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I had no real interest in blogging about the iPad yesterday. Yes, I awaited the arrival of this new device like a child on Christmas Eve: what kind of magical, shiny new gadget would Santa Steve leave for me under the tree this year? Did I have room on my Amex to make my life a little more connected and future friendly? Yes, I was curious and eager and my mind ran amok with what it would all mean, but I also knew that loads of bloggers and writers would explore these far reaching ramifications of the device and I didn't think I had anything unique to say, so saw no reason to jump into the conversation. After the fact, my only wish (besides a built in camera) was that William Gibson's marketing wizard/ symbol sensitive heroine from 'Pattern Recognition', Cayce Pollard, were a real person and that she could have dissuaded Santa Steve from labeling the device with such a repugnant name. But it's just a name. Well until today, when I read that J.D. Salinger had died. R.I.P Mr. Salinger. I have enjoyed everyone's quotes and tweets reflecting on the man's literary genius. And I have to say it: I have NEVER read any Salinger. Hello, embarrassing! I have no good reason for this blunder, except that I went to school in Canada and it was never on any school reading lists, nor was I assigned it in college; it was always Shakespeare and Milton Friedman for me. My initial reaction to seeing the first tweet was 'wow, Salinger was still alive?' then, 'frak I need to download Catcher in the Rye!'. The convergence of the past and the future present in one thought, of course, made me think: with the birth of the iPad came the symbolic death of the page. Maybe there is something to write about after all.
  
Ok- I have no doubt there are countless other writers out there putting forth this same romantic, symbolic observation. The weathered dust jacket of a spine ravaged, hard backed novel as a metaphor for our past and the sleek eco-friendly aluminum casing of the iPad as our future. What I wish to think on, however, is how will we find the next Salinger, when the consumption of the written word transitions into the digital era? The past is full of rich stories about how our idolized writers ended up reaching the masses. I am half way through a biography on Max Perkins, the revered editor from Scribners deemed responsible for finding and shepherding the careers of Fitzgerald and Hemingway. I have little doubt, after reading this book, that Fitzgerald (especially) would never have succeeded as a published writer, had it not been for the supportive, guiding hand (and early monetary advances) of Perkins. A publishing house, both then and now, invests much in its writers, as printing, marketing and shipping, let alone the creative guidance, all come at a high price...so finding that one editor to champion your storytelling is and was paramount. But this fiscal reality also reflects the essential barriers to entry. How many gifted writers never made it past those hallowed walls of Scribners, Random House or DoubleDay? What if Shane Leslie had never sent 'The Romantic Egoist' manuscript to Perkins? We may never have read Fitzgerald. Ever. His typed manuscript pages would have faded and wrinkled with time, lost forever. (Don't I sound dramatic??) But that is no longer the case- those barriers to entry have come tumbling down (and virtualized content storage prevents the page deterioration thing), especially after yesterday.
 
So it's 2019 and physical book publishing has ceased, save for expensive coffee table books of Helmut Newton's work from Taschen. Everything is consumed on a portable tablet of some sort, the lines of corporate and self publishing blurred....how do we find the new Salinger, the new Fitzgerald, and if we find them, will we accept them as such if there isn't the corporate stamp of physical approval behind them? What will a book really mean?
I find the magazine world offers up a good case study. With the proliferation of the internet came the blogs: the word press, blogger and tumblr platforms that enabled us to spread our stories, pictures, and observations without cost or permission. No one has been writing the great American novel though - too much content to consume at one sitting and the web is about bite size morsels. But with the iPad, maybe that will change. But how will we make this transition? The magazine empires slowly caught on to the necessity for a digital destination for their content. Not only did they digitally publish the articles that appeared in their physical magazines but also recognized the need to publish additional content, only available online. In essence, they added (and named it as such) a blog element to their magazines. Considering the nature of most magazine articles, this evolution was a necessity. How could you remain relevant when the hard content of the magazine was written a month or even months prior? So the blogging, to capture the frenzy of the real time nature of the web, came forth on myriad sites. Now, I can't tell them apart. And when I say them, I mean the articles that I read in this month's Wired are no different than the additional articles that I read on the Wired blog. Maybe the latter are shorter, but no less thought provoking and no less insightful. The blogger used to be a second class citizen to the 'published' writer but magazines and their necessary transition into digital entities (if they are to survive), are slowly equaling the playing field.
What does this spell then for the future of books? (And just as a side note, I'm not getting into monetization /divergent business model discussion or the evolution of the digital magazine as that's a WHOLE different topic!). Well, once we become conditioned to consuming most of our written content online, the site it lives on might not be so important anymore. Personally, the site that you are published on means nothing to me- I'm just interested in your content: is it good, does it teach me something, does it move me, do i want to share it with others? I'll post a link regardless if it's on VanityFair.com or JoeShmo.com. The former site, however, is a trafficked destination and the latter is probably not. So how would I find it, the great but obscure article? Word of mouth? And so how will I find the next great novel in the new iBook store populated with millions of titles where 1/3 of them never went through the traditional 'publishing' process and have no marketing budget behind them? Because you KNOW that something, no, many things, of brilliance are there, waiting to be found and read, regardless if Little Brown 'e-published' it or not.
I think the answer will lie with an advanced version of what we already see in use at Amazon.com and Netflix.com that suggests our next purchase or film to rent; sophisticated algorithms that can search across all platforms and deliver the best of the best, and even deliver you your own specific reading list. These algorithms will pull your preference for topics, authors, writing style, tone, setting, point of view, politics...maybe even reflect your dreams (from the types of 'wish lists' that you build on line and sites you visit). And if we have been weaned off the idea that a great writer has to have his or her words rest within two book flaps, then the evolution of the book has succeeded. But that's just my (rather lengthy) two cents. How do you see the next great American (or Canadian, Haitian, etc) writer taking birth in this new digital era? William Gibson wrote 'Neuromancer' on a typewriter so anything is possible. Now time to read me some Salinger short stories on the New Yorker site and right the wrong of my eduction. 


