One Year Ago Today: A Message From The Creators (Revisited)
One year ago today, the curtain fell (sort of):
by The Creators on Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:32 pm
To Our Incredible Fans,First reactions to this historic moment were recorded in the official forum here, as well as on Virginia Heffernan's NY times blog here, and on Anchor cove here.
Thank you so much for enjoying our show so far. We are amazed by the overwhelmingly positive response to our videos; it has exceeded our wildest expectations. With your help we believe we are witnessing the birth of a new art form. 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.
Right now, the biggest mystery of Lonelygirl15 is “who is she?” We think this is an oversimplification. Lonelygirl15 is a reflection of everyone. She is no more real or fictitious than the portions of our personalities that we choose to show (or hide) when we interact with the people around us. Regardless, there are deeper mysteries buried within the plot, dialogue, and background of the Lonelygirl15 videos, and many of our tireless and dedicated fans have unearthed some of these. There are many more to come.
To enhance the community experience of Lonelygirl15, which you have already helped to create, we are in the process of building a website centered around video and interactivity. This website will allow everyone to enjoy the full potential of this new medium. Unfortunately, we aren’t programmers. We are filmmakers. We are working furiously to complete the website, and hope to have it up and running shortly.
So, sit tight. You are the only reason for our success, and we appreciate your devotion. We want you to know that we aren’t a big corporation. We are just like you. A few people who love good stories. We hope that you will join us in the continuing story of Lonelygirl15, and help us usher in an era of interactive storytelling where the line between “fan” and “star” has been removed, and dedicated fans like yourselves are paid for their efforts. This is an incredible time for the creator inside all of us.
Thank you.
Later that same evening, the LA Times reported that three fans had traced Lonelygirl15 to the Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood, which was later proven to be Amanda Goodfried in the role of Bree responding to fan comments. Read about it on the lgpedia here.
It definately was historic!
ReplyDeleteThe Creators Original Statement
ReplyDeleteThe True Meaning is Revealed (One Year Later)
Right now, the biggest mystery of Lonelygirl15 is "who is she?" We think this is an oversimplification.
Please stop trying to figure out who we are! We're afraid that you'll stop watching the show once that mystery fades! We were counting on everyone believing Bree was real for at least another 6 weeks!
Lonelygirl15 is a reflection of everyone. She is no more real or fictitious than the portions of our personalities that we choose to show (or hide) when we interact with the people around us.
No matter how profound the wording, that statement comes off like Michael Jackson waxing poetic about Peter Pan.
The truth is, we especially don't want to reveal the identity of our star. We're afraid that Hollywood agencies and studios will lure her away from us. If that happens, we'll have no choice but to keep doing a series called Lonelygirl15...only without Lonelygirl15. And we'll even have to pretend we wouldn't have it any other way.
Regardless, there are deeper mysteries buried within the plot, dialogue and background of the Lonelygirl15 videos...
Didya see the Aleister Crowley photo? Creepy, huh? We totally plant crazy stuff like that in there to mess with your heads!
...and many of our tireless and dedicated fans have unearthed some of these.
And we already forgot what most of that stuff was supposed to mean. If and when we do have to explain what it, we might as well just go with the answers you all came up with.
There are many more to come.
Really, you have no idea!
To enhance the community experience of Lonelygirl15, which you have already helped to create...
To clarify: We don't mean "create" in a literal sense, not in the way that would jeopardize the ownership of our characters, story, or "ideas."
we are in the process of building a website centered around video and interactivity.
It's a LONG process, but we've started it. So technically we are "in the process." And remember, "interaction" at a bare minimum is still a kind of "interactivity."
This website will allow everyone to enjoy the full potential of this new medium.
By "everyone," we mean "everyone who agrees to our terms, which may be vague at first, and later contradictory of earlier revisions."
And as to the "full potential of this new medium," we do reserve the sole right to define what the "full potential" of "everyone's" enjoyment is.
Unfortunately, we aren’t programmers.
As if it weren't already obvious, you'll figure this out soon enough.
We are filmmakers.
Although, technically, only one of us has made a film.
We are working furiously to complete the website, and hope to have it up and running shortly.
We hope for a lot of things. We're an optimistic bunch. We'd like to believe that a website that's "barely functioning within a year" is roughly the same as "up and running shortly." Any failure to deliver on our part would only be a result of our "working furiously."
So, sit tight.
Please don't leave us.
You are the only reason for our success,
Again, that is not to be taken literally.
and we appreciate your devotion.
Actually, we're counting on it.
We want you to know that we aren’t a big corporation.
Doing this show is really hard, so lower your expectations! And keep them low, even if we do receive lots of money from partnerships with big corporations.
We will always be the same, down-to-earth, affluent twenty somethings who started this project with only a sizable enough investment from our parents that barely allowed us to quit our day jobs.
We are just like you.
Only better...just kidding. Everyone's parents fund their internet start-ups, don't they?
A few people who love good stories.
We really do love them, but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to tell one!
We hope that you will join us in the continuing story of Lonelygirl15,
Please, keep watching! And if you have any way to get us out of this story mess, post it on the forums! We can't even make sense of the plot at this point, and it's only been 3 months!
and help us usher in an era of interactive storytelling where the line between "fan" and "star" has been removed
We don't know exactly what this even means, but it sure sounds good! Oh, and at some point we're going to want to own everything you post on our website. That's cool with you...right, fellow "star?"
and dedicated fans like yourselves are paid for their efforts.
Subject to change when we start to turn a profit and/or stop caring about our community having any kind of real involvement with the show. So make that 30 cents on Revver while the getting is good, champ!
This is an incredible time for the creator inside all of us.
Enjoy it while it lasts, because it's all downhill from here!
Thank you.
Now for the love of G-d, please stop trying to "out" us! But please keep watching!
"He's the one they call Dr. Feelgood
ReplyDeleteHe's the one that makes ya feel all right"
-immo1