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This week we are shining a spotlight on Tzeitel Enchantment, the ambassador for "Power Up for Charge," the official fundraising arm of the Charge Syndrome Foundation in Second Life.

How did you first hear about Second Life?

I have been a member of Second Life since March 2007. I first heard about it from a story in the news and just had to log in to see what it was all about. I’ve never looked back, it’s been an amazing ride.

What gave you the idea to start running fundraisers for Charge Syndrome in SL?

A friend of mine first suggested I have a fundraiser for Charge Syndrome in late 2019, because I’m so passionate about the work of the foundation and such a strong advocate for my child who lives with Charge Syndrome. I am quite open about my child with Charge Syndrome, and the challenges he (and we) have faced in Second Life. I feel it’s important the stories of those with disabilities are told. So it was also important to me to not just raise funds for The Charge Syndrome Foundation, but to also build awareness about this rare disease that is not only the most complex condition a child can be born with, but is also the leading cause of deaf-blindness among other things.

I let it percolate a bit, knowing that it would be a huge task, because when you do something in Second Life you gotta go big!  As the idea percolated, Love Kats offered up a space for me to host the event. I found 12 amazing musicians to perform live, some content creators donated  for draws and I had a small cohesive team of folks that helped me plan all the details and make it happen. So on February 29, 2020 I hosted the first annual “Power Up! For Charge” fundraising event to celebrate Rare Diseases Day. The day was a huge success.

Tzeitel Enchantment getting her son ready for graduation

Do you build in SL, or collaborate with other Residents? Please describe your process for running these events and getting Residents engaged.

I am not a creator in Second Life, but since the inception of the Charge Syndrome Region, I’ve learned a lot about region design, terraforming etc. My creative head and principal designer is Suzen Juel (Juel Resistance) and she has taught me just about everything I know. While we have very different styles, we have a fun but messy process for creating the fun space we call Charge Syndrome, and it works really well for us. I am really open to collaboration, and allowing others to create fun spaces in the region. I think it is empowering for everyone involved and it helps to keep everything fresh. As we build, my charger inevitably interrupts and becomes part of the conversation. Almost everything we do is inspired by him and the joy and inspiration he creates by being simply the person that he is.  

Suzen Juel and Tzeitel Enchantment

In addition to Suzen, my core inworld team includes Dusty Caldera and Sana Lisbeth (Dreamsdesire Starfall). Tintin (Aborignal) has joined the creative team this time around and is really excited about the ice cave “experience” he has created as well as some other wonderful spots. We have also welcomed Cranston Yordstom, the creator and builder of the Charge Syndrome Railway. Additionally, Ing (ingwaz.thor) has joined the fold who is designing a fun space for the Tinies and Dinkies of Second Life. 

We are a welcoming and diverse group of people, and if anyone wants to be part of the growing community, I am always looking for help. It’s not just the design of the region, but we also need folks to help plan and implement our events, outreach and whatever else we can think of. 

 I am very grateful for everyone who has donated their time and talents to Charge Syndrome. Together, I believe, we are building an amazing and supportive community.

Power Up! For Charge Holiday Creators

Do you have any inworld events coming up?

I am hoping to have some holiday events this year. We currently have Nina Settner confirmed for December 4th. This will be a special event where she will be performing some more classical pieces. I am also in the planning stages for Sul’s big birthday bash in January. That’s my charger’s birthday, so we have to celebrate!  

Planning is also underway for the 3rd Annual “Power Up! For Charge” event for Rare Diseases Day. This has become a multi-day event during the last weekend in February, and is the cornerstone for all of our fundraising efforts for The Charge Syndrome Foundation. 

Your region just underwent a transformation for the winter months. Could you tell us about that process and if there are any things in particular that inspired or influenced the design?

Charge Syndrome is transformed about four times a year. It’s a fun but messy process. That usually starts with emptying and flattening the region so it’s like a blank canvas.  The base textures have all been hand drawn and created by Suzen Juel and from there we build upward and create the shape for the space. Suzen is very specific about the whole visual component so before we begin to lay anything down together we will decide on the sky, environment, and mood. It can take a while to do this part, but it’s a lot of fun as we experiment with all the lights trying to set the right vibe and tone. 

The themes we choose for each build are typically inspired by my son, who lives with Charge Syndrome. They tend to be playful and quirky and focus on light and texture. My charger lives with low vision so definition and light play a big role. My creative director, Suzen, is an artist so the region is never going to have a realistic look to it. Our trees have hearts or curlicues, our grass glows, and there is always something unexpected around the corner. 

I’m not sure where I got the idea for the railway for the winter theme this year, but it was embraced by the whole team. I’m so glad we went with it, and that I got the support of Cranston Yordstrom to design and build the whole system. I contacted him out of the blue and he hopped over immediately to start building. I was blown away by how he has embraced the project and the train is definitely a highlight for all of us.  

I also invited the Tiny and Dinkie community to the region this time around, and a space has been created just for them. In addition, we have customized dance and skating intans for them so they can enjoy all that Charge Syndrome has to offer. There is also a hot air balloon to enjoy, lots of spaces to find and explore and to take pictures.  Finally, we are in the final stages of creating an “experience” with the inclusion of a hidden, underwater cave system. This cool addition is being designed by Tintin (Ab0riginal), another new and wonderful addition to the team.  

My hope with each build is that people will be inspired to come and enjoy the space but will also  take a few minutes to read up our information boards about Charge Syndrome. Simply by accepting the teleport to the region, they have now heard of this disease, and I think that is a big step in beginning the education process. We want people to feel relaxed and happy in the space we’ve created. We want them to return again and again and bring their friends. Hopefully each step we take will help the community grow.

For people unfamiliar with Second Life, what is something you’d like them to know?

Second Life to me is really an extension of my first life. I have met some of my most favourite people in the world on the grid, and then have gone on to meet them in “real” life. I have laughed and cried with these folks, we have hugged and drank wine together.

Second Life brings together a diverse and amazing group of people. You can be whatever you want in the metaverse, you can explore your creative side, be an artist, singer, content creator. The exciting part of it is that you have a global community there to support you on your journey.  

Follow Tzeitel and learn more about Charge Syndrome at the following links:

Power Up! for Charge Destination: https://secondlife.com/destination/charge-syndrome
Power Up for Charge Flickr Group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/14758574@N23
Tzeitel Enchantment on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/41484783@N02
Tzeitel Enchantment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Tzeitel-Enchantment/100011509209478

Watch this Made in Second Life video about Power Up for Charge!

Video Production by Draxtor Despres
“You’ve Got a Way” written and performed by Suzen Juel
RL videography by Rosie L.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about how Tzeitel channeled her passions into this stunning region that raises awareness for Charge Syndrome. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are placing a Spotlight on Angel Manor, a palatial estate adorned in some of the most impressive architecture we've ever seen. The Duke (Kaya Angel, Owner & Builder) and Duchess (Kezzy Forwzy, Co-founder & General Manager) of Angel Manor have proven to be a powerhouse duo in terms of creativity and event management.

How long have each of you been in Second Life?

Kaya: Well, I first came into Second Life to see what this new virtual world was all about when it first went live. I was fascinated by what Philip Rosedale had said about this new world and his vision for it, and I was specifically interested to see what the proposed freedoms were in a {world composed of user-generated content}. At the very start, I wanted to see if people would explore the ideas of new social groups and societies that tested new ideas about how people could work together: if they would build environments and create businesses, or if people would just copy and replicate the real world as we know it. It was perhaps too early right at the start, it was such a new concept that it took us all a long time to understand what potential existed here. It wasn't until a few years later I really found my feet on the platform and created a new avatar who had a mission to create and build a community. So in one form or another I've been in Second Life from its birth and watched it change and grow into the world it is today.

Kezzy: I've been here just over 14 years now. A {physical world} friend had an avatar and had told me all about this online world where you can meet people from across the globe and enjoy amazing live music. I was really intrigued; I was already an online gamer and an active member of several community forums as well as running some myself, so I thought I would make an account. I was fascinated by the premise of being able to socialise in real time with people across the world, and at that time several {regions} had sprung up in likeness to where I lived in {the physical world} which really made me curious. I logged in, followed my friend to some live music venues and I was instantly hooked. I met Kaya within a week of logging in and the rest, as they say, is history!

Do either of you have a background in design, and what drew you to creating things in a virtual world?

Kaya: I do have a background in design, as my full time job is as an event designer. I specialise in lighting and set design currently for large corporate events, but my background is based in theatre and concerts. It's often strange how much Second Life replicates my real life work! Doing technical design in RL has really helped in Second Life as a key part of my design role is to understand how people are affected by different environments, such as how light, space and sound influence the experience people have. Here at Angel Manor we really try to ensure we create a very real immersive world, which we often describe as “hyper reality” in that it's just a little exaggerated, but very much based on the world we are used to. This means there are rules such as items can't be floating, and even though we don't have the laws of physics it should feel as if they do. So structures must look like they would stand under their own weight and we don't want the estate to feel like a film set in that every door should lead to a real room and every window should have a view both inside and out. But Second Life has also helped me so much in my professional career as I now use the 3D modelling skills I gained from Second Life in other 3D programs to create the designs to showcase to clients as proposals. So it’s very much been a two way learning of which I'm very thankful for.

Kezzy: I am not a designer at all! Kaya is absolutely the design genius in this partnership, although I enjoy the design process throughout. I deal with the logistics side - running the estate in terms of the day-to-day management and organising live events and private bookings. However, our strengths feed off each other, which is why I think we make such a great team. For me, I get great joy from bringing our talents together to create spectacular events and seasonal treats that will inspire and motivate all Residents of Second Life to live their best lives by joining us in our world. When we bring together our skills and create a magical event or a new build that has people talking about it for weeks and months, that is the biggest draw for me.

Angel Manor is such an immaculate and huge place. How long did it take to build, and how would you describe your artistic vision?

Kaya: It's hard to put a time on how long it has taken to build as there are always updates and upgrades taking place. The best time scale I can give is to say that based on past experience, a full {region} here takes about two months to complete and a homestead about two weeks. But as I say, it’s always changing. The artistic vision is to ensure there is always something new to find, either because you did not find something on your first visit or something new has been added. Our vision is very much created by the influence of people who live and visit here. We always listen to the Residents who call Angel Manor their home and are open to new ideas they would like to see here. We get wonderful comments and take note of what people like and what areas may not get much use. This is how Angel Manor has been shaped over the years.

Kezzy: We also consistently hold ourselves to the highest standard of events that we can. We pride ourselves in delivering unique and exciting events whether that is by allowing the use of the venue for charity, cultural and large scale events or our own live music events. We've been really fortunate to have some of the very best in Second Life talent grace our stages over the past 14 years, and I think that all comes back to what we have created.

How would you describe the architectural style, and what are some things that inspired it?

Kaya: Starting as a 1930's ballroom, it has become more regal and palace-like over the years as that is what people seem to enjoy the most. The best way to describe the style is that it's based around a mix of English and French architecture from the golden era, but as this is Second Life we also like to add a mix of Disney magic, a touch of Phantom of the Opera and not forgetting the most recent influences of Downton Abbey! Just like the grand estates that are still around today, we act as the modern day custodians, here to keep the estate running and to keep it serving the community as best as we can while also ensuring all the roofs remain leak free and no aging stone work falls endangering visitors!

Kezzy: I think the biggest inspiration we have is being driven by the power Second Life gives us to create this very real feeling, very immersive world that allows Second Life Residents to come and experience whatever it is that they want it to be. We best describe the Angel Manor as themed as a modern day aristocratic palace that aims to create an environment that allows our visitors, Residents and staff to experience a standard of life and culture that encourages, inspires and motivates us to live our best lives in both worlds. It is not a traditional roleplay location, but a place people can come as their true avatar self and act as they would if they were visiting or living in an old aristocratic estate.

What have been some of your favorite events that have taken place at Angel Manor? Anything coming up that you’d like to share?

Kaya: When it comes to events I think we are best known for the stage production we add to the live music events. We work to support artists that perform on our main ballroom stage by providing changing lights and sets that visually support the artist. The reason for this was not just because this is my real life background, but because we wanted people to feel they are at a very real show. Often with live music it can be easy for people to arrive and listen and enjoy the performance, but they will be either camming around to see who else is there or maybe deep in chat with other friends while listening to the performance. We really want people to be not just listening but watching the performance. The visual aspect of our shows should also help convey the emotion of the song being performed to enhance the overall experience. The other events that stand out are the large themed events we do which are normally based around holidays. We have created large Halloween events such as a masquerade ball, and enjoyed Easter with {a nod to} Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with chocolate river and waterfall to get the perfect mix!

Kezzy: We have been really lucky to showcase the best artistic talent across Second Life, be that in art, music and culture. We have two live music events across our various venues every week but I think my favourite events are also the Grand Balls we put on twice a year at Easter and Halloween. These are custom built, themed events that we have so much fun brainstorming and designing together. The most recent ball was the Enchanted Ballroom, themed as if we had sneaked all of our guests into the ballroom from Beauty and the Beast! This summer we celebrated our 14th anniversary with a grand "Celebration of the Arts" festival, with live music spanning across a whole weekend. We invited musicians who had performed on our very first stage right up to musicians who are relatively new to the Second Life music scene, and we were delighted that the {regions} were full for the entire weekend. This festive season sees the return of our annual Christmas Market, built in the Estate Gardens that will feature market stalls from some of SL's finest designers as well as a full calendar of live music events so we would encourage everyone to wrap up warm and join us for some festive cheer through December.

Do you consider Angel Manor to be finished, or do any parts get remodeled after a certain amount of time?

Kaya: Angel Manor is never finished as I just love building too much! There is always something that can be improved or made fresh. We never want the place to feel dated in SL terms. There are always new techniques or new mesh that improves on the design, but most of all we want anyone who lives or visits here to always find something new. Also, from a business point of view, the homes here are on a continuous cycle of updates to ensure we always offer the grandest of regal living.

Kezzy: I call it tinkering! It's not unusual for me to log in and find Kaya trying something new, or rebuilding a wing, or excitedly showing me the inspiration behind a new idea. Part of the magic is seeing what we will come up with next to add to the estate. It's forever evolving to meet the needs and desires of the Residents and visitors but also our own needs and desires as well.

What are some of the day to day tasks of managing such a large estate?

Kaya: When it comes to day to day tasks I know Kezzy is always out looking for new performers to bring to the our stages, while I do the rounds of the estate tending to the grounds and buildings. It's not uncommon that a Resident may have had a car crash into a bush, or maybe a horse has broken free and is roaming the estate. There may be the odd golf or tennis ball that has been hit off course. Some of the largest tasks are dealing with all the season changes, as the estate has wonderful summers and golden falls and not forgetting very cold and snowy winters. Ensuring the estate feels alive and is always changing is a key part to my day to day tasks.

Kezzy: I love how incredibly varied each of my SL days are! I like to check in with any residents that are online, and see what they are up to or if they need any help. I encourage them all to run social events within the estate which fosters a great sense of community, something that we are very proud of here. If we have a show or an event that day, I will be prepping notices and promotional material and checking in with the event organiser, musician or their manager to make sure everything is going ahead. Otherwise, I'll be checking the calendar for the weekly events, answering notecards and IMs with inquiries about the estate and the store and booking the next month's worth of shows. Each day is completely different, I never know who I will come across when walking around the estate, and I love that. The diversity and breadth of our visitors never fails to amaze and inspire me.

For more information on Angel Manor, follow them here:
Website - www.angelmanor.org
Facebook - www.facebook.com/angelmanor
Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/groups/angelmanor/
YouTube - www.youtube.com/user/ThePurpleRoseTheatre
Instagram - www.instagram.com/angelmanor
Twitter - www.twitter.com/angelmanor
Teleports - angelmanor.org/visit-us

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Angel Manor. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on Zaara Kohime, who brings the luxurious colors of Indian culture and clothing to SL through her digital creations. In addition to gorgeous lehengas and saris, a visit to her main store is an experience in itself. She has artfully incorporated many architectural styles and iconic symbols of Indian culture, such as colorful tilework and a serene temple.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I have been in SL since 2007! A friend of mine pointed me to a news article about it and I signed up. I didn't quite know what to do once I logged in (don't we all?). I used to camp in those days to earn some lindens and eventually made some friends. Soon enough, I was told that if I have any sort of graphic capabilities, I should try creating something in SL.

{Zaara} mainstore

Do you have a background in fashion or 3D creation? What got you interested in creating content for Second Life?

I went to art school and am trained in illustration and print media. I was also an art director at an ad agency that handled fashion and lifestyle brands. Advertising was on the cusp of digitization and print mediums were increasingly on the decline… we didn’t have the budgets at our disposal, or the timelines, that we were used to. It was just a high pressure environment and I was getting  pretty frustrated with that way of life. What attracted me to SL was the freedom, that I could do *anything* and if it was good enough, people were willing to pay for it and appreciate it. I liked the idea of being able to reach a global audience and to be on a level playing field; there was a sense of equality about it and mutual respect. The positive feedback from customers was also encouraging, it felt like what I was doing was worthwhile and bringing joy to someone in a very direct way.

I decided to make a few outfits in my spare time to see how it went... and thus {Zaara} was born. I was proficient in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, however, I had no training in any 3D software. Luckily, SL content at the time was not driven by mesh but rather by textures, which were my strength. Luckily, I could pick up newer techniques and softwares along the way as SL evolved. My partner, Sawyer Campese, was comfortable with 3D and I learned softwares quickly. Needless to say 14 years later, I am still here and loving it!

