Join The Resistance- the lonelygirl15 Universe

I have to admit I was blown away by Lonelygirl.15, which puts an unique twist on storytelling. The site combines, acting, writing, and film to create live action stories. The creators put a real effort in trying to mold stories that have concrete plots and fully developed characters. For example in the story I viewed called "The Resistance" the story is about these possible alien or government cult whose leader a guy named Jonas, who finds girls, whose blood is the key to helping save lives, and makes them his disciples.The main goal is for "the Resistance" to protect the girls from those who want to harm them. Like books the stories are part of a series, that are labeled by chapters.

Last week in our Writing For New Media Class, we discussed the elements that make up traditional storytelling: Narrator,characters,settings,message,diction. lonelygirl15 uses these elements in creating their stories. I compared "Resistance" with other digital stories we have viewed.

Voice:

In books there is usually a narrator, whose voice is consistent throughout the story. Stories can be written in 1st "I" or third person "They, she, he." In Resistance it incorporates different points of views from characters, that are used by authors as devices to keep the story moving, and to give back story; which sheds a light on the past leading up to the present situation (plot).


But the tricky part about so many Pov's is that you have to keep the essence of the characters intact. The story has to flow, so as not to confuse the readers. In my own Fiction Writing experience, not all stories have to start at the beginning, it could be the end/middle/beginning or middle/beginning/end, however the story is told there has to be a pattern, a anchor to keep the story grounded and audience focused.

For example in the story we looked at in class called "An Untimely Raven," which has vignettes written by different members. though each part of the story goes back and forth in time, they are linked through the voice of the main character Raven. For Resistance it does the same thing, each different setting is connected to the lives of the characters.






Characters:

In novels and book series characters have their own personalities and history. In Resistance Ch.1 there is Jonas, mysterious girl, the Resistance themselves and Jonas's disciple.The disciple stood out to me because of her quirky, valley girl persona and bubbly dialogue that's entertaining, giving some comic relief to the nerve wrecking story. The girl in the hospital, seems childlike, naive, she tells the audience her life, by making it seem like a fairytale.

In lonelygirl15 the voice/personality of each character is continuously presented in the story. As a viewer I can tell that the creators sat together, talked and collaborated on their own visions for the story. This shows the downside of traditional storytelling, where the authors doesn't have comments from readers that can spark new ideas for the story, like in digital storytelling.


In the wiki novel "A Million Penguins" there were so many members writing stories for the the main characters, that the characters personalities were lost. Due to lack of communication between the members,the characters only reflect the personalities of the writers, and not those presented in the first story.






Imagery:

In traditional writing the author has to paint the settings and physically descriptions of characters with words; which is not easy. It takes patience and scraping your brain to find the right words that woven together create an image. For Resistance this is not a problem. Like in the film genre colors or lack of colors are used to set up each scene of the chapter. For example whenever the audience sees the girl at the hospital, everything is in black and white, showing the sterile, unhappy environment she lives in. Bright colors are featured in scenes with Jonas and his disciple.



I believe lonleygirl 15 is worthy of being considered a true story. It carries the elements of traditional storytelling, but also stands out by getting the audience to participate in the story. The characters talk directly to the viewers, making it seem that they are part of the experience. By watching chapters of lonelygirl 15 makes me think about my own style of storytelling, it would be interesting to seem story come to life and reach a boarder audience.










Check out: http://www.lg15.com/lonelygirl15/?p=695

I Don't Cry, I Create- Digitcal Storytelling

"I don't cry, I create," is a quote from the digital story Don't You Dare created by Vanessa Wolfe.It's a beautiful story about a girl struggling with death, art, and identity. I found it on the website called "Stories For Change," where members can submit there video stories, and some even allow viewers to download them.


Narrator's Voice:

Vanessa's voice breaths life into her story; giving the tone to the piece: sad, yet hopeful. Oral telling may be an old story technique, but its still effective.In books the narrator has to build a relationship with the audience, by expressing emotions and thoughts through words. By hearing Vanessa's voice, me, the viewer am able to actually experience what she feels, and get inside her head, to understand the events that shaped the person she is today.

In my previous blog I mentioned how a character should have their own history, dialogue, and personality.In lonelygirl 15 the viewers get many characters point's of views; which helped in figuring out their personas. In "Don't You Dare," through Vanessa's voice the audience can sense what type of person she is: insightful, dreamy "I lost myself in the sunshine and soap bubbles, and lost sight of the world of my own happiness."

Through the writing device called Model telling (a story within a story) the audience gets to learn about other characters: Vanessa's grandmother and her father who are the inspirations behind this piece. They are mentioned in important events, that have changed Vanessa's life.



