Dissertation (2) - Interactive Webisodes

I have mentioned this in my Digital Media Practice essay and I have come across a very good example of the development of Shows and Mini-series' developed solely for the internet user base. There are also little extras developed for the web or on social networking sites like Facebook that link to a TV series in a way like in Pretty Little Liars.

It helps to spread the word to anyone not familiar with the show, suck them in and for viewers already familiar with it, engage even more with the show. It breaks the fourth wall and invites to be part of the story instead of just a bystander. In the case of Pretty Little Liars, a show that is based on revealing secrets, it unravels clues that weren't given in the show. Not necessarily something a viewer that didn't take part would miss out on, but background information that feeds into the mystery of the show.

It's a very clever way of engaging and keeping things interesting, especially considering the target audience and the tendency towards internet based activity like streaming and social networking.