{Zaara} Lehenga

As most of your clothing is highly influenced by South Asian culture, please share some common garment terms that people might not be familiar with. Are there any specific people, places, or movies that have inspired your designs?

{Zaara} is a quintessential Indian brand, pretty rooted in tradition and authentic in its representation. A lot of my customers who are not from India are often pleased to discover fashion goes beyond a sari. I do try to name my outfits correctly, with the name in Hindi and English so people understand how these pieces are called.

I try to focus on specific outfit styles, the most popular of which is a Lehenga - flared intricately worked on skirts with blouses with draped scarves. Most South Asian traditional garments tend to have draped scarves called 'dupattas' or 'chunnis' for the sake of modesty. Then of course there is the Sari - the ultimate fashion paradox... it is as complex as it is simple, with its richly decorated seven yards of untailored fabric.  There are apparently over 100 different ways in which a sari can be draped. I have managed to make... ONE style (lol). Then you also have tops or long dresses such as 'kurtas' which are worn with pants. These have several different names such as anarkali, a patiala, churidar kurta, sharara, gararas... depending on the cut of the top and the fit of the pants.

A big part of my inspiration is drawn from different fabrics, embroideries, and regional differences that stretch across the vast landscape of India. I also love color and South Asian fashion is one where strong colors and patterns are unapologetically front and center, so I like to celebrate that. A lot of my customers contribute references or draw attention to an outfit from a popular Bollywood movie and I happily comply if possible!

{Zaara} Patiala Kurta (left) and {Zaara} Sari (right)

You recently updated the Zaara mainstore to an all mesh build. This photogenic Indian themed location is an attraction in itself, filled with meaningful cultural markers such as a temple, colorful tilework and stained glass, and the revered cow and elephant. What was the process of building such an elaborate store like, and what experience do you hope people take from visiting?

My inspiration for the {Zaara} sim was a mix of old Havelis (mansions) and the steps/ghats you see in Puskhar and Varanasi. I like this region because its architecture is influenced by Hindu as well as Islamic elements which captures the multicultural fabric of India.

Zaara region ghats/steps

I also understand that a lot of non-resident Indians come to SL looking for nostalgia and a feeling of home.... I didn't want to build a palace, but rather something relatable that had seen better days and was looking for a sense of purpose. The {Zaara} mainstore is housed in such a 'Haveli' with a rambling layout which spills over outdoors into the lanes leading to the 'ghats' or steps into the water. 

Zaara region lane

I initially referenced pictures off of Google, but unfortunately, I didn't even know where to start. Rural Indian builds are so chaotic and I couldn't figure out what these builds looked like on the inside, and how one building led into another. So I traveled to Rajasthan, along with my partner Sawyer, to collect references and observe the structures firsthand. The Mainstore structure itself is based on an old Haveli in Shekhawati. The yellow building that houses the Menswear is a quaint house I saw in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The pools are a nod to the gorgeous lake palace in Udaipur. Then there was this particular lane in Pushkar that I fell in love with and attempted to recreate a simplified version here in the sim. I could do sooo much more, the {Zaara} sim still feels like a work in progress... but I had to stop somewhere and get back to making Saris and Lehengas!

Lane comparisons - RL (left) vs SL (right)

How has Second Life impacted your life?

Well, I met my now RL husband in SL, so it has certainly impacted my life (haha). In general, I think the most priceless thing Second Life offers is freedom. We have been able to move across countries because of how flexible we are... and because it is not a 9-5 job we could develop other interests and hobbies. I was bogged down by a mortgage on my apartment in Mumbai and my SL business helped me pay that back. We are now building a life together without the traditional constraints of a job or location, and I'll always be grateful to Second life for that. I have made so many friends from so many countries and even met a few IRL! Nothing can be quite as enriching as a culturally diverse human encounter. What keeps me going is the appreciation of customers, some of whom have been purchasing from my store for 13-14 years.

Zaara region temple

Where can people follow you to learn more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

Flickr
Facebook
Instagram
SLURL to Zaara mainstore
Zaara on Marketplace

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Zaara’s talent and flair for virtual fusion fashion. 

Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup.

Today we are shining a spotlight on Yu Zhu (Jamaicasianbaby), a multi-talented Resident with an impressive array of skills, from photography to vlogging to styling, and even landscaping!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been in Second Life since 2011. Actually, I can't quite recall the website where I first saw the ad for Second Life, but I do remember that it immediately caught my interest because I’ve always enjoyed playing life-simulation games, like the Sims, since I was quite young.

Your Second Life photos are amazing, do you have a background in photography, and what are some of the tools you use to enhance your images?
Thank you, and unfortunately, I do not have any background in photography. I was raised by very traditional, well-intentioned parents who preferred that I attended dental school instead of art school. My late older brother, who passed away in 2020, was actually able to become a photographer/videographer. He was always very skilled with computers and gadgets from a really young age. He was the one who introduced me to the program Adobe Photoshop when I was around 12 years old and he taught me how to select objects in an image to remove the background. 

When I was under a tremendous amount of pressure during dental school, I was able to use SL photography as an escape and an outlet for some of the frustrations I felt at the time. As much as I hate to admit it, I am sort of a pushover by nature so I found some satisfaction in portraying a more assertive and endearing character through photos of my avatar. My aim when editing snapshots was to enhance the realism of this character and the scenes as much as I could. I started with the old skills that my brother had taught me and I continued to polish those skills, learning mostly by trial and error since I didn’t know of many SL photo editing tutorials at the time.

Around 2013 I was introduced to Flickr and that was where I started sharing my work. I soon started blogging and enjoyed it for a few years. This experience pushed me to experiment with different ideas and concepts, which then in turn helped me to further develop my skills with SL photography. After some time I started receiving requests for portraits and store advertisements. In the past, I used to be more active with accepting clients and have done ads for various stores like Addams, Bad Unicorn, Cold Ash, The Forge, and others. I have drastically reduced my client intake since then because my hobby started feeling too much like ‘work’ rather than something fun and creative. In any case, I have no regrets about the experiences as I was able to learn a lot through them and met some really great folks along the way. 

Recently, my partner upgraded me to a custom gaming pc so I was finally able to start playing around with Black Dragon viewer. After having used Firestorm viewer for years on my laptop, I was blown away by the quality of graphics on Black Dragon and how it’s able to significantly augment the overall aesthetics in Second Life. This viewer definitely helps to enhance images and make them more realistic with less requirement for post-editing of snapshots in Photoshop. It does take some time to become familiar with all of the settings. I am still in the process of learning myself, but I have really grown to enjoy using this viewer to capture my raw images.

You have your own YouTube channel, can you tell us how you got into creating videos, what kind of content you focus on, and what are some of the tools you use?
I think the moment that triggered the chain of events that led me to start my channel was around the end of 2022, when I logged into SL after a long time and was going through my inventory with an intense feeling of guilt. I couldn't believe the embarrassing amount of unused items that were just sitting in my inventory, some that have not even been unboxed yet. Around this time as well, I was watching various architectural and home decor videos on Youtube because I had just married my SL partner in RL and we were attempting to design our first official home together. I felt spontaneously inspired to attempt a little virtual home tour video with a skybox that I had set up at the time and that was the very first video I uploaded to Youtube. 

There are so many things I enjoy doing on SL that I personally can’t always capture through a snapshot, like decorating and landscaping. Even when it comes to fashion. I play dress-up with my avatar on a regular basis and I go through tons of outfits that I often don’t get the chance to take pictures of. I take a decent amount of time to edit each image and I have my limits when it comes to tastefully capturing an entire outfit from head to toe in a single photo. I figured videos would be a nice way to showcase many full outfits and pretty much all the rest of the things I like to get into on SL. I wanted to create fun and aesthetically pleasing videos that I could look back on and perhaps others would enjoy watching them as well. So far it has also been a nice way to share in more detail about what I do on SL with my RL friends and family.

I guess you can describe my content as 'vlogs' as I focus on the things I do on SL/how I spend my time on SL. The topics range from fashion to creating shapes to landscaping and interior design to photography and photo editing plus more. I use a free screen recorder from ScreenRec.com to capture my scenes. The first video editing program I tried out was Shotcut, which is free and pretty straightforward to use. But then I learned about Filmora shortly after and tried the demo version of it. I had so much fun using this video editor and learning all the features that I went ahead and got the full version. 

You also co-own the Bamboo destination in Second Life. What inspired it and what can Residents expect when they visit?
Bamboo originally started off as a homestead and my private home with my partner, Jin Zhu. We’re both Asians living in the Western part of the world, so we wanted to design our SL home in a way that would represent our traditional cultures. Jin has roots in China, while mine are in Myanmar (a country in Southeast Asia). We wanted to create a home where we could feel nostalgic and relive familiar experiences from our childhoods. As we worked on materializing our vision, our passion quickly grew for this personal project and soon we expanded our homestead to a full sim and made it open to the public on March 18, 2022. 

Although we are both quite aware of the many unique differences between each Asian country, we can also appreciate the vast similarities that the majority of Asian cultures share. An often humid atmosphere, the rich smell of earth after the rain, the intense singing of insects and wildlife that thrive in lush vegetation, dense forests of ancient bamboo trees, and the sizzling sounds of fragrant foods cooking around street market vendors, are just a few examples of the similarities among Asian countries. Buddhism is also a prevalent religion in most of Asia. In many towns, one can find Buddhist temples and it is common for homes and places of business to have shrines and statues of Buddha. From our own personal recollections, we found that most countries in Asia are also especially similar when it comes to rural landscapes and villages. We pulled inspiration from memories of our travels back to our motherlands in order to create a place on SL that, in our perspective, showcased the essence of a rural far-eastern environment. 

Visitors may also stumble upon a hidden memorial on our sim that Jin kindly helped me to curate. This memorial was set up to pay tribute to the thousands of heroes that have fallen at the hands of the Myanmar military since 2021 - some as young as 1 year old, some even younger. Not very many are aware of what has been happening in Myanmar as these events have been overshadowed by the major war between Ukraine and Russia. Nevertheless, the crimes that have been committed against humanity are equally abhorrent. We wish to promote awareness of the current events that are still unfolding in Myanmar and the resilience of its civilians in their resistance against a well-established dictatorship. A cruel dictatorship that confiscated and withheld oxygen, medical supplies, and services from civilians during the peak of Covid-19 outbreaks. My own paternal uncle and cousin, who were both residing in Myanmar during this time, were not able to get access to the oxygen they needed and eventually lost their battles with the virus along with thousands of others. I am now constantly worried about losing more loved ones. Those who are resisting the military are mostly young high school students, nurses, doctors, teachers, farmers, and activists among many others. Innocent human beings, most of whom have never seen a weapon in their lives before these events. They are fighting for the freedom to hold onto their dignity and dreams, things that we often take for granted in democratic countries. The only thing that is keeping this current revolution alive is the conviction of those fighting for peace and their hope for a brighter future. The story of Myanmar is full of beauty, inspiration, tragedy, and heartbreak. I sincerely implore anyone who may be curious, to dive into its rich history and learn more about it.

Needless to say, our Bamboo sim holds much sentimental value for both me and Jin. It is a space to honor those who stood for peace during their lives and it further serves as a place to nurture and find peace within one’s own current life. This is what Residents can expect if they do decide to visit the Bamboo Destination in Second Life.

How has Second Life impacted your life?
Perhaps this may be considered taboo for most people to say but I have to admit, Second Life has been more than just ‘a game’ for me. It somehow evolved into something bigger and has integrated into my life where it will forever serve as a historic foundation for the person I am today. When I signed up with the most uncreative username that I could come up with in two seconds, I was not expecting that SL would pretty much change my entire life. 

Second Life gave me the creative outlet I didn’t really have growing up. Through this platform, I was able to explore my creativity and get through difficult times by being able to express myself in a variety of ways that would not have been possible in reality. 2020 was an especially tough year and with the travel restrictions, it was nice to be able to do things on SL like building places to escape to or taking pictures at beautiful locations that you can get to with the click of a mouse. 

I usually would never share any of my artwork with anyone I knew in RL but the warmth and encouragement I received from the Second Life community for my work really helped me to start believing in my own creative abilities. I am sincerely grateful to those who have been so kind and supportive to me over the years because it helped me to open up more in RL. My brother was the first person in my life with whom I shared my SL photography and landscaping work and it is now one of my most cherished memories with him. Since his passing, I finally gathered enough courage to share my work with my parents as well. I think many people who have grown up around western culture but under strict traditionalist, Asian parents can relate when I say, opening up to our parents is one of the hardest things to do. I’m pretty sure my parents didn’t understand much of what I was showing them but their acceptance and support for me that day has also become one of my most cherished memories in life. In a way, SL helped me to break many boundaries with my family.

Last but not least, I met my now real-life partner in Second Life. I actually already knew about Jin Zhu before we even spoke for the first time in 2018. Dynasty was one of the very first stores I discovered and loved on SL as the items invoked feelings of nostalgia for me and especially because in my early days on SL I did not come across many items with Asian themes. At the time I would have never expected that one day the creator would personally reach out to me, much less that I would end up marrying this amazing, talented, and kind individual. Jin and I were really able to connect and learn about each other through our creative endeavors on Second Life. We were able to talk a great deal and got to know each other while working on different projects and over time, precisely three years of long distance and a lot of traveling later, we both had the profound realization that there could be none more compatible than we were for each other. Jin proposed to me in Jamaica, where I grew up since I was 2 years old, on November 18, 2021. We have been married as of September 28, 2022, and I am now living in a whole new country and have a totally different life than what I could have ever imagined before I signed up to Second Life with a silly username.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
This question is the most difficult to answer as there are many talented and inspiring residents in SL. A few of my favorite stores that I can list off the top of my head, other than Dynasty, of course, are .Shi, BBQQ and [SAU] Motors. The creators behind these stores are all amazing individuals who are always so humble and supportive. I also admire artwork by Petra Messioptra (PM), who is one of the first artists/bloggers that I started following when I joined Flickr in 2013. William Weaver was also a great inspiration to me in my early days on Flickr, but unfortunately, I can no longer find his work on the platform. Some of his videos can still be found on Youtube. I've also enjoyed videos/blogs by Strawberry Singh, which I find to be quite detailed and informative. There are so many amazing residents in SL and I could fill many pages if I were to list them all here.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

• Flickr  
• Youtube
• Instagram  

Watch this fantastic video submitted by Yu Zhu for this Spotlight feature.

Thank you, Yu Zhu, for sharing your life-changing experiences with us.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we’re shining a spotlight on Winter Karter (Allure Enchanted), the creative force behind the fashion brand Vague and the founder of the Shoppe BLK initiative in Second Life.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I’ve been playing SL for over 15 years now. A group of friends and I came over from IMVU in 2006 to see what all the fuss was about, and for the life of me, I could not figure it out the first time around. I was just flying around aimlessly and was like, omg what is this?! I gave up that day! It took me about a year to come back and try again and was like okay I can walk, I can change my clothes. I think I got it now. Once I returned I never looked back!

You are a seasoned content creator, how did you get started, and can you tell us more about your brand Vague?
I first started creating clothing and accessories on IMVU. I knew I wanted to continue the journey here, but at the time I didn’t know where to begin. I wanted to create things I liked for myself and also to support my spending habits being in the game. This was a very expensive upgrade from the previous one. There weren’t as many options back then as there are now with all the different bodies and modifications. I come from a prehistoric time. I’m talking about dinosaur age! All we had was the default body, BOM clothing, and “/99bling on” accessories lmao. Shortly after figuring out the process as it was very different compared to the way things were on the other platform, I opened my first store “Killer Lipstick”. I was known as the girl who made the flexi tutu skirts lol. My store was a side-by-side concept with my now husband Kingston Karter’s former brand “Undefined”,  in a shopping region known as “NYC2CALI”. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be a creator today. He’s the one who taught me in the very beginning and always pushed me to open a store. He’s always been my number one supporter, I love him dearly and I can’t thank him enough for that. Fast forward a bit to a few brand identity crises and name changes I settled on Vague, a women's apparel and footwear brand and the rest is history.

Do you have a background in 3D content creation and what kind of tools do you use to create your content?
Being on SL pre-mesh body days (omg crazy right) it was much easier creating BOM texture clothing back then and even texturing full perm mesh. In 2021 I decided I wanted more control over my brand, no longer wanting to rely on commissioning other 3d artists to complete my vision. I opted to take mesh classes hosted by some of my fellow residents. I can admit it was very intimidating learning programs that I’ve never heard of or even seen before. Blender, Zbrush, and Substance Painter were all foreign to me at the time and seemed nearly impossible to master. Had a few hiccups, tons of failed lessons, and even quit a few times, but in January of 2022 all the hard work paid off and I released my first 100% original mesh item all done by me. It was such a rewarding feeling. Like omg, I did this! And I owe it all to an extremely talented artist, friend, and teacher Kitti Softpaw. She’s taught me everything I know about 3D modeling, and I am forever grateful.

Your role as a mentor and teacher is quite inspiring. Could you elaborate on the community work you do and the 3D modeling classes you offer for budding creators in Second Life? Where can interested Residents sign up to learn from you?
I wouldn’t refer to myself as a teacher but more so someone you can look to when you are in need of help. Whether it be providing a discord server to come together and house fellow creatives, providing resources, helping with a HUD, setting up vendors, rigging clothing, texturing in substance painter, marketing, or fixing that little hole in your mesh lol. I will soon be embarking on a more focused mentor program where I’ll be taking a few aspiring and small creators and guiding them on their journey into 3D content creation and running a successful brand in Second Life. Most of us are either self-taught or learned from other residents. If I can help in any way, I always try to because these are things I wish I had access to and knowledge of when I first started creating.

