In the real world, society breaks many of us. Companies eat up their ‘human resources’ as a means to make a profit. In a recent conversation with Peter Stindberg we discussed the idea that SL could in-fact be somewhat similar to this.

As shop owners will admit, success is born from a drive to create and release new products. Even the best stores will continue to tick over as their releases diminish, but eventually new stock is the only thing that keeps people returning and shopping. A virtual ‘target’ is placed on creations and the need to; constantly release products, speak to the group, offer support, advertise and market your brand can be just as harsh as any RL target driven work.

As bloggers will also agree, the need to write new articles, feature new designers and highlight the happenings in this world comes with its own stress and strain. Resident Choice blogger Prad Prathivi quickly became a victim of resident attention, forcing him to take a step back and focus on what he wanted to do, and blogging at this time wasn’t it. I’m sure many of us will remember Prads writing abilities and sarcasm, but eventually people move on and find new sites to focus their attention on.

Over my long and varying career as an SL journalist, I think the one thing that I have become known for more than anything else, are my interviews, especially with the publication of my inworld book "Times of your (Second) Life", and the interviews I have carried out here. Over time, being know for something like this makes you start to wonder how other inworld interviewers cope with having to chat with the many and varied creatives, business people and movers and shakers in SL. So, seeing as there are so many talk shows and interviewing journalists currently operating within our digital universe, I decided to hunt down some of the most interesting, and discuss their experiences, and give you some insight into what it takes to make a good interview, and in many ways, a good interviewer.

The first on my list in the lovely and talented Paisley Beebe, who's show on SLCN, "Tonight Live with Paisley Beebe" is possibly one of the longest running and well established Second Life based talkshows around. She tends to specialize in mostly arts and culture in SL, a world she also appears in with her performances as a jazz singer, but has had everyone from musicians, games creators, bloggers, Lindens and more, sitting on her sofa, and opening up to her. Despite the fact that I am on UK time, and she is based on the other side of the planet in Australia, we eventually managed to square our diaries, and sit down to have a chat about her experiences:


Voodoo Buwan: So, what initially brought you to SL?

Paisley Beebe: A magazine article on it talking about musicians playing here

Voodoo Buwan: Ah, so you arrived inworld with hopes of extending your performing into the virtual world?

Paisley Beebe: Not really just curious about it. Didn't start playing in SL till 3 months was up. I use the computer a lot for my marketing of albums etc...

Voodoo Buwan: What inspired you to start performing? And did that come before or after you began your association with SLCN?

Paisley Beebe: I went to a gig here and asked the performer how you did it. He got me to play at his venue with my husband one night and that was it. I drew a small crowd. I picked up a manager/publicist type person who hooked me up with lots of venue owners, and then I met SLCN a few months later and stage managed an event for them. We then decided as we were both in Australia we should work together on something they just started filming in SL and started a sort of whats on show called That's life. So we thought a talk show might be good as I was in Radio in RL. We planned it, I hired some people, and off we went, just making it up as we went along. Still doing that. No one else had done it. Cypress Rosewood had a podcast, a live one with an audience, and so did Flaming Moe. that was it, no TV at all. no one to learn from. Tonight Live is the longest running Virtual TV show and there are lots now.

Voodoo Buwan: So, with your rl radio experience, you had some experience with conducting interviews?

Paisley Beebe: only a little, I had done part of a radio course, a short one and been in Community radio for 3 years. Both as a Jazz Program presenter and a Morning show host but the emphasis was on music really. I just happen to be a chronic sticky beak and nosy parker, and I tend to "interview" people constantly at parties. I enjoy it, finding out about peoples passions their lives etc... It's the actress side of me also, where I studied Characters and their motivations.... Method actress... I once spent about 5 years reading nothing but biographies, and I'm an avid watcher of Talk shows and interview shows. I study them now of course. Learning all that I can about good interview techniques and interview subjects. My sister has been a professional journalist all her life, so If I ever get stuck I ask her. She knows everyone over here in the buis, and knows what the process is in RL, and I've asked her advice on interviewing. She probably thinks Im stepping a bit on her turf but as I'm only a virtual interviewer she probably thinks its all a bit silly :)

Voodoo Buwan: On the subject of getting help from others, you mentioned you have some other people working with you on the show: Has it been hard finding the right team for such a project?

