar 08
       
      You know it really could have been. But Beckett and Flinders probably backed out on their original idea when they were afraid of lossing her. =P haha
  • they could claim false advertising and sue.
  • commune-raised screenwriter a green light to unleash Lonelygirl15 on the world.
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      This guy was raised on a commune with twelve other kids. He's just trying to find any way to stand out, even if it is creepy. He really thought through the process and made sure to cover himself.
  • (one called her an "attention whore" and another a "video slut"),
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      I've noticed how quick people are to post vile and insulting things. They don't care who will see their remarks because they can hide behind their screen name. Cursing seems like less and less of a taboo online. I don't think this is a good way to share with our peers.
  • But this first clip laid the groundwork for everything that was to come.
    • Aaron D
      Aaron D on 25 Mar 08
       
      You can really tell in the advansment in the editting techs. from the first clip to the later ones. the style of the program evolves
  • A day or two after that, a new user named Lonelygirl15 posted an animated scene of a dinosaur stomping on a house, intercut with Emily's original videos.
  • 9 The previous videos had gotten between 50,000 and 100,000 views after a week, but this one logged 50,000 in its first two hours.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 07 Apr 08
       
      People want to hear the dramatic, soap opery issues. Like with the YouTube video of "boom goes the dynamite," people enjoy looking at videos of people in distress, whether emotionally or socially. Plus, the title itself relates with the emotions a lot of teens feel. "My Parents Suck . . ." It's a title a lot of kids probably want to put on their life story at some time or another. It's no wonder it was so popular.
  • "If anyone asks point-blank if you're real, don't answer the question," he said. "Don't lie to people. The answer is no answer. In my mind, it's the equivalent of not lying. But if people talk to Bree like she's Bree, that's fair game."
    • needle10
      needle10 on 13 Apr 08
       
      This is kind of like politics. Don't answer the question, avoid it, and no one will get in trouble.
  • JESSICA ROSE WAS SUSPICIOUS and frankly a little pissed off. She had come to this organic-tea shop to discuss what she thought was a feature film called Children of Anchor Cove.
    • needle10
      needle10 on 13 Apr 08
       
      Can you blame her? This is all very sketchy. And it's kind of ironic that they lured her to get involved in this "project" under false pretenses and the whole project itself is a lie.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      I wonder how many other young actresses they tried this on before they found her? I can not image trusting these guys like she did. Exspecially when they eventually told her they would film in a private house in a bedroom.
  • a hand puppet named Purple Monkey
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      I never played with hand puppets when I was 16.
  • Rather, she'd research an emailer's MySpace page and ask questions about their life. They responded enthusiastically and helped spread the word about the amazing new YouTube vlogger named Bree
    • Joan Vance
      Joan Vance on 17 Apr 08
       
      OMG, how crazy is that?!?! I'm surprised no one else has commented on this particular part. I can't believe Amanda looked up people's myspace pages. My page is private but it still makes me skeptical. Maybe I should delete my myspace and facebook. Who wants people to know everything about them?
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      I agree. That is scary. I don't really see getting upset that the video was a fake but to get into friendships, email conversations and investigate people . No that crosses a line somewhere that is not acceptable. Those conversations were past just a unique new entertainment.
  • Don't sell merchandise and don't use any copyrighted music without a license. If people buy Lonelygirl15 stuff thinking she is real
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      How does this justify the fact that the story line is flasified? Is this not false advertising? They are misleading the viewers.
    • Jennifer Dougherty
      Jennifer Dougherty on 18 Apr 08
       
      I follow the Big Brother blogs. They are full of people who follow the live feeds. The houseguests are not permitted to sing any song because of this copyright issue. Watching the feeds, the stuff that is only seen over the internet, you can here producers come on and ask houseguests to "please stop singing" anytime they break into song. It's pretty amusing sometimes.
  • Teenage girls sympathize with her boy troubles and her sometimes-stormy relationship with her strict parents.
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      This is where this can get really ugly. Young girls who make a connection with her, only to learn that it is all lies. This could cause some serious emotional repurcussions.
  • The previous videos had gotten between 50,000 and 100,000 views after a week, but this one logged 50,000 in its first two hours.
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      I am not surprised. In our troubled world, people like to feel that they are not alone in the way they feel. They tend to gravitate towards people who have problems. It makes their own more bearable.
  • Rather, she'd research an emailer's MySpace page and ask questions about their life. They responded enthusiastically and helped spread the word about the amazing new YouTube vlogger named Bree .
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      Okay, so where does this invasion of privacy end? It is like you are standing in the nude for the entire web to view.
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      it's interesting how the same viewers who degraded Emily embraced Lonelygirl15. I wonder if it has to do with her created persona. As they discuss later, it did appeal to a certain demographic on the web.
    • Bianca Pieloch
      Bianca Pieloch on 17 Apr 08
       
      This is how they draw people in. When they see someone is upset and trying to deal with a problem, the viewer is drawn in. Humans like to see others besides themselves with problems.
  • For Amanda, it was a welcome departure from her day job, where she answered phones and handled the demands of high-powered stars.
    • Jennifer Dougherty
      Jennifer Dougherty on 18 Apr 08
       
      Isn't this what most of us long for-a chance to be someone else, even if only for a bit? Think about it, I know when I was younger, I played dress up and pretended to be someone else. Even as an adult writer, I create characters that are not like me. They are from me, but are not me. Sometimes I am a child in my stories, sometimes an elderly man, sometimes I am even an anilmal or a bug, or a fairy, or a princess. The point is, it is an escape from reality, a vent, a form of release.
Kelly Burns