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For an interesting article on the iPad check out the editor of @io9 writing about the 'crap futurism' of it. http://io9.com/5458822/why-the-ipad-is-crap-futurism
Great post Taryn, I'm excited about our continuing role in this transformation.  Interesting times indeed!
:):):)
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avatar posterWhile stuck on the rain soaked 405 an hour ago, a breaking news story popped into my iPhone inbox: 'Avatar' is now the 'king of the worldwide box office'. It took just over a month to 'sink' that other mammoth box office champ 'Titanic'; both films, of course, conceived of and realized by James Cameron. Wow, good day for him. Yes, that is an understatement (and no, I don't want to think what stratosphere his ego now resides in). It got me thinking though, as I navigated around inexperienced rain drivers, what really propelled these two films to the pinnacle of mass consumption. Was it simply the awe-inspiring 3-D of Avatar and CGI of Titanic. The obvious answer would be yes, those elements were certainly instrumental to the initial draw of the films. But what if those pioneering hi-tech elements were intrinsic to a more primal reaction shared by the masses? What if those technically advanced films just made people feel more?
The stories, as we all know, are recycled: derivatives of 'Romeo and Juliet', 'David and Goliath', man against nature, man against machine; we've all seen the mash-up of the Avatar voiceover on the Pocahontas trailer. Avatar and Titanic couldn't be more basic in their character arc types and narratives. But what moved so many millions of people to go to the theatre and then go again, was that those tried and true love stories were presented in an immersive, yet awe inspiring fashion that compelled our complex neuro web to make us feel something new. In both cases we had NEVER seen that type of spectacle before in our lives.  Each movie may have told only a simple, universal love story, but it was nestled within a very un-simple, foreign yet believably tangible landscape. Hmmm. As human beings, are we becoming so desensitized to filmed entertainment that we need huge advances in technology to have the story affect our primal center for emotion? Do we need tech to feel more human?
I read a fascinating article in Wired the other day (what else is new) about a new company in San Diego called MindSign Neuromarketing. It uses brain scans to pin point when the amydala (the center for primal emotions and emotionally based memories) and other key regions of the brain activate in response to viewings of movies and trailers (apparently Jerry Bruckheimer used this fMRI technique to fine tune his last Pirates of the Caribbean trailer).  As I do quite a bit of neuro-research for different projects that I'm working on, I found this fascinating, yet very expected.  If a studio can craft a trailer that creates peak experiences in your emotional center, whether you want it to or not, they have you hooked. With regards to the draw of Avatar, mapping neuro responses to theatrical stimuli is the other side of the coin. What patterns will be discovered? What level of stimuli will we need to get our next 'hit'?
This topic is obviously a huge one and has far reaching ramifications, definitely beyond simple consumption of movies. The advent of Twitter and Facebook made us feel more connected; when someone adds you as a friend or replies to a tweet, the pleasure center of the brain activates (the folks at Twitter know this or why would they have put an exclamation mark after their email alert that someone new is following you!). But now these social media platforms are part of the more traditional landscape and in becoming part of the norm, what is them the future technology that will, for lack of a better phrase, give us our new hit of happy? It also brings forth something that I struggle with as a fledgling sci fi writer. The science and the fiction is important and the delicately constructed web that I weave to create my unique world is paramount to the genre, but the story has to be elevated by the it, not detracted (which is why I think most scifi films do poorly at the box office, District 9 being an exception for the obvious reason in that it connected on an emotional level).
I have so many more thoughts on these nebulous issues as I delve into what the future means to me and the technology I think that will define it, but I have to end this post for now.  I would love to hear your thoughts. In the mean time, I'm going to try to remember that a simple story, one that connects on a human level with the masses, is not something to discount...it just has to find it's way through our overloaded neural pathways and into our well-protected hearts.


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I am a huge dumbass.  I barely took a picture this past week in New York!?! This midtown shot on the 2nd day way one of six pics I took- I really do stand in shame, especially with NYC treating us to unseasonably warm and sunny weather for mid January.  Usually I am 'the crazy woman with the camera' trying to capture every picturesque moment in this city that screams its authenticity and begs to be frozen in time.  But no, not this time, I must have been too busy and in the moment...which I guess is a good thing! (I'll post work related pics in another post) 

Even in the craziness of running around the city in high heels, I rediscovered my love of the West Village (did it ever really go away) and did want to post some pics (not mine) of the fabulous bistro that Steph (my work partner if you don't know her already) and I ate at the first night of our trip. It's called Cafe Cluny and was the perfect spot for two aspiring Parisians to enjoy the magic of the West Village while soaking up some quaint french ambiance and an hour of calm before three hectic days of meetings and events!

 
       
We sat at the table in the corner.  The duck salad is a must!! We even stumbled upon a cafe later that night for dessert and were treated to a thought provoking but odd performance by a singer and her bass and piano player.  Ahh New York!
After two days of dashing around the city, Steph and I even squeezed in a night at the theatre after a long day of meetings on Thursday.  We saw Tony Award winning play 'God of Carnage'.  

Though I wasn't sold on the specific cast and performance of it, I enjoyed the overall theme and am interested to see what Roman Polanski does with the screen play adaptation.  I think heavy dramadies like this and 'August: Osage County' will benefit from the intimacy of the camera.  To do the story and characters of these 'peak experience' type plays justice, the actors must go to physical and emotional extremes...I don't know how that is physically possible eight times a week- you'd be a psychological mess after a two month run- some are able to do it but what I often see are the actors 'acting' a lot...you know what I mean, pushing and pretending, not experiencing in the moment.  Most of the audience eats it up, especially if voices are raised and things are thrown, but not me.  If it doesn't move me, if I don't feel that authentic moment happening on stage, it loses me.  But I'm a tough critic.  Film is about capturing that private, authentic moment and then elevating it even more with editing, cinematography and the score.  I'm hoping that some of the moments that fell flat to me during this play will be resuscitated by the upcomng film.
Off on a theatre tangent I just went!  Anyway, we ended the night taking very touristy pics in Time Square on our walk back to our hotel at 49th and Lex...where we witnessed a bevy of drunken business men.  Really drunk.  One asked me if he looked like the end of the world.  I told him I'd already seen it and no, he looked nothing like it.  And on that note, I'll save the After Judgment team's adventures on The Temp Life and on the red carpet for my next post.  Thanks NYC! My feet may be sore but can't wait to see you again!  T


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Let me tell you a little story.  Early last year, I'm talking February of 2008, maybe even late '07, I was perusing the Breakdowns (the online casting notices sent out to agents and managers) and spotted this cool ass role on a webseries.  Now I had just finished shooting 'After Judgment' and we were in the editing, 'what the hell do we do with this', phase so seeing anything to do with a webseries on the mainstream breakdowns (as it was still a fairly new phenomenon) piqued my interest.  The role was for a sexy thief named Madison and the show was called The Bannen Way.  A website was listed on the breakdown so I surfed over to a fairly sleek promotional site that gave the full run-down on what this nifty little webseries was about, what it would look like (it even had a video mashup of other films to show the style), the products it could integrate, and the audience it was targeting (umm any straight male with a heartbeat).  I'm sure I must have given it the 'well I'm impressed' nod, but then a 'well it's not really my cup of tea as there are just a whole lot of babes with boobs' eye brow raise...and then submitted myself anyway.  I never got an audition.

