LG15 Update
Hey everyone,
It’s been a bit since we gave you any updates about LG15 and the website, and we apologize for that. It’s been a challenging but exciting year for us at EQAL. We’ve worked hard to build a technology product, sign deals, and launch shows, all in the worst economy since the Great Depression. The advertising industry has been particularly hard hit, and as you know we finance our shows by selling sponsorships to brands. Thanks to companies like Neutrogena, 20th Century Fox, P&G, Microsoft, Orange, Paramount, Disney, Toyota, Cadburys, and others we’ve been able to produce free entertainment for all of you to enjoy. Unfortunately when the ad market “vanished” last fall it became very, very, very difficult to get advertisers to finance new original series online. We need to build a profitable company so that we can continue to produce high-quality free entertainment for all of you, and so we made a strategic shift. Over the past six months we’ve focused on extending existing entertainment brands online, and thanks to that decision the company is doing well and we’re launching really cool shows with Paula Deen, Anthony E. Zuiker’s Level 26, and Alicia Silverstone. There are even more exciting projects like this in the works that we think you’ll love.
We know that you feel like we have “forgotten” about the LG15 community. Well, we haven’t. We’ve been really busy and sometimes things slip through the cracks. We loved producing “LG15: The Resistance,” but we went out of pocket to get it off the ground and because we launched it during the economic meltdown we weren’t able to get sponsors for a Season 2. Fortunately, LG15 is doing great via LG15: TSIY and through our international licensing efforts. We’re psyched to see how well the LG15 community has responded to LG15: The Last, and we’re just excited as you are about the finale. Amanda is working with them right now to finalize the schedule. N1ck0la, LG15’s Polish spin-off, is doing great and we’re excited with how strongly the community out there has responded to it. As you may have seen, we licensed LG15 to a Japanese company, so lonelygirl15 and KateModern will find a whole new life with a Japanese audience, and they might produce a local version of LG15 for Japan. We’re working on even more international licensing of the brand.
In terms of the website: Yes, we know the software is old and cranky. Unfortunately we made a variety of deep structural database changes when we created the new version of the software and launched Harper’s Globe, so it is not simply a matter of “pushing a button” to upgrade LG15 to the new software. Tyler and Patrick are looking into this today and by the end of next week we’ll know how much work it will take to upgrade the site. If we can’t do a seamless upgrade, we have some other options as well. Either way we will be re-launching LG15.com on the new software to coincide with a new season of TSIY sometime in August/September. Once LG15 is on the new software it will receive regular upgrades just like Harper’s, Paula, and all of our other sites.
Finally, regarding my comments in the NewTeeVee and MediaWeek articles. Although we aren’t producing original online series right now, we would very much like to return to that when the advertising markets recover. As it pertains to LG15, we want to see more of the ongoing adventures of Daniel, Jonas, Sarah, Lucy, and the gang as much as you do. We don’t want to do it half-ass, so we need to wait until the time is right so that we can bring back LG15 with a bang. In the meantime we’ll be launching more international versions of the show to bring a bigger and bigger audience to the brand, and we’ll continue to add features to the LG15 website so that it’s easier and easier for you guys to contribute to the LG15 mythology.
Thanks.
Greg
June 12th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I take it that its difficult to balance “buisnessmen” and “artists”. Please continue your quality work.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I really, really hope there’s room some day for lg15 to make a comeback! I miss TAAG.
…meep.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Happier now. *Very* glad you’re doing something to improve the site…..although the words ’stable door’ and ‘horse’ are coming to mind. But still.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I just don’t know what to say to this.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Seeing is believing.
We’ll see how much of that actually happens.
June 12th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Oh, I’m so glad of this post. After the lg15today post, I was really nervous and depressed. I feel so much better now.
June 13th, 2009 at 2:02 am
Good idea posting this, some people have been pretty critical as of late.
LG15 going international makes sense, and I’m surprised Poland optioned it before Japan as it seems like something they’d love. LG15 has effectively hit 4 continents now. I guess Miles and Greg better get cracking with Brazil and Egypt. Heck, they should recruit a penguin and do LonelyBird19 so they can do Antarctica as well.