Wired 14.12: The Secret World of Lonelygirl - 0 views

www.wired.com/...lonelygirl.html

shared by Kelly Burns on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • Beckett had met him through a friend and wanted to make sure Lonelygirl15 didn't get them sued for deceiving the public
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      This was a good idea on their part. It would be bad if they were successful and then got sued for something.
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      Is it even possible to get sued for deceiving the public? So many shows today are fake, do they have a problem as well?
  • But the series he created shows that Internet TV has arrived. The phenomenon is partly driven by technology – Lonelygirl15 wouldn't exist without the explosion of broadband and the advent of YouTube – and partly by the appeal of a hybrid form of storytelling.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      I just find this kind of sick and twisted. I remember hearing about this a few months ago but didn't think much of it. But this type of fake story telling only shows people how easy to is to be fake by using technology and that is not right. It is just scary to think that you never know who you are really talking to, taking advice from or if any facts are real, and Lonelygirl made that even more clear...lonelygirl would not exist either if someone didn't make her up.
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      I hadn't heard about this until now, but I agree, it is VERY sick and twisted! It makes me sad to think it exists, because this happens, it's real life.
  • In the process, the series is helping to invent the rhythm, grammar, and style of online storytelling
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      If they admitted from the beginning that they were just trying to make an non-fictional online story, then that would be one thing. But they lied so it makes it werid.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      This is not really a new concept, just an old concept displayed in a new technology. Not that the stories were the same but there have been radio programs and movies that originally ran as real but were fake.
  • ...39 more annotations...
  • In short, they were planning to exploit the anonymity of the Internet to pull off a new kind of storytelling, and they worried they were on shaky legal ground.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 13 Feb 08
       
      If they had any bad feeling about it at all, that should of told them right there not to do it.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      It may not be illegal, but it is unethical. Unlike a real movie or TV show, these men where purposefully exploiting viewers online. There would have been no reason for the viewers to think the videos were fake (unlike when we go to a movie and know the characters are played by paid actors). Since there is no universally accepted ethical guidelines for online postings to sites like YouTube, I guess the creators thought their actions could be justified. However, I still think that creating a massive plan to deceive countless viewers like they did is not a good way to represent YouTube and similar spaces.
  • Plastic surgery might be an essential part of the entertainment industry, but he wanted more. He wanted to direct.
    • goulds28 gould
      goulds28 gould on 14 Feb 08
       
      very strange switch in professional fields. Is plastic surgery that closely linked to the entertainment industry in the first place?
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 29 Mar 08
       
      i dont think they are THAT closely related to make such a drastic switch...kind of creepy in my opinion
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      Interesting switch in fields.
  • Now, as a result of Lonelygirl15, he's represented by a top-tier Hollywood talent agency and has been interviewed on MTV, CNN, and NBC Nightly News. He even has business partners: a former doctor named Miles Beckett and husband-and-wife lawyers Greg and Amanda Goodfried. Together, with next to no budget, they have created a show that illuminates the future of television.
    • willis02
      willis02 on 15 Feb 08
       
      That is crazy. It's weird to think little ideas like this really could go a long way if you are talented enough. This "lie" changed his life. Good for him.
  • So today, two weeks after the revelation that the show is fictional, Flinders is filming the 45th two-minute installment of the series and pushing into new territory. What began as a quirky story about a religious girl fighting with her strict parents and her boyfriend is poised to break out of the bedroom and into a full-blown international thriller.
    • willis02
      willis02 on 15 Feb 08
       
      It's amazing at how far this guy went to make this Lonlygirl15 happen.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      Seems harmless enough.
  • Last week, he spotted his neighbors – two Playboy playmates – and invited them in. They glanced at his room, got suspicious, and quickly left.
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      I completely agree. What would you think if you walked into a set like that?
  • It's all the more engrossing because viewers can correspond with the characters and even affect the plot.
    • Joan Vance
      Joan Vance on 17 Apr 08
       
      Why wouldn't anyone like a show in which they can relate to? This is why I read certain books, because I can relate to the characters in some way. Reality TV has really became a hit in the US. I actually do enjoy some of these new shows.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      Most of the reality shows are extreme case setups. I wonder if that encourages people to react extreme in life. They put you on an emotional overcharge to keep you viewing. Reality is a very lose term for them and even with LonleyGirl they admitted they didn't get the big hits until they made it "emotional".
  • Welcome to the set of Lonelygirl15, the breakout Web hit that, in September, was unmasked by fans as a work of fiction. What nearly a million people thought was the room of a sweet, charismatic teen named Bree is actually the Beverly Hills bedroom of Lonelygirl15's cocreator Mesh Flinders, an unshaven 27-year-old who is fighting the flu and running a fever of 101. He hasn't left this room for more than 24 hours. "I've got no reason to leave," Flinders says, rubbing his bloodshot eyes and then blowing his nose. The room smells like sweat. "I write the scripts here, we shoot them here, and I sleep here. Why leave?"
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      He clearly has something wrong with him. This is not only unhealthy but a bit scary!
    • alieraisu1
      alieraisu1 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I agree with kaeanne... something's wrong... and creepy here
    • james caposele
      james caposele on 17 Apr 08
       
      This guy is a mess...a smart mess though. Does he make a lot of money off this? It has always blown my mind that you can come up wiht such a simple idea and get all the media coverage for it. I'm still waiting for my big break.
  • A Hollywood movie is understood to be fictional. Vlogging on YouTube is not.
  • But this isn't what it appears to be: Almost everything in the room was bought from Target on the same day, and the price tags are still hanging from some of her stuff. The closet is filled with men's clothing, and in the corner two guys huddle around a laptop and stare at the webcam feed.
    • hawtho16
      hawtho16 on 20 Feb 08
       
      This paragrapgh really got me thinking about the videos we watched on Lonely Girl. I didn't even seem to pick up on what was hanging in the closet or that things still had price tags on them. Can you see those details from the videos?
    • kimmerzx0 C
      kimmerzx0 C on 12 Mar 08
       
      It makes you think about the discussion we had in class the other day about people portraying themselves as whoever they want to be portrayed as. It is amazing that you could think something that seems so real, like an ordinary girl with boy problems, can actually be completely fake!
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      It just proves that things aren't always what they seem to be. This is a huge problem with the freedom that the internet provides to those not mature enough to use it responsibly.
    • Kelly Burns
      Kelly Burns on 17 Apr 08
       
      I never knew that it was a fake scene! It reminds me of the discussion we had in class the other day about how people can fake their identies. Most the people in the class just kept using the words, "It's weird" and "Creepy", and that is the only way I know how to describe the crazy phenomon about how people can change who they are and portray themselves as completely different people on the Internet.
    • james caposele
      james caposele on 17 Apr 08
       
      I spoke to soon in my previous sticky note. I didn't fully believe her when she said that she only had one friend. Does it say gullable on the wall? I think it does..
    • Jennifer Dougherty
      Jennifer Dougherty on 18 Apr 08
       