Cut to September of '08 and I happened to make a comment on an entertainment lawyer's Facebook link about webseries which ultimately resulted in a message from some guy who was producing a webseries himself, and his name was Mark Gantt.  His Facebook avatar looked so familiar...right! He was one of the guys behind The Bannen Way who apparently didn't think I was babelicious enough to even audition for his show.  But I messaged him back anyway as he seemed quite nice and then checked out the new site.  Holy shit! The site was gorgeous, with a small teaser trailer...Jaguar, Miu Miu and Prada product endorsement, everything shot on the RED.  Who the hell were these guys and what connections did they have? I was struggling to prep for the indie release of 'After Judgment', Mike and I having no idea really what we were doing and racing (with our webmaster) to get our site up and ready, and here was this show that just seemed to have everything primed and prepped for the big time.
So I exchanged phone numbers over Facebook and had a two and a half hour coffee with Mark...and found out that everything I saw on the site, every product placement, every gorgeous piece of content, had been independently achieved, produced and financed by Jesse Warren and himself.  I was honestly flabbergasted and then incredibly inspired.  There was no benefactor behind them, no studio deal (yet), they had cold-called Jaguar to borrow a car for the shoot, called in production favors, and designed and built the site themselves.  My conversation with Mark was an eye opener.  I'm not saying they didn't have resources (and not that I'm privy to that info anyway) but they've both been in the biz for a while and Jesse's wife is O.C. actress Autumn Reeser, and regardless what their combined bank statements look like, they independently produced a killer online sizzle reel, two awesome episodes and built a beautiful site...all because when they sent the scripts to agents and studios, they were rejected across the board: 'Show us something'. So they did.
What is my point here? The Bannen Way and Mark and Jesse are as indie as the rest of us. They just made something on spec (and on point) that the studios were eager to compete over and ultimately buy.  If Mark and Jesse had chosen to release the episodes that they had already shot on their own in '08, I guarantee you they would have been at the Streamys last year and probably won.  But they kept things under wraps and waited to make a studio deal. Good on them for the faith and patience.  Don't turn on them or the show because you're angry that Sony released three episodes in advance of its official release date so that it would be Streamy eligible: The slick studio throwing its shiny new webseries, chalk-full of Hollywood stars, on its site with no warning, so that it can take home all the awards for a year that it wasn't even really streaming during and then it will win everything AGAIN in 2010?  Sure, I understand the general frustration.  But what if Sony had set the official release date for December 23rd? If those three episodes that are on Crackle right now were 'officially' released, would it make a difference? But Sony made a business decision, based on whatever X, Y, Z variables to release the series in January, probably due to some ancillary market distribution deal.  And come to think of it, what if Sony had released say 5 episodes in 2009 and the remaining 9 in '10?  'After Judgment' released 8 episodes in '09 thus we're still eligible.  Same problem but no cloak and dagger routine.  So is it the underhanded, slightly shady Hollywood-type play that Sony made to a) make Mark and Jesse happy so they could have a shot at a 2010 award and b) take advantage of any potential Streamy publicity, that we are miffed about, or the fact that one season of a studio webseries is now eligible for two Awards seasons, thus potentially taking away awards from deserving, low budget fair that could use the exposure?  I'm thinking it's a bit of both but neither is the fault of the show itself.  We should be thanking the internet gods that The Bannen Way is good.  
Obviously the rules need to be re-examined and possibly re-fined next year, but as they are now: 3 episodes released in the '09 calendar year means Streamy eligibility.   The Bannen Way is eligible.  Done.  That means some of us won't get guest star nominations because Michael Ironside and/or Robert Forrester get it instead.  Well that does kinda suck. But that's the real world baby and if more of the mainstream media picks up the Streamys because of The Bannen Way, then more mainstream studios and their offshoots, and then independent financiers and brands will have the confidence to finance original content for the web and that behooves us all.  We're the original players kids so make all this craziness work for you. 
One last thing...this debate also means the Streamys mean something to us as a community. In one year the Streamys have become a big thing.  I remember Marc Hustvedt telling me about his plans for the Streamys in November '08 and I remember thinking 'how cute'. Nothing cute about it these days (well except for the pic of Felicia).  Also remember, there is an actual board, an IAWTV membership that votes on the Streamys, comprised of YOUR PEERS and I'm fairly confident that this board takes their role pretty seriously.  It has the responsibility to push our space to the forefront but it also doesn't want to be seen as a Hollywood sellout.  I'm hopeful that the great shows and talent of '09 will be recognized. 
So! Run your campaigns, vote and support the space, watch The Bannen Way and enjoy what Mark and Jesse have achieved.  Know that if you have a kickass mainstream idea that you can deliver on and that can be monetized across multiple platforms, the web arm of a studio will probably be interested.  If not, just tell a story that you are passionate about. This is going to be an awesome year.

T




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I really have to thank you guys for making so many comments on my previous blog post. It gave me a lot of food for thought over the weekend, both in regards to the web space in general and my personal involvement in it. Modelmotion brought up a great point (make that many great points) in one of his many comments: "information wants to be free". Lumping in, let's say, the current debate over whether newspapers should charge subscriptions to their online site, with the discussion about Hulu charging to stream its online videos, is counter productive as they are two different types of content. The argument with the online newspaper side of the monetization topic is that, though information wants to be free, the individual expression and interpretation of it by the Washington Post writer covering it shouldn't have to be...or should it? I'll leave you to ponder that as I'm not overly concerned about Rupert Murdoch's future earnings. 