Paisley Beebe: There is no set process. Some were people recommended, some just came up and asked at the right time, some approached SLCN and we took them on. We are now attracting people who have a genuine background in digital communication or writing. To start with it was anyone that wanted to give it a go. My first Director was a seasoned podcaster but I think, now that the TV industry in SL is gaining a small foothold, it's attracting people with a more professional background within a related field, which is good because SLCN, who are about to re-brand as Treet.Tv, and myself have a real life contract, so this is well and truly my RL career now. I'm actually legally obligated to continue it. So my choice of employees has to be good choices and it's very hard to judge that as it is in RL. My 2 major criteria for a good employee are tenacity and determinism. Oh and being organised. There are a few other criteria but when your hot on the trail of a guest you have to be like a detective and not give up till you land them or exhausted every avenue without being a pest or stalking, and then the follow up of the guest getting them to give you the information you need and getting them prepared for the show also takes a great deal of tenacity and determinism. We deal of course with guests most of the time who have had no experience with any interviews of any kind in SL or RL perhaps an employment interview is the closest they have come, so we have to guide them quite a bit to make it comfortable for them whilst trying to get an interesting and entertaining interview.

Voodoo Buwan: OK, so on the subject of getting an interesting and entertaining interview, what would you say makes a good interviewee, and have you ever had to deal with a difficult subject for interview?

Paisley Beebe: ahahah... It's funny you know. I have a family of awkward difficult to talk to people, so it helps me a lot. I have a family of people with high functioning Aspergers. You learn how to talk to people. There are very few people I cannot talk to. In SL, on my show... I don't think there has been anyone that wasn't..... ok there have been maybe one or 2 and you know why? They were people with an agenda, professional PR people, who instead of "talking" to me kept spouting off their "advertising". When I tried to cut through the bullshit, I kept getting the pre-programmed marketing speak. That was hard. I interviewed a Rocket Scientist once who was really a bit shy, but I knew from the Aspies in my family once I got him on his favourite subject......rockets, he was off like one. I genuinely care about my guests. They are not just subjects for publicity to me. I have a personal history of being like that with people. I have had to learn to stand back and let people do things their own way. I've been a sort of amateur mentor all my live. Then I used to get so despondent that people wouldn't do what I thought they should to let their talent shine. I feel with this show I get to promote people in a good positive way, and hopefully help their talent to shine. I hope people sense that in my interest in them and don't fell its prying. It's really just tuning into the person, finding a place where they are comfortable and asking the right open ended questions. None of them are kidnapped into coming on the show. I think my honest curiosity and fascination with them helps. I've seen other interviewers who look bored by their subjects and I think that doesn't help at all. Maybe I'm just new at this so the novelty hasn't worn off, but I'm 47 and the novelty of being interested in people hasn't yet. The pay off for me is seeing people get their message across to a wider audience or their talent seen by a wider audience. Initially my reasons for doing this were mixed. It was in a way a job to "fall back on". I suspected that the music industry was not going to fully support me. That even in SL, I'd need a 2nd job, and I hoped that if I combined my love of radio and interviews with occasionally singing in SL, the Talk show would give me enough of a profile to get work as a singer. But what has happened is I fell in love with my 2nd job, and now its my main job. I'm now more well known for my Talk show than my singing, but that's ok. I think that this job, as crazy as it seems, has more of a future. The music industry in my country is really going through a bad slump, because of the economy etc... I can't sustain it. I've been retrenched recently there was a post on SL about the fact I'm using this show as a vehicle to promote myself. That the guests are just window dressing for my own ambitions. But my profile in SL, whatever you want to call it, is part and parcel of being on the Telly. You don't have one without the other, and I watch the most successful Talk show hosts in the world, and they all give something of themselves away in their interviews. It's horrible unless you are a political interviewer to watch an interviewer hold back or just take in an interview and not relate. Oprah, Ellen, Michael Parkinson... all have a public profile. It's about establishing a reliable brand, something that people relate to. Not just interviewing but having a conversation with your guest. When I'm interviewing, I always feel that I'm part of the conversation, even if I am only 20% of it. That's what it is supposed to be. I tend to only talk a lot when I have something important to say. I'm not good in social situations, don't like small talk, not good at it :) I tend to go from nice weather to tell me about your childhood in about 2 mins. People tell me the most extraordinary things. I guess you just have to be interested in people. You can't fake that. I used to be horribly shy at parties. I'd either have a few drinks and be the life of the party, a total clown or hide in a corner. I learnt to take interest in other people, then I felt not so shy. I discovered a gold mine of stories of fascinating history by doing this. I guess I learn about human nature and life through that.