      This doesn't actually bother me. I am a huge fan of reality TV, which we all know is HEAVILY staged and scripted. Who cares that this is too. It's entertainment. Remember how we are always taught not to believe everything we read? That we are to approach everything we read with a critical eye? The same goes for these videos. If we question what we see, the validity of it and the impact we as the viewer choose to assign it to our lives, it shouldn't matter if the video is real or fake.
  • When the show started in June with a two-minute YouTube posting by Bree – played by actress Jessica Rose – Flinders would rearrange his room after each shoot.
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      I thought it was crazy how it was all shot inside of his own bedroom. What's more is that it seems to have made him a bit of a recluse.
  • When the show started in June with a two-minute YouTube posting by Bree – played by actress Jessica Rose – Flinders would rearrange his room after each shoot. >
    • hawtho16
      hawtho16 on 20 Feb 08
       
      I cannot believe that someone would think of such a show. Who has that much time on their hands? Just to think a two-minute posting turned into something everyone talked about.
  • So today, two weeks after the revelation that the show is fictional, Flinders is filming the 45th two-minute installment of the series and pushing into new territory. What began as a quirky story about a religious girl fighting with her strict parents and her boyfriend is poised to break out of the bedroom and into a full-blown international thriller.
    • hawtho16
      hawtho16 on 20 Feb 08
       
      It just boggles my mind how one video turned into 45. I wonder what made him do this, did he want the attention? Where did the story line come from?
    • jrae3388
      jrae3388 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I heard of LonelyGirl before and saw some of her videos and it intrigued me because it was kind of Degrassi-esque, but I really wondered if it was true or not because it shows her being kidnapped and I was wondering why there wasn't an outcry because she was kidnapped, but I had a suspicion that this was all fake, just like all the other shows out there. One thing I have learned over the years is dont believe everything you say/hear.
  • He'd take down the pictures of Rose as a baby, stash the stuffed animals, and swap out the girly bedspread for his more masculine blue-and-white-striped blanket. Now, three months into the project and with hundreds of thousands of regular viewers, he doesn't bother
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      I think this is "genius." Who would think to create a mini, self-run almost TV like series?
    • kimmerzx0 C
      kimmerzx0 C on 12 Mar 08
       
      I wander how many times he actually retransformed his room, it seems way too tiring for me. I have a hard enough time cleaning my room and taking the stuff I need to take home for a weekend.
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      I think this is pretty creative.
  • He wrote short stories about her, and when he tried to make it as a writer in Hollywood, he put her in his screenplays.
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      Some books today are written in the form of IM/Blog conversations. I think this is more personal way of writing and communicating
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      Is he trying to compensate for his short comings now? Is Lonelygirl really a success for him? Well, I guess that's the way he sees it.
  • As a camp counselor, he told fireside tales about her experiences.
    • kimmerzx0 C
      kimmerzx0 C on 12 Mar 08
       
      So lonelygirl seems to not only be his story, but also his obsession. It is like the characters people create in MUDs and then they become obsessed with them.
  • Welcome to the set of Lonelygirl15, the breakout Web hit that, in September, was unmasked by fans as a work of fiction. What nearly a million people thought was the room of a sweet, charismatic teen named Bree is actually the Beverly Hills bedroom of Lonelygirl15's cocreator Mesh Flinders, an unshaven 27-year-old who is fighting the flu and running a fever of 101.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I have never heard of Lonelygirl before, but it is interesting to think about. Today's Internet capabilities allow people to portray themselves in a quite deceiving mannner. This is what's part of the dangers of the Internet. We believe that just because someone has a video or picture, what they post is automatically true. However, this can be quite far from the truth.
    • zimmer67
      zimmer67 on 13 Mar 08
       
      It really makes me wonder what type of research if any he conducted to make it believeable to an audience that a 27 year old male knew the thoughts of a young teen girl? Its very weird and a little disconcerting.
  • He got picked on for being small, and there was no escape: The children attended classes taught by the adults of the commune, which was isolated in the windswept hills of western Sonoma County. When he turned 14, Flinders was sent to a Catholic high school, where he was regarded as a hippy devil worshipper, beaten up, and thrown into a dumpster.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is an example how the Internet allows people to create false identities and new "selves". In this case, an unpopular, awkward young man grows to be a "needed" and "wanted" person on the web. This show has given him tremendous opportunites, far from what he experienced growing up.
    • zimmer67
      zimmer67 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This also relates to Sherry Turkle's article about creating characters on the internet. It becomes a fantasy world and a new way to explore life for some people
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      It seems like these types of people always come up with smart or creative ideas that somehow bring attention to themselves.
  • He thought that a dramatic story from the point of view of a video blogger would be more captivating. Flinders, it turned out, had the perfect character.
    • zimmer67
      zimmer67 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I really don't think she was the "perfect character" by any means. The inticing aspect is that some can relate to her but her character is very plain and is seen all over the televsion. The reason this is such a hit is the new medium of tv online not because of the character herself.
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 29 Mar 08
       
      i agree, i don't find her amusing, i find her annoying. i don't get what all the fuss is about?!
  • Beckett ordered a pitcher of margaritas and explained that they wanted the vloggers of the YouTube community to believe that Bree was real.
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      I agree. I was watching and wondering if people really thought this girl was for real. I mean I know it's fake now, but I feel like I would have thought that had it not become public. I still haven't figured out how people can become obsessed with these bloggers or vloggers. Get up and do something!

  • When he got to college, Flinders dreamed up an alter ego – an awkward, geeky homeschooled girl.