When it comes to online content though, I have changed the way I watch webseries, or any online videos in fact, to reflect a cost benefit analysis that modelmotion alluded to. "Time is the most valuable commodity and it should be respected and appreciated.  And, it does cost time to watch anything." I concur sir and I had neglected to think on that point. The hours and minutes of our day have not changed but the amount of content that is available to us has tripled...to the nth degree. I have very few hours these days to commit to entertainment, televised or online, so the competition for my attention, especially my undivided attention, is fierce. What gets it? Something that makes me feel something...'Glee' makes me giddy because I love to sing and perform, 'Fringe' satiates my love of conspiracy stories and scifi, 'Gossip Girl' makes me laugh because of the whip smart, pop culture dialogue and heightened Upper East Side world (plus my husband is obsessed with Blake Lively)...and what do they all have in common? A defined 'world' that is just a bit escapist and removed from own. Did you notice that I didn't have an online series listed? Yup, noticed that too. I try to watch as many webseries as I can, both to support the space and for research, but there really isn't one that I eagerly await a new episode to land. I enjoy The Guild but I don't connect with it (though many people do!)...I was much more invested in Dr. Horrible because of the misfit superheroes breaking into song world. I love re-watching our After Judgment season 1 episodes (and I'm not just saying that for promotions sake). The dystopic world that we created really resonates with me and I love the characters, just as I did when I first read the scripts and pushed to get it made, and I know there are those out there that feel the same. Compulsions is also something that, even thought I'm involved with, I have an authentic desire to know what happens. 
So how do my personal tastes and reflection on the currency of time play out in the Hulu argument? Taking into account a new variable, speed of access. You missed 'Lost' and you want to watch it the next day? Well ABC.com and Hulu will charge you for that immediate gratification. You want to download that episode so you can watch it on a plane or on your ipod at the gym, they will charge you even more. If you are okay with waiting 2 weeks (or whatever window is established), then you can watch it for 'free', just as you could have live. The Syfy website has different windows for when people can watch their shows online. Established shows like 'Sanctuary' and 'Ghost Hunters' have a week delay before you can watch but new shows, the shows they are trying to build audiences for, are available the next day. Makes basic sense, no? The pay to view option, however, is not there. On the flip side, Dr. Horrible was available for free the first three days after each episode's release and then moved to a pay to download situation (it ultimately becoming available for streaming on Hulu).  The strategy worked as the die hard Joss Whedon fans came first and then spread the word to the masses (and then the die hard fans came back to buy it on iTunes). Again as modelmotion pointed out, it comes back to simple supply and demand. 
How does this circle back to valuing independent online content? I stand by my conflicted observation that to be valued, we need to be 'good'...and competing on that level, established by million dollar episodic television, is tough. And money begets money. A bunch of us on Twitter were discussing Riese the Series yesterday. My feeling on the series is that it is beautifully shot and styled, the steampunk world is pretty darn cool (and it has the wardrobe and art direction to give it life) and there is an intriguing mythology being laid out, but the story is unravelling too slowly for me, especially considering the fact that the episodes are eight minutes long, where maybe two plot points are revealed, and there are two weeks between each episode. How can I be judgmental? Well because I read that the nine minute pilot cost $50,000 (!) and a scifi wire article pointed out the host of notable tv guest stars that will be showing up in future episodes. This tells me that the production has financiers behind it and the producers have strong connections into Vancouver's production scene, so I automatically raise my level of expectation. We shot the entire season of AJ for a fraction of this budget, guerilla style on the streets of LA. I shudder to think of what we could have achieved with that sort of budget and the man power that comes along with it. That being said, Riese has done an extraordinary job of creating a 'world' that is unique and enticing for an audience to venture into. It can compete for your time because it offers something distinctive, something that doesn't exist in mainstream entertainment. I smell a Sanctuary type move to the Syfy channel brewing. 
For the rest of us who don't have the connections (or aren't VC savvy enough) to raise some serious dough for our online content, the argument for 'being good' is still in full force. Compulsions could not have made their deal for exclusive front page placement on Daily Motion and the 80000 views that have come along so far, if it wasn't good. But what's also become apparent to me is being unique. We talk about interactivity and online community, etc etc. but I'm seeing that occurring for shows which bring a unique world and experience to the space.  With the web, you can really 'enter' the world; you have more than just the video content but the site itself and its ancillary content, it's forums, its fan fiction, to differentiate and sweeten the experience. (Even though it's a multi-channel site, Daily Motion does it well by having it's front page (ie. the header and the wallpaper) dedicated to the headliner, even if there are 20 other videos on the page as well.) But there is that funding issue again...it costs money to create that portal into your show's unique world. 
Finally, with the traditional Hollywood system crumbling, more writers, directors, producers and actors will look to the web as a viable launching pad for their product. They know that they will have to prove themselves first online, where the cost and thus risk is lower before ascending onto the hallowed television or even movie platform. I know this because established producers, people I used to work with back in my William Morris days, are now coming to me for advice. They want to sit down, discuss how they can take all their projects in development and adapt them into a something that is fit for the web. They know this to be the future of entertainment but they have no idea how to do tackle it. This means that we have to either partner up or get better fast, because the regular Hollywood folks will learn how to turn their good idea into something viable for the web and the studios will want to green light that product first before ours. But then again, that means that better original content will start hitting the web and with it, an audience potentially willing to 'subscribe' to it. 
What is your time worth? What shows are worth your time, let alone your money? How do you see this playing out? Share your thoughts as I'd really like to know...


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A huge flood of thoughts hit my brain today. After coming out of a shooting bubble, and as I embark on a new series of work endeavors, I scribbled down thought after thought of what I think the issues are that currently challenge our (web content creators) ever changing digital landscape. Far be it for me to know the nuanced details of certain issues as I’m more of a macro girl, but I think that my drought of new media posts are about to change as there is some great discussions to be had at this time of consolidation and change.
The first one that I want to tackle (in potentially a few posts) is currency for content, or valuing art as a commodity and not a right. People (including myself) were recently a twitter about Hulu announcing that they would soon start charging for content. Hooray went some, but most booed in revolt. The portal that we have come to rely on in our busy lives when we forget to TiVo 'Fringe', or suddenly want to rewatch on an old season 'Sliders' and the red envelopes of Netflix don’t come fast enough (or aren’t available for streaming), suddenly will have a barrier to entry. I don’t know what form of subscription the joint studio powers that run Hulu will set up for their revered portal, but it will definitely require your credit card. But as many argue, we watch the ads right? Why should we also have to pay for the show as well? I think the question is why do we think we shouldn’t? It’s a service and we’re consuming a product. Isn’t it that simple? Why do we expect content on the web to be free? How did we get here?
I believe we have a disconnect with our Art. When I speak of art, I’m not referring to the abstract painting in the gallery; if you wish to take the painting home and enjoy it, you know you have to buy it. The art I speak of is the mainstream entertainment we consume on a daily basis: television and films (and in extension web series videos). Think of the system to which we adhere. You turn on your television, click through a hundred channels (that you pay Direct TV or Time Warner a fixed amount every month for), watch your desired show, while basically ignoring or at least fast forwarding through the commercials, and then turn it off. After a long day at work, it’s our capitalistic right to zone out in front of the TV and be moderately entertained. The average person has no idea the time, money and manpower that goes into producing just one hour of televised, scripted entertainment (or the amount of cameramen and editors it takes to spit out an hour of reality programming). Here’s the kicker though: The next day, in a time when no one’s job is secure and your retirement fund has shrunk, you open Vanity Fair, or click on Us Weekly’s website...what do you see? You see pictures of those actors you watched on TV the night before living an extraordinary life. They are rich and privileged, running around the palm treed playground that is LA, in their Range Rover, sipping their Coffee Bean. That movie star who you paid the equivalent of 2 Vanilla Ice Blendeds to watch in his newest action flick is caught canoodoling with a new piece of arm candy at his Tuscan villa or sharing a meal with his equally rich actor friends (because all famous actors are friends right?) at your favorite celeb chef's newest restaurant. Even the new ‘indie’ star has a spread in the LA Times and just walked the red carpet at the Venice Film Fest. The space between, that space between creating the ‘art’ (or at least the Hollywood version of it) and our consumption of it is diluted, filtered and most importantly vast. 
I can’t tell you the amount of people that have commented to my parents how well I must be doing as I have a commercial running ‘she must be set for life’- yes they actually say ‘set for life’. Outside the shiny (albeit crumbling) walls of Hollywood, the rest of the world assumes that if you are on TV, if you are in a movie, you must be rich. How you got that way is of no concern or interest to them, except that if you made it into their living room or on the big screen it must be so. 
 My friend and Artemis Eternal mastermind Jessica Stover forwarded me a blog post a few weeks ago from lead singer of the Dresden Dolls Amanda Palmer (and girlfriend to Neil Gaiman). It is an in your face, no apologies given post about asking, no demanding money for her art. She started her career as a street performer, coercing folks out of their pocket change and has carried that experience through with her to the now. This paragraph struck me as something that was relevant to what I am mulling over: 
 “(if you) think i’m going to pass up a chance to put my hat back down in front of the collected audience on my virtual sidewalk and ask them to give their hard-earned money directly to me instead of to roadrunner records, warner music group, ticketmaster, and everyone else out there who’s been shamelessly raping both fan and artist for years, you’re crazy”.
 
