#8 dates

[krissiedeathy]

[thealmightysthoughts]

bisexual twinks got me acting Unwise

[welcometomy20s]

March is for Media: Internet Hodgepodge

(this was a script for a pilot that never took off. Well, least that's what I like to think of as)

Hello and welcome to YouTube Recommendation. I’m David Kim. And today’s first recommendation comes from Jezebel and it’s a web series about breaking up.

Love’s a Bitch, produced by Jeff Schwartz, you know that guy is who is too nerdy on Collegehumor... and stars Jamie Lee... you know her, is about (as I said earlier) mutual break-up that goes (as always) awry.The series is quick-paced with humor sprinkled throughout and overall it’s a solid web series for those who think it’s over but it’s not... but it actually reminds me of a different romantic love series.

The 8 Date is story of Ava, who is... not good at dating. Matt, her cousin, is a waiter and pressure Ava to date every week for 8 weeks, hence 8 dates. There’s vlogging and dating and all that good stuff, but what I really like about this series is that it’s an independent series created by one my favorite creators , Matt Koval. Like all Koval’s work, the music is superb and humor is nicely subtle. Also I like the sequence of starting with Ava vlogging about the date, which cuts to the actual professionally made segment of the date and comes back to vlogging when the disaster happens, then after the outro, there’s the obligatory responding to comments with funny jokes in between. This really makes the fictional date sit nicely in the line between “I’m making a video/entertaining an audience” part of vlogging and “Actual showing of real life” part of vlogging and therefore doesn’t stick out as much. And I think all vlog series need to find that balance.

It’s short, it has a nice arc and it ends with a sad book end that is perfect for any valentine’s day. I really like this show when it came out and still like it today, and the guest stars are a plus. So I recommend you watch 8 dates, along with Life’s a Bitch.

My next recommendation come from Michelle Potter, friend of the show, and it’s called Limit Does Not Exist and it features Alivia, yes Alivia with an A... and they are basically asking a bunch questions from their experience together... I really like the fresh approach to questionnaire video and I really like this girl, Alivia... her channel is “MeetZoe” which makes you wonder how Alivia has a channel named MeetZoe? Is her middle name Zoe, or is it the other way around? Alivia, long for Zoe, somehow? Well, it’s a complicated story.

See, MeetZoe was originally hosted by Zoe, who was this weird Australian gal... that did stuff, it’s hard to say... anyway, people liked her then she disappeared, with a notice saying that she is holding a contest to see who’s getting their channel and Alivia was the one. Yeah... that’s that. Pretty weird, isn’t it? Just disappeared, with no info on sight. Wonder where she’s gone...

Wait, you know where Zoe might be? You think you seen her... in this video? Well, let’s roll the tape! (Rewind sound) The 8 Date is story of Ava, who is... huh, let’s go back to Zoe... (Rewind sound) Zoe, who was this weird Australian gal... Well, that is the exact same girl! That’s why I couldn’t make her up... she was acting!

Well, yes. It turns out Zoe was not a Perth-born aspiring actress named Zoe, but Perth-born aspiring actress named Mem. And yes, she’s not a clueless maniac, she just plays one on the Web. Seriously, Ava is just Zoe with an American accent, if you think about it... strange type-casting.

So, basically what I’m saying is... this is weird. So, you have two different fictions. One, which clearly implies it’s fiction and one who does not. 8 Dates, tries make this fiction real, as in communication and mutability with the characters, but there’s always implication that it’s an simulation, that this is a trick... Zoe, on the other hand, doesn’t imply the trick of fictionality. You could go on believing Zoe’s real and... go on with your life. Whether Zoe is real or not... doesn’t really factor into the story. Yes, it’s an conceit but a loose one, one which you could satisfy as a Australian girl taking random stuff and taking on LA or an Australian girl playing a clueless young aspiring actor... the joy is not lost.

These type of stories question the problem of belief in fiction. Is Ava an creation of Matt Koval? Well, not really as she builds on the ideas of the commenters. Is Zoe fiction? What to those who thinks she’s real? Doesn’t that belief justify the realness of Zoe? Whether you think Zoe is real or fake, Zoe is a same person who puts out the same videos. So, how’s that fictionality any important? The content is same... and that’s probably something we need to think about for a long while.

Yes, this was a response to Mike at the Idea Channel. So, watch Mike’s video and what the heck?; watch all the videos I mentioned in the description. I recommend it.

[nervus]

I just finished watching this web series by Matt Koval on YouTube called 8 Dates and surprisingly, I enjoyed it. It didn't appeal to me at all, but to see something unique in its aspect was nice. Plus it was short and sweet and good for watching at two in the morning.

anyway, bed for me. maybe.