News: USA Today has an article discussing the development of “webisodes,” short videos online that are comparable to TV shows. Lonelygirl15, for instance, turned out to be the most famous, launching on YouTube last year, but her main character has since died off.
One of the new series online is Quarterlife, produced by TV directors Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick. You can find the show on MySpace. A related USA Today article discusses not only Quarterlife, but also Chad Vader (popular on YouTube) and Roommates (popular on MySpaceTV).
Analysis: The dramatic series is difficult to do in 4 minute or less, but I think Lonelygirl15 proved that it can be done effectively on the Internet. As more Hollywood directors (along with amateurs) play around with short videos, I’m sure we will see another Internet sensation like Lonelygirl 15. You really need to start out with a captivating actor, though. And to sustain the sensation, a good story — something that I’m not sure that Lonelygirl15 could deliver.