And these points:
"artists need to make money to eat and to continue to make art." 
"artists used to rely on middlemen to collect their money on their behalf, thereby rendering themselves innocent of cash-handling in the public eye." "artists will now be coming straight to you (yes YOU, you who want their music, their films, their books) for their paychecks." 
 
These sentiments are awesome. Serious kudos to Amanda for having the bravado to offer up such a declaration. But TV/ Film actors (and show creators) don’t have that personal relationship with their fans, they can’t stand on a soapbox and perform, and then hold out their hat for tips. They are far removed, separated by that ‘space’. The ‘middlemen’ that Amanda references are those who populate that space. The studios, the ad agencies, the brands, the agents, the publicists. They all function under a veil of anonymity- the general media consuming public is ignorant in its bliss, just as they were in handing over their hard earned money to egocentric money managers who turned magic profits…until they didn’t. In what world could we be used to tv and movie actors coming to us, the public, for their paycheck? As the television moves towards becoming a 52” computer and traditional commercials become obsolete, are we willing to watch an hour long Ford commercial masked as an episode of 'White Collar' or are we going to realize that content, and not just it’s delivery model, has a value that we must contribute to? 
So how do we fix this disconnect and how can the solution be applicable to helping monetize content on the web? Should television actors become more transparent about why and how they make so much money? Should they talk about the ‘system’ under which they work, where the network that debt finances their show is at the mercy of both the shareholders of a parent company and an antiquated advertising model (one which ultimately makes the car, computer, pizza you buy more expensive because of the money it costs to to produce and distribute that commercial which you probably didn’t watch anyway?) That disclosure would sell a lot of ‘Life & Styles’ right? Oh ignorance is bliss…but burying your head in the sand only leaves you with oxygen deprivation and a sunburn from your neck down.
I know that I get my fair share of “so how do you make money on your show” questions from people outside of the biz, so there does seem to be an awareness that being on the web doesn’t necessarily mean that you automatically monetize; the lack of barrier to entry is apparently recognized. But does this mean that people are willing to step up and support what they like? From five middlemen to none- with great interactivity comes great responsibility. You like feeling connected and a part of a specific show’s culture? You appreciate being able to communicate with those involved? How about backing that relationship with a little green? But there in lies the important point. Your piece of content on the web and the consumption of it has to be valued. It can’t just be appreciated or respected or acknowledged, it has to be valued. And in most cases that means it has to be good. 
Reaching that standard on the web isn’t easy. What we consider good stems from years of television viewing, and good on TV costs a hell of a lot of money. You feel thrilled by an episode of 'Lost'? Well there’s a skilled composer who writes a sweeping score to subconsciously tell you how to feel, a team of editors to create the heart pounding tension, expensive cameras hoisted on cranes that capture the grandness of the Island…the shots are color corrected, the dialogue ADR’d if the wind got in the way, a staff of writers sit tied to their computers crafting and fine tuning each word of the script, the list of elements that create the ‘good’ goes on and on. So for us web content creators to create ‘good’ programming is a monumental task. We have 1% of those resources. But the expectation from an audience is the same. And in a sense, it should be. I only want to produce, write and act in good shows. 
How do we make up the difference in production scope between web and tv so we can ultimately be valued? We all know the answer: Interactivity and Accessibility. But creating an effective marriage between the viewer and the show isn't as easy as it sounds. We're all voyeurs by nature...that's what tv, magazines and even the internet has conditioned us to become; the screen is a two way mirror, we can watch but those we watch can't see us. The webseries that succeed destroy that reflective barrier and make it OK to engage. The opportunity to actually 'become' part of the art now exists but we have to make it appealing...and thus valued.  
I really could just keep going but I think it’s a good time to stop, and more importantly, open the discussion up. How can we change the masses’ lazy consumption of mainstream art? How can we illuminate the value of it instead of perceiving it as a right? Is creating a level of transparency around the Hollywood machine necessary and would it help or hurt the industry? How do we train people to value out uber low budget web content thus making them receptive when we ask for money. And how do we make our shows better with the limited resources we have. Will the cream rise to the top? With the television turning into a 52” computer (not vice versa), how will entertainment consumption change and how will the advertising model be forced to change with it? I feel so lucky to be even peripherally involved in this important time of transition and it is our responsibility to exercise our insight and our experience and grab the reigns when the traditional figures of power are scrambling to figure out what their next move should be. And now: DISCUSS


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$142 million? Did 'New Moon' really just make that much money opening weekend? It did indeed and with it, a whole lot of interweb anger at the notion of it almost knocking The Dark Knight off its well deserved platform (check out the 200+ comments at the bottom of the Nikki Finke article I linked to). Well since y'all got such a giggle out of my last post about Twilight I thought I would give you my 2 cents on New Moon and the phenomenon surrounding its reach and its success. I think I might be a good person to actually review the film as I'm a fan of the book series, but will freely admit to how embarrassing it is that I am. I've seen the first Twilight multiple times, and though I know it to be a poorly constructed film (I do have a minor in Film from Duke thus have a bit of experience deconstructing film on paper) it is a big guilty pleasure for me.  For whatever reason, I am a fan, caught in the series' spell, but aware enough to admit the story's pitfalls...so perhaps I can comment on it with a balanced perspective...you be the judge. 
BTW: After reading a lot of online reviews...you movie bloggers are all guys....and a lot of the good tv bloggers are women...hmmm...interesting. 
I saw New Moon opening day (though not at midnight), and was pretty excited to slip back into the rain soaked, angst filled world of Stephenie Meyer's supernatural take on Romeo and Juliet...this time helmed by Chris Weitz. I've read New Moon a few times and was really looking forward to it coming to life on the big screen, especially the chapter when (SPOILER) Edward broke up with Bella and left her in the woods. I honestly had a viseral, physical reaction to that scene when I read it on a plane to NY for Thanksgiving a year ago. I think I actually clutched my chest and my eyes tears up. It makes me laugh thinking about it, but as a writer, I am also in awe that Ms. Meyer's simplistic prose made me feel so much. 
Well, sadly the movie made me feel very little, well except perhaps frustration. The part that New Moon plays in Twilight's success is pretty clear cut to me. Establish Bella and Edward's fantastical soul mate connection (while explaining some key backstory elements integral to the future of the series), then rip it apart, then put it back together under some high stakes situations and lush scenery. Throw in a good ol' fashion 'other man' who happens to be a werewolf and Bam! you have a fun film that could appeal to fans and non fans alike. But no, for the sake of playing time, it seems like Chris Weitz and Summit felt it unimportant to flesh out Bella and Edward's relationship at the beginning of the film for the sake of high octane action scenes of werewolves and vampires fighting and chasing each other in the second act. We had one 'let's hit you over the head with the literary symbolism' relationship scene in a classroom while the two watched Romeo and Juliet, a moody birthday scene, and then we were right in the woods with Edward leaving. Couple this lack of set up with Kristen's unmoving performance in the forest, and anguished (painful) nightmare screams soon after, and I was already sighing (and wishing I had been on set to coach the actors). I can't imagine what an un-indoctrinated viewer would have felt in watching it. 
Jacob, ie. Taylor Lautner, was one, if not the only, highlight of the film for me. Not being a tweener, the appeal of Taylor doesn't exist for me- he's just too young. But except for a few one dimensional scenes from him at the beginning, I really came to enjoy his presence on the screen and the scenes between Taylor and Kristen were by far the most honest and believable. Robert Pattinson's Edward, however, fell completely flat for me. At least in the first film, Edward had a degree of warmth and likability, even if he was constantly keeping his monstrous inclinations in check with pained looks. Edward was down right unlikable in this film (though still a treat to look at, unless he had that twingey, constipated look going on). He was painfully stoic and sullen and lost whatever inner sparkle he had in Catherine Hardwick's version. Other lacking elements of the film for me? The CGI of the werewolves, the 'visions' of Edward, the poor ADR in the Bella/Jake scene in the rain, the overwrought, fantasy epic type score and of course Alice's 'vision' of Edward and Bella running through the forest, looking like Hansel and Gretel. The things I did like? The supporting actors, especially Billy Burke, Anna Kendrick and Michael Sheen, the 'slo-mo' fight scene with the Volturi, Peter Facinelli's performance, the cliff diving scene and how they made the parking lot at the school look the same as in the first Twilight (even though they were shot at two different places so I appreciate that type of continuity). 
But enough of the review- there are countless reviews out there tearing the movie to shreds and countless others, from mostly fangirls, screaming it's praises. So why do I chose to write about it? Because I want to see it again. Don't be a hater, but seriously, I do see myself going to the theater again and plunking down my $12 for another viewing. Why? I honestly have no friggin' clue. Why did my mom call me at 10:45pm to find out how it was as she has now read all the books and seen the first movie twice? I have no idea either. But I really need to figure it out. 
Is it as simple as our genetic code compelling us to reprise the archaic role of a damsel in distress who wishes to be rescued by a handsome yet flawed (ie. a stalker and control freak) creature that worships us for eternity and who actually loves foreplay? Or are we at the mercy of a larger scheme by movie studios and publishing houses using mass vertical integration in their marketing reach and a salacious gossip hook on whether Rob and Kristen's relationship is real? Do women really need fictional characters to fulfill their romantic ideals? And are those that revere the books and the films being unfairly criticized in the media for having those unfulfilled needs? Men aren't chastised for wanting entertainment full of explosions and boobs, so why are so many Twilight 'moms' being harshly attacked for their fandom? Does the power of the female ticket buyer now threaten the Hollywood machine? Rick Ross and Bob Iger apparently are mandating that studios adjust their slate to reflect the power of the woman so change is on the horizon. 
 The best article I have read on these topics was penned by Annie Petersen (an article I found through following @proggrrl). She hit the nail on the head regarding the legitimization of the female audience and how, at the same time, that legitimization is being undermined by gender criticism. 
New Moon having the biggest opening day EVER has far reaching ramifications whether you want it to or not. It is, at best, a mediocre movie but it has wooed millions and millions of women across the world. It's opening comments on the psyche of the female population and their purchasing power. It comments on the themes of love and romance, or lack there of, in a post 80's/90's wonder women era where we have learned that you can't have it all. Or maybe it's just a book penned by a lonely stay at home Mormon mom who was an average looking seventeen year old with fantasies about love and a vampire...that a whole lot of women and girls simply relate to. But it just can't be that simplistic. Regardless, it's worth exploring as the entertainment that will be offered up to you in the coming years will have been affected by The Twilight Saga's success. 
Check out Anne's article and of course feel free to comment if you think you have something crazy or constructive to say. Tomorrow brings a Twilight free post about Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Paid Content! 
Finally back on track with some new media posts. 
Later Skaters... 
T

(picture courtesy of www.robert-pattinson.co.uk)


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Oh boy, it's a new moon....
Posted by Taryn O Neill on Nov 18, 2009
One of the reasons I love my blog is that I get to out myself.  It's rather masochistic of me but I love to rattle people's preconceptions of me by literally embarrassing myself.  So I'll come right out and say it.  I love Twilight.  I heart Robert Pattinson.  I've seen the movie twice in the theatre and a few more times at home.  When I procrastinate it's usually by clicking on the different RPattz links on Twitter or heading to Vanity Fair to gaze at the outtakes from the December cover story (good job VF on the staggered release of the pics).  I know the books are poorly written, the themes misogynistic and the movie sophomoric but I don't care.  Something on my X Chromosome can't get enough of this supernatural love story and the actors (well, really just the one) who bring it to life. There- phew- it's out there.  And trust me, I know I'm not alone.  