Voodoo Buwan: Is there anyone in SL who you would love to be able to interview but have not been able to?

Paisley Beebe: No not really. Just the next inspiration. I'm in the unique position of being able to interview anyone really. People refuse because of shyness, language and not wanting to use voice, and I of course only want enthusiastic people on the show. I find the most wonderful subjects in the most low key and non-famous places. Everyone to me is on the same level. What I'd like to do is interview a RL star, for totally selfish reasons. Just to say I've done it and not fallen in a heap with nerves, and to have some RL attention for the show. Bring the ratings up and just because...it would be such a test of my skills. A real challenge. Can I cut it with the Real Life Interviewers? Having said that I'm very aware of my limitations. I'm not highly educated. I'm creative and if I interview someone it will be on a very casual basis and probably involve a very silly question or two. I appeal to the everyday person and that's what I am I reckon. I won't ever try to be cleverer than I am or I will soundly slap myself for being a pretentious twat! I'm a performer first, always have been. Terrible show off. I'm the girl that did Teacher impressions at school for a laugh, entertained the school with my pretend TV productions, plays and dances to awful 1970's music. I started at 4 years old: can't help myself, middle child syndrome.

Voodoo Buwan: Final two questions: Firstly, what advice would you give to anyone thinking about following in your footsteps?

Paisley Beebe: Well.... know who you are, what your strengths and weaknesses are. Get people around you who can fill in those gaps people who are good at things maybe your not so good at.... and....you have to have the ...here's a quote: the hide of a buffalo the heart of a dove. You have to role with the punches. If you don't love it, you won't last. I think you have to be a little bit nuts. Actually, driven and hyperfocused.

Voodoo Buwan: Finally, what's next for Paisley Beebe?

Paisley Beebe: Well, I must do some more singing. It seems such a waste of all that training and experience not to do more and I do enjoy it when I do sing. Tonight Live is about to go high definition and I have to redesign the show a little around that. I also need to earn some money :) So this year is about finding finance to support the shows I already have, Fabulous Fashion and T.L. I have about 2 or 3 other ideas for shows and I would like to get them up and running but I need finance to do it. I'm already copping huge expenses running 2 shows. It might be a Govt grant or some sort of sponsor. Advertising on TV is very slow to take off here. We can certainly compete with the other media outlets, but we are newer than other media outlets, so it takes a leap of faith... I do love the creative process of putting shows together. It's so exciting for me and because we have now some great procedures set up for our existing productions its not as hard as someone starting from scratch. I won't host the shows, I have my show, one is enough but will set up other shows for other people. I guess we are just hoping that Virtual worlds become more mainstream and that this media is as popular as it should be within the virtual population.

Voodoo Buwan: Well, there's no reason why it shouldn't be with the enthusiasm and work you're putting in. Best of luck, and thanks for taking time to talk to me

If you're house is fast becoming taken over by your DVD collection, imdb.com is one of your most used bookmarks, and you spend those rare nights away from SL down at the local multiplex, you may be wondering if there are places in Secondlife where you can explore and embrace your love of celluloid within the virtual landscape. If so, you aren't alone, as I also was wondering something similar, but of course, anyone who has put the words "movie" or "film" into the SL search engine will know that this is a recipe for a long and painful search through advert after advert for porno theatres, porn filled inworld television, or randy webcam girls at reasonable prices. So, fear not, I have attempted to save you the effort and possible blindness that such a search can bring, by tirelessly scouring the grid to find some of the best places in SL to visit if you consider yourself a bit of a cinema aficionado.