    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      This only proves many comments made earlier...CREEPER, disturbed, twisted, sick. This is bizzare.
  • commune
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      II wonder if where he came from really has anything to do with his werid idea to start this Lonelygirl15 internet explosion.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      I am sure it had something to do with the individual he became. Maybe that was why he was more successful dealing in an online world where he could stay "behind the scenes".
  • Plus, to fully harness the medium, they intended to carry on email correspondences with YouTubers while posing as Bree.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This just seems so strange to me...I can't imagine hosting a fake show in my bedroom, and then responding to e-mails as this fictional person. This is, in fact, kind of creepy. I would feel wrong doing this and very uncomfortable.
  • Flinders rationalized the deception, noting that viewers wouldn't expect Mark Hamill to point out at the beginning of Star Wars that he wasn't Luke Skywalker.
    • Lauren Mecum
      Lauren Mecum on 17 Apr 08
       
      I believe this is a good point but just put way out of context. The author didn't have to explain hidden ideas, because film is seen as an art form. People are used to having a suspension of disbelief when watching a film. Video blogging isn't an art form and people don't know the difference between real or not real yet. Others on the internet truly use blogging as a personal outlet. People may now find all blogs to be misleading, the writing space may lose its verisimilitude due to this controversy.
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is an interesting point about society and art. We place a lot of value on nonfiction now, much more than we used to. People are getting caught writing "fake" memiors and getting in a lot of trouble for it. We might not expect actors who play the parts to be the real characters, but we often do expect characters to be real.
  • Flinders shrugs it off; the room is an upgrade. Six months ago, he was living with his 96-year-old grandmother in rural Central California. Now, as a result of Lonelygirl15, he's represented by a top-tier Hollywood talent agency and has been interviewed on MTV, CNN, and NBC Nightly News. He even has business partners: a former doctor named Miles Beckett and husband-and-wife lawyers Greg and Amanda Goodfried. Together, with next to no budget, they have created a show that illuminates the future of television.
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      Does this make it O.K.?
  • "It's the producers from Law and Order," she says. "Do you want me to answer it?" "Let it ring," Flinders tells her.
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 13 Mar 08
       
      They probably want to make an episode dealing with an issue similar to this because of how twisted it is!
  • Beckett says. After four years of medical school and a year of residency, the 27-year-old dropped out of the
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I think that this was a big risk he quit a job that he could have made a a lot of money for one were he could have failed.
    • kaeanne
      kaeanne on 29 Mar 08
       
      doesn't this tell us something?!
  • Lonelygirl15 is a mashup of homemade video diary, soap opera, and mysterious, hint-laden narrative like Lost
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      Many of the "reality" shows we watch today are scripted and not real at all. This makes the lonelygirl situation more understandable, but no less creepy just because it seems as if one guy decided upon this himself. I wonder how much input the actress had, since she is a girl and all.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      I can understand the appeal of the Loneygirl15 "show" in relation to it being Internet TV. But I still think it is a little creepy that we are willing to accept this guy's lie and justify it as TV itself, even going as far as to identify the genres it fits into.
    • Lauren Mecum
      Lauren Mecum on 17 Apr 08
       
      I believe that the producers should have come forward and said that the blogs were a ficticious story. I don't feel it is right to use people as guinea pigs when they have no recollection of it. Stories like this make me personally not trust the internet.
  • it's a thrillingly uncharted creative landscape, and he has no interest in abandoning it for the tired conventions of film or television
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      Right now, I don't know how I feel about this online show, so to speak. I think it is extremely weird, since I have not had enough time to become accustomed to it. Hopefully, after I continue reading, I will understand where this man who created Lonelygirl15 is coming from.
  • Flinders himself is startlingly uninterested in traditional TV. He grew up without it and rarely watches it now.
    • Danielle Rabello
      Danielle Rabello on 16 Apr 08
       
      I find it very interesting that he grew up without television and has sort of moved on to television on the internet. It depicts how technology has changed over time, and sort of hints that television on the internet could ultimately take over. In a way, it already has for Flinders.
    • Lauren Mecum
      Lauren Mecum on 17 Apr 08
       
      The producer had never been exposed to much televisiona nd its amazing that that is all he is consumed in today. He doesn't like traditional television, but i feel there is something more honest about television. As viewers we have a suspension of disblief when we watch fictional stories on TV. The people watching lonelygirl blogs didn't know what to believe.
    • james caposele
      james caposele on 17 Apr 08
       
      A lot of people don't have time to sit down and watch an hour show on television. With the expansion of computers and internet videos people can watch 15 two minute videos just on their lunch break.
  • Plus, to fully harness the medium, they intended to carry on email correspondences with YouTubers while posing as Bree. In short, they were planning to exploit the anonymity of the Internet to pull off a new kind of storytelling, and they worried they were on shaky legal ground.
    • Joan Vance
      Joan Vance on 17 Apr 08
       
      It didnt even cross my mind at first that this may not be legal. If the men were so worried that it would be illegal, maybe it should be. I mean they were trying to pretend to be a 15 yr old girl and talk to people. Not only are Hollywood movies known to be fictional, none of the characters hold conversations or email its viewers. I think that underneath the video it should have stated this is not a true person, everything you have seen is fictional, or something of that nature.
    • Lauren Mecum
      Lauren Mecum on 17 Apr 08
       
      It is alittle upsetting that these producers where making money and fame off of something so misleading. Many people invested they time and feelings into lonelygirl and never knew that she was fake. They would give advice and truly felt for her. I don't know if it's right to make money off of a lie.
  • But nobody bought his scripts: Agents and producers didn't think much of the character he had created.
    • Lauren Mecum
      Lauren Mecum on 17 Apr 08
       
      I find it interesting that agents and producers didn't find much in his stories or scripts, but so many people tuned in all the time to see lonelygirl's blogs. You never know what the public will see as entertainment.
    • Bianca Pieloch
      Bianca Pieloch on 17 Apr 08
       
      Viewers love being in control of the plot. We love to see things go our way, the way we want it. It is so frustrating when you have to go along with the way the editors want the show to go.
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      I have trouble deciding whether I would feel betrayed or not had I caught onto the LonelyGirl15 phenomenon earlier. I think the craziest part is the elaborate set up of her e-mail responses and so on.
  • The room behind her could be anywhere in America – there's a pink floral-print bedspread, a half-dozen stuffed animals, and a framed picture of a rose on the wall.
    • james caposele
      james caposele on 17 Apr 08
       
      I think this is what makes lonelygirl15 so interesting. I see her as represent all of teenage amercian boredoom. Small town, one friend and a stuffed animal. When I feel lonely, I write. When she feels lonely, she blogs.
  • It's too much work, even though it has blown some great opportunities for him.
    • james caposele
      james caposele on 17 Apr 08
       
      Too much work? Is this guy serious? He never leaves the room, it is not that much work to make a bed and hang a few pictures. I think the success is going to this guy's head.
  • After working a few years as an assistant to an independent director
  • After working a few years as an assistant to an independent director
    • Jennifer Dougherty
      Jennifer Dougherty on 18 Apr 08
       