So in advance of 'New Moon' opening this Friday and my 5pm adventure with 'Oz Girl's' Shanrah Wakefield to see it in all of its sparkling glory, I look back fondly to a post I wrote a year ago...before I had read the book(s), seen the movie, had the CD on repeat in my car...before I went down that 'Twilight hole'.  So enjoy...and I'll see if the movie and all the hoopla around it prompts a new theory on the draw of the vampire and the state of the female psyche...after all it did partly inspire a new project of mine that is still underwraps...
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I'm having problems enjoying the "Twilight" trailer. Is that weird? People are lining up already to see the movie on opening night and poster signings have been cancelled because of the potential for mob madness. I think I have seen spreads of Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristin Stewart (Bella) in every magazine publication this month, always looking pale, disheveled and sexy; our generations (eek can I say our? maybe my younger cousin's is better) Romeo and Juliet. What is better than young, forbidden love...especially when one of them is a vampire. But I'm just kind of put off by the trailer. It makes me feel unsettled. 'So what' you ask? 'Aren't you a little old for that schmaltzy fare anyway?' Why yes, I guess...but...well no. It actually doesn't matter what I am, when what I really am is out of the loop. Horribly, painfully out of the loop. I haven't read the books. I don't know the world and haven't been swept off my feet by Edward yet and that just makes me upset! And even worse, everywhere on the web that I turn, I see a reminder of my neglect. 'Why does this upset you', you ask? (starting to worry a little bit about my sanity no doubt). Well, because I am a normal girl (on the exterior at least), with a semi-normal life, who just loves, loves loves her vampires.
Wow- TMI you say! All my budding credibility as a creative voice just vanished, like a vamp in direct sunlight. But alas, it's true, I am addicted to the vampire genre and I have been for a long time. But I had a brilliant idea today (which hopefully will be fleshed out as a new project, sooner rather than later) that made me really look at my fondness for the fare. And I think I might have discovered the root of it all: It's really, actually, a very simple thought. The romantic desire for the perfectly flawed man: the male vampire hero. Think about it...I'll let the thought stew for a minute and reminisce before returning to it. But just so you know, I'd like to figure out (at least so this piece has a function and isn't completely reflective) a) What does he (it) represent and b) what role does he (it) play in our generation's narrative. (I add 'it' because technically 'he' is not alive of course).
When I was a child, I had an extremely over active imagination and would have an impossible time trying to fall asleep. My parents would turn out the light and I would suddenly be plunged into a terrifying, paralyzing darkness where I would tug the sheets above my head, shielding the opening with an army of stuffed animals, and basically mummifying my body (perhaps that explains it all- I was oxygen deprived as a child) so that nothing from the world of the unknown could get at me. My most vivid fear, besides the clown in the closet from 'Poltergeist' and the worm/parasite thing in the ear from the second 'Star Trek' movie, was of vampires. My third eye would rise from under the sheets and watch in horror as an evil, wraith of a non-human would glide towards my bed, looking to feed. I would hold my breath and lie so still so that it would think I was already dead (again the lack of oxygen thing). It was awful. But I honestly can't remember where I derived that fear from (and I've wracked my brain on that one) as I was under strict lock down from the parentals when it came to watching horror movies (though obviously I was able to sneak in a few of them) as they had an early inkling that my imagination wasn't exploring worlds of rainbows and unicorns (though "The Last Unicorn" was the best movie!!).
So how did I go from such paralyzing fear to such unadulterated fanship? I think I made the transition to tweenhood (I hate the word puberty so couldn't use it in a non-parenthesized sentence) and started liking boys. I started watching the Canadian TV series "Forever Knight" and seeing the movie "Lost Boys". Suddenly, vampires were sexy, forbidden, and the cool kids, or they were saving damsels in distress from evil mob bosses. Did you ever watch "Forever Knight"? It was a fantastic show that starred Geraint Wyn Davies (born in the same Welsh town as Catherine Zeta Jones btw) as police detective, Nick Knight, an 800 year old vampire. I didn't quite know at the time why I was so drawn to this show as I was supposed to be watching '90210' and 'Melrose Place', but something about the flashbacks to Nick's adventures in 15th Century Italy, the forbidden budding romance between him and the mortal doctor trying to reverse his 'condition' and his explosions of vampire power during the pinnacle fight scenes where he was saving the day (or night as it had to be) were intoxicating. He was such a flawed yet engaging hero. Now that I think about it, it's so obvious. Two of my favorite TV vampire characters, Mick from 'Moonlight' (passionate fan base) and Angel from, well if you don't know who he is then you probably aren't still reading this post, are just reincarnations of the same character. They are both private investigators, love a mortal, ass kicking girl, can't act on their feelings, but swoop in and save the day- fangs bared- before retreating back into their solitary, loner world (after giving their love a longing glance). Yumm! No need for "Days of Our Lives" here! I just dig a misunderstood loner who is all sensitive to women's needs as he's been around the block for 600 years and has finally learned from all his mistakes. So with that thought, throw in Bill from "True Blood", and Louis from "IWTV". Lots of members of the romantic vampires club. And not only are they reluctant heroes, but these vamps declare their vulnerabilities and must embrace them- no sunlight for them and don't pass the holy water. They want to return to the land of the living and give up immortality for their fair haired maiden, but when things get tough, that sentimentality goes straight out the window and mr. bad ass comes out swinging- inhuman strength, speed and stylish mayham on a plate- saving the day in the process.
OK, now I'm becoming a little self conscious about what I'm writing as it just seems like I've dropped myself into the crazy world usually populated by comic con attendees, airport romance novel fans and those who will indeed stand in line for 5 days in advance of the Twilight release (because I am very different from them, please believe me). But, my basic discovery serves a point. The vampire is our generations Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen had to illuminate Mr. Darcy's dark side by throwing him into fits of...silence. Silence? Well, rudeness too, he would be abrupt and rude to Lizzie as he didn't want to show his true feelings for her. And he was unattainable because he was rich and wasn't supposed to marry beneath his class. Well, OK. Those reactions to puppy love aren't too exciting in the 21st century and class boundaries don't really hold up anymore, but ancient gypsy curses and the need to feed on human blood certainly do! Vampires are just a big old manifestation of our need for romance. Of the unattainable kind.
I'm going to end this post on that note, but also note that there are lots of vampire movies and shows that I'd love to explore from a digital blogger and writer's perspective (let me know if you have any requests). I may even go see 'Twilight' and write about it, even if I haven't read the books. Be back soon.
All Things T


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In Flanders Field...
Posted by Taryn O Neill on Nov 11, 2009
            

The phrase November 11th has always held great meaning to me.  As I sit here in front of my desk, the LA sky overcast and gloomy, I travel back to my days as a child, growing up in Vancouver.  It was also usually overcast and gloomy, but the air cut with a frigid wind and often a drizzle of rain.  I also remember pea coats and poppies.  The pea coats would be worn by a host of elderly gentlemen who entered the school gymnasium, and the poppy would be worn by everyone else, pinned to the v-neck bright blue sweater that was part of our school uniform, and the cardigan sweaters of our teachers. There would be readings, there would be hymns sung, and the gentlemen at the front of the room would be honored, by a hundred usually chatty adolescents. Something held our attention.
On the streets that day, everywhere in the city, the red poppy was there.  It would be pinned to trench coats, duffle coats, overcoats...a sea of poppies.  Everyone, it seemed, joined in common respect and gratitude for the men (and women) who had served, and a child, that gave me great hope.  
It's almost been 100 years since the start of the Great War (WWI), and with men and women still fighting around the globe, I thought it fitting to attach a copy of one of the greatest war poems ever written.  I had to learn it as a child, and for many reasons, I still remember the entire thing. 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Pass the poem around if you want, otherwise just sit with it for a moment.
I honor all those who have served on Remembrance Day/ Veterans Day. 





