Too Hollywood a headline? Nah. Two projects of mine earned their way to some laurels this month. First up, THE ICE & TIMES OF RACHEL W. was selected as an Official Selection for Stareable Fest, celebrating web series and indie TV talent. Second, HOLOCRIMES has advanced to finalist in narrative at the Festival de Jogos do SBGames Recife 2020, a festival for the Brazilian games industry. I contributed to the narrative, but I promise I didn’t commit any of the crimes!
ICE & TIMES is a hybrid fictional/documentary short-form series intended to inspire women to pursue STEM fields. If picked up, the series would follow a young woman going on the adventure of a lifetime as she participates in research expeditions in Antarctica.
HOLOCRIMES: AR INVESTIGATION allows the player to participate in a remote investigation of crimes as a new investigator. Solving these crimes may unveil a plot that menaces more than just the victims. Available for any detective using an Android. In addition to its nomination for Best Narrative, HOLOCRIMES is also a finalist in the Best Mobile Game, Best Design, and Best Technology categories. Maybe crime does pay.
If you’ve had a chance to play the game, I’d definitely love to hear your thoughts! Drop a comment below.
The series I created, ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE, will be showing at Baltimore New Media Web Festival this weekend, under its English title, LOVE, ANNETTE. The fest goes on all weekend, but make sure you’re there Sunday to catch the viewing, hopefully with English subtitles.
WHAT: LOVE, ANNETTE screening
WHEN: Sunday, November 5 at 2pm
WHERE: Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Avenue Baltimore, Maryland
You can buy tickets for the two-day event here. I’d attend myself if I weren’t speaking elsewhere this weekend. If you go, please let me know how it went! And if you can’t make it this time around, the Rio Webfest chose ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE for their webfest in mid-November. In case you were planning to be in Rio 🙂
100 episodes. 2.6 million views. Thousands of comments. It was such a great ride. So happy that people liked ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE, and that Youtube has google translate. ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE, the German webseries I created, concluded this month. Eager to find out what happened with Annette, Maria, Henry, and Arne? Fortunately, I’ve got the synopses for you in English.
Not caught up? Check out the first episodes here, the second batch of episodes, and the penultimate list of episodes here. All set? Here’s how it all played out:
Arne’s back! Sort of. He gives an interview where he denies he had deep feelings for Annette, and also implies that there was another reason he was with her.
Jenny kicks ass. She backs up Annette who’s trying to take down all copies of the improper video that’s been released in the wild. But there’s one copy she won’t take down…
Annette is happy! Who knew this was a thing? She’s been offered a job, everything is easy with Henry, and best of all, she doesn’t have to participate in Maria’s wedding planning.
Arne has written a new song, and Henry catches Annette listening to it.
Episode 97
Graf called off the wedding! But is Annette ready to forgive Maria?
Episode 98
Arne’s got a letter for Annette that Henry doesn’t want her to have. What’s going on?
Episode 99
Annette shares what happened with Henry. What’s next for Annette?
Episode 100
Last episode! Annette has packed and says goodbye to everyone who had an impact on her, one way or another, and Maria has one more surprise.
Thank you for everything!
Congrats to the cast and crew, and thanks to everyone and the fans for a great run!
Remember, even if you don’t know German, you can watch by turning on Closed Captioning and changing the Youtube settings to auto-translate. You can also follow along on their social media sites and use the magic of Google translate:
ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE, the German webseries I created, swung into full gear this month. Annette has gotten to know both Henry and Arne, and now she has to make a decision. But will it come out as she expects?
Annette may not be sure, but 200 comments says the fans have chosen their guy! After Arne’s ultimatum, Annette is torn between Arne and Henry, and gets a little assist from Maria.
She’s lost everyone, but she’s going to keep vlogging. #teamannette!
Remember, even if you don’t know German, you can watch by turning on Closed Captioning and changing the Youtube settings to auto-translate. You can also follow along on their social media sites and use the magic of Google translate:
The music video of the song Annette and Arne co-wrote is now live! But I’m getting ahead of myself. The last two months of ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE have been chock-full of change, as Arne comes in. Annette may soon have to make a choice.
Do boys share? Annette told Henry the truth about his poems, then he went off with Graf. Have they been talking about them the whole day?
Episode 25
Annette comes back from a horrible date orchestrated by Maria and ends up spending the evening talking to Henry… who looks smitten.
Episode 26
Maria is convinced that Annette’s bust of a date actually went well, and she acts it out for our benefit.
