Building upon the buzz that surrounds Second Life, HBO has purchased a documentary that was made entirely within Second Life. The film focuses on an avatar Molotov Alva, who goes about the virtual world and learns about the "complex social interactions that take place within Second Life."
The documentary, "Molotov's Dispatches in Search of the Creator: A Second Life Odyssey" was not created by a Second Lifer. Well, that is not to say that director Douglas Gayeton does not have an avatar on Second Life, but he does have credible experience, having worked with Spike Jonze. HBO plans to submit the film for Academy Award consideration. They see it competing in the "animated short-subject" category.
Big brands have already begun setting up Second Life partnerships and experiences, so how far can advertisers spread themselves across the bridge of reality and virtual reality? Will interactive strategies bring more users to Second Life, or will brands attract new audiences through Second Life?
And why couldn't HBO submit this under just plain "documentary"? Yes, Second Life physically exists online and so, in the virtual world, but with all the partnering and future strategies no doubt lined up with advertisers, isn't it almost reality because its story is bleeding into it [reality]? At least, the experience seems like it would eventually blur into reality. (Ah, the line, the line! Is there one?)
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