Can you give us an overview of the Shoppe BLK initiative? How can designers who meet the criteria get involved?
Shoppe BLK where do I begin? After browsing on social media, the question was always asked “how do we find black-owned businesses in Second Life so that we can support them”? The idea was brought to me by a dear friend Daisy (owner of 28LA). She suggested it would be good if I started a directory of Black Owned Businesses within Second Life. I’m all about community and coming together so why not ya know? From that Shoppe BLK WKND sale was born. Its sole purpose was to highlight, showcase, and support black creators like myself within the grid. Shoppe BLK runs the first weekend of every month (Thursday- Sunday) you can find items from our featured designers each round for 75L. We are always looking for talented designers to join, all you have to do is add your brand to the directory and fill out the designer application to be considered.

Shoppe Black Business Directory 
Shoppe BLK WKND App
Shoppe BLK Facebook

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL who inspire you and whose work you admire.
Second Life is full of so many amazingly talented creators and just people in general. I’m always in awe every day seeing how creative everyone is.

Kismet Chrome from Rosary is someone who has been creating amazing clothing for a very long time. I have admired her work for years. And anytime I have a question or run into an issue, she has no problem answering or helping me solve a problem.

My dearest brother CzarFenris of Animosity Poses, I don’t know anyone who has his work ethic. From blogging, and photography, to pumping releases nonstop.

Vive Nine, Merch, Rowne, Majesty, and so many others! It’s an honor to be among so much talent.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
You can find all of our work on Flickr 
Vague Mainstore
Vague on Marketplace 
Follow us on Facebook 

Thank you, Winter, for being an inspiration for all aspiring creators and community builders in Second Life.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today we’re shining a spotlight on Wanders Nowhere, a talented creator who has been crafting immersive experiences that transport Residents into otherworldly dimensions. From the awe-inspiring era of dinosaurs at Prehistorica to the haunting corridors of Castle Dracula, one can't help but marvel at the level of detail, passion, and creativity.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been in Second Life since August of 2006. I first discovered it whilst I was living and working in a tiny rural village in Japan. Second Life became my creative outlet and connection to the English-speaking world, and my primary income after returning home to Australia and growing Prehistorica into a Mesh store in 2014.

You have been a content creator since 2009. What kind of content do you create and how did you get started?
I'm an avatar and creature creator primarily, though I’ve also done tons of worldbuilding, scripting, and experience design over the years. I tell people RL asking about my job that I "make dinosaurs on the internet." It’s just easier that way!

I was fascinated early on by the possibilities of stretching the definition of 'avatar' on SL, even back when we had to use hacked deformer animations to stretch out the underlying skeleton to hang a prim sculpty creature body on, I could see the potential to be a dinosaur, a dragon, or anything else you wanted. Mesh, Project Bento, and Animesh have taken all of that to levels beyond.

Tell us more about Prehistorica and the different experiences it offers Second Life Residents.
Prehistorica was always designed to be an immersive experience, to take you back into the past to experience the prehistoric world firsthand. That giddy sense of awe and wonder we all feel as kids the first time we discover dinosaurs - that these wonderful, fantastical, gigantic beasts that feel like they should be myth really did exist, and once ruled our world - that's the feeling I want to capture with Prehistorica.  

You can ride dinosaurs, hang from a pteranodon's clutches and fly about, or buy one of our avatars or animesh and own – or become! – a denizen of the Mesozoic yourself. Our Primal Life game system allows you to experience a survival game environment where your dinosaur eats, drinks, sleeps, hunts other animals, and gains experience over time. You can also hop up to the floating Azhar Dracys dragon islands above Prehistorica to play a special minigame where you (as a human, dinosaur or dragon) battle invading Elementals for prizes.

You also have another project in Second Life, Castle Dracula, tell us more about that.
This is my other major project on Second Life, which I have been working on for 15 years. It’s a recreation of Dracula’s own castle, inspired by the original novel - and influenced by the legendary Universal and Hammer films, and the Castlevania game series - but with the novel as its touchstone. In 2022, I opened it as “Castle Dracula: A Gothic Horror Experience”, a gigantic, sprawling haunt like nothing else on the grid, and a way for people to discover the original literature in an interactive, cinematic, and scary way.

You take on the search for Jonathan Harker, traveling to Transylvania, meeting The Count Himself, and exploring his Castle in search of Jonathan’s diaries and the truth of his fate. Along the way, there are plenty of chills and surprises and an ending that will haunt you for a long time to come.

Just in time for Halloween 2023, I’ve expanded it with a second storyline based on Sheridan LeFanu’s “Carmilla”. In ‘Carmilla: The Love of the Dead”, you’ll follow the novella’s protagonist Laura as she searches for closure on her encounter with the alluring and sinister Carmilla, ten years after the story. Is Carmilla truly gone? In the tangled depths of the Castle, a story of grief, desire, and terror awaits you with more puzzles, new haunts, unique prizes, new areas of the Castle, and new cinematic twists to a classic tale.

Come this Halloween - and stay forever! Castle Dracula is open all year round, and I intend to continue expanding it with more classic gothic tales in the future; Carmilla is to be the first of several new chapters...so stay tuned, my dear guests, for more horror to come.

Who are some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire?
I still have a profound respect for people like Flea Bussy of Grendel’s Children and Stickman Ingmann of Seawolf and Roarbeast, who were there before me pushing the limits of what SL could do back in the days before even Sculpties were a thing. I think there’s a sense of lost history there. Only Grendel’s, Seawolf, Nargus Labs, and Isle of Wyrms were doing non-humanoid creature avatars when I got my start. They walked so that every creature avatar maker since could run, fly, hop, scuttle, and slither. That’s part of the story of the grid, SL wouldn’t be what it is without them.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
You can find Prehistorica here:
Inworld Store / Main Sim
SecondLife Marketplace
Inworld Group: secondlife:///app/group/0d91b53a-3995-9ca3-41ee-299af853749d/about
Our Website
Discord
Facebook
YouTube
Flickr

Prehistorica, the Dawn Kingdoms

Journey to an age when dinosaurs walked the earth and dragons ruled the skies. Plunge into this time travel experience or battle invading elementals in the floating temple of Azhar Dracys. Explore the primordial jungles, smoldering volcanos, and sunlit seas of a forgotten world. Encounter its majestic and deadly denizens, take one home as an Animesh companion, or become one yourself and experience SL as never before in the form of one of our dozens of awe-inspiring dinosaur and mighty dragon Avatars!

More Info Teleport

The Castle Dracula Experience and Carmilla: the Love of the Dead can be found here:
Inworld Landing Point
Inworld Group: secondlife:///app/group/beaf63f9-e2fa-43b0-4281-185db70dbf0e/about
Discord
Facebook
Flickr

Castle Dracula - Gothic Horror Experience

Journey to 1890s Transylvania in search of the missing Jonathan Harker. Explore the colossal castle of Count Dracula in search of his journals, meet the Count Himself, and do try to stay among the living...if you can. Castle Dracula: A Gothic Horror Experience is a massive, immersive narrative-driven haunt unlike any other, 14 years in the making. In October 2023, plunge into a brand new tale of terror and embrace another classic of gothic literature with our first expansion storyline. Follow the fate of Laura as she pursues the echoes of dread and desire in CARMILLA: THE LOVE OF THE DEAD.

More Info Teleport

Come visit our prehistoric landscape, soar the heavens and swim the seas, hang out with us, and get in touch with your inner dinosaur – or dragon – or giant prehistoric snake 😊 Prehistorica welcomes explorers of every era. Just remember to be polite – some of our denizens get a little toothy when they haven’t had their morning snacks!

Watch a video submitted by Wanders Nowhere for this Spotlight feature, video production by Caelyn Moss:

Thank you, Wanders, for adding the magic of imagination to unforgettable Second Life experiences.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today, we are shining a spotlight on VWEC, an innovative Eduverse in Second Life designed to provide educators with support and advocacy for educational initiatives in virtual worlds. Learn more from coordinators Valibrarian Gregg, Elli Pinion, and Dodge Threebeards.

What is VWEC, how did it get started, and which communities are involved? 
VWEC stands for the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium, and it began in January of 2021 when many educators realized we had been working for years in isolation and we saw a need to meet to share best practices, ways to advocate for education in virtual worlds, and tips for overcoming obstacles.   

We moved to the newly created VWEC Eduverse in May 2022. We have 48 groups that have regions located in the Eduverse and almost 400 members in the VWEC Group.

First Meeting of VWEC Jan 2021

What are some of the goals of VWEC? 
Initially, our intention was to meet quarterly to discuss and brainstorm about the future of education in Second Life and support educators. We gathered the educational groups that we knew about together and wanted to highlight them, as there was no need to reinvent the amazing “wheel” of work that was already being done here. And it took off! And we have a Welcome Center and Eduverse Reserve.

Now we have formal Vision and Mission Statements:

Vision: The goal of the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium (VWEC) is to bring educators together to share what practices have been successful and to tackle obstacles across virtual platforms and communities.

Mission: The Virtual Worlds Education Consortium connects educators, learners, digital citizens, and virtual communities of learning to share and develop best practices for teaching and learning in virtual spaces.

VWEC Eduverse

Tell us more about the frequent events that happen and how Second Life Residents can get involved.
In addition to our Quarterly Meetings, we have five weekly Fireside Chats where educators in both formal education and non-profits who also teach, can share their experiences and tips, as well as talk about research and approaches. The VWEC Fireside Chats are held in English, Spanish, and Polish at various times of the day to bring in time zones across the globe.

VWEC also presents a bi-monthly Expert Series that showcases successful teaching and learning in Second Life. There are monthly tours of educational communities, as well.  All events are on the website at vweconsortium.org, as well as InWorld.
 
We encourage members to help at our Info Center and through our Instructor Development Projects.

VWEC Expert Series - Photo by PI.Illios

How can educators not yet in Second Life join VWEC?
New educators can find more information on our website at vweconsortium.org. If email is a preference, we have a Google group at metaverselibraries@googlegroups.com. We are happy for them to email us directly for information.   

As a Community Gateway, instructors or their students can join Second Life on our website at https://www.vweconsortium.org/sign-in/secondlife.php. They will land at the VWEC Welcome Plaza to find teleporters to orientation gateways.   

All three of you also have individual educational projects related to the VWEC, tell us about some of those.

Valibrarian Gregg (Dr. Valerie Hill in RL), a professor of Library and Information Science has a background as an educator and librarian. Currently, Val is the Co-Coordinator for the VWEC and is responsible for the VWEC Info Center. She serves as the director of the Community Virtual Library which is a real library run by information professionals in a virtual world. In addition to supporting VWEC, the library holds programs, shares exhibits, provides classes on information literacy (metaliteracy in digital culture), and provides traditional library services alongside innovative metaverse resources such as databases, holodeck read-alouds, and tours of immersive educational simulations. Val’s research on changing literacy led to the adoption of the term metamodernism (our current philosophical moment) in her book Metamodernism and Changing Literacy and numerous research articles, webinars, and presentations on digital citizenship, metaliteracy, and virtual learning environments.

Elli Pinion (Dr. Becky Adams in RL) was the Director of Online Course Development and teaches Educational Technology and Virtual Worlds at the University of New Mexico. She is the Co-Coordinator for the VWEC. Presently, she is working to complete the Welcome Center since the initial build Opening Ceremonies, develop our Models for Teaching exhibit hosting seven instructors who teach in Virtual Worlds, expand the Educational Resources area, is establishing the Eduverse Representative Assembly, and support our teams who are part of the VWEC including our first Student Challenge-athon coming this fall. Elli’s research is in Online Professional Development for Educators.

Dodge Threebeards (Dr. Greg Perrier in RL) has managed the Second Life program for the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) since December 2012. He taught biology at NOVA for many years and incorporated interactive activities in Second Life into his classes. As manager of the program for NOVA, he developed workshops to increase faculty and staff interest in using Second Life with students. Pre-pandemic, NOVA averaged about 400 students a year using Second Life. Use declined drastically during the pandemic as NOVA required all faculty to use Zoom and commercial online labs, but it has climbed to over 90 students using Second Life in the spring semester of 2023. During his initial year in Second Life, he benefited greatly from the support and advice from more experienced educators. Thus, he was excited to see VWEC emerge as a program to provide such support and advice as well as encourage collaboration among educators.

VWEC Quarterly Meetings - Photo by PI.Illios

Where can people learn more about VWEC? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
The best place to learn about VWEC is at our website vweconsortium.org and InWorld. 
VWEC EduversePlaza 
VWEC Eduverse Plaza Welcome Center
VWEC Eduverse Plaza Deck and Fireside Chat
VWEC Eduverse Plaza Info Center   

SOCIAL MEDIA
Linktree  
Twitter  
Facebook  
Linkedin
Instagram
Mastodon
Flickr Group
VWEC YouTube channel has curated playlists across educational communities

For more information contact:
Becky Adams: reada321@unm.edu  
Valerie Hill: valibrarian@gmail.com  
Greg Perrier: gperrier@nvcc.edu

Thank you, Val, Elli, and Dodge for your inspirational work at VWEC. We’re looking forward to attending VWEC’s first anniversary on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 11:00 am PT!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

This week we are shining a spotlight on Vrutega, a new Resident who is already creating visually striking and memorable machinima. 

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been on Second Life for a little over a year. I first found out about Second Life in 2020 through friends who are Second Life Residents. One day my friends were video streaming a Second Life party that they were hosting. I was drawn to the realism that their party showcased, from the party decor down to the house they were all gathered in. At that moment I realized Second Life is a great social platform, and has the ability to bring people from all around the world together in digital spaces. During the beginning phases of COVID-19, a lot of people lost that basic human component of socialization and connecting with people.

Second Life provided me with an opportunity to reclaim some of that human connection on a digital platform. With the help of my friends, my transition into Second Life was easy. Within a week I created my first avatar, and was up and running in no time. From the very beginning I was enamored with the Second Life world, and got involved with everything the platform had to offer from live music events, visiting art exhibits, and shopping. It wasn’t until February 2021 that I realized that I could create storytelling video content on Second Life. I studied all types of machinima video genres and artists, and became inspired by all of the talented Residents and creators around the grid.

Every aspect of the machinima you create in Second Life is very professional, from the editing to the voiceovers. Do you have a background in video production and editing?
Yes, I have a professional background in video production and editing. My experience in video production stems from my professional work in commercials, advertisements, and short films. Realism and continuity are important to me. I treat every aspect of my machinima projects like I would treat a film industry installment/project. From sourcing actors, music, props and backdrops, hashing out project logistics is very similar to the industry work I do on a weekly basis.

The benefit of working on Second Life is that I have everything a producer could need at my fingertips. With everything being digitally available on the Marketplace to inworld stores, the sourcing process is expedited considerably. And with the availability of Second Life social media, finding actors, set designers and collaborating creators has never been easier. 

What kind of software do you use to capture and edit your videos?
I use a wide variety of post production software for my machinima projects. However I primarily edit my videos using Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe After Effects. I use OBS Studio to record my machinima, and capture my footage using various Second Life Viewers.

Tell us about some of the other creators in SL that inspire you, or whose work you admire.
I am inspired by a wide variety of Second Life Residents, artists and other content creators from all around the world. The person who inspires me the most in the machinima world is my dear friend and Second Life Resident Sere Vene. Sere is the artistic catalyst who pushed me to take Second Life machinima seriously. Sere’s phenomenal Second Life machinima projects made me rethink how important storytelling is, and how I should implement storytelling in each machinima I produce. Sere is a true artist, and her creativity and attention to detail knows no boundaries. I am truly honored to now work alongside her in my studio and call her my friend.

Without my small team of friends and family, there is no Vrutega. I attribute a lot of my growth and success as an artist to them. Lilith Lamia is like a mother figure to me. Lilith has industry roots in photography and cinema, and has consistently reminded me to pay attention to detail when it comes to framing and posing subjects in a scene. Spartin Parx is a creator who pushes me to think outside the box when it comes to filming a project. Just when I think I’ve perfected something in a project, Spartin often gives me that “Aha” moment that enables me to make amendments to a scene. Professional {region} builders and set designers like Agnes Whittle and Lemony Nova have inspired me to make every inch of space in a scene count. These two have helped me build the beautiful landscapes and worlds that you see in my machinimas. 

What can we expect from you in the future? Are there any interesting projects you are currently working on?
I am always looking for inspiration in music, movies, television, and other pop culture references from all around the world. One of my future machinima projects will be a Pokemon-inspired video, which should excite a lot of fans of the beloved Nintendo franchise. And like all of my machinimas, this project will be done in collaboration with other Second Life Residents and content creators. 

I’m a firm believer in supporting Second Life artists and the content they create. I often find myself face to face with content creators from all types of background experiences. From seasoned video veterans to new content creators, I make it my mission to support, build and uplift those that I surround myself with. Second Life is proof that drive, determination, and raw talent can thrive in any environment when it’s nurtured.

