essay assignment

[bubbleteagirl]

Hi there! This is my first time posting in the forum... although I've been a lonelygirl15 fan on youtube for a while now.

I have an assignment for English class to write a research essay on a recent topic in the news. We were given a list to pick from although we could also submit our own topic. I wrote up 2 proposals... one for something that happened in local topics and one for Lonelygirl15. I figured my instructor would Never let me write a research essay on Lonelygirl15 but not only did she okay it, she had heard about it and said she would very much like to read my essay.

Basically, what I need now are sources. I'm allowed to use articles from newspapers, academic journals and magazines. I can't use television, videoblogs, etc. as references. I'll of course look through all the info already on the forum about Lonelygirl15 in the media... but I just wanted to know if any of you could suggest any really important articles you think I should read. Or any books/articles that might not be specifically about Lonelygirl15, but have to do with new forms of media, videoblogging, the internet used as a media tool, etc.

In case you're interested, my general topic for the essay is the controversy surrounding the Lonelygirl15 video blog and my thesis statement is basically that (don't worry, i know how to write a thesis statement and i know that the following can hardly be considered English but i'm just trying to give you the basic idea) Lonelygirl15 was a creative project that didn't violate any sort of ethical whatever because it's main purpose was to entertain (which it did) and that the project was a logical evolution to "reality" story telling which already exists on television. Or something. It's not completely hashed out, but it's something like that.

Thanks!!

[CaptainAwesome]

use the interview i conducted with her. contains info not heard anywhere else

[bubbleteagirl]

use the interview i conducted with her. contains info not heard anywhere else

That's audio though... I can only use print sources.

[kfbourne]

Check out the following articles:

After the "fraud" story broke, there was major press coverage:

The New York Times (Sept. 24) by Julie Bosman;
The New York Times (Sept. 13) by Virginia Heffernan and Tom Zeller;
Los Angeles Times (Sept. 13) by Richard Rushfield and Claire Hoffman;
Los Angeles Times (Sept. 9) by Richard Rushfield and Claire Hoffman;
Los Angeles Times (Sept. 8th) by Richard Rushfield and Claire Hoffman;

Heffernan and Zeller, and other investigative journalists, were aggressive in researching the Lonelygirl15 phenomenon. Google their earlier articles for good background.

Although not specifically related to LG15, several other credible media outlets have reported on the explosive growth in popularity of YouTube, and the creation of "video stars", like Bree and Brookers, including:

National Public Radio, "Morning Edition" (June 28th)
The Boston Phoenix (June 12) by Mike Millard;
National Public Radio, "Talk of the Nation" (June 6)

Good luck with the essay!

[Flautapantera]

I don't have any quality links to add (I think kfbourne had done a brilliant job with that!) but I'm extremely excited that you're writing your paper on this! That's incredibly amazing! I, for one, would love to read it once you're done. If you feel so inclined, post it after you've finished. I'm sure many will enjoy it!

Happy writing!

[admin]

Good luck with your essay. If you'd like we could feature it here when you are done!

[bubbleteagirl]

Check out the following articles:

After the "fraud" story broke, there was major press coverage:

The New York Times (Sept. 24) by Julie Bosman;
The New York Times (Sept. 13) by Virginia Heffernan and Tom Zeller;
Los Angeles Times (Sept. 13) by Richard Rushfield and Claire Hoffman;
Los Angeles Times (Sept. 9) by Richard Rushfield and Claire Hoffman;
Los Angeles Times (Sept. 8th) by Richard Rushfield and Claire Hoffman;

Heffernan and Zeller, and other investigative journalists, were aggressive in researching the Lonelygirl15 phenomenon. Google their earlier articles for good background.

Although not specifically related to LG15, several other credible media outlets have reported on the explosive growth in popularity of YouTube, and the creation of "video stars", like Bree and Brookers, including:

National Public Radio, "Morning Edition" (June 28th)
The Boston Phoenix (June 12) by Mike Millard;
National Public Radio, "Talk of the Nation" (June 6)

Good luck with the essay!

Thanks so much!!! Today I met with my instructor to show her the sources I'd found. She was very happy with the New York Times article. I also had the two articles in my local newspaper which made her happy too. I'd found a bunch at my school's library too... normally that would have been the very first place I would have looked, but since it was a current topic in American news (I live in Canada) my school's database really didn't have a lot from what my instructor considered really really good sources. I did find a couple articles in some of the more respected Canadian newspapers too though, like the Globe and Mail and the National Post. I even got away with submitting MTV news as a source because I had a reason for it (interview with the creators) and a bunch of more acedmic sources to go along with it.