      This is exactly the point I was trying to make about YouTube-that it turns the average person, in this case he struggles to become a director, into just that, a director. He created this set and these characters and put them out there. Millions of people followed. Isn't this his dream?
  • Kelly Burns on 17 Apr 08
     
    information about lonelygirl, youtube
Jessica Bloom

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Home Page - 0 views

school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide

education ideas site teachers worksheets

shared by Jessica Bloom on 02 Mar 08 - Cached
  • maureen on 02 Mar 08
     
    Ted. Tech and teacher resource
  • maureen on 02 Mar 08
     
    Ed. Tech and teacher resource
  • Joan Vance on 22 Apr 08
     
    Best site ever for teacher resources!
broder07

The Official Site of The Philadelphia Phillies: Homepage - 0 views

philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/index.jsp

shared by broder07 on 03 Mar 08 - Cached
  • PHILLIES UPDATE      •  Phils coach Lopes to have cancer surgery    •  Savery, Bruntlett shine as Phils down Bucs    •  Phillies notes: Savery showing progress    •  Phils mailbag: Why start Myers in opener?    •  Hamels irked over Phils' contract renewal    •  Phils' Hamels struggles in tie vs. Yankees    •  Phillies notes: Golson putting on a show    •  Phillies Insider blog    •  More Headlines | Post a Phillies blog    •  RSS News Feeds  
    • broder07
      broder07 on 03 Mar 08
       
      Phillies Updates: Including Blogs
Lauren Mecum

Organizing More Than 100 Pairs of Shoes - WSJ.com - 0 views

online.wsj.com/...SB120719840567686061.html

article author; cleary; fashion; interest journal; ms. style;shoes; wallstreet

shared by Lauren Mecum on 22 Apr 08 - Cached
  • Lauren Mecum on 22 Apr 08
     
    Why is this in the Wallstreet journal? Who cares how many shoes this woman has? It is sad that journalism and articles have come to this.
Lauren Mecum

Talking Tech - WSJ.com - 0 views

online.wsj.com/...SB118159872698331718.html

benifits;busnisses; internet; problems; public webdesign; websites;

shared by Lauren Mecum on 22 Apr 08 - Cached
  • Lauren Mecum on 22 Apr 08
     
    It is interesting to see how websites can have value. Often I feel a website doesn't live up to the value the company has. For example Gieco is a popular website, but does it website live up to its popularity. Is it user friendly and information friendly? I believe it is possible to make money off a valued website, which can help any business.
Lauren Mecum

Wearing Thin - WSJ.com - 0 views

online.wsj.com/...SB120718281111685077.html

clothing; designers fashion; golf; sports; style;

shared by Lauren Mecum on 22 Apr 08 - Cached
  • Lauren Mecum on 22 Apr 08
     
    This article talks about how the fashion and sports world have been colaborating with eachother. Golf appreal has made its way into poular culture and designers have adopted it's style in many fashion shows. Will this help the popularity of golf grow even more?
Danielle Rabello

Technologies and the Future of Writing Spring 2008 | Diigo Group - 0 views

groups.diigo.com/tfw-s08

diigo

shared by Danielle Rabello on 14 Feb 08 - Cached
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 14 Feb 08
       
      In a way Youtube is like watching youself everyday, but when watching it, you are doing the same thing every time. Youtube can be intertaining and educational at the same time. You can so much information by what topics you type in.
Danielle Rabello

Wired 14.12: YouTube vs. Boob Tube - 0 views

www.wired.com/...youtube.html

videos

shared by Danielle Rabello on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • YouTube will survive
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      I believe that one day Youtube might take over the TV. I personally have heard my mom saying she wishes she could just watch Youtube on TV. This would also allow companies to put commercials inbetween videos.
  • Wait. You haven't seen it? Ohhhhmygosh! I'll email you the link."
    • goulds28 gould
      goulds28 gould on 14 Feb 08
       
      I have experienced this exact scenario, and felt pressured to spend more time browsing videos on youtube rather than flipping through channels on television. It is simply more entertaining. And if you are not up to date on the latest videos you are often lost in conversation with peers.
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      youtube is great b/c it does have the short clips which you can send to people....they can watch it then or save the link for another time....it is simply more convenient
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      This was how I learned about YouTube. The video was "The Landlord" with Will Ferrell.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      I have to admit, I am right there with everyone watching these and if someone sends me a link, I will watch and pass it on everytime. But what are we saying about quality and art with all of this? Has the world so changed that we can only find ourselves within the little eye on the top of our computers?
  • 1 YouTube will survive
    • patunya
      patunya on 16 Feb 08
       
      I definetly agree with the fact that You Tube will survive, so many people watch You Tube, it's unbelievable. My boyfriend for one gets on my computer and watches a few You Tube videos everytime he comes over. I've even seen my brother and friends put You Tube videos on their My Space and another is I've put You Tube on my blog site.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • YouTube is basically going under the assumption that there's this community in place to blindly create content on YouTube's behalf without much in the way of compensation."
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 12 Mar 08
       
      This is what worries me about all of this "free say" and "free expression" online. These websites are making it very easy for others to copy or steal ideas, sometimes without the true creator's knowledge. Currently, there really aren't any copyright laws about this, because no one really knows what to do about these problems.
  • What Uncle Miltie and the Super Bowl and Survivor have always offered is something to talk about at the water cooler, at the nail salon, or on IM.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is quite true. We love to talk about what's going on in Hollywood, on reality shows, and the Internet. It gives us something to talk about, something to relate to with each other. With the Internet, we are able to actually show others what we are talking about.
  • For instance, if you are, say, Meow Mix, and you bought ads adjacent to cat-related videos, how surprised and disappointed you might be to learn you have sponsored a YouTube video uploaded by someone named mrwheatley and titled "exploding cat." Or the one from qu1rk89 titled "exploding cat." Or this one: "ma907h eats dead cat," which shows a guy … oh, never mind.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is interesting to think about. These "themed" and tagged sites do offer problems for advertising companies. Because thousands of new videos are being posted on You Tube, it is often hard to control and monitor what is posted.
  • Will advertisers risk associating themselves with violence, pornography, hate speech, or God knows what lurks out there one click away?
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      True. Entertainment on the web is vastly different than what is found on television, especially when specific channels can boast specific content. Advertisers might not be aware of what it is they are working with when using YouTube. They like to syncronize ads with content of similarity; if you don't know the content, you don't know if the ad is appropriate for the respective viewer.
  • #2 Will advertisers risk associating themselves with violence, pornography, hate speech, or God knows what lurks out there one click away?
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I do not think that if i was an advertiser i would associate myself with these things. They are uselly things that turn people away.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 25 Mar 08
       