The future of Second Life machinima is bright. Every day I see more emerging machinima creators and Second Life Residents utilizing video in their everyday lives. Machinima makers like Lipe Hax, Any Bergan, and Kelie Ladys are all promising beacons of hope and inspiration within the machinima world. Their creative machinimas have been enjoyed by thousands of Residents all over the world, and have paved the way for the next generation of machinima creators. With the introduction of independent film companies like Film Threat, Second Life is now on the threshold of bringing in film industry influences that can reshape the way we think about machinima.

Where can people see examples of your work?
People can find my work on Flickr. I can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Check out one of Vrutega’s latest videos, a carnival themed thriller that takes place in a mysterious small town. The location is Cirque du Mystere, an interactive MadPea event.

We hope you enjoyed learning about Vrutega’s experiences creating machinima in Second Life. Any budding machinima artists out there? You never know until you try!

Each of these weekly posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 
 

Today we are shining a spotlight on Truth Hawks, the mastermind behind the iconic Truth Hair in Second Life. Trailblazing since 2007, Truth has been crafting some of the most coveted virtual hairstyles and has now impressively extended his genius across diverse metaverse platforms and on the big screen!

Photo by Hayden Rowley

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I created my account early 2007. At the time I was working for myself in graphic and web design and had just started dabbling in 3D. I heard about SL on the news and it sounded interesting so I thought I'd check it out. 16.5 years later and I'm still here! 

2009 Truth Mainstore custom build by Barnesworth Anubis

You are one of the most renowned hair creators in Second Life, how and when did you get into content creation?
I started creating from the get-go. I remember thinking it was really amazing that you could make anything, set it for sale and cash out Ls for real money so easily. I first made some graphic t-shirts and tattoos and rented a little spot in a shopping district. I started creating hair not long after and that is what really grew my store.

Do you have a background in 3D content creation and what kind of tools do you use to create your content?
SL was the main catalyst for my interest in 3D. A few years into SL I moved my family from Australia to Vancouver and LA to study at film school. Since then I've worked with top studios around the world and on movies and games such as Black Panther and League of Legends. I use a wide range of software, I'm pretty tool agnostic and will use whatever works.

Sculpted Mount Bashenga from Marvel’s Black Panther - Wakanda Forever

You have recently started collaborating with other creators in Second Life, tell us more about that collaboration. 
I came up with the idea of Truth Collective because my releases in SL had been less frequent since dividing my time between SL/RL work. People would often ask when a new hairstyle is coming out so I thought why not invite some talented creators to make hair with my textures. Truth customers can enjoy more releases and the creators could benefit from my large update groups. It's been great working with Wasabi & Faga and having the ability to help each other with hair making, something I haven't had a lot of in the past as I've mainly worked alone.

You have also ventured out into the NFT world, tell us more about what you are doing on other metaverse platforms.
I started creating NFTs in 2020 and sold out a few of my own collections. I went on to work with RTFKT and collaborated with AMC, LVMH, and other fashion brands. My company has organically moved to more of a metaverse focus and we're currently activating 2 major fashion brands on another platform. I feel that the interest and opportunities in metaverse that SL experienced earlier on has seen a big revival in the last couple of years and it's exciting to see where it might go from here.

Modeled & Textured RTFKT x Jeff Staple Meta-Pigeon

How has Second Life impacted your life?
It's hard to imagine the direction my life would have taken if I didn't find SL. It guided me on a career path that I might not have taken as seriously otherwise and I'll be forever grateful for all the support SL residents have shown me for so many years.

Photo by Hayden Rowley

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
My company is VRTL WRLD 
SL Flickr
SL Twitter   
Linktree

Kryptoz x AMC NFT

Thank you, Truth, for pioneering with passion and gracing us with virtual hair that's nothing short of stunning!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

This week we are shining a spotlight on The Wastelands, a post-apocalyptic community celebrating 15 years in Second Life this weekend. Learn more from the founder and curator, NeoBokrug Elytis.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
A little over 16 years ago I saw an article about Second Life on the Make Magazine blog. And then a few more articles about Second Life later... I decided to sign up on Halloween of 2005. I was instantly hooked on building with prims and visiting the virtual spaces all over SL.

How long did it take to build The Wastelands, and what goes into maintaining it?
The first region (The Wastelands) took a few months of planning, but only a couple of days to build its infrastructure. I distinctly remember working with my dev team and not sleeping until it was done. After that, the first Residents had their initial builds done within the month. All of this was before mesh or even sculpts existed, so when folks built things, you could see prims take form in real time -- and it was amazing!

Because we're a themed community, most of the land in The Wastelands is owned by its Residents, so all due credit for maintaining those spaces goes to the folks who live here! They are always building and changing their builds. There are some Residents who have had the same parcel of land since the day we opened, and there are others who move to a different chunk of land every month to build a brand new thing. Despite the ever-shifting sands of the estate, the general aesthetic always stays the same.

These days most of the maintenance comes in the form of greeting and helping new Residents, planning and hosting events, and working on the game we have here. The community of The Wastelands is always helpful to visitors and each other, so in its own way it's very self-maintaining.

Part of the fun of exploring such a vast region is noticing the different design styles throughout, such as industrial, desert, and psychedelic. What are some things that inspired these stylistic choices?
The majority of The Wastelands is owned by its community members, and so much of the stylistic choices of what is built is left up to them. The whole estate has an overarching theme of post-apocalyptic ruins, which is inspired from all flavors of post-apocalyptic tropes. Certain regions also have sub-themes. For instance, The Junkyard region is more of an industrial ruin, while The Great Fissure {features} more tribalistic ruins made of recycled debris. New Residents tend to plant their roots in regions that are visually interesting to them, so regions tend to stay cohesive all on their own.

We also have a "Public Works" department, where Residents make thematic assets for the community. We've got a respectably big heap of free stuff now, and I think that helps glue the different aesthetic builds together.

As long as our estate management can see that you're making a good faith attempt at building within the theme, we're typically fine with what you make. If not, we'll make some suggestions and offer help; more commonly, your neighbors will likely offer to help you before we do. My account may be 16 years old, but I constantly remind myself that we were all new users at some point, and that we only get better at building as long as we have some place to practice those skills.

How would you explain getting started in roleplaying to someone with little to no experience?
What a complex question to try to answer! I'll do my best to keep it simple and generalized.

Over the years I've found that roleplaying in Second Life is done in many styles and methods. It all really depends on what the destination offers, how the other characters interact with the setting and each other, and what you want to get out of it. I guess the most important thing to know is that everywhere does things differently. But I'll try to explain some common ground...

The first thing to do when you arrive at a destination is read up what they're offering when you land there. It's essential to remember that they've built their roleplay setting with certain ideas in mind, and you should think of their setting as a book of rules to follow. At the same time, don't try to shoehorn in your own ideas that don't really fit within the setting. If the destination you're visiting allows you to lurk as an out of character spectator to their roleplay, I would highly suggest starting off with that for a session or two.

One universal rule that most places adopt is designating how local chat should be interpreted. Most chat in a roleplay setting is by default considered to be ‘in character’ {so} a way that folks show that chat is out of character is by encapsulating the line in single or double parentheses, e.g. ((such as this)), or (like this). There's a shortcut in the Firestorm viewer: if you press ALT-ENTER when typing out a line, it'll automatically add double parentheses. This is useful to ask participants questions out of character, because if you're ever unsure about literally anything, it's ALWAYS best to ask questions.

Another universal thing is that there are generally two primary types of accepted styles of chat-based roleplay. One is Paragraph or Para-RP, and the other one could be described as script style roleplay. There have been huge debates about these two styles, so I am going to very broadly explain them. I am not going to cover if {the written text chat} is first, second, or third person perspective, because everybody does everything differently.

Paragraph roleplay is where the participants usually take turns in order by typing about a paragraph's worth of text for players to read and react to. Because players are taking turns writing a long paragraph, it may be quite some time before it's your turn to react and respond. It's typically best for smaller groups of roleplayers, as the wait time in larger groups can be rather long. But it gives the players time to think about what they'll say or do.

Script style roleplay is where a player writes just a sentence or two, and anyone at any time can react and respond. Because the flow of roleplay is faster, it takes more attention to react to what's happening at the moment. It's better suited for any size group of players, but could be a bit chaotic with lots of players. The primary downside is you might feel pressured to keep up with things, but I've seen it used at a slower pace just fine.

I think consent among roleplayers is critically important, because you can't have people join and say "Bang! You're dead. I win!" No one really enjoys players who command what happens to others unless the setting allows it. There are instances where players plan among each other before roleplaying what might happen between each other to push a story forward. But if you want to try to do something that may affect another character, you may want to {convey} that you're taking an action and let the other player choose how it plays out. Perhaps you're drawing a gun, and maybe they react by hiding behind a dumpster, and then you position yourself to corner them, but then maybe they try to disarm you, and you let them. That's how things should play out in my opinion, by giving folks opportunities. Perhaps even discuss what should happen ((out of character)).

I think the above info is good for a general understanding of how roleplay works in Second Life, but it is certainly not the be-all, end-all of what roleplay is and can be. At best, it's the tip of a very deep iceberg. I didn't cover a lot of things such as dice-based resolutions, or HUD-based combat, or anything like that. The beauty of Second Life is that we can build settings and tools to augment how roleplay can be enhanced inworld beyond just text.

Roleplay in The Wastelands isn't mandatory, it's opt-in and completely at your own pace. Feel free to visit and lurk because we honestly don't mind spectators.

The Wastelands will be celebrating their 15th year in SL very soon, can you tell us about some of the events you have planned and how people can participate?
We've got three days of partying planned, starting on Friday, January 14th at 5pm SLT. We're going to have live music, DJ sets, combat & sports, roleplay sessions, giveaways, storytelling, and more! It's free to attend and open to the public, and there is no dress code other than wearing some dang pants, so feel free to stop by and enjoy!
On Friday and Saturday most of our events take place at our Arena stage: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Wastelands/38/146/75 
On Sunday the rest of our events take place at our Junkyard stage: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Junkyard/122/162/72 
Our full schedule of events and locations is here: https://bit.ly/3JGH4RU 

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
Haha, that's such an unfair question! I've been on the grid too long, and I've seen too much to pick a handful out of literally hundreds of creators I admire. Besides, I could easily play favorites among longtime personal friends, Wastelanders, and folks I've worked with professionally. So instead -- and I hope that this is an acceptable answer -- I will list some qualities of various creators that I admire. Because it's very hard to not be inspired by content you see in Second Life.

First and foremost, anyone who makes ruined, broken, or wrecked content from scratch in Second Life is doing amazingly hard work. It's far easier to make something that looks fresh from the factory and has a new coat of paint; it is extremely difficult to make it look weathered, ruined, dented, or broken. Great post-apocalyptic content is few and far between on the marketplace and inworld events. So I do what I can to spread the word and buy it all up when I see it.

Anyone who creates mesh and does proper LODs (Level of Detail) earns the highest of marks in my book. I don't personally create mesh, but I am very technically knowledgeable about the whole process and the time involved in creating mesh LODs *properly* for Second Life. It's a lot of hard work, and it might cost more LI (land impact) for customers to rez -- but in the end mesh that looks great at any distance is something I can really appreciate.

Creators who make great use of textures and materials deserve far more praise than we give them. I specifically appreciate those who avoid using a lot of high resolution textures. They're making the viewer run better for everyone, and I think it's one of the least understood and most underappreciated skills among content creators.

I love all the 3D art installations in Second Life, too!

I could literally go on and on forever about how, what, and why certain Residents inspire me, but the truth is, anyone who creates in Second Life inspires me. I am always eager to see what people are making, or participate in what people are doing. From creators to performers, to bloggers, to communities, I think it's all super amazing because there's always something new to see.

Where can people follow you to learn more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Our website has important updates around the community and unique roleplay articles: https://the-wastelands.org 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wastelands_inSL 
Mastadon: https://s.the-wastelands.org/@wl
Plurk: https://www.plurk.com/TheWastelands 
Are you visiting and taking pictures in The Wastelands? Please post them to our flickr group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/thewastelands/pool 
Finally, we have a pretty active Discord server where folks can stay connected and share pictures of cats, food, and post-apocalyptic memes when not in SL: https://discord.gg/cdkhzb4QCh 

Watch this fun video about The Wastelands:
Video Production by NeoBokrug Elytis
Music written and performed by Irk the Mutant (shannonwilsonbell)

We hope you enjoyed learning more about The Wastelands. See you at their 15th-year celebrations this weekend! 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

Today we’re shining a spotlight on The Nature Collective, a nature-loving community in Second Life. Learn more about TNC from the founder, Emm Evergarden.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I joined Second Life after rewatching The Office during the pandemic, during a time when I was feeling a little lost. I figured if Dwight Schrute could live his best life not once, but twice, then so could I and here I am!

Emm at Walsh County

What does nature in Second Life represent or offer to you personally and how does it connect or resonate with physical world nature experiences? 
Nature to me is a very spiritual thing. I feel like we can learn so many lessons from it like how to slow down and be present in our lives. It can teach us that things end, but there is also rebirth and new beginnings. I’ve always felt that we are connected to all living things and nature has always been a huge part of my life. It’s where I can be still and truly feel at peace with myself.

Nature in SL gives me that same sort of solace and peace but in a different way. It offers a place where I can do things that I can no longer do in my physical first world life such as biking, horseback riding, hiking, etc. It also offers an outlet for my creativity by giving me a blank canvas with which to create.

The Coffeehouse at The Nature Collective

Tell us more about The Nature Collective, what inspired you to create it, and have you seen any positive impacts TNC has had on the Second Life community?
I was inspired to create the Nature Collective after exploring so many beautiful places in my early days of SL. It was obvious that there were so many talented nature creators here and I wanted to find a way to help showcase these areas, make it easier for people to find these locations and get people out exploring them. I also wanted to inspire people to stop and look at the world around them, virtual and real, and maybe get inspired to help with local, national and international nature-related causes.

At its core, The Nature Collective is a group, or a collective if you will, of nature-based sims and locations in Second Life – but we are so much more than that. We encourage exploration of our member locations through our various group events. Many of our locations are focused on real environmental issues and are working to educate people and make an impact. Whether we are nature creators, nature explorers, or both, we care about nature in all its forms and are doing what we can to make a difference and help people connect with nature both in Second Life and in our day-to-day lives.

I feel like The Nature Collective has helped inspire people to create more nature spaces in SL. People get excited about creating and sharing their spaces. It’s also helped people connect. Our little community now has over 2100 members and is continually growing. TNC offers group events aimed at getting people out exploring in SL while meeting new people. We’ve seen friendships blossom over common interests in nature. It’s been truly heartwarming to see our little group into this beautiful community.

TNC has implemented an Explorer HUD, can you tell us how that works exactly, and how has it enhanced the exploration of nature experiences in Second Life?
Our Explorer HUD has over 160 different Nature Collective member locations. Nature Explorers attach the HUD, click on the arrows to either page forward or backward through locations with each one having their own text-based image and SLurl. People can then click on the HUD and it will open up the world map and allow them to teleport directly to that location. There is also a search option available that lets people type in the name of the location they’re looking for, if they don't want to page through every one.

Our Explorer HUD has made exploration in SL easier and more fun. Using our HUD means there’s no need to keep 160+ different landmarks in your inventory. The HUD also auto-updates when new locations are added, meaning that our members have the most-up-to-date list available at all times.

TNC Coffee Collective at The Dancing Rabbit Cafe

What are some of the events and activities that TNC runs? Can anyone attend and join? Where can Residents learn more about them?
We have several group events such as our Coffee Collective, Shutterbug Club, Trails ‘n Tails, Come Sail Away and our Book Club! Most events happen at different Nature Collective member locations as a way for people to visit and explore more of our locations. We have some laid back events like our Coffee Collective, where we meet up twice a month at different TNC member coffee houses and cafes to chat, mingle and just enjoy talking and getting to know people. Our Shutterbug Club is a once-a-month event where we visit different TNC member locations and take photos. Trails ‘n Tails happens once a month and is one of my favorites; we grab our SL pets and walk and hike as a group throughout different locations and explore, chat and try to take in as much of our surroundings as we can.

Anyone can join in these events, and we welcome everyone! You don’t need to be a Nature Collective member, but it helps to be in the SL group and in our Discord server so you can easily get event info, reminders, and updates. Event info and our event calendar can also be found at the Nature Collective headquarters in SL as well as on our website.

TNC Trails n Tails - November by Kup Haroldsen

What can we expect from TNC in the future? Are there any new upcoming features, events, or goals you have for its future development that you can share with us?
We are always looking ahead at the different ways that we can get people involved and out exploring. We are working on our first publication, which will launch in the first quarter of next year, as well as revamping our Explorer HUD to make it more interactive and easier to use. We will also be adding more group events for our members and some different educational and informational events aimed at helping people make the most out of their Second Life. And last but not least, we are working on a new immersive mainland experience for the TNC headquarters with more informative content showcased and shared in fun and inventive ways.

We are also looking for ways to bridge our two worlds by working with various nature conservation organizations to promote fundraising efforts as well as showcasing what a Second Life presence can offer to these organizations. We are always looking for ways to inspire people to form a deeper connection with the world around them.

Tilheyra by Teagan Tunwarm

In what ways has building and managing The Nature Collective and being a part of the Second Life community impacted your life?
Without meaning to sound dramatic, it kind of saved me. I was more than a little bit lost after a life-changing health diagnosis. Second Life and creating The Nature Collective has opened new ways for me to dream and create and allowed me to do things that I can’t do anymore in my first life. It’s given me a sense of community and belonging and a sense of purpose when I needed it most. I’ve met so many wonderful and beautiful people from all walks of life and from all over the world that I wouldn’t have otherwise met and learned so much from them and from Second Life in the process. Second Life truly is a remarkable place.

