Derek’s SL Report (English Edition)

If you want to know what’s hot in the Second Life (= SL) cultural scene, the answer is: live theatre in SL using avatars as actors.

The challenges are multifold, ranging from …

- the uncertainty whether the voice capability in the SL main grid will be available on time (or the need to alternatively use prerecorded voice),

- the question which stage to use,

- the task of finding competent set designers (here Tyg Jarrico for “The Thinkerer”),

- to the chore of locating animations which will make the avatars stand, move, and gesture like RL (= Real Life) actors.

The premiere date is set for “The Act Up Theatre Group” (TAUTG) which recently held auditions for “A Potpourri of One Acts”.

A cast of 20 SL actors and SL actresses has been obtained for two one act plays:

1. “One Little Indian Boi”, by Christo Larson and Upo Choche and directed by Upo Choche & Kimmi Jewell; and

2. “The Thinkerer”, by D.F. Dansereau and S.H. Evans (a new take on Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Hare”) and directed by Marin Mielziner (see picture).

Sadly, at the rehearsal I was invited to, the tortoise was missing so I can only show you Aesop (Athena Maeterlinck) …

and the hare (Pat Hartono) practicing their moves with director Marin Mielziner filling in for the tortoise (Bianca Arkin).

TAUTG’s first production is scheduled for June 30th, 2007, at 11:00am and 1:00pm PDT (SLT) during the Second Pride 2007 Festival. At least three further performances are planned.

If you have any questions or requests, please contact Kimmi Jewell in SL:

CU on June 30th at the Second Pride 2007 Festival!

A few days ago my good friend Katharina Kappler asked me to meet her in her new gallery where she sells pictures of cats [Mission Viejo Campus 12, Mission Viejo (25, 138, 24)].

When I arrived she told me the good news: She knew of a job as photographer I might like.

Just a short while later I was already serving customers at the open air photo studio for the contest “Best Outfit 2007“.

The organizer, JoHan Glenville of Mission Viejo, is offering attractive prizes for the 20 best looking outfits / to the 20 most beautiful avatars.

1. rank:         15.000 L$
2. rank:         10.000 L$
3. rank:           5.000 L$
4.-10. rank:        500 L$
11.-20. rank:      250 L$

The awards will be presented on July 14th, 2007, at 9 pm GMT+1 (= 12 pm SLT) to the public. Afterwards you´re welcome to the big party!

And remember: Every participant gets 10 L$ just for joining the contest!

Being one of the official photographers at Mission Viejo, I can promise you that my colleagues and I will do our best to make you look good. You can find a collection of all the contestants’ pictures by clicking here.

After the photo shoot you are welcome to join our team in the Mission Viejo Bar for a drink or two – right above the open air photo studio. Just fly up till you hit your head against the floor of the sky box!

When will you come to let me take your picture? Be warned: I’m known fo my impatience, therefore from time to time I might roam the streets at night looking for photo prey.

So don’t be surprised if I pop up close by and call on you!

CU in Second Life!

Hi, sorry I’m a bit late with the second part of my report but work just kept piling up. Tell you about it later. Back to the Mother’s Day Fashion Show.

Half an hour before the show was to begin, the small amphitheatre slowly started filling up.

Seraphine Khorana from Seraphine Model Management was a little concerned that “Mr. Lag” might pay a visit to the show.

Bear in mind that it was to be a big program, with five models changing clothes a total of six times each, adding up to 35 presentations in only one hour. There was no time for the pc to crash and to have to log in again.

Backstage the girls went through their poses and hairstyles once more to get everything right.

To keep lag problems at bay, Seraphine had decided on Shardakourian Meditation Gardens, a more intimate setting than usual. But, unfortunately, “Mr. Lag” did visit and meant that she spent parts of the show without her hair. The same happened to some of the spectators too.

Here we see EmmZ Tzara wearing a Talisman Sangria Flexi Party Dress.

But you can rest assured that everything went very well. No model was lacking a vital piece of clothing or important body parts during her performance. The girls all looked fantastic and did a terrific job. Here are some more examples:

Kryptonia Paperdoll presenting an Ivalde Ella Red Dress.

Dirjah Summers showing an Ivalde Natasha White Dot Dress.

Mercy McNally wearing an Ivalde Kirsten Royal Blue Dress.

Nyll Bergbahn making a grand exit in an Ivalde Pernille Orange Dress.

Afterwards the whole team got standing ovations.

Seraphine looked very pleased (you see her hair is back too) …

and I treated myself to a glass of red champagne while the sun was slowly setting outside.

CU at the next show!

PS: The designers in the Mother’s Day Fashion Show were:

- Neferia Abel (Ivalde)
- Kaia Ennui (Nocturnal Threads)
- Lilibeth Andree (Omen)
- Hazel Kyrgyz (Talisman) and
- FreidaLouise Krasker (Nordic Nymph), known as Louise, made the boots.
- Hair styles from Gurl6!

PPS: Thanks to my editor Cara Mayne!

Today I had my first big assignment. Seraphine Khorana from Seraphine Model Management asked me to do a photo shoot at her Mother’s Day Fashion Show in beautiful Shardakourian Meditation Gardens.

I was a bit nervous and arrived early.

That way I had a chance to get a feel for the location …

and try out the best camera angles.

I was lucky that one of the models, Nyll Bergbahn, was having a trial run too.

It would be her first show, she told me later in the evening, …

so she was taking the opportunity to practice her moves …

and her poses …

on stage …

and backstage.

She’s a nice girl from Ireland …

who’s got all it takes for a big modelling career in Second Life.

Together with her colleagues she would go on to do a great show later on …

as you will find out in the next installment of “Supermodels In The Making”.

Bye for now!

Proofread by Cara Mayne. Thanks Cara!

Hi there!

My name is Derek Hotger. Some of you may know me from my German blog (Derek’s 2nd Life Report).

I’m a reporter and photographer in Second Life. It’s been said that I’m an easy-going kind of guy …

but I like to take the bull by the horns.

Although it may seem unlikely that I will manage to hold on …

I’m not that easy to get rid of.

So be warned if I drift your way some day … I might just ask you about your dark secrets!

CU in SL!

PS: Thanks to my editor Cara Mayne!