Hyper - Mediation in new media - Ep - 80

Lizzie: Okay! With the benefit of hindsight, there is clearly something missing from my last video. Me asking Bing why the hell he let himself get talked into dumping my sister! The perfect opportunity was right there and I just let it fly on by. All I had to do was say: "Bing, why do you let your sister and your best friend run your love life?" Or "Bing are you aware that your sister and your best friend run your love life?" Or maybe... "Bing are you aware to the extent which your sister and your best friend run your love life? And maybe the rest of your life?" I’m not sure. My name is Lizzie Bennet and I’m not sure what to do. "Hyper-Mediation in New Media" Written by Margaret Dunlap Lizzie: That’s the problem with being here and not home. For the last year whenever I’ve had something to work out, I’ve done it on the videos. Nothing like a little costume theater to focus the mind. But costume theater requires someone to do costume theater with and since neither of my sisters nor Charlotte are here, my options are kind of limited. What am I supposed to do? Roam the halls looking for someone to put in my videos? Darcy: Lizzie! May I help you? Lizzie: I'm looking for your sister. Darcy: She's at tennis practice. Did you need something? Lizzie: Umm. Maybe? So you’ll do it? Darcy: Who would you need me to, uh, portray? Lizzie: You, actually. Darcy: And you would be playing? Lizzie: Me? Darcy: Well that will certainly make the costumes easier to obtain. Lizzie: Look. There's this theory about levels of mediation in media that says it's possible for artificially to both remind the audience that what they are seeing is a construction while at the same time adding to their level of immersion. I thought... Forget it. It’s stupid. Darcy: You thought that costume theater as ourselves would remind the audience that this isn’t a conversation we would naturally have. But because of that, the obviously constructed nature of the scene would by its very artificially create its own sense of... verisimilitude. Lizzie: Have you taken Dr. Gardiner’s seminar in interactive media? Darcy: No, but I am a fan of her work. Lizzie: So you’ll do it. Darcy: Just a moment. Excuse me. It was the closest I could find on short notice. Do you have a script for this? Lizzie: Nope I figured we’d wing it. Darcy: Okay. Lizzie: Why didn’t you tell Bing about my videos? Darcy: Well I didn’t think it was my place. You’ve respected my confidences, after all. Lizzie: Really? What about when Charlotte and I-- Darcy: Well if I knew a Darvid, perhaps he would feel differently. Lizzie: I sort of thought you would tell him. Darcy: Would you want your best friend to see you confess to meddling in his affairs? Lizzie: I think he knows you meddle in his affairs. Darcy: Perhaps. But by your own admission, Jane has moved on with her life. Lizzie: That’s true. Darcy: And if Bing truly felt a strong attachment, would he have been so easily parted from her? Lizzie: Isn’t finding happiness hard enough? Why is it your job or my job or anyone else’s job to test the strength of their relationship? Darcy: If Bing were to learn the true nature of Jane’s feelings and seek her out... Do you think she would take him back? Lizzie: I'm honestly not sure. Darcy: Then perhaps more meddling, even with the best of intentions, would only cause them both more pain. Lizzie: Do you think Bing still cares about Jane? Darcy: I think you should ask him. Was...how was that? Was that alright? Lizzie: Yes. Thank you. Very helpful. Darcy: Oh, good. Is there anything else? Lizzie: No. That's all. I know you're busy. Darcy: Very well.