I am so exited! I constantly dread the mandatory required first and second year english classes that I need for my degree... but thanks to Lonelygirl, college English is actually FUN! I've finally found something else (usually I only write about religion and people who died millions of years ago) that i enjoy writing about. I wish I could minor in Lonelygirl15 Studies.

[kfbourne]

Hi, again! This is an addition to my earlier post.

There are several archived radio interviews with people knowledgeable about LG15 and YouTube available from the WNYC/National Public Radio show, "On the Media".

Several interviews there include Virginia Heffernan, the journalist who did much of the terrific investigative work that led to the truth becoming known.

http://www.onthemedia.org/searchform.ht ... strict=otm

(If this link doesn't work, just go to the "search" function at www.onthemedia.org and enter "lonelygirl15".

From these stories, you can pick up dated quotations and background that may not, otherwise, be known. Also, commentary about the growth in social networking sites -- an important angle in the story, in my view.

Best wishes!

--kfb

[kfbourne]

OK, just one more...

Business Week, #00077135, (9/11/2006) by Jon Fine

Mr. Fine offers an interesting observation comparing fan responses to LG15 to other earlier "conspiracy-theory" thinking, including The Beatles' "Paul is dead..." and to Kennedy's "grassy knoll" second-gunman beliefs. Hmmm...?!

In the end, though, he confesses that he's a fan of LG15.

--kfb

[kfbourne]

OK, last time... (really!)

Anna Kuchment in Newsweek (Sept 25th; p. 60) writes about a 'formula-for-success' (borne of the success of LG15 and others) for other would-be blog-stars:

1.) Use the right video equipment for productions;
2.) Briefly reveal something about yourself on an emotional level;
3.) Be entertaining, brief, and test your videos on others;
4.) Build an audience; keep videos fresh and updated frequently.

Also, Devin Leonard writes in Fortune (Oct 7; p. 61) about "viral marketing" using YouTube and other similar sites, as risky places for marketers to tred, citing vehement fan backlash at LG15 when the "fraud" was exposed.

[lonelygirl16]

that's an awesome topic for an essay. I wish that was one of my assignments...

[bubbleteagirl]

Hey everyone, I finally finished my essay. I've proofed it a couple times, but I'm completely dyslexic so it might be complete nonsense. I'll repost my final copy after I've handed it in.

It's due tomorrow... so I don't really have anytime to change anything major... but if anyone wants to comment in the next couple hours about spelling mistakes or if I've screwed up big time on any of my information... please let me know! I likely won't look at the paper again to proof it some more until morning... I must take a break and drink a cup of tea first. If you're reading this anytime after 2pm on Friday the 6th... just enjoy!

Please remember that this is a first year English paper... so, although I hope I wrote it at that level... it's not supposed to be a PhD paper or anything!

Oh, and a very important note... please do NOT use this essay in anyway if you decide to write your own essay on Lonelygirl15. Copying it is plagiarism and you can get kicked out of university for good if you do that. Besides, I haven't gotten marked on it yet and a teacher might think it is a horrible essay so you could get a very bad grade if you were lucky enough not to get caught for plagiarism. Plagiarism is also illegal, so you could go be fined a lot of money. But mostly, I would also pout and be grumpy .

Citing my essay would be ridiculous because I'm a second year college student taking first year English. I am in no way a reliable source. So, please please don't reprint or use any part of this essay in anyway. Feel free to use my Worked Cited page as a starter for writing your own essay's though. Thanks.

So... here it is:

Lonelygirl15: A New Form of Story-Telling
------------------------------------------------

