LonelyGirl15 and Hope
I don't know if you've been following the lonelygirl15 controversy.
I've been watching it a bit. I saw the vid of her and her BF arguing. Thought she was cute and I liked the camerawork.
But then as the summer wore on, people got more and more interested in who she was. Was it a show? Was it real?
When we created Hope Is Emo, we consciously made an effort to let people who cared know it was a show. We tell you it's made by Crista Flanagan, Douglas Sarine and myself.
We still get lots of emails asking if she's real. Which is cool, but if those folks really cared they could find out in a click or two.
Pranks like Lonelygirl15 seem like good ideas at the time, but I think they ultimately alienate your audience. Instead of creating something with them, you're saying you're smarter than everyone.
People are Blair Witched out right now. Put on a good show, make a great character. But don't think you're all that because you tricked people for a months.
If you ask me, the Emo crew might have a case of the greeen eyed monster, what with Lonelygirl15 get 15 million cumulative viewers and huge amounts of international attention.
Don't get me wrong, I love Hope but after watching lonelygirl15, its easy to see why its far more successful. Perhaps people are more intigued by the story that comes with Lonelygirl15 than the tired and often overused jokes about Emos (Not saying at all that Hope isn't funny)
PLUS, Lonelygirl15 producers are able to update on a regular basis!!! HINT HINT
I have to disagree. Perhaps those people who don't understand satire may be alienated. I'm from the UK, and over here we have a stereotype of Americans that says they don't get irony. I know this not to be the case, merely that American comedy tends to shy away from irony for cultural reasons I'm not aware of. Those few people who don't seem to get irony will struggle to see the humour (almost as much as I am stuggling with this black fonton a black background!) but the majority I think will get it. Satire and irony being linked, I'm confident that more people than you think will get it.
I don't know if it's fair to totally compare the lonelygirl15 videos to Hope Is Emo, because they're fundamentally going for different things. Hope Is Emo is hilarious because it's a parody, and showing upfront who makes the videos just saves you from having to ask "Isn't that that girl from MadTV?" lonelygirl15 (before the "disclosure") was not parodic, relying on audience curiosity and a sense of mystery. Personally, I think it's sad that it will probably inevitably fail because people are now fully aware that it's "fake." I think it would have been great to keep things going a while longer, because the entire saga has proven an intriguing lesson in audience misjudgment: whether or not something is "real" doesn't change WHAT you're watching, but how you perceive it apparently has everything to do with whether or not it is "good." People immediately assumed it was "real" - was that the right assumption?? It was posted on the internet - does that mean it's "credible"? Does it matter?? I think the people who are really offended by lonelygirl15 and being "duped" should sort out their own issues before blaming its actors and creators.
it doesnt seem at all like their jelous!!! but they DO needget their...whatevers on time.