Big Sky Over Florence by Meycy Bailey

Where can people get more information about The Nature Collective? Please share links to any sites and social media accounts.
- Website   
- Explorer List  
- Discord  
- Destination  
- Flickr Group

Evergarden Equestrian by Teagan Lefevre

Thank you Emm, for being not only a promoter of nature's beauty and importance, but also for building such a thriving community where others can share in this appreciation. 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup    

Today we are shining a spotlight on Teal Aurelia, a fantastic storyteller that creates uniquely edited machinima incorporating exciting visuals that engage and inspire the viewer.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I was an Alaskan living in Thailand in 2009, and SL was the platform that my local friends socialized on when it was too hot to go outside. I miss that level of RL/SL overlap, honestly. I'd love to see metaverse platforms become mainstream community space.

I've bounced in and out of SL since then. I joined the Flickr community last year to practice Photoshop edits, and it made me realize that I'd never seen an SL video edited as heavily as photos. I figured I'd try. 

You’ve been creating stunning machinima, do you have a background in video editing and what kind of tools do you use?
I just graduated with an animation degree last summer, but I plan to specialize in post-production. My university is known for its traditional animators, so if I wasn't drawing, I was in a stop-motion studio working with physical rigs and cameras. I use Toon Boom and TVPaint for 2D animation, Nuke and After Effects for compositing, Premiere and Avid for editing, and the cheapest sketchbooks to draw in. I didn't plan on learning CG or visual effects. 

I think that sometimes the universe shoves us unsubtly towards the right circumstances for our evolution. The pandemic shut down my campus for a year, so I veered into CG character-modelling and animation in Maya as a sidequest. I didn't expect to fall in love with environment design, or that my grad film would involve landscapes with 40,000 trees that would take impossibly long render, or that those things would force me to film on green screens and learn proper post-production. 

I create machinima because it allows me to skip straight to the parts of filmmaking I adore. That wouldn't be possible without all the creators whose work I utilize for characters, props, and sets. Brands like Doux, The Forge, and Swallow have supported me from the beginning, and I might have stopped filming after one video if not for the force of their kindness and creativity behind me.

Your machinima is a mix of Second Life and other virtual worlds and gaming platforms, what inspires you to blend all of these elements?
I think if you asked SL photographers why they do what they do, a lot of them would say they enjoy editing. That's also why I film. Compositing SL avatars into other game environments may sound lazy, but it takes skill. It's the same skill that puts monsters and superpowers into live-action movies, and if it's done well, it sells a film. It's what I want to do for a career. If I can convince you that an SL avatar belongs in a non-SL environment, it means my editing is okay. It's a process of stitching two worlds together with color and light. 

My latest video for Signature is shot entirely in SL with sets from Fanatik Architecture, but I still filmed the avatars against green screens. Separating characters from backgrounds allows me to create an army from a single avatar, to make buildings collapse realistically, and to layer effects. When I edit, I learn, and it improves my worth as a freelancer RL.

Fantastic storytelling is a significant part of the draw in your machinimas. Where do you come up with your ideas and how long does it typically take you from concept to execution?
I dreaded this question! A one-minute film currently takes me about a month to complete. I use the same pipeline as I would for creating a RL film or commercial, so I typically spend 40% of that time in pre-production (researching, storyboarding, figuring out the animation, testing lighting, arranging sets), 10% filming, and 50% in post-production. Add an extra week for things to go wrong. 

To apply that to my recent Signature film, I didn't just log in and start filming on day one. Raph Dirval was really supportive in allowing me to run with whatever concept I chose, and I knew I wanted a film that could showcase how naturally-expressive Signature's mesh heads are. I needed a story with anger, with sadness. Those emotions have always been tricky to portray in SL machinima. I'd experimented with animating Lelutka heads in a previous video, and was confident I could push it even further for this Signature film. 

"Though victory's proof of the skill you possess, defeat is the proof of your grit," is the beginning of the Edgar Albert Guest poem that became the concept for this film. I wanted a main character who'd lost everything and faced horrible odds, but stood up and fought back. I think everyone can relate to that feeling of being crushed to dust but choosing to reignite.

See the Signature video on the Second Life YouTube channel submitted by Teal for Spotlight:

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
I made a video called "Artists of SL" which features a few of my influences. It was really a thank-you to some of the creative giants I've learned from. Tutorials by Anya Ohmai and Strawberry Singh got me started in Photoshop. Artists such as Emeline Laks and Panda Banana showed me that it's possible to tell a story in a single frozen moment. A movie is just thousands of those moments squished together, so by understanding how photographers like Panda and Eme create remarkable images - the composition, lighting, posing, colour - I become a better filmmaker.

For videography, Vrutega directs really complex cinematic scenes with an insane level of artistic technique. Godiva (Riqan Resident) has knowledge and perfectionism that make me feel less alone in how much time I spend on pre-production. Any Bergan, Lipe Vortex, and Kelie Ladys make incredible commercial videos showcasing products and events. 

ColeMarie Soleil's audio-visual alchemy for events like The Engine Room and Midnight Order reminds me that art should be a shared experience, even in a virtual space. She has such a genuine way of bringing creative people together. 

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Flickr   
Facebook   
YouTube   
Instagram   

Thank you, Teal, for your mesmerizing visuals and endless inspiration.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on Sydd Sinister, an award-winning blogger who has curated an inclusive vision of beauty for over a decade.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
In 2006, an online friend (My dear Sheda) introduced me to Second Life as a way for us to hang out online. Unfortunately at the time my PC was in no shape to run SL (lol), so for about a year I did not play. Then, I got a brand new PC and thought, "Hey, I wonder if I can play that Second Life now?" Sure enough it worked, and I have been logging in ever since!

Tell us about your avatar’s style and how it has evolved over the years.
When I started playing Second Life, in SL & RL I was very much into punk style: piercings, tattoos, all of it, and I thought it was so cool to be able to have that reflected in my avatar. I still very much love that style but through Second Life I've been able to experiment with a ton of different styles, as pretty much any style you can think of can be found in Second Life. So as I've grown, it's been less about a specific ‘style’ and more “things I love, I wear."

We’re so grateful for the Second Life creators of products that add small authentic details for avatars of color. What are some body parts (hair, skin, freckles, etc.) that really blew you away in terms of offering diverse choices, and what would you like to see more of?
Recently, especially as far as mesh bodies in Second Life, I've been extremely impressed with eBody Reborn and Kalhene Erika, as I love all the curves you can create on these bodies. Of course as a blogger and continual shopper in SL there are so many hair and skin brands that I absolutely love. The diversity in SL has come a long way. A few skin brands who continually impress me and will always be favorites of mine are Modish, Public Figure, Leronso (seriously amazing), Revoul, Amara Beauty, Lueur Beauty, Glam Affair, Koonz, Boataom, Birth, ItGirls, Nonative, The Skinnery, Tres Beau, Purple Beauty, Nuve, Pumec. Moccino Beaute, Dernier, Velour, Ives Beauty… I could keep going forever. Skins are one of my favorite parts of SL! There are some things where I have no trouble picking favorites though. For eyes, Avi-Glam are my absolute favorite, and for eyebrows, the-Haus by Princess Usbourne and Marsh are two definite must haves for me. Hoodlem, Garden of Ku, Carol G and Mister Razzor are my go-to tattoo spots, and TOP1SALON has come out with some of the best makeup for all skin tones, from light to dark they are flawless.

Tell us about how you got started with your award-winning blog and what topics/styles you get excited about.
When I got back into Second Life in 2007, the most fun I had was dressing up my avatar and shopping. I started taking pics of my avi, just wanting to share with anyone. Through that I found the world of SL Blogging. Back then it was a much smaller community but it really helped me to find stores and places in SL I loved. The only thing lacking for me was diversity, and then I found Khitten Kurka's blog! She was the first Black American plus-size blogger I saw in Second Life, I related to her so much and it was because of her blog that I decided to try and start blogging myself. Not only did I want to share whatever I thought was "cool," I wanted to share as many skins with different tone ranges as possible. Back then it was a lot harder to find diverse skins and I felt like if I could show all the great skins I came across, maybe it could help someone like me who was new to SL and didn't know where to find themselves, y’know. Skin Fair is always my favorite time of year to blog, not only because it falls in my birthday month, but because I love seeing what everyone comes up with and what new brands I might find. The talent in SL always amazes me.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Blog: http://sydd0sinister.wordpress.com 
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sydd_sinister 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydd.sinister 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syddsinister.sl 

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sydd and her many years of contribution to the Second Life fashion blogging community. 

Each weekly post will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we are shining a spotlight on Soull Starlight, an inclusive Experience Creator in Second Life who has a passion for traveling and creating interactive destinations across mainland.

Photography by Caroline Danger

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I've been in Second Life since 2007 and first learned about it from a professor in college, who introduced SL as a community history project. I spent my first few months in SL engaged in research, learning about various communities present at that time, and have been around off and on ever since!

You are an Experience Creator in Second Life. Can you tell us more about what that is and how you got into that?
When I began curating land in 2019, I was impassioned to first create spaces that were uniquely me and exuded the warmth and coziness that I like my homes to have, as a respite from my travels across the continents. My first home was in Heterocera - after traveling along the mountain road leading to the Great Wall, I discovered a parcel that faced a resident-created Stonehenge and had a beautiful vantage point, purchased it, and settled in. As I continued my travels, I started to find even more parcels with beautiful views, accessible travel points (like roads, waterways, and mountain paths), and interesting Linden landmarks around and created more homes that I soon realized I couldn't inhabit myself as frequently as I'd like. AscendBnB, my travel-based rental company, was born from this. I had too many homes at that point to live in and wanted to share my travel-friendly, fully furnished homes with others.

After creating a bunch of homes all around mainland that I felt good about, I started to hone in my ability to create public spaces that evoke a feeling, sentiment, or pure joy. I realized that my passion was in creating and finding spaces that shared an experience of some kind - in my travels, these were the spaces that really stuck with me and kept me coming back, and I wanted to extend that love at interesting places around mainland to further encourage travel. I've created the term 'Experience Creator' as my role because it encapsulates the energy that is felt when you visit one of my spaces. I create and curate to evoke a memory, or thought, or to encourage joy, fun, and freedom. 

You seem to have an affinity towards mainland as most of your destinations are there. Why is that?
I'm an avid SL traveler and spend a lot of my time finding and enjoying engaging spaces in my travels that share a sentiment, a memory, an interest, or just a sense of joy. I deeply appreciate the creativity I find as I traverse the continents, and mainland to me is the best place to discover and explore for as long as I'd like, via publicly accessible spaces. Much like real life, taking a ride, sail, or flight along mainland routes is an adventure, and one that I feel expresses the deepest intent of SL- to allow humans from all parts of the world to live, work, and play in a space they've co-created. The ability to hop in a vehicle and explore the wonderfully varied experiences that you could have on mainland is what keeps me both exploring and creating on the continents, and it's my hope that more people discover and contribute to mainland in a way that keeps exploration and creativity accessible and alive. 

Can you tell us about some of your current destinations/experiences and what Residents can expect when visiting them?
I've now curated a number of experiences that are open to enjoy and find on mainland right now and am excited to share more about them! 

In Corsica I've created Wonderpark Theme Park with Autumn Yap (and Janessa Westwood Neil with Lifestyle Inc destinations who created a Wonderpark Resort in 2020), featuring over 20 interactive rides and experiences, a water park, a food court, and more. 

Eatonville Living History Museum, an interactive exhibit featuring culturally-affirming literature that shares the Black experience during the US Reconstruction era, is also located in Corsica, along with a relaxing spa, brewery, fine dining restaurant, and community garden in Corsica South Coast. 

In Heterocera, you can find Ascension Park, off High Mountain Road with picturesque views from the mountain and a public train that takes you sightseeing across regions, and an adjoining glamping resort with finely appointed tents, hot springs, and an outdoor bar. 

In Bay City, my Bay City Activity Center allows residents to work out, learn new skills like cooking or painting, take a yoga class, and more! I encourage folks to travel the mainland, check the destination guide to find more of my spaces, or visit  https://ascendbnb.live/fun-experiences.

Are there any upcoming projects, destinations, or events you are working on that you can tell us about? What can we expect from you in the future?
My latest experience is the Dulla Centre Community, located off the Circuit la Corse in Corsica, a live-work-play space where visitors and residents can find creative, restorative, social, and professional spaces to meet, interact, collaborate, and play. The community features a rooftop mini golf area, coworking space, a flower market, breweries, a yoga studio, an eco-conscious coffee shop, and more! it is a project I'm working on with other community builders, artists, and creative contributors. 

I'm also working with Yukiko Yeshto to plan and build this year's NatureCon 2023, a large-scale nature conference featuring nature creators, organizations, and groups to collectively encourage more exploration and discovery on mainland and in Bellisseria, and am working with Ayame (stable.mum), creator of the Moorcroft Community in Sansara and the Show Society to create a mountain retreat in Heterocera. I'm always open to collaborating with other creatives to add experiences to mainland to inspire, engage, and delight residents! 

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
I am deeply inspired by so many creative residents in SL, and the unique experiences, products, and ideas that they bring to the grid. 

Ayame, Marianne McCann, and Georgina Rowley of the Moorcroft, Bay City, and Seogyeoshire communities have contributed amazingly beautiful builds and experiences for residents of Sansara and Jeogeot, and are always open to sharing what they've learned with others. 

Latte Bixley of Junk Food brings SO many fun, engaging items that evoke a sense of nostalgia and joy, and inspires me to add that element of interactivity and fun to my builds. 

Emmalee Evergarden, creator of The Nature Collective and co-creator of the Mainland Community Alliance creates the most inspired landscapes. 

The content created by Aurora Mercury, TheAriellXO, Ashiko Mi, Jaira Che, and Vrutega is always entertaining and shows how varied SL experiences can be and what sort of things you can find to engage in, visit, chat about, and/or share. 

There are so many more residents, mentors, and friends who have helped in or inspired my builds and the things I share. I wish I could name them all but I share a deep appreciation for all who add to my SL experience.

Watch this video submitted by Soull for her Spotlight feature
Video Production by Lozza Weymann

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
To learn more about me, my travels, and the things I contribute to the grid, you can follow me:

on my website: https://soulstarlight.life 
on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soullstarlight.sl
on the AscendBnB site: https://ascendbnb.live

Thank you, Soul, for adding your creativity to mainland.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we are shining a spotlight on Sirux Mahoney, the CEO of FANTASYLAND Estate since 2006 who is now venturing into an impressive NFT/Second Life crossover project called Universe v2.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I have been in Second Life since 2006. Prior to that, I was in another 3D world and became quite popular, so much that I became its official partner for my region. My community kept on growing over the months and then one night, one of my good friends, who went missing for some days, reappeared and told us that she had been spending time in Second Life. She had lots of praise for Second Life and insisted that we should all try it out. While many of my community members felt enthusiastic about the idea, I was rather skeptical, though I have to admit that I Googled it to find out more. My concern was about leaving everything behind, especially my good friends, going back to square one in another world. I could see my community crumbling. I decided to stick around and watch how things developed. And things did develop. The inevitable happened. I witnessed an exodus of my community members to Second Life. And when my good friends started moving too, I realised that my initial concern was no longer valid. I entertained mixed thoughts in my mind over the next couple of days and then one day, as I was driving back home, I decided to take the plunge! The next thing I remember I was creating my account on Second Life and logging in to discover what the hype was all about. The rest is history. I found my way on Second Life and made it even bigger than in that other 3D world. I never went back!

You are already well known for FANTASYLAND Estate, a virtual real estate provider in Second Life and you have been very active in this market since 2006. What got you interested in it? Tell us more about your business and how you got started in virtual real estate.

When I joined Second Life and connected again with my friends from the other 3D world, where we mostly spent time chatting, we found out that Second Life had so much more to offer. Instead of just meeting up and chatting, we started to explore, visit places, shop around and get engaged in various activities all over Second Life. We quickly noticed the business potential of Second Life and while some of my friends became designers, builders, and scripters among other things, I decided to try my luck at the real estate business as the common thing we all spent money on was land! That's how FANTASYLAND Estate was born. I was lucky that my business jump-started as all my friends started to rent from me and kept on recommending their friends. The orders came pouring in and FANTASYLAND Estate kept on expanding to become what it is today, thanks to the dedication and customer care shown by our team over those 15 years. I take this opportunity to thank all my staff members, and all my tenants for trusting us and making us what we are today. And last but not least, all the wonderful people at Linden Research, Inc., for working with me and providing me with the support needed.

Outside of your real estate endeavours, what are some of your favorite things to do or places to visit in Second Life?

Honestly, I would love to find more time out of my busy schedule to be able to enjoy what Second Life has to offer. When I do have some free time though, which happens very rarely, I log on to an anonymous account to meet up with friends and go around freely and unnoticed! Apart from my real estate business, I have been actively involved for a long period of time with breeding horses on Second Life. Actually, I still have a large collection and do it from time to time. I love horses, and I am fascinated by the uncertainty and reasoning involved in the breeding mechanics.

We hear that you have a brand new project debuting this week -- Universe v2 - Rise of the Robots. This appears to be an NFT project that has a unique Second Life component. Can you explain a bit about this project, which I understand has an elaborate backstory about the robots. Can you tell us a bit about the story - and how will this work for people who want to check it out and potentially participate?