Imagery:

The photos of Vanessa's dad, objects of her childhood, makes her world come alive before the viewer's eyes. The images also offer transitions for each part of the story: the tear drop clinging to the edge of the eye lash starts the beginning of Vanessa's story, the glittering soap bubbles is the middle, and the painting of two people holding each other marks the end.

In lonelygirl 15's Resistance, the images in the story connects with its atmosphere. For example in chapter 1 of Resistance the black and white pictures of regular people walking down the street, shows how the "resistance" sees mankind as just objects to be controlled, but reflect the eerie nature of the setting: a city with hidden danger. In "Don't You Dare," photos show the colorful yet non- nurturing world Vanessa had lived in as a child.





Sounds:


In Vanessa's story she has music playing in the background while she speaks. The gentle playing of the guitar, emphasises the emotions, thoughts, and images, like an elaborate cover of a book. Combining the two senses sight and hearing creates a window for different interpretations for the story and its message.

Its amazing how sounds can add such depth to stories. In traditional storytelling the audience has to imagine the voices of the characters and the sounds that surround them. But in digital storytelling everything seems heightened: in lonelygirl 15 there is the pounding sound of drums and static from a T.V. For "Don't You Dare," there's guitar strings, and the faint echoing sound of flutes.


Digital Storytelling gives writers the freedom to present their stories in any format. To "go outside the lines," instead of sticking in the concrete boundaries of books, where you have no decisions of what images are used on your book cover; at the mercy of illustrators who might disregard the physical appearances of your characters, described in the book.

The story "Don't You Dare," gives me new ideas about how I interpret my own stories from paper to video. Questions pop in my head would I have to leave details out, to fit a time limit? Could I tell my story with just words and images on the screen, without my voice?




Check out: http://storiesforchange.net/stories

Under Contruction: The Storyteller's Audience

Hi Writing For New Media Class! Whenever I write short stories or poems I always imagine who I'm telling them to. I'm not just "aiming my writing into the ether," as Jeff says in class. The reason why writers create stories is to get a chance for them to be read. This means that an artist has to "build" a story carefully in order to put it on the Internet world, and deemed as worthy to read. Your basically advertising to the public, but who are you creating art for? There are millions of people on the Internet, how can you make some of them stop and view your work?

My main passion in my writing is magical realism. I take it upon myself to continue this theme, making sure I stay in the realm of magical realism, and not stray from the subject.My work is geared towards others who have an interest in this genre. Writers have to be reliable, since they are forming relationships with their readers through words. In blogs posting work that doesn't fit with your blog's topic, can lead to your audiences thinking you are unreliable,they will no longer read it, thus lowering the popularity of your blog. In Digital Storytelling the same thing goes for posting your stories, stick to the originally blue print (theme), and the product (story) will sell. People will continue reading.

For example, I looked at the web site Lustbites, which clearly says in blood red letter:Talking sexy and smart with erotica writers from Black Lace and Cheek.
Adults only, please: we don't hold back. All commenter's welcome.




The participants post text that follows the beginning of a story, until it reaches its completion. The site is for those who are drawn to the Romance genre, having chat rooms, recommended books, and blog post on the subject. There are even financial contributors to Lustbites. I believe that the site does well because not only does the audience have a chance to be apart of this realm, but the writing itself reflects the ingredients that make up romance:Lust, passion, sex, love. The writing is strong, due to the site creating a quirky atmosphere for the audience to feel free to express themselves.

In Jonathan Harris website We Feel Fine, he collects pictures and one sentence from bloggers; expressing each emotion with bright colors. Then the whole web page becomes a collage of stories. Harris is trying to reach a boarder audience by focusing on people of different cultures, but share similar experiences and emotions.





I believe artists professional or amateur should consider in digital story telling is, putting themselves in their audience's shoes; Look at your work as if seeing it for the first time, what do you except from it, is it clear and understandable, does the writing or images intrigue you?

By molding your work to your standard of perfection, and taking the audiences needs into account, can allow any artist to have an amazing piece of art.






Links to check out:http://lustbites.blogspot.com/2008/05/group-sex-pirates.html and www.wefeelfine.org/

Building Bridges: 2.0 Storytelling

"We don't have to detach ourselves from each other. Knowing the cultural awareness is essential for creating a healthy community ~ Luciana Padilla

Stories create bridges for people's different points of view that cause a evolution of new ideas. The web is a window into the lives of others; and through digital storytelling the separate paths are now made one. In the past stories were told orally around campfires, caves,or taverns, until these tales were put onto paper. Now we can access any form of writing on the Internet with a click of a mouse.

