"Life 2.0", the acclaimed documentary on Second Life which I've written frequently about, has been acquired by the Oprah Winfrey Network (or OWN), a new cable network, and will air on OWN next year during a monthly documentary film club. The series will include movies by Julia Roberts, Forest Whitaker, and other luminaries, so this is a tremendously prestigious venue for this movie about Second Life to be airing in.
"OWN has created a unique platform for documentary films," Life 2.0 director Jason Spingarn-Koff told me, when he shared the news, "and I’m excited to be a part of the Documentary Club and the tremendous exposure it will give Life 2.0." He hopes the wide exposure "will contribute to a healthy dialogue about how Second Life -- and online communities in general -- are altering our perceptions of reality and providing an opportunity for self-discovery."
It'll probably do that. Given Oprah's near-Biblical name recognition, I also think it will likely create another explosion of public interest in Second Life, which could certainly use it. Courtesy Jason (known as Jay Spire in SL), here's a clip from Life 2.0 featuring one of the movie's lead figures, a beautiful young woman who starts a life-altering affair with a man in SL that transitions into reality:
Air date will be 2011, when the movie will also hit home video (DVD and digital.) Here's my own take on the movie, included in an interview with Spingarn-Koff. It's powerful, provocative, and while I don't agree with all that was included (or omitted) about Second Life, it's inarguably a landmark movie about the world. Which Oprah will bring to your TV soon. (She owns the exclusive North American rights for broadcast and home video.)
This is so weird. I'm chalking it up as another synchronicity. Just last night I was thinking about how fun it was when SL was on TV during the whole CSI buzz time.
The island wasn't that great but it sure brought in the newbies back then and SL needs another buzz hype to bring in more newbies.
Besides, I miss Venus...
Posted by: Little Lost Linden | Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 11:20 PM
While I agree that Oprah is a a huge icon in our TV life, I'm afraid that this kind of film, once again, shows the down side of SL. Not everyone comes to SL to leave their RL. Perhaps, soon, we should be saying what is RL and what is SL; for some, SL is Rl. Its where they want to be. It's all Life. Whether you incorporated parts of it or not. I'm just tired of films depicting SL as where people arent themselves; most of us are who we are. Not all of us leave our homes. Sl is somewhere to be ourselves, end of. I know many people who just come in to have a laugh, and I am tired of all the world, treating Second Life like its some sleazy place. Twitter and FB have that cornered; I'm sure there is more going on there.
Posted by: Dani Durant | Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 01:04 AM
Have there been any updates to this story?
Where are these people now?
Posted by: Qwerty | Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 11:02 AM