Everyday millions of people upload journal entries and editorials on to the internet. This form of low-budget and independent journalism is referred to as blogging. The term blogging is the colloquial conjunction of “web” and “log”. Anyone with access to a computer and the internet can create a blog for little or no cost and therefore many people do. Blogs were primarily text and photo based when they first appeared on the internet. In recent years, Digital recording mediums have made it possible for people to create and upload their own audio and visual media to the internet. During the summer of 2006, it appeared that teenage girl named “Bree” created a video blog called Lonelygirl15 and posted it on the popular video hosting website Youtube.com. Normally there would be nothing unusual or sensational about a girl posting information about her life in the form of a video on the internet. Thousands of young girls post video blogs online every day which go unnoticed beyond their immediate family and friends. Lonelygirl15 was different. Something about Bree’s video blog made her stand out from all the other video bloggers on the internet. Soon, over two million viewers were watching Bree’s video blog. Some viewers started to comment that Bree’s story and the quality of her videos were too good to be true. Bree didn’t address these accusations in her videos and so the speculation grew. A group of three fans attempted to solve the mystery of whether or not Bree was a real girl or just an actress in an elaborate hoax. What the three fans discovered was that Bree was the artistic creation of three aspiring film makers. By blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction and by providing the audience with ways to interact with the characters, the producers of Lonelygirl15 have created an exciting new form of interactive story-telling.

Many people were attracted to the Lonelygirl15 video blog. The reasons why viewers were drawn to the show are numerous. The image and sound quality of the video blog bordered on professional. Bree is as pretty as any famous actress, which is not surprising seeing as she was indeed an actress. Each episode of the video blog gave out only hints of information concerning Bree’s life, titillating and teasing the viewers so they couldn’t help but want to know more. A large fan base grew around the Bree character and her story. The more the viewers watched, the more curious the viewers became. Bree often spoke of her religion, never stating exactly what she believed in, although hints and clues pointed to a religion that was occult in nature. She never mentioned where she lived and we never saw the faces of her parents. She claimed to have only one friend, a boy named Daniel who regularly appeared in Lonelygirl15 episodes. Her lack of friends was the only explanation given as to why no one could vouch she was a genuine video blogger. Tom Zeller, a journalist for the New York Times, wrote that many Lonelygirl15 subscribers “always suspected that Lonelygirl15 was a fiction” and that “some subscribed only to join the Internet posse dedicated to proving her so” (Ideas & Trends par. 2). The suspicion continued to grow as new episodes aired. Fans didn’t know what to believe, the line between reality and fiction had been blurred.

The uncertainty among fans led to online discussion. A forum site devoted to Lonelygirl15 drew thousands of members who wished to discuss their own theories surrounding the character Bree. The site “drew contributions from novelists, journalists, academics, day traders, lawyers, bloggers, filmmakers, video game designers, students, housewives, bored youngsters and experts on religion and botany” (Heffernan and Zeller, It Turns Out That par. 12). On Youtube.com, Bree continued to post personal video blogs and a different sort of discussion was taking place. From the start of the show, viewers had been interacting with the character Bree in a number of ways. Youtube.com allows viewers to post text and video replies on media uploaded to the site. Fans from all over the world were replying to Bree’s video blog with their own home-made movies and notes. The creators, Miles Beckett, Mesh Flinders and Greg Goodfried, had hoped for fan interaction like this. Beckett “dreamed of using the various technologies of the Web . . . to let fans influence the story’s direction” (Mystery Creators par. 7). Fans were taking on the identities of unseen characters in the Lonelygirl15 story. One fan claimed he was Bree’s father and another fan claimed he was Bree’s younger brother. Both of these fans created their own videos to tell alternate sides of the Bree story. The creators say that, because of this type of viewer interaction, “the line between ‘fan’ and ‘star’ has been removed” (Online Mystery par. 24). Flinders explains that “it was our idea from the beginning . . . to create a community in which audience members can interact with each other and be real participants in the show” (qtd in Alder, Internet Phenom par. 4). Flinders describes Lonelygirl15 as “a place where people can come and upload video responses which makes them characters in the show” (qtd. in Alder, Internet Phenom par. 4). Fans were also leaving text and video comments that offered Bree advice. A number of people had said they suspected that Daniel, Bree’s only friend, had a crush on her. The creators addressed the fan’s comments, Flinders explained, by shooting an episode where Bree said “You’re right. He really does like me. I asked him if he liked me and this is what he said” (qtd. in Alder, Internet Phenom par. 16). Flinders explains that the relationship between Daniel and Bree was not the idea of the creators, it “was [all] the fans” (qtd. in Alder, Internet Phenom par. 16). Back on the discussion forums, the mystery behind Lonelygirl15 was coming to an end. Fans tracked down the location of the IP address that was associated with correspondence from the alleged teenager Bree. Fans also tracked down photographs of Jessica Rose, the actress who plays the character of Bree. The mystery was over and the creators admitted to fans that the video blog was fiction.