I admit as a Fiction Writer I was not excited about amateur writers creating stories on the web; believing that they were destroying the craft of writing. But recently I have viewed many types of storytelling on the web that have allowed me to be open to the idea of sharing stories online.

Canvas of Creativity:

The quote above comes from Luciana Padilla who created a video titled "My Shoes" on the site Center For Digital Story Telling. Luciana told her story about being a Peru refugee, crossing the border to America, escaping civil war in her home country. She talks about being a lesbian and immigrant suffering from the inequalities she faces everyday from a society that advertises "freedom." Luciana voice brings her story to life, which expresses her pain; the photos of her past, give the video depth and credibility. As a viewer I feel as if I actually know Luciana, since I know the feeling of being discriminated. http://www.storycenter.org/stories/

Collaborating the old craft of oral storytelling with modern day digital video tools, creates an inspiring piece of art. "My Shoes" is an example of how digital storytelling can connect people through experience or common interests.

Sacred Space:

Some Digital Storytelling Websites offer Privacy, but also want members to accept discussions and comments about their stories. Writers who need feedback on their work, want others to respond, to see if they are intriguing the readers. The downside of digital storytelling is that some sites only allow you a set number,a limit of how many characters you can use. For example on twitter, the Alice In Wonderland in Tweets page (Alice in Wonderland ), you can only add one line, then someone else continues.





I remember having to do a similar thing in my middle school Creative Writing Class. One kid started off the story, and everyone else had to give one line until the last kid reached the ending of their own design. Of course this lead to a messed up story that had loop holes, shady-non-descriptive characters, and a middle that didn't fit the conclusion. Writers love the freedom of releasing a river of text, full of imagery, and vivid diction. Except, the American Society today, doesn't want a bunch of text, we simply DON'T HAVE TIME to read it all. Everything has to be quick and to the point.

This need for "Speed" has called some online stories to lack texture, details that fill the gaps and old a completed story that readers can understand. The voice of the writer is very important, though the characters have their own points of views, the writer adds his own personality through the way the words flow on the page. This gives the text substance. The personality of the story teller can't be expressed in tweets, jumbled with other user's voices.


Balance:


You can't go forward into the future, unless you look back at the past. The same philosophy goes for writing. Through digital story telling is wide spread yet, its popularity is rising. More amateurs are interested in posting stories; but some seem to push aside crucial writing techniques. There has to be a balance between old and new forms of storytelling.

An example of this balance is the storytelling site: A Timely Raven created by Amber Simmons. The site has vignettes (short chapters), 4 parts that are supposed to spin off from one another; Amber started the story, then other uses are supposed to continue it. I noticed that there were transitions between each part of the Raven's Story, which flowed easily with together. The setting and characters' descriptions were vivid; the vignettes were full of imagery. Though the users have their own personality's and styles, the story line continued, there were no loose ends. As the reader, I could see that the users took pride in their work, and worked hard at keeping the story's theme intact. http://www.technicalpoet.com/raven/



I wish that beginning writers on these storytelling sites respect the craft of writing. By typing the first line of a story, you have to be dedicated to the piece, and see it through. By amateurs looking at stories from different authors can help them critique their own work.Then they can have a polished work of art to share.

The Soap Box Man: Let's Complain Review

For my second peer review I'm still going to use my Top Five Blog Tips as a guide. My first impression of Alex's blog "Let's Complain," was that I felt a kinship with the blog. Being a opinionated Taurus I love to complain, and always back them up with facts. The same goes for this blog, which is not just rants, but posts that express thoughts and emotions from Alex, which give it depth, but also shines a light on different forms of media. Alex's film background really gives the blog creditability; since his writing comes from experience. Let's Complain is geared towards anyone who stands on their "soapbox" and dish out what they consider to be their own truth.

Tip 5: A blog post needs an interesting title.

Alex has interesting titles, laced with humor. For example: silent Hill 2 Audiences 0,I guess the Predator Director Reads My Blog, and They Lost Me Somewhere. These titles lures me the reader into the web of complaints; they are blunt and to the point. Alex doesn't sugar code anything.

Tip 4: You need to have creative header and blog description. What's the theme of your blog? This is the question you need to answer.

"Let's Complain" says its all, its a blog about complaining. But that's the beauty of the header, everyone have something that bothers them, and by seeing this blog shows them they are not the alone. The Blog's description is icing on the cake: In Which I Have Nothing Positive To Say. The reader knows that this is a blog that focuses on the negative, and anything positive goes against the foundation of the blog.