Oh yeah I love the storyline of our new project, Universe v2:

'The Law of Conservation of Mass states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, although it may be rearranged in space and the entities associated with it may be changed in form.

End of 2021. This is what actually happened. During a cataclysm, the universe got rearranged. The sun remained but the planets {that we know} disappeared, and two new planets were formed: Onerion and Zerotia. But what happened to the living entities? Well, they changed in form! Onerion and Zerotia are inhabited by different colonies of robots, each one having unique characteristics that are passed on through fusion. Onerion and Zerotia move along different elliptical orbits around the sun and every three months, they concurrently become aligned with the sun causing a cosmic tunnel to open up in space, linking the two planets. What happens next? Well, some things never change: Onerions and Zerotians travel along the tunnel, waging war against each other in the New Universe. Universe v2, Rise of the Robots.'

The ‘Universe v2’ NFT collection consists of 9,998 robots (4,999 Onerions and 4,999 Zerotians) minted on the Solana network, each robot with a unique combination of attributes. We are launching our whitelist registration on 4th Dec at 12.00pm UTC, limited to 1,500 slots with max 4 NFTs per slot, which gives registrants access to our PreSale Round 1 mint at only SOL1.35 (roughly USD285). Presale Round 1 mint will start once all whitelist slots are taken, followed by PreSale Round 2 mint, limited to 3,000 NFTs at SOL1.35 still. The last minting stage will be Public Minting at SOL2.50. The Second Life component of the project is that we are giving away the corresponding 3D Models of the NFTs on Second Life to those who mint during PreSale.

As with any NFT project, early minting is crucial. If you are new to the NFT world, basically early minting an NFT is similar to you buying at wholesale, getting the distribution rights to a product direct from the ‘manufacturer’ and then deciding to keep it, use it or even onsell it at a higher price. I would therefore recommend anyone interested to book a whitelist spot on our website as soon as registration opens on 4th Dec. For the records, we have seen NFTs getting resold at USD $170,000 just one month later while the minting price was less than USD $20.

While full information, including the Road Map and FAQ, about the Universe v2 project is available on our website, it is indispensable to anyone interested to join our Discord server as this is where we actually keep in touch with all our members, providing regular and important updates.

Second Life 3D Model

Is this your first NFT project? What made you interested in entering into this space?

Yes, this is my maiden NFT project. What got me interested in the first place was the hype. However, since the beginning, I felt that there was something just not right about them. I didn't like the idea of people buying an NFT to keep as a collection piece or immediately reselling it for a profit. I wanted to make something different. And that's what the Universe v2 NFT collection is all about! A Universe v2 NFT is not just an NFT which you keep or try to onsell for a profit straightaway. It is a living piece of technology which you can use for your enjoyment while even earning rewards, which also evolves, making its worth soar for you to show off or eventually onsell for an unbelievable profit! Our road map has it all planned out to make this happen. We have invested a lot in this project and have big hopes. For these to come to fruition, we rely on our community to trust us as we work together to make this project enjoyable and rewarding all along for everyone, and achieve its full potential. We plan to build a Universe v2 Legacy, together with our members!

Second Life 3D Model

While this sounds really cool, we know that not everybody may be a fan of NFTs -- and/or there may be some hesitation or confusion about them. Can people participate in Second Life without the NFTs - or is that something you are considering for the future?

Indeed you are right. While the NFT market is very promising, it is a niche market and fairly new too. On top of that, we have a limited number of 9,998 NFTs which means that they won't be available for everyone. The limited supply is actually an intrinsic feature of any NFT collection, contributing to make the floor price of the collection soar above the original release price (the minting price) and actually reach astronomical values in some cases, as I pointed out earlier. With that in mind, we understand that some people, without the NFTs, would love to have one of our robots and participate in our MMORPG further down our road map. We shall definitely give it due consideration and look into ways of properly integrating new components in the future, making the project progress further. This is perfectly in line with the last point mentioned in the road map on our website.

Universe v2 NFT Robot (left) - Second Life 3D Model (right)

It seems like this has the potential to introduce Second Life to entirely new audiences. How are you planning to help connect your new NFT consumers directly to Second Life -- and potentially explore more of the virtual world beyond claiming their robots?

Yes, we could be among the first, if not the first, projects to be giving away corresponding 3D models of the NFTs right off the bat! Since my team is actively involved in Second Life on a daily basis, it provides us with the ideal platform to do that. Our 3D Artist team did an awesome job delivering the quality we aspire for. We understood from the beginning that this endeavour would entail getting Second Life introduced to new audiences and we got our team prepared for that. We have a link on our website for our community members to register for a Second Life account and log on to visit us on the Universe v2 region, where they can see the 3D robots being made and even meet and greet them! We know this experience can be a bit tricky for first-time users. We have a specific channel on our Discord server dedicated to providing the initial help to our members regarding registration and logging on for the first time. And once in-world, we have our team to guide them and cater for their orientation. We believe this process will become easier once we have Second Life Residents join us in this project, make new friends in the community and contribute towards helping them not only with the Universe v2 project on Second Life, but also with discovering the immense outreach of Second Life.

Universe v2 NFT Robot (left) - Second Life 3D Model (right)

This is all pretty exciting -- are there other new projects that can we expect from you in the future, too?

We do have two more projects planned. The first one, which is actually already in the works, is related to the NFT metaverse though it won't be an NFT collection as such. The second is the development of a mobile app which will link people worldwide and make it much easier for them to communicate and cooperate while playing a popular augmented reality (AR) mobile game, thus allowing them to progress faster in the game.

Where can people learn more about your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

While our website provides all information about Universe v2, our Discord server is where we actually make important announcements, provide regular updates, hold discussions, answer questions and work together with our community members towards our common goal. We would say it is indispensable to anyone interested in the project to join our Discord.

Website: https://universev2.com 
Discord: https://discord.gg/universev2 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Universe_v2 
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/people/universev2 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhxlI0SLzIiACgbLzUqGxQ 

View the Universe v2 Official Trailer, shot in Second Life, video production by Vrutega.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sirux and his impressive new project. Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 
 

Today we’re shining a spotlight on Shawn Gunner, whose decade-long journey in Second Life has transformed from a curious newcomer to a pivotal machinima artist, DJ, and educator.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I have been a passionate follower of Second Life for nearly ten years, finding this virtual realm to be a constant source of amusement and social connectivity. Surprisingly, I initially discovered this platform through an online forum dedicated to IMVU, another well-known virtual world. However, upon entering Second Life, I immediately recognized its superior qualities compared to any other virtual world I had encountered previously. With its captivating visuals, limitless customization opportunities, and thriving community, Second Life has undeniably become a cherished sanctuary for me.

You are a talented machinima artist, how did you get into it and do you have a background in video production?
Upon discovering machinima in Second Life, I was immediately drawn to its captivating and imaginative possibilities. Initially unaware that real users were behind these creations, I mistook them for a feature available for purchase within Second Life. I recall reaching out to a machinima video creator, expressing my interest in acquiring something similar. It was only after they enlightened me about their personal involvement in the video's production that I truly appreciated the depth of their creativity, and my fascination with the realm of machinima was born.

Spurred by this encounter, I developed a passion for crafting my own machinima videos. Although I initially considered commissioning a video from the creator, I ultimately declined due to cost and resolved to embrace the challenge myself. My friends, impressed by my non-Second Life video creations, wholeheartedly encouraged me in this pursuit.

Countless hours were devoted to researching and honing my craft. I carefully studied a multitude of videos on YouTube and reached out to numerous experienced videographers for guidance and assistance. I eagerly absorbed insights into various techniques and software, integrating them into my creative endeavors. Experimentation with camera angles, lighting, and effects played a crucial role in achieving my desired outcomes.

While I lack professional experience in video production outside of Second Life, my ardent interest in the art of filmmaking has always remained steadfast.

You’ve recently started teaching film classes at GPS Studios, can you tell us more about that and how Residents can sign up if they are interested in learning?
Due to my passion for teaching, I am thrilled to have begun my career as a videography instructor at GioNation. During my time there, I had the pleasure of meeting Sergio Castellanos, the school's founder. Although initially nervous, Sergio's polite and welcoming demeanor helped put me at ease. Following a successful interview, I accepted a teaching position at GioNation until its closure.

Undeterred by this setback, I sought guidance and support from Sergio to continue my teaching journey. With his invaluable assistance, I established GPS Studios, where my team and I offer comprehensive filmmaking classes. These courses cover essential aspects of videography, such as lighting techniques, camera movements, and numerous vital skills.

At GPS Studios, we take pride in our straightforward teaching style, striving to make the learning process enjoyable and accessible for our students. Additionally, we provide a wide range of effects for Premier Pro, which can enhance video quality.

If you are interested in creating machinima in Second Life, we would be delighted to have you enroll in our classes. Our team is excited to share our knowledge and expertise with you. You can find our sign-up page here: https://forms.gle/mJtBQgnHU4CSvxnP7 

You’re also a DJ, how did you get into DJing in Second Life and which venues do you regularly play at? Are there any upcoming shows Residents can see you at?
I have always had a deep passion for music. My sister Junie Hendrixx and I started from nothing on Second Life, playing music and slowly building a following of people who appreciated our talent. Through hard work and dedication, we honed our skills in mixing and blending, which eventually led to the creation of our esteemed entertainment company, Sneaky Link Entertainment.

Although we initially started small, over time our company grew, and we were fortunate enough to bring on my best friend and business partner, Kevo B. Wylin. Together, we have established ourselves as one of the premier entertainment companies within our virtual world. Our diverse roster of DJs, including DJ Kevo, DJ Lola Bunny, DJ Ultra Violet, DJ Blackice, DJ Fang, DJ Brockie, and myself, offer a wide range of music genres, catering to various tastes from Rap/Hip-Hop to R&B and House.

Behind the scenes, our exceptional team of managers, including Symone, Dee, Luna, Lola, Lyric, Kacee, and Slaughter, plays a vital role in keeping our company thriving. Additionally, we have a highly dedicated hype team consisting of over 15 members who assist us in promoting our events and reaching a larger audience.
To stay updated with our upcoming shows, you can join our in-world group or follow us on social media. Our Facebook and Instagram links are provided below:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SneakyLinkEntertainment 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sneakylinkentsl
Inworld Group: secondlife:///app/group/2f521f16-f593-e83a-90b1-59771471c838/about  

Are there any other interesting projects you are currently working on? What can we expect from you in the future?
I am currently involved in multiple projects that hold significant professional importance for me. One such project is a collaboration with Moon Studios, where we are working together to achieve an exceptional result. Additionally, I am working closely with Peasant Tater, a highly regarded videographer and voice actor in the Second Life community, on a detailed project. Our focus is to compile various scenes into a cohesive work that will undoubtedly impress. Peasant is making significant contributions to the project by creating multiple custom animations.

Furthermore, I am collaborating with a carefully chosen group of individuals on a music video project. The casting call for the video was overseen by Sauda Moon, the CEO of Moon Studios, and Revienne Decosta, CEO of Revienne. Ryah Plastique, the founder of Mu Alpha Chi Sorority, is responsible for animating the dancers in the video.

In summary, I consider myself privileged to be involved in these projects and eagerly anticipate their final outcomes. These projects hold immense professional significance for me, and I take pride in being able to contribute my expertise to their success.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL who inspire you and whose work you admire.
Within the realm of Second Life, a multitude of gifted and imaginative individuals exist, uplifting and propelling others to new levels of achievement. Fortunately, I have had the privilege of encountering a handful of these remarkable residents who have left a lasting impact on me.

One such individual is DJ Brockie, who, in my estimation, stands as one of the premier DJs in existence. Sadly, I believe he does not receive the recognition he rightfully merits. Nevertheless, his prowess behind the turntables is unparalleled, and his passion for music is contagious. He is unquestionably a role model for me, and undoubtedly, my entire team feels the same.

With respect to videography, the Second Life community is teeming with countless talented figures, too numerous to mention entirely. However, several individuals stand out prominently to me, namely Vrutega, Sere Vene, Sergio Castellanos, Malus Castamere, Peasant Tater, and many others. Each possesses a distinctive style that sets their work apart, showcasing their exceptional abilities and the unwavering commitment they pour into their respective crafts.

I would like to emphasize my deep reverence for each of these individuals. I wholeheartedly support and admire them in their endeavors, whatever they may be. They serve as a wellspring of inspiration for not only me but also for many others within the Second Life community.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

https://www.facebook.com/GunnerKlips 
https://www.instagram.com/gunn.klips
 
https://www.facebook.com/GPSStudiosSL
https://www.instagram.com/gpstudiossl

https://www.facebook.com/SneakyLinkEntertainment 
https://www.instagram.com/sneakylinkentsl

Watch this moving machinima created by Shawn for this Spotlight interview, where he shares his unique connection with Second Life.

Thank you, Shawn, for enriching the Second Life community with your talent, creativity, and musical expression.

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup      

Today we are shining a spotlight on Severus7 XOXO, an open-format DJ who has been wowing Second Life and Twitch audiences with his infectious energy.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I found Second Life randomly through a YouTube ad while on bedrest from a foot injury I got in a basketball game. Since you can't do much with an injured foot, I was just bored and looking for stuff to do so I clicked the ad and here we are. I have been around for 5 years now!

How did you get into DJing in Second Life?
About a month in Second Life, I was casually hanging at a club one day and they had job openings for hosts and DJs. At the moment, I had no clue how the whole DJ thing even worked so I put in an app for a host spot. I started hosting for different DJs and working with them triggered my curiosity to dive deeper into the art of DJing. So I started researching and educating myself about the basic stuff. Like what software to use, how to match beats, how to stream music in SL, etc. Eventually, I got the hang of it and ended up applying for the DJ position to give my first and only DJ audition. The DJ manager loved me and I was accepted as a DJ. Since then I just fell in love with DJing more and more and never stopped. I ended up being invited to different events around the grid and slowly became addicted to it.

You also stream your sets on Twitch, how did you get into that and what are some of the advantages or challenges of DJing in SL versus Twitch?
I had no clue what Twitch was until a friend shared some DJ's stream with me. I was so amazed that the first thought was "Wow...I wanna do that too!". The idea of streaming simultaneously in SL and on Twitch, where virtual people can watch me DJ at the same time was so fascinating that I started researching how to stream and what hardware software I need. Still remember streaming my first DJ set on the study table with a very bad camera at the time lol.

Personally, starting out as a DJ on SL gave me a huge advantage on Twitch compared to people who just started from Twitch. I have met so many people that took them more than a month to be Twitch affiliates when they started. Whereas, my channel got affiliated within a week because I was getting good viewership due to my SL following. Twitch has its own advantages too. It has helped me connect and meet with many DJs and music artists outside of SL. You can make a lot of connections through Twitch and I'm blessed to have made some myself. Last but not least, Twitch is definitely another good platform to expand your following and make an extra income.

What are your favorite genres of music, and what mood do you usually go for when you DJ?
I'm an open format DJ, which means I love exploring and playing all kinds of music, from EDM genres to Hip Hop, and from Heavy Bass and Dubstep, which are my favs, to even kpop as of lately. But my first love will always be Dubstep. It's what I'm mostly known for, which is why my SL DJ group is called 'Severus Seven's Headbangers' cause we definitely love to turn it up, breaking rails and go hard. As far as it concerns my mood, one day you can find me playing some chill House vibes and the next day you will see me throwing down heavy bass and headbanging on my stream. I love to make it a musical journey for my crowd and even mix everything up in a set sometimes cause why not. 

Which venues do you regularly play at in Second Life and are there any upcoming shows Residents can see you at?
I DJ 3 times a week (Wednesday-Friday-Saturday) at a place called "The Dumpster". That is definitely the place to be if you want great music and to party hard. On Saturdays, there's a different themed event, at 8 pm SLT, with amazing giveaways sponsored by some of SL's hottest Brands/Creators for those best in theme. There are some more future events I'll be performing at. One of them that I'm really looking forward to is Smokefest 2! I was the closing DJ at Smokefest and that was an amazing experience so I know the next one is gonna be even better, so I am excited for that and I am sure you will be too!

How has Second Life impacted your life? 
Well, where do I even start? lol. SL has impacted my life in ways nothing else has. I can start with my passion for DJing and performing in front of people. Before SL, I had no clue what a DJ was, no knowledge about any DJ equipment or even EDM in general. I was just a nerdy Mechanical Engineer and then through my experiences, I learned about all these things that I'm doing right now. SL helped me find my calling! A year back I was working for an HVAC company in my city and now SL and Twitch DJing is my full-time job. Because of SL, I don't have to worry about missing my alarms in the morning and sleep whenever I want. Making a living through something I'm passionate about was always my goal growing up. There are many goals that I am working on every day but I am truly blessed in that regard.

Besides DJing, I have met so many amazing and talented individuals here. I wouldn't be where I am without my small circle of friends, who have stuck around from day one. These bonds have helped me through thick and thin and I'm forever grateful for it. The best thing I like about SL is you can be whoever you want to be without the influence of any RL social standards. 