At first, the majority of the viewers were outraged and many believed “her saga [was] nothing more than a viral marketing scheme” (Hugely Popular Video Blogs). Newspaper headlines screamed “Hoax” and “Prank”. After the initial shock wore off of finding out that the internet’s video blogging sweetheart was merely a character, it became clear that the creators had not intended the project to be a marketing scheme or a malicious hoax. Interviews with the creators shed light on the project. Lonelygirl15 was not created by “Corporate America,” but by “a threesome of aspiring filmmakers who were doing an experimental project” (Beck, Lonelygirl15’s Demise). Ann Marie Kerwin, a journalist for Advertising Age, points out that Youtube.com “is not longer the home of . . . teenage America’s funniest home videos,” but “a platform for a new narrative form.” The creators believe that the character Bree is “the epicenter of a new form of collaborative online entertainment” (Alder, Internet Phenom par. 3 ).

The creators of Lonelygirl15 have created a believable and engaging multi-media entertainment experience by blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction and by providing the audience with ways to interact with the characters. The feed back from fans has been excellent. “I’ve had so many positive and lovely messages,” (qtd. in Alder, Internet Phenom par. 14) Jessica Rose, the actress that portrays Bree, told interviewers. According to Flinders, the huge popularity of the show is due to the fact that they “created a world” and “within that world there [was] 100% reality” (qtd. in Alder, Internet Phenom par. 8 ).

Works Cited (not in proper format because it wouldn't paste like that)
--------------

Alder, Shawn. “Internet Phenom Lonelygirl15 Reveals Secrets, Says Bree Is Someone ‘Everyone Can Relate To.’” MTV News. (14 Sept. 2006). 28 Sept. 2006 <http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1540910/20060914/
index.jhtml?headlines=true>.

Beck, Simon. “Lonelygirl15’s Demise a Blow to Ihavenolife19.” Globe and Mail. (16 Sept. 2006): B2. Online. Canadian Newsstand. ProQuest. Langara Coll. Lib., Vancouver. 28 Sept. 2006.

Beckett, Miles. “Mystery Creators Of Hit Blog Come Out From Behind Camera.” Vancouver Sun. (14 Sept. 2006): A15. Online. Canadian Newsstand. ProQuest. Langara Coll. Lib., Vancouver. 28 Sept. 2006.

Heffernan, Virginia and Tom Zeller Jr. “Well, It Turns Out That Lonelygirl Really Wasn’t.” The New York Times. (13 Sept. 2006). 28 Sept. 2006
<http://select.nytimes.com/search/restri ... 94DE404482>.

“Hugely Popular Video Blogs by Lonelygirl15 May Be Marking Scheme.” National Post. (13 Sept. 2006): A8. Online. Canadian Newsstand. ProQuest. Langara Coll. Lib., Vancouver. 28 Sept. 2006.

Kerwin, Ann Marie. “Hey There, LonelyGirl…” Advertising Age. 77.38 (18 Sept. 2006): 16. 1 pp. Online. Acedemic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. Langara Coll. Lib., Vancouver. 28 Sept. 2006.

“Online Mystery of Video-Diary Deepens.” CNN. (12 Sept. 2006). 28 Sept. 2006.
<http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/0 ... index.html>.

Zeller, Tom Jr. “Ideas and Trends; Lonelygirl15: Prank, Art or Both.” The New York Times. (17 Sept. 2006). 28 Sept. 2006 < http://select.nytimes.com/search/
restricted/article?res=F40610FA38550C748DDDA00894DE404482>.

[Charlotte Eve]

Why did I never get awesome assignments, I had to write about Jane Eyre when I did English at school.

Good essay.

[kfbourne]

You write beautifully, and have found impeccable sources. You've done a terrific job of telling the historical story. Why not, now, take a position on the phenomenon? Is this a new art form? Is it a flash-in-the-pan? What is your point-pf-view?

Very nice job!

-- kfb

[bubbleteagirl]

Why not, now, take a position on the phenomenon? Is this a new art form? Is it a flash-in-the-pan? What is your point-pf-view?

Thank you! I had a feeling that a strong thesis wasn't really in there. I have re-written the thesis to take a very clear position. I'm glad you pointed that out or I might have handed the essay in an got an automatical fail for the lack of a clear thesis.

... I'm going to hand this in now! Eeek! I'm nervous!