Tip 3: Your Template design should express your personality.

Alex chose a black template for his blog. Its emphasises the images he uses, making them pop. The color black gives an air of mystery and rebellion, which is the foundation of "Let's Complain". Most people like to engage in the dangerous or unknown; bloggers would stop, see the black template, and be drawn to its eeriness.

Tip 2: The information you present in a post should be related to the images you use and the theme of your overall blog.

Alex's post and images go hand and hand. The images reflect the subject of the text, and the theme of the blog. For example in his post:I know I Shouldn't Care About Remakes This Much, Alex complains about the remaking of the Karate Kid Movie. Not only does he give links to info about the actors; but shows a trailer of the older film. He takes into consideration that some people aren't familiar with the movie or the actors.
A few of the blog post though were on made of links to articles not text, such as: I Can't Do This Anymore, which lead me to an article about Yogi bear becoming a movie. I would have liked for Alex to elaborate on why he was upset on the issue.





Tip 1: Don't be Afraid to add Images or Videos.

There is a balance between videos, images, and text. Alex uses the videos to his advantage, that emphasis the zinger points he makes. Most of his recent blogs are about films, so adding the video gives me the reader insight of the film genre and its expectations for directors.

Advice:Maybe Alex can have posts that leave it open for readers to respond and see if they share the same opinions + complaints as himself.

Reviewing "Let's Review" makes me take a close look at my own blog. Since its about self-expression through art, I could show not just the positive but the negative aspects of the art World. Also I could elaborate more on the different genre's of writing, and combine it with my own experience in Fiction Writing.

Love is a Gamble: Fingers(+)Crossed Review

I decided for my peer reviews to use my Top 5 Blog Tips to help me. The numero uno blog I checked out was Kristy's personal blog:Finger(+)Crossed. My first impression of Fingers(+)Crossed was Kristy's voice; her words flowed on the screen, full of depth about her experience with love and the men in her life. The blog is about the struggles and happiness of relationships, from the point of view a young college girl. Fingers(+) would draw in teens and young adults, who are dealing with the issues of first love or who want insight on how to deal with their current relationships.

Tip 5: A blog post needs an interesting title.

Kristy has creative titles for her blogs. They reflect the down-to-earth tone of the text. For example one of her blog post is titled: Chicken Noodle Soup for My Confidence. Kristy learns to cook from her friends grandmothers, and is "Forced" to cook for her musician boyfriend, who is broke. But eventually learns to love the art of cooking, that expresses her love for him.




Tip 4: You need to have creative header and blog description. What's the theme of your blog? This is the question you need to answer.

Fingers(+)Crossed is the prefect header for this blog, relationships can be complicated, having their ups and downs. So when you find the right person and the relationship is running smoothly, you'll do anything to keep things as they are, like crossing your fingers for good luck. The Blogs description is simple,just one sentence, yet its intriguing:One Girl's Struggle to Live in Love. The Blog's description made me want to dive in and read the posts.


Tip 3: Your Template design should express your personality.

White is such a tricky color to use, it could either be considered boring or seen as creative like a canvas before an artist's gives it life. But if I was a blogger just scanning through thousands of blogs, I would have passed Kristy's by, at first sight it seems impersonal, sterile. Since the blog is about Love, I had expect it to have colors; not just lovely dovey red and pink but maybe colors, that represent the different ranges of emotions experienced in her relationships.


Tip 2: The information you present in a post should be related to the images you use and the theme of your overall blog.



Kristy only used only a few images in her post, but they make her text come alive. In one of the post: #5 Cohabitation there is a picture of Kristy and her boyfriend smiling, which highlights the honest conversation she has with her readers. If feels as if she is hanging out with her readers and chatting like they're friends. This allows her audience to feel apart of her experiences in the post.

"I mean who doesn't secretly want to be the vomit-inducing cutesy couple weighing their half-pint ice cream options in the late-night lonely hearts club that is the grocery store after the super moms have put their kids to bed."



Tip 1: Don't be Afraid to add Images or Videos.


Kristy should use more pictures related to her posts, that can make her blog stand out. I saw that there were only three post, but if she continues Fingers(+)Crossed their are many avenues she could take. For instance maybe she could post love quotes, or songs that connect with her experiences. Kristy could also give advice for her readers, or leave opening at the end of the post that allows readers to respond, and post their opinions.

Reviewing Fingers(+)Crossed blog, make me want to used more of my own life experiences that ties into my post. The key to a personal blog is to make it "personal", I don't think I have done so for my own blog. I should make myself vulnerable, and let my readers into my psyche, so they can connect and feel comfortable enough to respond to my posts.