      As much I would hope that advertisers would not associate with these types of things, I am not so sure they would shy away. Look at what airs now on reality TV shows. Eventually, if the general public doesn't act in an uproar over something, I think the advertisers will latch on.
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      I know there is a lot of risk when advertisers associate themselves with violence, porn, etc... but the truth is, is that is what sells and gets the most attention. People don't wanna hear boring, everyday issues. They want drama, and lots of it. So, if that means incorporating violence, hate, or God, then I bet they will.
  • that so many people are already on YouTube
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is true people will stick with what they know and are comfotable with.
  • Everyone else wants to see what everyone else is seeing and enjoying."
    • richar19
      richar19 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is very true when something gets really popular everone wants to see it even if they do not injoy it.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      While this is true, I also think a lot of people want others to see them. The notion of people wanting to have their 15 minutes of fame should probably not be overlooked when talking about why YouTube is here to stay.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      I think this is really true. But I also think that in some ways it is beginning to delute certain genres. Everyone thinks they can make a movie now and the fact that you can make a digital movie doesn't mean it was worth making. Director's like Scorsese spend years honing their crafts and this instantaneous everyone is a star atttitude dimishes artists like this. And i must admit, i will watch the stuff on Youtube for hours at a time, but i never see these clips as anywhere near the quality of a seasoned film maker.
  • Advertisers and brands are enormously risk averse,
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      These videos could produce very specialized advertising. Those that would pose these types of videos can be targeted by morally ambigious advertisers for very specific products or services. That is scary.
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      I know there is a lot of risk when advertisers associate themselves with violence, porn, etc... but the truth is, is that is what sells and gets the most attention. People don't wanna hear boring, everyday issues. They want drama, and lots of it. So, if that means incorporating violence, hate, or God, then I bet they will.
  • Supan insists that YouTubers have done an excellent job of policing their own space
    • haines64
      haines64 on 13 Apr 08
       
      Is this really true though? A few paragraphs before, the article talks about the futile attempts to remove copyrighted material from YouTube. If the users are okay with posting videos that result in copyright infringement, are we really to be believe that there is not a good number of people trying (and probably succeeding, at least on some level) to post violent, pornographic, obscene, etc videos on the site. If I were an advertiser, I'd be very hesitant to post my product where the users are "policing their own space".
  • Will advertisers risk associating themselves with violence, pornography, hate speech, or God knows what lurks out there one click away?
  • Will advertisers risk associating themselves with violence, pornography, hate speech, or God knows what lurks out there one click away? " Advertisers and brands are enormously risk averse, "
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 13 Apr 08
       
      I'm not sure what advertisers will do about this. However, I do believe that someone will be able to find a way to reasolve this issue. There is no way that a cat food company would let their product be associated with animal cruelty.
  • And with a $177 billion total domestic ad budget at stake, nobody wants to be monkeying around.
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      Everything has to be about money. No wonder it will take them so long to figure something out, even if it is really important, because one mess up could cost them billions. I hate that our world revolves around money!!
  • And prosper, despite everything, for one overriding reason: 100 million streams a day.
    • Danielle Rabello
      Danielle Rabello on 16 Apr 08
       
      Youtube isn't going anywhere, it really has only JUST begun. It will advnce just as technology keeps advancing and could someday replace television altogether. Or maybe something better than Youtube could come along?
  • "What it has going for it is its sheer size. In a fragmented world, there is a need for community and a need for massness."
    • Melissa Foster
      Melissa Foster on 17 Apr 08
       
      Again, I feel that this comes back to the concept of community. True, we sit at computers by ourselves, and it is a lonely or individual act. However, the need to feel a part of something while we're engaging in this personal act shows how much people enjoy being a part of something.
  • "There's still a desire to have a shared cultural context. We hunger for things we can discuss."
    • Danielle Rabello
      Danielle Rabello on 16 Apr 08
       
      Which is why Youtube is so convenient; we DO long to discuss things and engage. Youtube is just another way to do that and it makes discussion it easier.
  • waiting for a technological solution
    • anonymous
      anonymous on 17 Apr 08
       
      Which seems like a logical and smart action.
  • that ask members to rate each video against various quality and suitability criteria.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      I like it when there are member ratings on items. I do not see any harm in it. It would help other viewers and it would help the advertisers. It would be the viewer's choice to participate.
  • but also to make much of it available to amateur video makers in exchange for a split of ad revenue.
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      This sounds like an interesting compromise. It still allows for creativity and no legal toes are stepped on. The only thing I would worry about is the details on the "split of ad revenue".
  • What Uncle Miltie and the Super Bowl and Survivor have always offered is something to talk about at the water cooler, at the nail salon, or on IM.
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      It is what all mass media banks on. Our human nature and our desire to laugh at someone or to question or speculate about something, like who is going to be the next on "Survivor" to win a million dollars.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 17 Apr 08
       
      I think until customrs object, advertisers will associate themselves with whatever is going to sales. We have seen over and over in other media such as TV and radio that an advertiser will pull something when there is a public outcry. Where is there barometer before that? I think it''s in their pockets and their bank accounts.
    • Bianca Pieloch
      Bianca Pieloch on 17 Apr 08
       
      Humans love ANYTHING that gives us something to talk about. Youtube sparks conversations. What is cool about it is if someone hasn't seen a certain video, it is so easy to look up. The viewer can go back and view it whenever.
Gail Ramsey

Wired 14.12: YouTube vs. Boob Tube - 0 views

www.wired.com/...youtube.html

shared by Gail Ramsey on 13 Feb 08 - Cached
  • Everyone, in the back of his mind, wants to be a star," Hurley asserts for probably the quadrillionth time, "and we provide the audience to make it happen.
    • dracmere
      dracmere on 13 Feb 08
       