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A call for Inspiration.
Posted by Taryn O Neill on Nov 10, 2009
First I want to apologize for the delays in posting to my new site; I miss blogging let me tell you! But as reality would have it, I haven't been able to clone myself (yet) so I have been in a bubble working on post -production for our new show 'Hurtling Through Space at an Alarming Rate!, which I am very proud of (EPISODE 2 is now LIVE!) as well as a number of writing projects that I am very passionate about.  And then of course auditioning and some other acting gigs that I'll hopefully be able to post about soon.  In immersing myself in so many different projects as of late, however, my brain (though friggin' exhausted!) has been on the fast track to 'big thoughts'.  The pilot of 'V' (plus immediately watching a group of Orthodox Jewish families walk back from temple) had me ruminating on religion, science, and technology...and the ultimate convergence of such (yes I said the C word).  Those thoughts are still percolating so a blog on that will have to wait- though I do have a theory about the color white...(cue reader confusion).  Yesterday, however, I saw a few things that made me want to write about the letter 'I'.  'I' of course not being about myself but rather about that lofty, feel good term 'Inspiration'.  What were the two visuals that set me off? Well, one was an LA Times Calendar review on TV of the upcoming Holiday movies and the other was a billboard for 'Glee'.  Indeed.

It seems that the Hollywood machine is actually going to be churning out some thinking man's (& feeling woman's) fare.  From Jason Reitman's 'Up in the Air' to Sandra Bullock's new biopic 'The Blind Side' and Oprah Winfrey's 'Precious', a handful of movies offer the promise of a dark, emotional journey frought with stark social commentaries and searing inner turmoil, but also promise to deliver us to a final place of hope and joy.  I was honestly moved, not just by the content of the movies themselves, but by the idea they are actually seeing the light of day (in a dark theater).  

We live in a time where optimism is a guarded word.  There is a resigned acknowledgment that the world as we knew it has changed.  No job is taken for granted, no assurance that a 401K's or social security will support you at retirement can be made.  My generation wonders how they can ever prosper as their parents did, let alone feel secure enough to send any future children to college.  In general it's an overwhelming feeling of ARGH!!! Which is why I look forward to movies that don't hold their punches and that offer a glimpse at what being human can really mean.   

I think we have forgotten but we are resourceful little f**kers with a huge capacity for love, compassion and generosity.  When we go into survivalist mode, like we are in now, it's easy to ignore the traits that actually define us as human beings and separate us from other species on this planet.  But during tough times are inclination is to put our nose to the grindstone and throw on those 'no distraction blinders'.  I mused on this idea earlier this year:

"We’ve come to a point in our collective experience as a society, hit from all sides by a flailing economy, that we are resigned to hunker down. We’re working hard, glad if we actually have a job to work hard at, stashing any excess cash under the mattress (as banks, of course, can’t be trusted anymore) and just keeping our head down so the recession monster can’t come and snatch up our heavily mortgaged house. The tags of our daily life are now ‘surviving the downturn’, ‘weathering the storm’ and ‘simplifying your lifestyle’. It is certainly not a good climate for day-dreaming. "Day dreaming?" you laugh. You know, going inward, allowing the sub-conscious to take flight, throwing off the shackles of the mundane world, like we do while we sleep, but only you’re actually awake. But these days if someone were at their desk and caught staring off into space, the office collective would probably shake it’s head and silently confirm that if someone had to go- it was going to be the day dreamer. Why? Because not actually ‘doing’ something physical, not indicating the ‘work’ that you are doing with your body, is more often than not seen as doing nothing at all. We’re by-products of the Industrial Revolution and the Puritanical settlers of this country. The enlightened didn’t jump on the first rickety ships to the New World, the workers, the builders, the farmers looking for a better life, enslaved under the ruling thumb of the imperialist governments, did. When the going gets tough, that historical arch-type, the one who laid the concrete foundation for this powerful nation, is who we are supposed to become again. It’s time to work, not think...or at least if you have to think, think hard! Ugh. "The source and center of all man's creative power. . . is his power of making images, or the power of imagination. " ROBERT COLLIER"

Yup, I postulated that during tough times, it's ok...no it's ridiculously important...to give yourself the permission to 'imagine greater' (thanks SyFy).  And on that platform, allow yourself to be inspired;  Allow yourself to be moved.  The ubiquitous billboard of "Glee" had a big 'most inspiring' review tag line on it.  I stared at it, from my car on Highland and Wilshire and just smiled.  They're right, I AM inspired by it.  I'm inspired to realize that I love the way that the performances in that show make me feel.  So what if the vocals are over-produced and there doesn't seem to be an actual plot that is going anywhere; when I finish an episode I feel happy...and inspired to make someone else feel as good.   I feel inspired that such moving stories like 'Precious' have arrived on the big screen and that people across the country, regardless of socio-economic status are uniformly embracing it.  So I step back and look at the web space that I work in.  Where's the inspirational webseries? Am I missing them? Don't get me wrong, I love both the shows that I have produced and am passionate about the ones that I am writing, but do any of them capture that uplifting je ne sais quoi that makes a show truly moving? Do any of yours? Ummm, no?  Why the hell not people? Why haven't we produced something that gets to the heart of the matter and connects with viewers regardless of niches and genres? Are we too wrapped up in what supposedly 'works' online, how to make it interactive, how to appeal to sponsors, how to make it look cool (while on a tight budget)??  At this moment, at this point in time, that must be the case, or else we've lost sight of why we tell stories.  

So I challenge you writer/creator/director/actors in both the web and beyond to start getting to the heart of the matter.  A searing biopic of a disenfranchised youth may not work online (yet) but whether it's comedy or scifi, just start feeling the beating heart underneath your characters again (this is a note to myself as much as it is to you).  It's time we started remembering why storytelling is such a powerful thing...because it reminds us of our humanity.  

If you have or know of a webseries that hits these notes please make a post about it in the comments section...I would love to be proved wrong, and love even more to help spread the word about it.

Be back soon- I promise

All Things T




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