Connecting with people from different sides of the world and accepting each other for who we are is amazing in my opinion.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
It's hard to name individuals but I would say a big thank you to the people who I had hosted for when I was basically an SL newbie. All of them plus the people who have collaborated with me over the years inspired me to learn new things and always helped me push past my limits. Most of my inspiration for the way I DJ comes from some RL artists like Excision, Virtual Riot, Subtronics, and Kompany.  Also, I get inspired every day by all of SL's creative individuals no matter if they are DJs, bloggers, or creators. I appreciate and get inspired by their art, hard work, dedication, and passion!

Where can people follow you to know more about your next shows? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
You can find all my links here: https://linktr.ee/itsSeverus7 
and I do encourage everyone to join my discord community to stay updated about future sets and events and also come hang with us!  

Thank you Severus7, for the addictive energy you add to the live DJ scene in Second Life!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

Today we are shining a spotlight on Semiiina, a talented live singer and musician taking the virtual music scene by storm with her soulful performances that blend a range of styles and influences.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I've been in Second Life for 10 years! I first heard about it from my friends. I had just gotten back to Sweden after playing music in the states for a while. My friends thought SL would be a great way to keep in touch and still hang out over the pond. 

They eventually got tired of SL but the vampire world sucked me in together with the art, creativity, and the different communities. There was something about always being one teleport away from the next adventure and getting to know people from all over the world that kept it interesting for me. However, I've been a human for years now! haha!

How did music become such an important part of your life?
Music never "became" an important part of my life, it was just life. My mornings as a kid always started with walking straight to our black piano in the living room. I would sing a note with my tiny morning voice and then press down the key I thought it sounded like on the piano. I didn't always get it right back then but I do now.

Saturday trips were to the record store. Dad and I spent hours listening to music in crappy headphones that were attached to the wall. You skipped tracks until you found something that spoke to you and if it was a good Saturday, you even got to buy a single to bring home.

My bedtime stories were reading sheet music by Debussy, Chopin, or Liszt and the fairy tale stories I was told were the life of David Bowie and The runaways mixed with the artwork of Andy Warhol.

When I was playing with my girlfriends we all wanted to be princesses. My princess was always called Edie Sedgwick. Pretty alarming looking back at it now!

Do you write your own songs and/or compose your own music? Do you play any instruments?
I do! Quite a lot! I haven't done any shows in SL yet with only original music but I'm planning on it. I play the piano, guitar, bass, and harmonica; and I also DJ.

How would you describe your music, and who are some of the musicians who have influenced your style?
How I would describe my music is always the hardest question for me. The way I deal with everything that comes with being a live musician (SL and RL) and me being an introverted extrovert is to stick to my part.

My part is to perform and do every creative thing that pops up in my mind and not question it or what it sounds like, am I good enough? What do people think of me? Is this a good song choice? I just follow the creativity and the flow.

If I step out of my part, I would probably go insane. However, I guess I could describe the music as "Chamelionic." In both worlds, I like to jump between genres and not stick to the same thing.
It goes from Indy to Jazz to showgirl to pop to electronic to acoustic to a beautiful classic piano to singer-songwriter. Most shows I do in SL are acoustic with piano/guitar and vocals.

Musicians that have influenced my style are definitely Björk, Marina, Bon Iver, Fever Ray, Soko, Lykke li, Lana del Rey, Birdy, and the list goes on and on and on.

When did you start performing in Second Life, and what venues or shows can people visit to hear you sing?
This is my third year as a live performer in SL! I play all over the grid so it's hard to mention only a few. It's been a tradition for me to play at the Second Life Birthday Event, Fantasy Faire, and Rezz Room & Versovs’ ugly Christmas sweater party.  

Posters come out every week on my Facebook, in my in-world group, and on discord so the best way to catch me is to join any of my social media groups.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
Bryn Oh is my number one inspiration. She is an amazing artist in both worlds. I've been amazed by her work since my first week in SL. Bryn was also the first one to ever give me a stage to perform when others turned me down because I had no experience in performing in SL. She didn't have to do that for me at all being a stranger at the time. Her heart is kind and she has a way of telling a story through her art that I've never seen before.

Another inspiration is Tye Dinzel-Easton and Gabriel Easton. They literally saved us all from boredom during the pandemic. Together with their High Life destination team, they put together the most amazing resorts in SL with the best RP activities you could ever imagine. I had the privilege to perform at their Vegas sim together with the Dollhouse dancers. They put up a whole vegas show! Just by being in their creative and passionate presence inspires me so much.

Every creator inspires me, every artist inspires me, photographers, models, DJs, designers, bloggers, event creators, and kind people in general. There is so much creativity to be found in Second Life and so many opportunities to go all in on what you're passionate about. Whether that be hunting for blood, running a venue, performing live music, or just simply having a conversation with a stranger on a wooden mesh raft in the middle of the Blake sea.  

Where can people follow you to know more about your music and shows? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

• Facebook  
• Discord  
• In world group: secondlife:///app/group/7ebe3807-5ae8-25bc-2d9c-2fd58e34d24a/about 
• Soundcloud  
• Spotify  

Thank you Semiina, for adding your voice to the live music scene in Second Life! 

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on Second Pride, a destination that is celebrating 15 years of service to the LGBTQ+ community in Second Life. Learn more from their chairman, Lee McKay.

Lee McKay - speech at the 2022 Second Pride opening ceremony - Photo by Jason Roach

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
As of July 11, it will be 16 years for me. I barely remember, but I think it was around the time that Second Life was "hot" in the media and even popped up on a couple of tv shows. I was hooked right away. I took some months-long breaks over the years, but for the last 5-6 years have been here steadily.

You are the Chairman of Second Pride, can you tell us more about the history of Second Pride, how it came to fruition, and what can people expect when visiting the destination?
I wish I had more information about the history than I do. I know we are in our 15th year, but the Board of Second Pride has changed many times over the years. I'm not sure who the original members were, but we certainly appreciate the foundation they laid. The leadership is now more continuous, and this has allowed for more growth and stability over the last few years, including official sponsorship from Second Life, which we are so grateful for!

Photo by Patch Linden

Second Pride is also a Community Gateway, what kind of support does it offer Second Life Residents?
You can, of course, create your Second Life account right from our website and arrive in our Gateway on day one. We have one of the more detailed and in-depth tutorials that I have seen, created by a school teacher, with interactive stations for learning various skills. We will also soon be implementing a method for a new user to be able to call a Second Pride Ambassador with questions. This should be available in the next couple of months.

Photo by Tomais Ashdene

June is Pride month and in Second Life many members of the LGBTQ+ community find this to be a safe space to express themselves and feel empowered. What kind of celebratory activities does Second Pride have planned for this month?
Second Pride holds an annual event in June to celebrate Pride, with 10 days of activities, including DJs, live singers, stage performances, etc. across multiple venues. We also have a wide selection of vendors set up with stores, gifts, and more. The two regions, Second Pride East and Second Pride West are set up as a large city, including a beach boardwalk with amusement rides, games, and more. We usually select two "first life" organizations to raise funds for. This year they are ILGA-Europe and Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. Then after June, we switch focus to another organization or two until the next June. We want everyone to know that Second Pride doesn't go away after June. We have three other major events, Glitter & Gore for Halloween, Holidaze in December, and Mardi Gras. These are all multi-day events. We also have some smaller events over the year. Our regions are here every day, all year long for people to come and enjoy.

Photo by Evie I. Ravens

Aside from Second Pride, what other projects are you working on in Second Life?
I manage a men's resort and club called Steamworkz, part of the Boystown community. I also help with the management of the rental land and homes there. I've been involved at Boystown for many years before working there. It's where I call home.

Photo by Scarlett Amethyst

Tell us about some of the other Residents in Second Life that inspire you and whose work you admire.
Adham DeCuir, who created Boystown in 2007, is a good friend and an amazing graphic creator, community designer, and landscaper. None of those terms really cover what he's capable of. If I need something for Second Pride, he's always able to whip up a stunning venue or whatever we need in nearly no time. He created our replica of the historic Stonewall Inn, and our current main stage area.
 
Tomais Ashdene, a fantastic photographer and landscaper, and another good friend. He did the majority of the work on the park at Second Pride.
 
Grant Valeska, an amazing designer and performer that created the Lady Gaga concert for Second Pride last year, and the Britney Spears "Stronger - A Live Experience" for this year. Watching Grant create is truly watching a master at work!
 
There are many others, and I feel guilty for not listing them all here!

Second Pride

Celebrate diversity at Second Pride! This destination is the headquarters of the Second Pride organization in Second Life. Started in 2005, Second Pride holds four annual events, featuring plenty of music and fun. More info at: second-pride.com

More Info Teleport

Where can Residents learn more about Second Pride? Please share links to any sites and social media accounts.

• Second Pride Website
• Second Pride Twitter
• Second Pride Instagram (just getting started)
• Second Pride Flickr Group (anyone can submit pics)
• Second Pride Destination

Watch this Second Pride video from 2019 on the Second Life YouTube Channel 

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Second Pride and their mission is to serve, support, and empower the diverse LGBTQ+ communities of Second Life!

Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup.
 

This week we are shining a spotlight on Sassy Nitely, a busy mom and lifelong musician who rediscovered her passion for performing through the live music scene in Second Life.

Sassy about to start a show in 2021 – Photo by Kaitlyn Pruitt

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I have been in Second Life since October 2007. I first heard of Second Life through a coworker; she explained the platform to me. However, like many new Residents of Second Life, I had no idea what I was doing or what would come out of that decision. {Joining} Second Life was one of my best decisions and has impacted my life tremendously. I owe a lot of gratitude to Second Life. I was 30 years old when I signed up and nearly 15 years later, I can say without a shadow of a doubt: Second Life has taught me a lot about myself, shaped real life relationships, and brought me back to my musical roots.

Sassy (top center) in Madrigals (1995), Antioch High School, Antioch, TN

How did music become such an important part of your life?

For musicians, music is our lifeline, much like the air we breathe. I grew up in the music industry here in Nashville, so this life of being a musician and being the daughter of a musician is all I have ever really known. My dad began his music career playing drums at the age of 15, and by the time he was in his late 20s, he was playing at the Grand Ole Opry behind many country music icons.

When I was 11, I loved to sing. I was obsessed with lyrics and started to write my own songs with catchy hooks and melodies. At the age of 12, I decided I wanted to be a drummer like my dad. I loved to sing, but growing up around a professional drummer I naturally wanted to follow that path. I put the notepad of lyrics down and switched it out with staff paper. He taught me how to read and write rhythm patterns and I learned the bible of all drummers: drum rudiments. In sixth grade, I joined the middle school band’s percussion section. I excelled in music, but found I gravitated more toward the melodic percussion instruments like the bells, xylophone, and marimba. Playing those instruments, I had to learn how to read sheet music and become more involved with music theory. Missing the singing aspect, I signed up for choir and finished out my sixth grade year in band and show choir. In high school I continued in concert band, choir and “Madrigals,” which is a select choir of 16-18 vocalists.

Those are my roots, and although so many amazing things happened musically in my youth through honor band and choir, I moved on to my college years and majored in Vocal Music Education. This era in my life taught me more about music composition, theory, and I also became a decent pianist and a classically trained vocalist.

In 1999, my husband {at the time} and I started a family. The music was put on hold for a while. Then, in January 2008, due to Second Life, music came rushing back into my life and I picked up the guitar that had been sitting in my closet for years.

Sassy (bottom, third from right) at a Madrigals showcase rehearsal in 1995, Antioch High School, Antioch, TN

When did you start performing live in Second Life, and what venues can people visit to hear you play?

In January 2008, I found music on Second Life. A new friend sent a message asking if I’d like to join him at a music concert with some friends. I was excited and intrigued because I had no idea live music was even a part of Second Life. I gladly accepted the invitation. I landed at The Freudian Slip and my Second Life was forever changed with the sound of one voice and one guitar.  

Lyndon Heart was singing his heart out and strumming his guitar that day at The Freudian Slip. I knew instantly that this was exactly what I needed to do. Second Life was a way that I could be at home in the evenings with my son and bring me back into performing. That concert gave me an epiphany that saved me in many ways. I found my way back to music and have been performing in Second Life since February of 2008, and in real life since 2011.  

Sassy performing in April 2008, photo by Sassy

In my years of performing in Second Life, I have had so many incredible opportunities to help raise money for charity through music. I’ve played concerts for Homes for our Troops, American Cancer Society, Feed a Smile, Power Up for Charge, Team Diabetes and others. This gives me a great sense of purpose and the charities listed mean a great deal to me. I have also performed for the Bloggies and most recently a halftime performer at the NFL Alumni Association's ESTV event.

Sassy at the ESTV Halftime Show, photo by Linden Lab

I am grateful and beyond blessed to play many of Second Life’s premier live music venues. I play every other week or once a month at After Dark, The Blue Cornflower Lounge, The Black Diamond, Free Spirit Farms and Swamp Water Bluz. This family of venues has been around a while; they are a staple of live music in Second Life. If you want to hear the best talent Second Life has to offer, go to one of these venues. Those who own/manage these venues and their crew are very selective about the performers they pick.

How would you describe your music? Who are some of the musicians who have influenced your style?

My roots started in country, rock, and eventually pop, but I was introduced to many genres growing up. My music is soulfully strong with a bit of sweetness and sass (hence the name). I grew up listening to Bob Seger, Aretha Franklin, Fleetwood Mac, Janis Joplin, The Judds, CCR, and many others. A great singing voice is an amazing instrument and I grew great admiration for those artists who could also accompany themselves with an instrument. In my teen years I listened to Shania Twain, Jewel, Martina McBride, Whitney Houston, Taylor Dayne, Melissa Etheridge, Reba McEntire and Sarah McLachlan. These ladies are all incredible artists with strong, soulful, and sweet voices. They sing with raw emotion and conviction. If the performer feels the music and lyrics, it will radiate to their audience. Just like the artists mentioned above, I leave a piece of me on every stage and if I touched at least one person through a song, I did my job right.

Sassy performing in her band “My July”

Sassy with her newest music project “New Binge”

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.

I cannot miss the opportunity to point out Lyndon Heart again. I had the extraordinary honor of meeting and playing music with Lyndon at the Nashville Music City Jam in 2012. He is quite a songwriter and I encourage everyone to look him up. Other incredible songwriters I admire and consider professional in their art are Zak Claxton and Phemie Alcott. These artists not only enjoy writing, but they also accompany themselves well on their instruments and tell their stories with conviction. There is a mixed bag of incredible artists on Second Life. There are vocalists who sing to high quality tracks, instrumentalists, musicians who sing and play multiple instruments or electroacoustic artists who compose electronic music on the spot. You just have to go concert-hopping to find who fits your niche and follow them. The talent in Second Life is endless and there is something for everyone. Do a quick search of live music events in Second Life. Drop into any show and you will find greatness.

The live music community in Second Life is a tight knit family and every year there are several chances for us to get together in real life to make music. My SL and RL best friend Anastasia Yanwu and I organized the 2012 and 2014 Nashville Music City Jam. This year, Yvie Caproni and Marina Sharpshire are bringing the jam back to Nashville to continue the tradition! I cannot wait to meet up with our community and make new memories filled with fun, laughter and of course, MUSIC! From Nashville to Baltimore, Dallas, Minneapolis, London, and others there are many destinations to attend a jam. Be sure to check out the SL Live Music Jams Facebook page to keep up to date on where the next live jam will be.

All attendees signed this board at the first “Nashville Music City Jam” in 2012

Where can people follow you to know more about your next shows? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

You can find me listed in live music events inworld or at any of the links below. I included my RL band information as well for our Nashville-based SL Residents.

Sassy on the Web: www.newbingemusic.com/sassy 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sassynitelymusic 
Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=sassy.nitely%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2PTVKG-njH-ekhkIwsiHtg 
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/barbie-horsley 
SL Life Music Jams: https://www.facebook.com/groups/186627631374381 
RL Band: www.newbingemusic.com 

Thank you for this opportunity to share my story with you all. Second Life is full of surprises, and you never know what doors can open for you as a result. Thank you, Second Life – for everything. ♥

Thank you Sassy for bringing your melodious music to the live music scene in Second Life!

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sassy today and get a chance to enjoy some of her virtual concerts in the near future.

Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on Sam King-Slain (Dropyour.Knickers), a skilled singer, songwriter, and musician who credits Second Life for assisting his journey in self-discovery. Watch him play live at SL19B later this month!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I'm 11 years old in Second Life which makes me about 250 in SLife experience. I heard about it after me and one of my childhood friends were playing the Sims. I think we googled 'virtual world' and it was the first one that popped up.

You are an award-winning musician with quite the talent for songwriting. Second Life and the humorous and perhaps frustrating situations you encounter in this virtual world are the main topic of your songs. Tell us more about your music career and how it all began.

I've always been into writing songs, raps and poetry so it wasn't totally out of character for me. But roughly 5 years ago, myself and a few close friends were hanging inworld at a recording studio and it just struck me how funny it would be to write something about Second Life. I remember saying brb and 20 minutes later I jumped on mic like 'I gotta show you guys what I've done!' 

That was the day I wrote my first song 'TP Me' and the chorus was literally 'tp me, tp me, I've got a platform in the sky' and everyone had it stuck in their heads for weeks! I think we all knew we were onto something and I just knew I could write more so I went away and wrote 'Relog', 'Crosshairs' and 'Prim Love' and with each song just came more laughter and enjoyment. It was those guys that said 'Sam we have to do a concert' and that was when we set up a little warehouse skybox and threw our first show - I felt like a true Second Life Popstar, with my name in lights and it was a hit! 