      Just by looking at this quote we can see why Youtube is a success. It is true that most people want to be a star and to give them a chance is going to be a hit. Unfortantly, if you watch Youtube you can see that some people should not ever be stars.
    • zimmer67
      zimmer67 on 13 Mar 08
       
      I wonder if youtube will soon be a new recruitment tool for talent agencies. It is afterall a compilation of many different people exhibiting different talents in some aspects.
  • Fragmentation has decimated audiences, viewers who do watch are skipping commercials,
    • goulds28 gould
      goulds28 gould on 14 Feb 08
       
      This is due to programs like TiVo.
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 14 Feb 08
       
      YouTube very much is like this. People make the weirdest videoes for people just to watch them. I have seen some videos where people were just singing or dancing around in their bedroom.
    • hughes27
      hughes27 on 14 Feb 08
       
      This is what makes Youtube so interesting, alot of it is real stuff with no acting or script involved with the added bonus that others can view your work
  • ...35 more annotations...
  • Lots of people can now watch themselves on sort-of TV, which is pretty fun in itself. The bonus is that others want to watch them, too.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 12 Apr 08
       
      The question is if there is a danger in this. One of the kids I nanny for is fascinated with The Wiggles. When looking for a Wiggles video for him on YouTube, I cam across a family video of two little kids getting Wiggles toys for Christmas. It may be cute to send this video to the family's friends and relatives, but should the whole world have access to it, too? Everyone tells young people to protect their identity on the Internet, but then YouTube provides unlimited access to so many otherwise-personal videos.
  • NBC used Yahoo to premiere Heroes and AOL to offer sneak previews of its Twenty Good Years and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. And the brand-new CW Network celebrated its debut by posting for free Runaway and Everybody Hates Chris on MSN. Counting cable, dozens of networks are now making programs available online.
    • coffma46
      coffma46 on 14 Feb 08
       
      This is a nice way for people to learn another technology, rather than doing the same thing all of the time, which is just watching the television. Maybe adults of an older generation would like to learn this technology.
  • He insists he can't quite recall, you know, the $1.65 billion moment.
    • sunflower123
      sunflower123 on 14 Feb 08
       
      Yea, you would think that would be the first thing that the founder of U-tube would know. What started your bussiness off is usally an important detail to remember
    • vanamb16
      vanamb16 on 13 Mar 08
       
      it is easy to see how something like this could happen- you start posting funny videos of your friends, they post of theirs, you open it up, and you have a movement...
  • "#2 Everyone, in the back of his mind, wants to be a star," Hurley asserts for probably the quadrillionth time, "and we provide the audience to make it happen. "
    • willis02
      willis02 on 15 Feb 08
       
      We discussed in class why people would want to be on Youtube. This quote here is a great example. People want their five minutes of fame. They think that because other people are watching their videos they are star because they are entertaining them.
  • Third-millennium humanity has demonstrated an interest in sifting through millions of pieces of crap produced by total strangers to discover a few gems – some accidentally entertaining ("Boom Goes the Dynamite"), some breakout performances from the previously obscure ("Treadmill Dance"), and some explorations of a new art form crackling with genius (Ze Frank, Ask a Ninja, and the guys behind Loneygirl15.)
    • maureen
      maureen on 02 Mar 08
       
      Sifting through the millions of piences of crap enables us to accidentally come upon such gems as "Boom Goes the Dynamite", "Treadmill Dane", and Lonelygirl15. Users could possibly feel a sense of discovery when finding such unique entertainment. It's like being on your own personal entertainment expedition.
  • And what if, as a bonus, the medium were able not merely to command eyeballs for marketers but to target content especially relevant to what the marketer is selling?
    • maureen
      maureen on 02 Mar 08
       
      When discussing target content relevant to what the marketer is selling, personal information is getting collected and data possibly being manipulated. Nonopticon surrounds us.
  • Until now, advertisers have underwritten mass media to reach mass audiences. Indeed, they've paid increasing premiums for the opportunity as audiences have shrunk, because even in a fragmented media world, the largest fragment – network TV – is the most valuable. But now they realize that they are losing not only mass but critical mass.
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      I think more money is now put into online advertisements than TV advertisement. Is it fair to say that the computer is almost (that is in popularity and phenomenon (sp?)) as big of a pop culture invention as the TV was in the 50s?
  • Altogether, this stuff constitutes a bottomless reservoir of short-form video content for others to siphon off if they choose
    • Elizabeth Somer
      Elizabeth Somer on 12 Mar 08
       
      What about copy right laws?
  • "Broadcast Yourself."
  • . #7 Fragmentation has decimated audiences, viewers who do watch are skipping commercials, advertisers are therefore fleeing, the revenue for underwriting new content is therefore flatlining, program quality is therefore suffering (Dancing With the Stars. QED), which will lead to ever more viewer defection, which will lead to ever more advertiser defection, and so on.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 12 Mar 08
       
      I agree that advertisers are having trouble with televison. With TiVo and DVRs becoming more affordable, there is almost no need to watch commercials. They make it so easy to skip through a commercial while watching a program. I have recently noticed that advertisers are responding to this by creating more comical and appealing commercials. There are some commercials that I actually like viewing now.
  • Because, at least until recently, the Internet has lacked both the riveting content and ad space inventory to absorb it.
    • mccrar25
      mccrar25 on 12 Mar 08
       
      Yes...until recently. Now, there is limitless space on the Internet. Highly viewed websites such as MySpace, Facebook, and You Tube have provide great outlets for companies to advertise. These sites are often viewed more frequently than most television shows, and they are often unavoidable. You can get up, get a snack, or use the restroom during a commercial break on television, but you can't click off an advertisement or an icon while its on a webpage.
  • #4 Lots of people can now watch themselves on sort-of TV, which is pretty fun in itself. The bonus is that others want to watch them, too
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      This seems to be reflective of everyone's desire for "15 minutes of fame." The internet is making that a reality. The question is whether or not this is a good thing. Yes, it is easy and possible. It is revolutionizing our culture, and people constantly want to search and discover interesting morsels of entertainment. But is it becoming an obsession, especially with some people? With the huge number of broadcasts daily, it makes you think so.
    • Jessica Bloom
      Jessica Bloom on 16 Apr 08
       