Episode 27
Annette and Henry get a little revenge on Maria by messing around with her Arne poster.
Episode 28
Annette and Henry have a fight over music tickets, of all things, and Graf has to talk to Annette off-camera. What did he tell her…?
Episode 29
The fans called it! Graf did indeed propose to Maria, who said yes. She’s so happy, she’ll even invite grumpy Henry to the wedding.
Episode 30
TFW you’re listing everything you hate about Henry and then realize what you really feel. And then Henry’s got a big announcement.
Episode 31
Sometimes you don’t want to let go. Henry is leaving. Does Annette have the guts to tell him how she feels?
Episode 32
Annette resorts to poetry and tries on a sexy outlook, but her heart wanders back to Henry.
Episode 33
Maria says in her own charming way that Annette is better off. Henry is ugly and Annette deserves someone who is hot for her body and not just her brain.
Episode 34
Annette’s story got accepted by the Grimm Brothers! But she’s bummed she can’t celebrate with Henry. Maria must resort to drastic measures to cheer her up.
Episode 35
Annette must deal with a Bridezilla, Graf must try 10 kinds of cake, and somewhere in there, Annette learns of an interesting murder mystery…
Episode 36
Maria and Annette challenge each other to not mention the wedding or Henry. Guaranteed you will know the German word for wedding after watching this video.
Episode 37
Ruined! A flood has damaged Maria’s “prized possessions.” In the process of going through them, Annette discovers something surprising about Henry.
Episode 38
The drawback of a vlog? You can scour old footage for “proof” that Henry had feelings, too. Then, Annette makes a decision.
Episode 39
Henry hasn’t responded, and Jenny shows up to try to get her sister to move back home.
Episode 40
Someone new moves in! Annette is surprised when she finds out who it is.
Episode 41
Arne’s first full episode, in which he shares his dark backstory, and also he had a turtle 🙂
Episode 42
Henry responds!! But does it clear up anything?
Episode 43
Strip poker night and… isn’t Maria engaged to Graf?! Annette starts to feel invisible.
Episode 44
Annette procrastinates writing, earns a hug from Arne, but only has eyes for a turtle?
Episode 45
Arne’s badass musical talents and kindness are starting to win over Annette — and some of the fans, as they’re splitting into #arnette (Arne and Annette) and #henryette factions.
Episode 46
Maria wants Annette to go after Arne already, but Graf finds Arne a bit ridiculous. Trouble in paradise?
Episode 47
Annette and Arne get to know each other over cheese toast, until he says the wrong thing, and she tells him like it is.
Episode 48
Annette and Maria demonstrate how Arne embarrasses Annette at a dinner with the Grimms. Some barbies were harmed in the making of this video.
Episode 49
Annette is pretty sure there’s a killer in the house, and her last day will be spent licking Maria’s invitations. What the noise actually is, however…
Episode 50
Episode 50! Featuring my favorite line: “You think I’m afraid of Graf? Have you SEEN his socks?” Things come to a head between Graf and Arne.
Episode 51
Arne proposes something that makes Annette uncomfortable. Also, Graf says something that leaves everyone temporarily speechless.
Episode 52
Annette grapples with inane feedback from the Grimms, while Maria enlists Annette to practice for a local interview about living with Arne. But who is interviewing whom?
Episode 53
Kyuuute episode. They play truth or dare. What does Arne dare Annette to do?
Episode 54
Annette finally writes a song with Arne… and tells him about Henry.
Episode 55
Annette gets frustrated with the feedback she gets from the Grimms and ends up in an argument with Maria. This spawned quite a discussion on who was being meaner, Maria or Annette. What do you think?
Episode 56
Annette is too self-conscious to record their song, so she and Arne mess around to loosen her up. Maybe he’s a good (business) partner after all.
Episode 57
Annette has spent far too much time with Arne working on this song and the video — it’s almost over! But of course, Arne has to weigh in on editing the video, too. Maybe she doesn’t mind so much?
Episode 58
Annette tries a pro and con list on living with Maria, but she’s officially torn between Henry and Arne.
Episode 59
Annette is filming Maria and Graf’s wedding video when Graf reveals a secret about Henry.
Episode 60
Annette and Arne’s music video is now live! Give the song a listen!
