I have to admit it - I've become a fan of story-telling via vlogs - video blogs. Especially the vlogs for fictional characters. I've been thinking about this recently because a friend gave me a full set of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. (Shallow Reader - and she's also responsible for introducing me to some of the vlogs below, so I'm muchly grateful.)
So I want to show you a few of my favourites and if you follow any others, I'd love some suggestions!
1. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
This one was huge in 2012 / 2013 and won a heap of awards, including an Emmy for "Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media - Original Interactive Program". It's an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, with Lizzie being a modern woman studying communications at uni and she starts a vlog as part of her assessment. Here's the first episode so you can see for yourself:
2. Lil Women.
These are set in the time period of Little Women, but the characters speak like modern girls. They make me laugh more every time I watch them. They don't really form a narrative together the way the LBD episodes do, they're more for dipping in and making you smile.
3. Emma Approved
This is from the same team that brought us LBD, this time based on Austen's Emma. I haven't been able to get into this one as much, probably partly to do with the character of Emma being a tricky one to pull off. Or maybe I need to give it another try.
4. Kissing in the Rain
I'm new to this one but already I'm loving it. The episodes follow two actors who are regularly working together on scenes where they end up kissing in the rain. Then the cameras stop rolling and you see the actors interacting between takes. They can't stand each other, which makes the episodes quirky and fun.
5. Green Gables Fables
This is based on Anne of Green Gables, and is another one I'm new to, but I'm liking it. There are only 10 episodes so far, and they post a new episode each week.
There are heaps of others being made, which I find exciting. Have you ever watched any of these shows? Or other shows made of webisodes? I'd love some recommendations for future viewing!
So I want to show you a few of my favourites and if you follow any others, I'd love some suggestions!
1. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
This one was huge in 2012 / 2013 and won a heap of awards, including an Emmy for "Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media - Original Interactive Program". It's an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, with Lizzie being a modern woman studying communications at uni and she starts a vlog as part of her assessment. Here's the first episode so you can see for yourself:
2. Lil Women.
These are set in the time period of Little Women, but the characters speak like modern girls. They make me laugh more every time I watch them. They don't really form a narrative together the way the LBD episodes do, they're more for dipping in and making you smile.
3. Emma Approved
This is from the same team that brought us LBD, this time based on Austen's Emma. I haven't been able to get into this one as much, probably partly to do with the character of Emma being a tricky one to pull off. Or maybe I need to give it another try.
4. Kissing in the Rain
I'm new to this one but already I'm loving it. The episodes follow two actors who are regularly working together on scenes where they end up kissing in the rain. Then the cameras stop rolling and you see the actors interacting between takes. They can't stand each other, which makes the episodes quirky and fun.
5. Green Gables Fables
This is based on Anne of Green Gables, and is another one I'm new to, but I'm liking it. There are only 10 episodes so far, and they post a new episode each week.
There are heaps of others being made, which I find exciting. Have you ever watched any of these shows? Or other shows made of webisodes? I'd love some recommendations for future viewing!
Rachel these are new to me and made me smile. I worry, however, that at a time when I'm trying desperately to finish a book, a new website and self publish a story, you're putting temptation in my way! I don't need more distractions! Though, now I think about it, perhaps these could be my treat when I clear something off my plate.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, aren't they fun? The good thing is they're such bite-sized pieces that they can be used as mini-rewards. Finish that scene? You get one episode! Uploaded new text to your website? You get another episode!
DeleteYIKES! More procrastination things! I'm not so sure about the Austen ones (the US accents I think)- but I do love the Kissing in The Rain and will definitely be looking out for more of that. Thanks for introducing me to these vlogs!
ReplyDeleteLouisa, I don't mind US accents in an Austen if it's clearly an adaptation, like Bride & Prejudice, the Bollywood version. But I totally understand your point.