      I would personally never put a video on Youtube. However, I have to admit that some of them are extremely funny. This also makes me think, though, of our discussion in class how some jobs look at internet sites and if they see you on them, they are less likely to hire you. So, it just goes to show that we have to be careful with how we portray ourselves.
  • The networks say these are measures to promote the broadcast versions of their shows. The overwhelming probability is that the opposite is true, which bodes poorly for those invested in the status quo. One victim is local affiliates, which get a big chunk of their revenue from selling commercial space within network programs. The Internet, needless to say, bypasses them.
    • butler09
      butler09 on 13 Mar 08
       
      We are in an age of technological advancement. The culture is saturated with it. If networks want to appeal to the generations that have grown up using this technology and prefer it as a mode of entertainment and communicaiton, then the smart business action to take is to begin expanding toward internet broadcasting. The standard television is no longer the central figure in the entertainment and news world, and in order to keep up with it, the networks have to "go with the flow."
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      I completely agree with this statement. I personally watch alot of shows on DVR, especially American Idol because I can't stand how they draw out the show with commercials every five minutes. Advertisers have to adapt to the changing marketplaces or else their products will suffer.
  • a spiraling vortex of ruin.
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      I completely agree with this statement. I watch most shows on DVR, especially American Idol and fast forward through the commercials. They draw out these shows and make the commercial breaks longer and longer.
  • NBC used Yahoo to premiere > Heroes > and AOL to offer sneak previews of its > Twenty Good Years > and > Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip > . > >
    • Gail Ramsey
      Gail Ramsey on 17 Apr 08
       
      Eventually the technologies will merge fully. You won't have a television and a separate computer. You will have everything all in one. Comcast digital cable has numerous music stations. Look at On Demand, you get to pick and choose when and what you watch. It will all meld together. Instead of previews to programs, it will be whatever you want to see whenever you want to see it. Your TV/Computer will do everything.
  • put fall premieres of shows like Smith and The New Adventures of Old Christine on Google Video
    • Jen Fitzgerald
      Jen Fitzgerald on 13 Mar 08
       
      This is what motivated much of the Writer's Guild strike. The writers wanted to have a share of online revenue when their shows are downloaded, like royalties.
  • #14 Fragmentation has decimated audiences, viewers who do watch are skipping commercials, advertisers are therefore fleeing, the revenue for underwriting new content is therefore flatlining, program quality is therefore suffering
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 19 Mar 08
       
      Fragmentation has decimated the audiences of the big networks, but it's also been the reason so many new channels have been created: Animal Planet, the cooking channel, the sci-fi channel. And viewers watching these channels have special interest in the subject, so they are more likely to actually watch the commercials. So it's mostly the bigger networks that are suffering, which explains why there are so many reality TV shows on the major channels now. While they aren't "reality," they don't need a script so much as a situation.
  • dozens of networks are now making programs available online
    • daydreamr97
      daydreamr97 on 19 Mar 08
       
      Yes, a lot of shows are available online anytime, and also on Comcast. So, the big corporations are tryng to deal with the fragmentation. The problem with that is that it's still not exactly interactive, which is the thing people love about YouTube. This still doesn't address the issue that everyone wants to be a star.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 25 Mar 08
       
      I think the fact that many TV shows are now available online is a good sign. The greater U.S. population has been using the Internet for awhile. By putting TV shows online, it shows a good meshing of the two media outlets.
    • haines64
      haines64 on 12 Apr 08
       
      A recurring theme we've talked about in ITW is how some people are hesitant toward change. The want to keep the status quo shows this hesitantion, despite the overwhelming popularity of YouTube.
  • advertisers have been broadcasting themselves for decades and would very much prefer the status quo. The good news is that the status quo isn't long for this world.
    • jc ice
      jc ice on 16 Apr 08
       
      I agree this content is funny and entertaining, but there is social relevance. What do you think will be our legacy when all this is found 50 or 100 years in the future?
  • Everyone, in the back of his mind, wants to be a star," Hurley asserts for probably the quadrillionth time, "and we provide the audience to make it happen. "
  • He insists he can't quite recall, you know, the $1.65 billion moment.
  • He's turning right around in a few hours; he's stuck in yet one more conference room, and his eyes
  • stuck in yet one more conference room, and his eyes have the vacant look of someone whose body ha
  • he's stuck in yet one more conference room, and his eyes
  • CHAD HURLEY SAYS HE DOESN'T REMEMBER. It's two weeks before the announcement of the Google acquisition, and he has just flown the red
  • Everyone, in the back of his mind, wants to be a star," Hurley asserts for probably the quadrillionth time, "and we provide the audience to make it happen. "
    • Joan Vance
      Joan Vance on 17 Apr 08
       
      I find it amusing that Hurley mentions this. We actually discussed this in Creative Writing on Monday. The teacher asked who in the classroom wants to be famous. To my surprise there were only a few of us who raised our hands. As much as I want to be a star though, I wouldnt find posting a video on youtube very successful.
  • But what if there were a means to approximate the reach and mesmerizing power of television online?
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      The way technology is quickly growing and moving I don't see anything getting in its way. I see the computer replacing other medias.
  • Third-millennium humanity has demonstrated an interest in sifting through millions of pieces of crap produced by total strangers to discover a few gems – some accidentally entertaining ("Boom Goes the Dynamite"), some breakout performances from the previously obscure ("Treadmill Dance"), and some explorations of a new art form crackling with genius (Ze Frank, Ask a Ninja, and the guys behind Loneygirl15.)
    • anita sipala
      anita sipala on 17 Apr 08
       
      If so many people view "You Tube" it must say something about its entertaining value. I am one of those people who shifts through "You Tube" and I have come across many interesting ones.
  • connection to his nervous system. In a word, the dude is fried. Never mind that he's the cofounder of the Next Big Thing and poised to be a total
    • Jennifer Dougherty
      Jennifer Dougherty on 18 Apr 08
       
      I think the advertisers do that. Look at the sig-in page for myspace. It is a virtual billboard. Any given day the entire sign-in page is a new advertisement. Sometimes it is a movie. The other day it was an entire page devoted to crest toothpaste. Once you are on the site, the sidebars are bombarded with schanging advertisements. Vans shoes one minute then after refreshing the page, it is some other product. Maybe we don't pay that much attention or ever click on the link. I know I never do. But clearly the advertisers have achieved at least some of their purpose because I remember seeing thier ad.
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