[arg_discuss] Personal Influences/Antecedents

[Christy Dena]

For the soapie fans:

Diegetic books (books written by soapie characters) include the novel
co-written by Michael Malone and a character, Marcie Walsh, in the soap One
Life to Live (ABC, 1968-). During the series, Walsh writes a novel, has a
book launch, and deals with the repercussions of murder imitations. The
novel, The Killing Club (2005) was published in real life as well by
Hyperion. Walsh's book was also seen being read by character Lily McNeil in
All My Children, a soap that in 1997 had the character Erica Kane publish
her own book: Having It All (Hyperion, 1997). Likewise, Oakdale Confidential
was published anonymously within the soap As the World Turns, and by Simon
and Schuster in 2006. The book, which chronicled gossip about the
characters, had both the characters within the series and fans of the series
trying to figure out the author. There are more...

In February 2007, CBS also launched a webisode L.A. Diaries
(http://www.cbs.com/daytime/specials/la_diaries/). It was a multi-world
crossover for it revolved around two characters from different TV shows:
Alison Stewart from As the World Turns and Amber Moore from The Young and
the Restless. The main site explains the prequel:

"Set in sunny California, L.A. Diaries explores the complicated and
intriguing lives of these characters before their arrivals in Y&R's Genoa
City and ATWT's Oakdale. Watch as Amber and Alison's stories unfold to
reveal a darker side to their pasts and explain more about where these girls
have been."

Channel 4's Hollyaoks has seen a lot of experimentation as well
(http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/H/hollyoaks/), issuing
medium-unique content through mobile, the web etc. 

iTV's Emmerdale also had an interactive augmentation to their soapie
Emmerdale (http://www.itv.com/emmerdalemurder/). It was created by the same
company who did Lost's recent 'Find 815': Hoodlum Digital Entertainment.

But there are many more examples from around the world too (especially the
young-audience ones).  

There are also lots of examples around the world of SMS voting for dramatic
outcomes of soapies etc. 

But for an extensive discussion of As the World Turns and 'transmedia
storyelling' see Sam Ford's Masters thesis on the topic:
http://cms.mit.edu/research/theses/SamFord2007.pdf

Sam has been blogging about soapies and 'convergence culture' for a couple
of years now at the Convergence Culture Consortium:
http://www.convergenceculture.org/weblog/soap_operas/ 

Sam had soap writer Kay Alden give a talk about soapies and 'convergence
culture' and it has been podcast:
http://cms.mit.edu/news/2007/05/love_may_not_be_in_the_afterno.php

Enjoy!





-----Original Message-----
From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On
Behalf Of varin
Sent: Wednesday, 30 January 2008 14:41
To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG
Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Personal Influences/Antecedents


> Wasn't it Guiding Light that also had some sort of serial killer (maybe an

> arsonist? Or blackmail?) storyline that included someone leaving clues

> online - not just in the show, but you could actually visit the website. 

> It

> wasn't fully fleshed out and the site did have some sort of show logo on 

> it

> that, I think, pointed back to the show's site on CBS. It was either 

> Guiding

> Light or As the World Turns.


Oh yes!  Guiding Light did have something like that.  If I remember 
correctly, I think it was a blackmailer who was posting naughty things on 
the web.

They also have the website findyourlight.net that was launched by a 
character as a way for people to share positive stories about their lives. 
Unfortunately, the site also has the Guilding Light logo.  There have also 
been a few books published that were written by characters on the show.  I'm

not sure if the authors were listed as the character or the real author 
though.

Michelle Senderhauf



_______________________________________________
ARG_Discuss mailing list
ARG_Discuss at igda.org
http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss