Who Sees What: The Creators Speak

[milowent]

and a poll ...

www.lonelygirl15.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6843

"The great debate. Who sees what? Which characters see which videos? Good question.

Right now we are operating under the principle that every character sees every video posted on the website.

So... that means that Daniel/Bree/Jonas can't reveal anything that they don't want the Order and OpAphid to see and vice versa. That limits our storytelling ability severely (not to get too "filmy" but it makes it impossible for us to put the audience in a position of superior knowledge over the characters).

So... we've done A LOT of thinking and here is our proposed solution. It will be incorporated into the new site design (and used immediately in a more limited fashion).

1) All characters see every video... EXCEPT...

2) Some videos are labeled "Private Transmissions." Think of them as "password protected private video streams," or "personal diary entries." They are meant for "no other characters" to see... like a diary... or they may be specifically directed to an individual character or group of characters (e.g. Tachyon sending a message to Bree/Daniel/Jonas).

This is a FICTIONAL construct. We NEED everyone on the planet to see EVERY video (24 wouldn't work too well if you needed a password to watch 50% of the videos). There isn't actually a password. It isn't actually "private." So, it requires suspension of disbelief.

We will indicate these "Private Transmissions" graphically. Maybe a pre-roll blinking text thing, eventually a colored border around the video thumbnails. Something.

Here's how you play along. Everyone on the website (that's you!) is a character... even if you are playing yourself (like me) or playing a character (like LordGreystoke). So... that means your character "didn't see" the video... you can't tell Daniel/Bree/Jonas/Op/Tachyon about it since it is a video that none of the characters saw (and only characters can talk and interact on this website).

Example: Daniel sends a private transmission (to no one) saying the he loves Bree. You can't tell her. Tachyon sends a private transmission to Bree telling her how to take down Oppy. You can't warn Oppy.

Thoughts? Ideas? Other solutions? We think this is a fairly simple solution that requires a minor suspension of disbelief. But... we're open to your ideas and feedback.

Miles/The Creators"

[milowent]

So, they are going with the confessional idea - 'private videos' that other characters cannot see. (i say "confessional" because reality shows do this.) i think it could work really well.

-- here's my response i posted on the official phorum thread --

Creators - I think this is a great idea! It will really open up the storytelling possibilities, but also leaves you to continue exploring the pure vlog format that lg15 was founded upon.

I know some people will see this change as radical. And it is, in a way, as compared to lg15's past. But even now YouTube allows posters to put up Private Videos which are viewable only to groups selected by the uploader (such as Family or Friends). Now, the audience can think of themselves as one of those special groups when a "private transmission" is posted.

Reality shows (like Survivor, etc.) often use the technique of the confessional. There, the contestant gets to speak privately to the audience about what is going on on the island/house, etc., and can talk about other show members without everyone knowing. it is a good technique for sharing background information, motivations, etc., and is sometimes the best device for telling or improving the story. In the real world, vloggers are often doing confessionals, because their parent/boss/teacher, etc. is not going to see the video. "My Parents Suck"--the 1st highly successful video from Bree on youtube--could not have existed without the construct that Bree's parents don't go onto youtube. To bring back that option, i think doing private videos are a good idea.

[here i respond to a complaint coming up in the official thread:] As for the in-character sections of the forum, the percentage of lg15 fans that actually look at those is really small. For purposes of the Breeniverse, we might as well make it a rule that whenever anyone tries to post information from a private video into another character's in-person section, the post -- as if by magic -- only says "meep" in the eyes of that character.

[Terryfic]

<sarcasm>Wow! This is such an original, groundbreaking idea! No one has suggested or mentioned this idea at all. No wonder it has taken them months and months to just say that they will be addressing this issuing some time in the distant future. It is such a creative and difficult to conceive idea that no wonder they didn’t do it months and months ago</sarcasm>

I think it will be good for the show, but seriously, why wasn’t this done in October. I really hope that they aren’t saying they are going to do something and then 5 months later still haven’t made the slightest bit of progress. They have the worst track record I can think of. Even the slow moving bureaucracy of government laps these guys.

[Smashing]

Of course I think this is a good idea! I honestly have thought this would be a good idea for at least 4 months. If I never actuallly wrote it, then I apologize. I should've sent a singing telegram to the creators to make sure they got the message. I had assumed they knew about this idea and rejected it.

Anyway, they will never be able to explain some of the past public videos, other than by saying the characters and the Breeniverse audience were randomly stricken with fits of mental retardation for no reason. (e.g. Daniel on why he videotaped himself breaking and entering, then posted it on YouTube: "I didn't know what else to do.") But at least going forward, they can try to make sense. This whole project has been a space for them to workshop ideas. That is what has made it so frustrating at times, but it's good to see them trying new things.

It sounds like these private videos are actually meant to be seen by no one, as in totally private. It would make a little more sense to me if they were communicating with one person who they were confiding in. After all, how many people keep a totally private video journal? But these characters are clearly obsessed with making videos, so I can buy it.

eta: I was typing when Terry gave his response. ha! yeah 4 months, 5 months. exactly.

[curiousgeorge]

Hmmmm.

Meep.

Hmmmm.

[hyemew]

This is not related, but I didn't want to start a whole new thread dedicated to something so stupid...
and HILARIOUS.

This had me laughing because it's just so bad. I also loved the random clips of Bree talking that run during it.
The best part though...? The autograph, signed "Jessica Rose, LonLeygirl15, YouTube".
I capitalized the second L for obvious reasons :-D

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKOO6g3zDGM