Virtually Real: The Documentary

The idea for Virtually Real came about after hearing Julian Dibbell speak about his book on Terry Gross’ Fresh Air on NPR. I was fascinated not by the technology, but by the commodification of virtual goods. I’ve been involved in technology for long enough to be jaded, but in an insular enough area of it to be naive about what else was going on (http://rjlavallee.com). My real goal in creating Virtually Real is in uncovering the eventual effect that would have on society. After all, we are a capitalist nation ruled by the Allmighty Dollar. There’s some stuff about under God, and indivisible, and all that, but we all know what really has the influence in our “real” world.

So I start some research. I read the book. THEN I go to the first ever Virtual Goods Summit at Stanford University http://www.vgsummit.com/. Nuts. Then I start doing more research. I make an avatar and travel around http://SecondLife.com. Nuttier. then I start Googling and looking for how many genres of virtual worlds there are out there.

One might argue that culturally significant virtual worlds are already here.  THAT is going to be the focus of Virtually Real. The audience is not those already in the know, it is for those barely aware, and for whom the prospect of worlds this real will definitely create fear. The project is going to be very crystal ball in its outcome, but its approach and conclusions will be based on current fact. I will not be making drastic logical leaps in the conclusions.

Another benefit of today’s technology is the tools that I can easily place in my hands allowing me to be very old-school in my approach. Like the PBS outdoorsman documentaries of the 60s, today’s digital technology is allowing me to research, interview, film (tape), write, and edit this entire project on my own. Enough goofing around and learning as I went on other projects helped teach me how to do this, and make it look and sound good.

This is going to be fun.

But, shit, some funding sure would help.

OK. I emailed him first, pleading for his assistance with Virtuall Real, but regardless of my methods, he did respond, and he has agreed to be taped for the project. This is AWESOME! Everyone in the industry is all ga-ga about Stephenson’s Snow Crash, but I think Dibbell’s Play Money is spot on the best overall assessment of what’s happening in the industry right now.

Read it. It’s a great primer about the nuttiness that is the current Wild West of Virtual Worlds.

 Now I need to get to Chicago.

What else is a blog in this context? It’s not as if I have throngs of followers just WAITING to read what’s happening with my latest project, but how else do you start creating buzz, interest, reason for a distributor to purchase the upcoming blockbuster documentary, Virtually Real?

 Where is the project now? It’s at that cusp between pre-production and production. Still ironing out how to raise funds and awareness of the project, and starting to get interviews on tape. I think I need to wrap research on this and start writing a script soon. I don’t think I’m going to find anything earth-shattering at this stage — some juicy sound bites I hope — but I can start fleshing out the bulk of the story at this stage.

 Keep your fingers crossed, and keep checking back as often.