There are various movie theatres in SL, where you and your friends can go and catch a film together, and many of them cost you absolutely nothing. One particular sim, the suitably movie inspired named Amity Island, actually has two. The Second Cinema Movie Theatre is a traditional cinema with one screen but plenty of seating, showing a variety of largely horror films (on the two occasions I popped by, they were showing "Scream" and "Interview with a vampire"). However, if you would prefer to enjoy a more open air movie experience with a charming retro feel they also have a superb Drive in Movie Theatre next door, showing films like "The Goonies", which you can view while sitting in one of the stylish American automobiles they have put out for the enjoyment of patrons. Once you've seen one of the films on offer, you can also head down to the beach to enjoy the little tribute to the film Jaws, from which the sim gets it's name.


If your film tastes extend to the more art house end of the spectrum, you might want to check out the small yet modern cinema that the BBC Film Network have set up on the depo sim, playing some superb documentaries. On show when I popped over for a look was "I Expect Jean Feels The Same" an interesting and touching story about two WW2 war widows, and the love and losses that they have experienced. Definitely more thought provoking than your average popcorn fodder.


Another small but perfectly formed moviehouse can be found on the Desperation Kelly sim, at the Redrum Public House and Cinema. Upon my visit, they were showing the frankly legendary "Full Metal Jacket", and if you piece together the clues from their film choice, and the name of the Pub, then you can probably figure out some of the other film related delights to be found nearby. If you go exploring, you may well discover a door to the Kubrick Rooms, a tribute to the much missed director, with lovingly detailed recreations of the sets like the war room from one of my favourite films, Dr Strangelove, along with the bathroom from The Shining, and a Moloko bar from A Clockwork Orange. You can even enjoy a documentary about the man himself, inside the room detailed after the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Once you have experienced these delights, you can also find some superb recreations of the shack from Evil Dead, and also the 80's Cafe from Back to the Future 2, but in addition to being able to have a look around these, you can also buy copies of them for your very own, to place on your own land, if you so wish.


For more items of purchasable film related goodness, you can do a lot worse than visiting the Paper Street Soap Company. Ah ha, I hear you cry, I know what this will look like then. And while you would be right that the signature pink soap from the Fight Club posters does feature heavily, and you can buy a fine recreation of the house on Paper Street, the actual main store building actually owes more to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, although put through something of a grime filter, and producing soap instead of chocolate, in appearance at least. Other prefab buildings for sale, that should interest any film fan, include the desert church from Kill Bill, Sweeney Todd's barber shop, the Quickstop store from Clerks, and a smashed up version of the Mooby's fastfood restaurant from Clerks 2. There are also some nicely crafted film inspired outfits on offer, which you can wear while you pop to the neighboring sim, to check out some of these buildings out on display, so you can have a look around before you buy.


It would be remiss of me to talk about films and Secondlife without talking about the large community of Star Wars fans, who have decided against playing one of the other Star Wars themed online games, preferring rather to make their own roleplaying areas in SL, and becoming a Jedi or Sith inworld. One of the best places to go to dip your toe into this galaxy not so far far away, is Little Mos Eisley, a highly detailed slice of the planet Tatooine. If you decide that you'd rather not get involved in the lightsaber battling, and rather just look around the Cantina, or marvel at the creatures, buildings and vehicles littering the sim (including a gorgeous Millennium Falcon), you can get a free visitors tag at the arrival point, and walk without fear of attack.


And finally, how could I look at the perfect places for a film buff to look at without suggesting a visit to the Hollywood Sim. This is a beautifully glamorous place, complete with it's own walk of fame, and Hollywood sign for you to gawp at, and if you're lucky you may even be able to catch a show at the sims very own Hollywood Bowl venue. Sounds like a potentially perfect end to any movie fans day in the world of SL.