DeleteKissing in the Rain looks like heaps of fun, doesn't it? I think that's the next one I'm going to devour whole. :)
Oh, I so want the Lizzie Bennet Diaries!!! It won't let me order the DVDs. Anywhere. :-(
ReplyDeleteI don't like watching vids on-line. I know, call me weird. I want to watch movies on my telly when I'm curled up in my big comfy chair with popcorn. Which is why I really want the LBD on dvd. Sigh. Rant over. I loved Kissing in the Rain, btw. ;-)
Michelle, they did a crowd-funding project when they'd finished all 100 episodes of LBD, and those who bought into that got the first mailout of DVDs. (Though, if you paid more there were heaps of fun options, like the characters recording answering machine messages etc.) They always intended opening the sales up to everyone, and since the crowd funded DVDs have only just gone out, the open sales should be soon!
DeleteI don't like watching them on the 'puter either, but I have watched them streamed to my TV. Mr Douglas could probably hook that up for you?
Ooh, now there's an idea. Mr Douglas is very handy!
DeleteAnd I'm relieved to know that the dvd will play a role sometime in my future. :-)
You know, I just read my comment and realised that sounded pretty sexist, "Mr Douglas could probably hook that up for you?". It's just that Mr Douglas is all techy!
DeleteCan't wait to hear what you think when you eventually get to watch them!
LOL. Not sexist at all -- just shows how well you know me. ;-)
DeleteMr D is going to show my how to do this for myself this afternoon (if I remember to ask him) and as he has hockey stuff on this evening… :-) I'm expecting it could be a lovely night.
Oooh, what a lovely night ahead you have!
DeleteYou know, I thought you might like the Green Gables one?
Rachel
ReplyDeleteThese sound very good but I have so much trouble even watching YouTube things on my PC our internet connection is so slow LOL and they stop start all the time :( but if I can sit an watch them do sound interesting
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, I don't have a great connection either. It used to be even worse, but it gets a bit better all the time, thankfully.
DeleteHave you tried playing a video, then pressing pause so it can download? The little white line at the bottom where it shows how far through the video you are keeps going when you're paused. Then I press play and let it run through. Or maybe you've tried that?
I daren't even watch these snippets for fear of becoming hooked. I have far too addictive a personality to risk it!
ReplyDeleteMaybe one day when I have a free month or two!
Amy, but they're so short! The LBD episodes are about 2 minutes each, so you can watch a couple while you have a coffee. ;)
DeleteI couldn't stop at 2. Sadly, this I know.....
DeleteI just watched Kissing In The Rain through to the end - there are only 7 episodes (all 2-3 minutes). Maybe watching that one since it has a natural end will work? :)
DeleteThese are so much fun, Rachel.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the only web videos that are played currently in this house are Minecraft videos made by my Minecraft addicted son. I've seen a lot of those!
Jennifer, I think you need an episode or two of these to counter-balance the Minecraft videos! Plus, you can have my full sympathy. :)
DeleteI'd heard of vlogs, but hadn't bothered to look into them until I saw this post. Now I'm intrigued. Kissing in the Rain sounds like it will be great fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks (I think) for introducing me to yet another distraction.
Claire, you can always count on my to find new distractions for you, so you're welcome! :)
DeleteYou know, I recognised that this was a Rachel Bailey post LONG before I got to the bottom and saw the author name. I don't know why, something about the Austen connection perhaps…
ReplyDeleteI've not had a chance to check these out as we're on internet go-slow (I feel your pain, Helen) but I'm going to be all over that Kissing in the Rain because, well, it's kissing in the rain. One of my favourite romantic things. And I do love me some quirk.
Bron, I love that you knew this post was mine. That's all kind of awesome. :)
DeleteI've only seen two episodes of Kissing in the Rain, but I think I might just watch a few more tonight...
I LOVED seeing these, Rachel, and didn't know such a thing existed.I'm a bit like Alison in that I have so many things that I keep meaning to watch/read/think about that I'm not sure there's space in my little head for these on a regular bais. I STILL haven't even seen the Downton series!
ReplyDeleteAh, but the beauty of these, Barb, is you can slip one in while watching a kid's sports game or while you're waiting at a music lesson. They're so perfectly small they fit in anywhere!
DeleteRachel, you are so bad for introducing vlogs to me! I had no idea there were such things! And they're such FUN and I can see they'll turn into temptation plus! (sigh) LOL I especially loved the Lil Women story and the episode of Kissing In The Rain!!
ReplyDeleteSharon, those Lil Women crack me up. And yes, Kissing in the Rain seems a popular choice. I think I might sneak another episode in right now. :)
Delete