The economy is messing everything up. Stuff originally not for sale now is, including California’s Cow Palace and Morning Joe (some talk show now apparently brewed by Starbucks in a pun that has already grown a Father Time beard). The Resistance is just another victim, sadly.
I seriously hope people will be contributing like crazy for this new TSIY. The first season was a great success, given it had 18 pilots. I myself will be coming back for round 2, I hope most of the others will too. I dunno if BrianMythic had any fans, save the people who loved that sword of mine, but I will comment that my pilot for this season will be pretty much a reworking of that series, but under a different name. Someone pointed out I don’t look like a ‘Brian.’
June 13th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Maybe I’m just cynical… but I wouldn’t expect the return of LG15 anytime soon. And by then I think most of us will be gone.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Two words. Bull Shit.
By the time they actually get the funding they so desire, I’m sure the actors will have moved on to better and bigger things, and by then, most of us will, too.
Nice work, guys.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Thanks for the update. Unfortunately my visits to the site have dwindled considerably since LG15: The Resistance ended, and I get the impression that I’m not the only one. A lot of work has gone in to producing TSIY, and I’m sure a lot of work will continue to go into that with a new season upcoming. But even though EQAL’s LG15 is no more real than TSIY, the fan-produced shows just don’t *feel* as real to me. They feel like fanfiction. Which is what they are. And there’s nothing wrong with that at all, it’s great for fans to have the chance to produce their version of the series that they love. It’s just that fan-produced material is not what drew me to this site and I have to admit that I feel quite cynical about it. I feel that TSIY is basically designed as a sticking plaster to cover the gap left by LG15: The Resistance, intended to try and keep other fans interested while EQAL tries to find the financing that’s necessary. I can only speak for myself, and I really don’t want to cause offence to the makers of The Last, to the people who submitted pilots for the last TSIY or to the people who intend to submit a pilot for the next one. But what I want to see are the characters from LG15: The Resistance. I want to see their story continue. No amount of TSIY sticking plaster series are going to hold my interest.
I hope that LG15: The Resistance returns at some point in the future. I also hope that no one takes offence at what I said, because honestly, I don’t want to upset anyone. I just want to give my opinion.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Greg, let me start off by saying I definitely am more relieved to read the article above. It’s posts like these that should be published at least once every other week. I understand now that I’ve been heard (along with the others who said similar things I did in my last post to your last article).
I am happy to hear you guys are working on profiting through other campaigns and series to step back into the next season of LG15 The Resistance. I 100% agree with you; a show like this should definitely not be made half-ass, and respect that you guys are taking time off from this to jump back in with a “bang”. I only wish economy was better than it is right now, and dont feel like it will be changing any time soon — which only saddens me to think that the start of season 2 wont be until next summer.
Theres not much I can say anymore. Ill just be here checking back every so often, hoping for the sickest trailer ever for a season 2. Everybody has been hit hard because of the economy; I dont see how this show can continue any time soon.
Mad props to you all at EQAL. Hopefully you all are already finding the way around this. Slowly but surely.
Patience is virtue,
[r]
June 19th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Good luck getting new sponsors after your fanbase disappears.
I’m not attacking you guys. I understand the economy sucks. All I’m saying is that I really have no hope for the future of LG15. If you can’t get sponsors now, you wont be able to get them when no one longer watches.
June 19th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
If add up the number of vowels in each sentence and correlate the sum to the number of letters in the alphabet, it actually forms an announcement for LG15: The Movie.
June 20th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
What Kerry said.
And really, in fairness to the fans and responsibility, a post like this should have been made a long time ago. Poor form.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I MISS TAAG! meepers unite!
I’ve be arounds since before the first “ceremony” (you know, the fake one when bree wasn’t talking to daniel and they did it to throw him off the scent). It’s really bumming me out that they aren’t around. Not really into all the newer stuff
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:54 pm
It’s my hope that…even if they can’t continue LG15…that the actors will at least agree to some kind of closure. In interviews, they have thanked us and told us that they love us. It sure would be a great way to show it to us.