Even if you don’t know German, you can watch most of these episodes by turning on Closed Captioning and changing the Youtube settings to auto-translate. You can also follow along on their social media sites and use the magic of Google translate: https: //www.facebook.com/AllesLiebeAn … https: //www.instagram.com/allesliebea …
The webseries I created, ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE, has been streaming on Youtube for over a month and a half! Check out this resume of the first episodes if you haven’t seen them yet. The series, developed for German broadcaster MDR and Funk, cracked 15,000 subscribers this month with the introduction of Henry, who at first completely forgot he’d met Annette and ends up… well, it’s still in progress 😉
If you can understand German, take a gander at the episodes that premiered in the last month:
Episode 7
Her sister Jenny is literally at the point of strangling her, so Annette, fed up, announces she’s moving out to stay with Maria. And so it begins…
Episode 8
Annette moves in with Maria… but it’s not all fun and dancing.
Episode 9
Annette should be writing, but she’s looking through online dating profiles instead.
Episode 10
Annette has yet to write anything at Maria’s. I wonder why…
Episode 11
It’s happening! Annette meets Henry (again), who doesn’t remember her from the Arne concert way back in ep 4.
Episode 12
Henry still doesn’t remember Annette, but he’s figured out there’s a vlog.
Episode 13
Annette and Maria talk smack about Henry, and he overhears. Awkward.
Episode 14
Henry calls Annette Maria’s puppet. Annette hits the beer.
Episode 15
Annette practices music to prove to Henry she’s not Maria’s puppet. Plus, first Arne video!
Episode 16
The gang have a farewell party for Maria’s free time,now that her family’s arranged a job for her at the Grimms. Looks like the only ones really unhappy are Maria… and Henry.
Episode 17
Maria’s sleeping in her work clothes, while Annette plays with a new story, though Henry is still on her mind…
Episode 18
Annette doesn’t get a great review on her story, so she turns to Henry to help her revise…
Episode 19
Annette gets a mountain of notes from Henry, and Maria entertains herself by giving her a strange hairstyle.
Episode 20
OMG, so cute together! No need to summarize the episode, the title is enough: “No more showers and naked running around” ha!
Episode 21
Annette gets a good review — and now Henry is nervous about asking her for feedback on his writing.
Episode 22
Double date & naked? Annette goes on a double date, and somewhere in there is a live model drawing class.
Episode 23
Henry’s poems are terrible; Annette doesn’t know how to tell him. Maria, however, would have no problem.
The webseries I created, ALLES LIEBE, ANNETTE, premiered at the beginning of the month, and six episodes are up already! Following the friendship, love, and betrayal of Annette Hulshoff, the webseries begins with a rejection from a university: her application revealed too little about her personality. She embarks on a webseries to explain herself, right before she embarks on the most exciting and harrowing time of her life. Based on the life of the eponymous poet, so far the series has introduced Annette and her goal of getting out of her little town, her close friendship with Maria, and Maria’s boyfriend Graf.
This transmedia webseries includes twitter and instagram feeds, not to mention the comments section of the videos themselves. The webseries is a first for German broadcaster MDR Sputnik and funk. Nevertheless, you can watch it auf Deutsch on Youtube here or check out all the videos that have aired so far:
Episode 1
Annette introduces herself and her need to get the hell out of dodge. She also introduces her sister, Jenny, the good girl.
Episode 2
Maria tells Annette to live a little and offers to teach her to flirt it up at an Arne concert.
Episode 3
Annette is stressing over a poem she’s writing, but Maria just wants to head out for the concert. Guess who wins?
Episode 4
After the concert, Annette and Maria get stranded… somewhere?
Episode 5
Annette put up her first poem — and now has to deal with internet comments.
Episode 6
Annette consoles Maria, who’s broken up with Graf… again!
In case you hadn’t heard, the webseries I wrote for, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, won a Creative Arts Emmy this year for Original Interactive Program. I haven’t posted about it sooner, because, as one might say to me or Mr. Darcy, “pics or it didn’t happen.” Here are the pics for the Emmys, and heck, while I’m at it, I’ll list the other awards the show has earned:
IAWTV Award: Best Interactive/Social Media Experience Streamy Awards: Best Interactive Program; Best Writing: Comedy Emmy Award: Original Interactive Program
Congrats again to our fearless leader Bernie Su, as well as all the cast, crew, and fans who made it possible!
ICE & TIMES is a hybrid fictional/documentary short-form series intended to inspire women to pursue STEM fields. If picked up, the series would follow a young woman going on the adventure of a lifetime as she participates in research expeditions in Antarctica.
The series I created, 
Anne Toole, writer 