The things I do to avoid grading.

[osprey_archer]

As the Lizzie Bennet Diaries draw near the end, my friend Micky and I have been discussing what else could be adapted (aside from Jane Austen’s unfinished Sanditon, which is apparently the basis for their next project and will star Gigi, Kickstarter here. I have not read Sanditon. Probably I should correct this

Comments

[goldenusagi]

Hmm, I think a vlog version of Emma could easily have the secret of Jane and Frank's engagement, if we're mostly getting our info from Emma and she's oblivious. Though WHY an engagement would need to be secret nowadays is more the question.

What about a vlog Sense and Sensibility? Since it was probably originally written as epistolary, it would be perfect. With Marianne and Elinor keeping in touch with their mom through vlogs!

I read Sandition once a long time ago, but don't remember much. I'll probably check out the webseries, but I'm not really excited about it? Webseries aren't my thing in general, and only because this one was P&P did I even check it out. Like, I'll care about Elizabeth Bennet in any form.

[osprey_archer]

Yes, I think the main question would be "Why is the engagement secret?" Because unless they have a pretty good reason to keep it secret, then the way Frank Churchill flirts with Emma makes him look like a jerk.

Actually, it already makes him look kind of jerktastic, but you know, more so in a modern adaptation.

MAYBE! Frank is a girl, and she is keeping her liaison with Jane Fairfax a secret because her aunt (Frank's, not Jane Fairfax's, because they clearly adore Jane to pieces) is homophobic and would never approve.

And Emma is bisexual (I think this is a totally valid reading of Emma anyway...) and...but it's not like a homophobic aunt would approve of Frank flirting with Emma rather than Jane Fairfax, presumably? Hmmm.

Given that reserve is such a cornerstone of Elinor's character, I'm not sure she would have her own vlog. But Marianne would LOVE a vlog, and maybe Elinor would guest star a lot?

[goldenusagi]

Maybe Elinor's could be in the form of private videos to her mother? That we just happen to get to see? What about Margaret? Everyone forgets about Margaret. She could be informing us of the happenings of her family.

Maybe you could genderbend Jane Fairfax? And then Frank is flirting with Emma because of his homophobic aunt, but is secretly with John Fairfax. And Emma resents John because everyone always threw them together growing up, like they were going to get married or something, instead of the book where everyone wanted them to be friends.

[osprey_archer]

I think if the story has too many different video streams going at the same time, it will just get confusing. Or are you suggested Margaret keeping a vlog instead of Elinor & Marianne?

Maybe you could genderbend Jane Fairfax?

That makes so much more sense! I knew there was a way to make this work, but I just couldn't get the gender configuration right...

[goldenusagi]

Maybe it could be Margaret's vlog, with other family members appearing on it, and then Marianne would get more involved (because she would love the idea of a vlog) and maybe they could share it? Or maybe Margaret starts the vlog, and then when Marianne and Elinor go to London, Margaret and Marianne end up doing something similar to the vlogbrothers, where they talk to each other through vlogs?

[osprey_archer]

I think it would be easier just to have it be Marianne's vlog from the start. Having Marianne and Elinor chat with each other through their vlogs has definite potential, though! Marianne could be all "You should share more of your FEEEEEEEELINGS" and Elinor could be like, "Or I could not."

And when Marianne and Willoughby have their final break-up, Marianne would stop vlogging entirely (because so depressed), which would both totally jive with her character and save us from a tearfest like Lydia & Lizzie's weepy reconciliation scene.