June 27th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I don’t really see how we can expect any sort of commitment from the actors when there’s currently no funding for a second series and no one knows when funding will be available. At the end of the day those are young actors with a lot of talent, and they won’t just be able to sit around hoping LG15 can continue at some point. I wouldn’t blame any of them for taking another job or accepting an offer from someone else. This isn’t just entertainment for them, they have to make a living and if they’re not guaranteed more work with LG15 they’ll look elsewhere. It could be that by the time EQAL does have funding for another series, a significant number of the cast won’t be available to make it. Even if they were available, would they then be willing to commit to a project that could run out of funding again at any moment? After months of hiatus and uncertainty, I wouldn’t blame them if they turned their backs on this.
June 28th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Has anybody else gotten emotional seeing Brett Ryback in that Taco Bell commercial? The first time I saw it I was like “REED!” and then started wishing he was costarring with Danielbeast instead of burritos. He can do SO much better than a burrito commercial. Not to put down the work he’s doing, and he’s lovable as always in that commercial, but I WANT THE RESISTANCE BACK and apparently I can’t stop whining about it.
I think I need some Don’t Stop Reedin’ right about now.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Eqal is poor. ahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahhahaha!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Being so desperate as we all are in this hard economy has any talk come up again regarding a LG DVD. I know it was discussed heavily when the shows were still coming out and though it’s been a while I think many people would still be interested which could only help to generate funds. Sure the shows are online for free and yes a DVD would lack the interaction (community, puzzles, etc) that made the show unique but I for one would be interested in buying it none the less (especially if it contained all three seasons of LG15 and KM). But that’s just my opinion.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:37 am
Joseph, you’re so right about a DVD. They were talking about that after season 1 ended and there still isn’t one. I would definately buy one! Ofcourse, all the videos are online but I like it better to watch them on my tv, with no waiting for the loading of the videos. And it would even be better if KM was on it also (and who knows, maybe some extra behind the scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew).
It can be done. I mean, Ozgirl has a dvd now so why not one from LG15 (maybe also with KM on it).
July 1st, 2009 at 8:01 pm
joseph - DVDs for each season are a no-brainer for lonelygirl15. they need to wrap up their copyright issues, however, in order to make one.
July 6th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Agree, a DVD would be ideal. I think as well as appealing to the hardcore fans who would just like to own a copy of LG15 (*raises hand*), a DVD would probably also appeal to the fans who would have primarily watched The Resistance by the weekly updates as they can’t get to the site every night. EQAL has fans all over the world - introduce a multi-regional DVD and the sales will notch right up.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
i totally understand about the money issue, it just sucks for everyone.
and as much as i liked the idea behind user created media, i don’t think it’s working. it doesn’t feel like lonelygirl, and i’ve stopped visiting this website on a daily basis like i used to. i just don’t care about the new characters, because i agree with who said it before, it feels like fan fiction. there’s a time and a place for it, it shouldn’t be at the forefront, it’s a product of something, but here there’s no product.
so, yeah, if it continues on in that way, where you let other people make your show for your for free, then i will probably stop watching all together.
but i’ll totally buy a dvd.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:26 am
<.<;; ok, really? Paula Deen? LG15, KateModern, The Resistance…Paula Deen. One of these is not like the other XD. Didn’t see that one coming.
Oh, and I don’t see The Resistance returning. It’s been to long and eqal has went on to “bigger and better things”…like Paula Deen *gigglesnort*. Sorry, I just can’t get over how strange that is. And the fanbase has dwindled.
But I really miss the old LG15
July 20th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I’d totally buy a DVD or any merch from LG15! I would even be more supportive if there was new content but the new content has to include people like Sarah, Jonas, Daniel, etc. I really miss the old days! I remember how heart broken i felt when LonelyGirl15 ended.. I didn’t know what to do! haha. Please do everything to bring true LonelyGirl15 back. Please please please! I’ll even call Jackson everyday if you need me to!
August 6th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Isn’t it sad? Something we all thought was so great has just…… died.