Post by silvermoon on Sept 13, 2006 11:13:44 GMT -5
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/11/blogophile/main1999184.shtml
And Lonelygirl Is ...?
Since May, Lonelygirl15's brief posts on YouTube have become an online phenomenon, launching a Web mystery that nearly 2 million viewers have been following: Who is she?
The girl, who calls herself Bree, appears to be an innocent, home-schooled 16-year-old, pouring her heart out in her bedroom for her video camera in the privacy of her bedroom. Her two-minute videos often tell the drama involved in a typical teen life, especially focusing on her friend Daniel's crush on her. Each video features a title, like "Boy Problems," similar to a diary entry. But Bree is rather telegenic for a mere 16-year-old, causing some to question whether she's just the latest product in a new viral marketing campaign.
Lonelygirl's creators came forward with a statement that claims lonelygirl15 is part of their "show." They thank their fans effusively for tuning into "the birth of a new art form." They are not, they insisted, "a big corporation," writing:
"Our intention from the outset has been to tell a story — A story that could only be told using the medium of video blogs and the distribution power of the Internet. A story that is interactive and constantly evolving with the audience."
But the statement also added to the intrigue surrounding Bree's identity. "Right now, the biggest mystery of Lonelygirl15 is 'Who is she?' We think this is an oversimplification. Lonelygirl15 is a reflection of everyone."
The statement's authors wrote that they are "in the process of building a website centered around video and interactivity."
And, as it turns out, the New York Times has cleared up some of the mystery surrounding the vague statement today. Just who is Bree? She's Jessica Rose, a "20-ish resident of New Zealand and Los Angeles and a graduate of the New York Film Academy" and the masterminds behind her videos are several screenwriters. The videos appear to be the early serialized version of what eventually will become a movie, the newspaper says.
So what do bloggers think about this admission that Bree is not genuine? They certainly were talking about it. Lonlygirl15 was the most searched term on Technorati over the weekend. Many were happy to have some closure, even if they still aren't sure what it all means.
Fake or not, Lonelygirl15 has some loyal fans. "So i'm OBSESSED over this whole lonelygirl15 dilemma...it's crazy...i'm hooked and i can't stop watching," Courtney Havok writes on MySpace.
But a blogger over at the LonelyGirl15 Fan Club questions what the creators mean by their statement that they're creating a new art form. "A new art form? No. I don't thinks so. A new medium for an old art form? Yes. That's more like it. Are they now going to advertise their wares so to speak to try and lure thousands of hopefuls into their offices to film little short mini-movies for a price? I hope not. That would be a travesty," the blogger writes.
But not everyone was a fan in the first place. "I am not big on soap operas (which her 'content' essentially is at its core). The interesting part, for me, is her construct and her mass effects. Hopefully, these filmmakers have one good one (or more) up their sleeve for these willing audiences. I suspect they do," a blogger at the Fallon Planning Blog writes.
And some, like Davy Sims, aren't so thrilled that the Internet is being put to use this way. In a post titled, "Lies, Deceit and Streaming Video—It's What the Web Was Invented For," Sims writes "if you are not living in a soap opera already, the internet and social navigation is here to help you create one all for yourself."
And Lonelygirl Is ...?
Since May, Lonelygirl15's brief posts on YouTube have become an online phenomenon, launching a Web mystery that nearly 2 million viewers have been following: Who is she?
The girl, who calls herself Bree, appears to be an innocent, home-schooled 16-year-old, pouring her heart out in her bedroom for her video camera in the privacy of her bedroom. Her two-minute videos often tell the drama involved in a typical teen life, especially focusing on her friend Daniel's crush on her. Each video features a title, like "Boy Problems," similar to a diary entry. But Bree is rather telegenic for a mere 16-year-old, causing some to question whether she's just the latest product in a new viral marketing campaign.
Lonelygirl's creators came forward with a statement that claims lonelygirl15 is part of their "show." They thank their fans effusively for tuning into "the birth of a new art form." They are not, they insisted, "a big corporation," writing:
"Our intention from the outset has been to tell a story — A story that could only be told using the medium of video blogs and the distribution power of the Internet. A story that is interactive and constantly evolving with the audience."
But the statement also added to the intrigue surrounding Bree's identity. "Right now, the biggest mystery of Lonelygirl15 is 'Who is she?' We think this is an oversimplification. Lonelygirl15 is a reflection of everyone."
The statement's authors wrote that they are "in the process of building a website centered around video and interactivity."
And, as it turns out, the New York Times has cleared up some of the mystery surrounding the vague statement today. Just who is Bree? She's Jessica Rose, a "20-ish resident of New Zealand and Los Angeles and a graduate of the New York Film Academy" and the masterminds behind her videos are several screenwriters. The videos appear to be the early serialized version of what eventually will become a movie, the newspaper says.
So what do bloggers think about this admission that Bree is not genuine? They certainly were talking about it. Lonlygirl15 was the most searched term on Technorati over the weekend. Many were happy to have some closure, even if they still aren't sure what it all means.
Fake or not, Lonelygirl15 has some loyal fans. "So i'm OBSESSED over this whole lonelygirl15 dilemma...it's crazy...i'm hooked and i can't stop watching," Courtney Havok writes on MySpace.
But a blogger over at the LonelyGirl15 Fan Club questions what the creators mean by their statement that they're creating a new art form. "A new art form? No. I don't thinks so. A new medium for an old art form? Yes. That's more like it. Are they now going to advertise their wares so to speak to try and lure thousands of hopefuls into their offices to film little short mini-movies for a price? I hope not. That would be a travesty," the blogger writes.
But not everyone was a fan in the first place. "I am not big on soap operas (which her 'content' essentially is at its core). The interesting part, for me, is her construct and her mass effects. Hopefully, these filmmakers have one good one (or more) up their sleeve for these willing audiences. I suspect they do," a blogger at the Fallon Planning Blog writes.
And some, like Davy Sims, aren't so thrilled that the Internet is being put to use this way. In a post titled, "Lies, Deceit and Streaming Video—It's What the Web Was Invented For," Sims writes "if you are not living in a soap opera already, the internet and social navigation is here to help you create one all for yourself."