My friends had made merch and set the stage up and we felt like we had really injected the fun back into Second Life. It ended up with us having a full sim with a Record Label Office and a venue and we started going around inworld to all our favourite spots asking if I could do a show. It was hard to get people to buy into the vision but I knew all I had to do was convince them to listen to one song and they got it.

Do you play any musical instruments and how do you compose the music for your songs?

I have played the guitar and saxophone from a young age in real life. My song writing process is usually quite simple. I'll feel inspired, go away, and find a beat or play a tune on the guitar and then record and write simultaneously until it's done. It's very rare that I'll step away and come back to a song. If I feel it then, I just have to write something in that exact moment and I have to finish it then and there.

What genre would you say your music falls in, and who are some of the musicians that have influenced your style?

I would say my genre is varied, like my music taste. Sometimes I rap, sometimes I'll do an acoustic song or something on the piano, and sometimes I'll do something people can dance to. Overall for Second Life, I like to keep my music light hearted, fun and relatable. Some musicians I look up to are J Cole - a lyrical genius, Drake, Bon Iver, Beyonce, Juice WRLD & Lil Peep. I'd say my acoustic music is heavily influenced by Ed Sheeran - gotta keep it in the UK!

One of your songs reveals how Second Life assisted in your journey of self-discovery. Can you share in what ways SL has impacted your life?

Second Life has saved my life in a lot of ways. I'm from a conservative quiet town on the South Coast of England and being myself was pretty much out of the question as a kid. I struggled with my gender identity and Second Life gave me a means to explore that. I met the love of my life (we're back together now 10 years on!) and that taught me things about my sexuality. It's funny because in a game where you can be literally anyone - it has given me confidence to be my true self. I have met so many wonderful people from all different walks of life and it has inspired an abundance of self reflection and growth. I'm proud of my gratitude towards Second Life and I never shy away to say how much I appreciate the game - it really is whatever you want it to be. To some it's just a game but to me it's the place I've expressed my most authentic creativity and made genuine, life long connections and friendships.

June is Pride month and in Second Life many members of the LGBTQ+ community find this to be a safe space to express themselves and feel empowered. You have been very active in Second Life raising awareness in the past, can you share more about that and if there are any activities or events that you’ll be taking part in during this coming month?

Last year I wrote a song "SL Pride" which sort of depicts why pride is so important to me and how Second Life has helped me along the way. I won't go into much more detail than I did above because I'm much better at singing out my words than speaking them. 

Last year I did two big Pride performances - Burrow & Co for SL Pride and Pride at Home run by Tink Hax. Both events were hugely successful and we raised a load of lindens for various LGBT charities with a variety of really talented people. This year I'm booked for two Pride shows so far - Pride at Home and one at a fairly new venue called Eleventh House.

Tell us about some of the other Residents in Second Life that inspire you and whose work you admire.

Someone who believed in me at the start of my SL music journey when no one did is DJ Gracie (Gracie Barbosa). Not only is she one of the most talented DJ's on the grid, has come to every show of mine and performed along side me, she has also created The Little Tokyo Rooftop which is home to the Dream Team - a collaborative of creative artists who bring love and good vibes to the grid. Gracie is very humble about what she has created on SL, but the sim is free for all and she is always making rl donations and sending out school supplies to kids in Africa. Lil Tokyo Rooftop does a Bumpin' Brunch event every Sunday and I'd really recommend dropping down! Check out Lil Tokyo Rooftop's Facebook page. 

Another collaborative that really deserve recognition is WWBH: We Will Be Heard - Founded by Daisatella Slain, Bars Simpson, November Justice, Pinky Banks, Roshambo Dench. It's hard to put into words what these ladies have achieved in the last couple of years. It started in 2020 with their Black Lives Awareness Event, it was so successful and raised somewhere to a million plus lindens for charity. These guys do a whole month of events, rl speakers, parties, art exhibitions, open mics, museums and raise as much as possible for the chosen cause. Last year was WWBH: Girl Power - Bars Simpson put together one of the most jaw dropping interactive inworld museum experiences I have ever seen - our whole community was involved and it showcased beautifully the issues surrounding women's rights. I was honoured to perform in the closing show. Their next project will be for Mental Health and I am so excited because this bunch pull it out the bag every single time, truly it blows me away and I'd love them to get some coverage for their next one -  I think it's something Second Life would be extremely proud of. You can still check out their first Black Lives Awareness website and the LinkTree to last year's Girl Power where you can find their IG/FB and more.

I know I've talked for ages but I just have to give Tinkers a shout out! Tink Hax has done absolute wonders this year. He's always raising loads of awareness to various LGBT charities, creates a beautifully colourful Pride sim for people to explore at Pride at Home and runs the Pride shop&hop. Tink created Love to Ukraine and I've never seen someone raise so much money in such a short timescale. They raised L$6209987 which ended up being £17,500 - an incredible amount of money which I'm sure helped so many people in such a crisis. What a guy! Check out the Pride at Home Facebook page.

Where can people see you perform or hear more of your music? Please share links to your sites, social media accounts, and destinations you regularly perform at.

Inworld: Dropyour Knickers
Facebook: Sam Elliot King  
Soundcloud: Sam Super-Villin 
Flickr: SAM KING (slim) 

I'll be performing at Pride at Home at the end of this month, Saturday 25th June 6pm SLT. I have a good feeling about this one, hopefully see you all there!

Also just want to say although I've mainly stopped doing small occasions/parties, I'm always down for a good cause so I will happily come perform at your event if it's going to charity! 

And Linden Lab, if you ever want me to jump up on stage at one of your big Second Life events, just say the word and I promise I'll keep it PG!

Well Sam, we heard you! Watch Sam perform live at SL19B later this month!

Sam has graciously recorded a PG version of his song, Relog, for us. Watch the music video on our YouTube channel.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sam’s many talents and enjoy his music as much as we do. We'll see you at SL19B listening to his live performance!

Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup.

Today we are shining a spotlight on Sage Absinthe Oatsmill, a multi-talented creator bringing inclusive avatar components, decor, and destinations to the grid! 

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I've been a Second Life resident for a little over ten years. I discovered it through researching virtual worlds at the time. It was number one on the "Top virtual worlds of 2012" list on some tech blog. I've always been fascinated by virtual worlds, MMORPGs, and other metaverse continuums. 

You have a store, Mura, where your creations range from unique food, to hair, and other avatar accessories. How did you get into Second Life content creation and what are some of your favorite items you’ve created?
Although I launched Mura in September 2021, I've dabbled in content creation previously. I launched two clothing stores - Chloe in 2014 and Audace in 2016. Since I needed to gain the skills to mesh and create my own content from scratch, I purchased full perm meshes of clothing and worked to give them some really unique textures. Unfortunately, I decided to close them both when I took a hiatus from Second Life in 2017. I came back in 2020 during the pandemic. After reacquainting myself with Second Life, I decided to learn how to make original 3D content. I took a class by an amazing creator, Mesh Kitti, which lasted about two months. I felt that was all I needed before launching my first original mesh product, which was the Jollof rice set. Some of my favorite items that I've created are:

1. Seafood party platter
2. North African Mezze Platter
3. Interactive Cocktail Set
4. Nigerian Buffet
The common denominator of these products is that they're meant to bring people together through food.

You are also an incredible photographer and machinima artist, along with being the Marketing and Digital Director for Sage & Crystals Magazine in Second Life. Do you have a background in videography, photography, or magazine work?
I have a real-world background in all three. Years ago, I worked at Cosmopolitan and Seventeen Magazine's editorial features department, among others. This experience helped inform my knowledge of the production flow of an issue. Currently, I'm a commercial director and photographer, working with fashion, tech, and entertainment clients.

After all of that, you also run Teranga City in Second Life. Can you tell us more about this destination? What inspired it? What are the different venues Residents can find there, and are there regular events they can attend?
It's a funny origin story, but I started working on Teranga while I was sick and bedridden from COVID in real life (April 2022), but I still wanted something to do to keep me busy. It took about six months to complete. I wanted to create a slice of my family's home countries (Senegal and Morocco). I never really saw a sim or community on Second Life that accurately depicted modern cities of North and West Africa. There's the representation of historical depictions or things like safaris, but that's not the actual reality for millions of people on the continent. I intended to create a space for everyone of all backgrounds to enjoy, explore and connect with the culture. In addition, I wanted to provide a hospitality destination with this same ethos, so I created Al-Mouna Resort, which takes up a little more than 1/4th of the sim. I custom-built the resort's main building and landscaped and decorated the sim with the help of my Second Life family members, Zoeynova Oatsmill and Zai Starchild, who are also phenomenal decorators and developers. 

There are so many things to do in Teranga. As I've stated, there's Al-Mouna resort which has a bathhouse, a spa and wellness center, a self-serve buffet, a beach, pools, and soon a MyStory-compatible restaurant. But, this is only accessible to guests that rent a room or villa. On the rest of the sim, which is open to the public, there's Absinthe Club and Lounge, La Galerie Mall, which hosts the Dancing Robot arcade, a food court, an apothecary, Lucien's Jazz Bar and Lounge, and La Tois de La Teranga, a rooftop club, and pool. There's a Souk (traditional North African market), a beauty salon, a cafe, multiple eateries, a museum specializing in African diaspora art, and Mura, my mainstore. We have regular events at Absinthe lounge, where folks can dance and enjoy salsa and Afrobeats music. Monthly, we've had Layali Troupe, a belly dance entertainment group perform, as well as Semina, a talented live singer.

Tell us about some of the other Creators in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
Many creators inspire me so much, and the list is terribly long. As you've noted, I dabble in various creative modalities, so I can attempt to categorize those who inspire. As a content creator, I'm most inspired by Lucas Lameth, who is a wonderful and talented creator and a kind and generous person. His work and artistic style are unique and some of the best I've seen on the grid! I'm constantly drooling over his mesh food releases. 

In the realm of videography, I'm most inspired by Sere Vene, who released their short film "Magazine" about two years ago. I was in awe when I saw this piece for the first time. At this point, I've only been creating videos for six months. Nevertheless, it was one of the best-executed shorts I've seen in Second Life at that moment. The way each sequence transitioned into another, the editing, the costume and set design, the animations, and the sound engineering all made it so extravagant and special. As someone who mainly focuses on music video machinima, all of those aspects are so important to capture effectively in a small period of time.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
People can find all of my links through my linktree.

Watch this amazing machinima submitted by Sage.

Thank you, Sage, your work is truly inspiring!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup

This week we are shining a spotlight on the virtual wellness and lifestyle publication Sage & Crystals Magazine, which was created to support and promote the rich ethnic and cultural diversity that exists in Second Life. Learn more about it from the Executive Editor/Co-Editor in Chief, ZoeyNova Oatsmill.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I first learned about Second Life from my real life mother. She heard someone refer to it on a television show, which sparked her curiosity. As soon as she signed up, I remember her telling me, “You have to join this! It’s a virtual world of some sort.” Since then, we have both been Second Life Residents for 13+ years.

The issues of Sage and Crystals cover a comprehensive range of topics and feature stunning photography. Do you do everything yourself? If you have help, please tell us about your team and what they do.
The magazine was born out of my desire to represent the diversity of Residents on the grid. I got together with a group of wonderful, like-minded ladies and Sage and Crystals Magazine was created. Although I do a lot of the photography, Sage Absinthe and I share the task so we are responsible for the imagery represented and we contribute some of the editorials. For some of the features, like Spotlight, we use the pictures of the Residents we are showcasing.

Our staff consists of:
ZoeyNova Oatsmill - Executive Editor/Co-Editor in Chief
Sage Absinthe - Co-Editor in Chief
Pilar Mimulus - Editor-at-Large/Editorial Coordinator and Project Manager
Harper Nova - Relationship Manager/ Editor-at-Large
Ari Lexington - In-House Interior Stylist/Set Designer

A huge step forward in representation involves normalizing the idea that people of all backgrounds exist outside of stereotypes and are capable of a variety of interests and skills. You do such an amazing job of that with your magazine. How would you describe your approach to this?
The mission statement of our magazine states, “Sage and Crystals SL is a magazine created by a Second Life collective to present a virtual wellness and lifestyle magazine that supports and promotes the rich ethnic and cultural diversity that exists within SL.” The magazine is meant to be representative of the world at large as it exists on the grid without a bow to prejudice and stereotypes. I feel that the Second Life platform takes away some of the barriers that prevent us from interacting with different groups of people in {the physical world}. On the grid, you can be who you are or who you feel you are. My goal is to make an effort to show that at the core we are all human. We are all just people having experiences that could be teachable moments; moments that could expand you, or stunt/limit you. The opportunity to bridge some gaps and explore differences as a form of education exists in Second Life. The learned opportunity is transferable and  applicable to real life, too.

What are some things you hope people get out of reading your magazine?
By reading the magazine I hope people will suspend judgment to acknowledge and embrace the diversity that exists in Second Life. Our community is not linear and should reflect and relate to those in it. This social platform can allow us to build bridges and connect with different people and cultures on our own accord, as well as vigorously challenge the conditioned narratives and assumptions that have been echoed in real life.

Also, I hope that people can see that virtual wellness is essential. There are so many places on the grid to practice self-reflection, meditation, and other wellness activities to be a better version of ourselves, which can be so beneficial.

Are you accepting submissions from other Residents at this time? If so, where and how?
No, we aren’t accepting submissions at this time, However, we review suggestions and comments that come in from notecards, IMs, or via our social media platforms.

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
Second Life Residents can check out our work on Issuu, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Instagram.

Thank you for this opportunity!

Watch this fantastic video from the Sage and Crystals team:

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sage & Crystals Magazine, and start living your best virtual life!

Each weekly post will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup 

This week we are shining a spotlight on Saffia Widdershins, a powerhouse woman that has years of promotional work under her belt, including an incredible job of hosting many award shows, pageants, talk shows, and more!

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?

I first heard about Second Life in early 2007, when my team in the Medical Sciences Division of the University of Oxford asked me to go into Second Life and see if it might be useful to us. I went in and did a little exploration... and was fascinated by the whole environment and decided I wanted to explore more thoroughly. I created a second avatar to do this - so Saffia is actually an alt!

Prim Perfect Magazine - Covers of the first (2007) and last issue (2015)

In addition to being renowned in Second Life for hosting a variety of events, you are known especially for your in-depth interviews. When and how did you get into broadcasting in Second Life? 

My first venture into media in Second Life was with Prim Perfect, Second Life's first home and garden magazine. As my (real life) husband said... "You're planning on a virtual magazine in a virtual world, telling virtual people what virtual furniture to put in their virtual homes … and you're planning to make real money doing this?" After we'd been up and running with the magazine for six months, I thought we could also have a presence on Second Life TV, so I contacted the popular network SLCN (later Treet TV) and asked if they'd like a home and garden show. That was the start of MetaMakeover, which was planned to be a home makeover show, but it very rapidly expanded far more into looking at places and events, and so it soon became Designing Worlds. And so it is to this day! There's a longstanding team behind it - in addition to myself there's Elrik Merlin, Aisling Sinclair, Wildstar Beaumont and - recently, Bain Finch who is a second videographer.

A double page spread from The Primgraph by Terry Lightfoot

Designing Worlds is such an amazing resource for creators. What are some of the other shows and events, past and current, that you have produced? 

I've also been involved with Happy Hunting, which was produced for a number of years by Cinders Vale and Petlove Petshop. And, of course, there was the thriller/fantasy story of The Blackened Mirror, which was a group production by a very talented team which included Zander Greene, Da5id Abbott, Aisling Sinclair, Petlove Petshop, Lorin Tone, Terra Volitant, Mavromichali Szondi, Angie Mornington, AvaJean Westland, and others. And then there was The Primgraph, a magazine for the Steamlands, which ran for several years.

One event that is so close to my heart is One Billion Rising. We recently held the 10th annual event, as it's been running since 2013. That's a long time in Second Life! It's part of international events held around the world on February 14th,  drawing attention to the statistic that one in three women worldwide will be beaten or raped during her lifetime - which adds up to more then one billion women and girls. It's an event with music, dance, art, and poetry. For many people, men and women, it's very powerful - it certainly is for me. I've been involved with the team leading it throughout - it actually started by the editorial team of Prim Perfect; when we read about the event, we wanted to be part of it! Over the years, many people have been involved - the team this year included Dawny Daviau, Briony Writer, Adele Ward, Cherryblonde Scribe, Meegan Danitz, AvaJean Westland, Jenny Anatine and some amazing volunteers who came in all shapes and forms! 

Designing Worlds visits One Billion Rising in Second Life 2022 

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.

Well, quite a lot of them are people I'm lucky enough to work with - or have had the opportunity to work with in the past!

Deep breath...

I would have to look at people who have created some amazing events, such as the teams behind events such as Fantasy Faire. The organisational skills there (led by Elizabeth Tinsley and Zander Greene) are amazing - and every year the creations of the designers just blow me away. One of my favourite things that I do each year is to lead the Company of Faire Folk on the tours we have each year, where a group of us go and explore each region of the Faire in turn, so we get to admire the work of creators like Alia Baroque, Saiyge Lotus, Sharni Azalee, Kayle Matzerath, Kilik Lekvoda, Walton Wainwright and Loki Eliot. The Tours run very smoothly, thanks to Aoife Lorefield and the rest of the LitFest team - the Literary Festival and now the Film Festival, led by Chantel Harvey, are components of Fantasy Faire.

And then there's the Home and Garden Expo, led by Kaerri Rae, which is the most wonderful way of seeing the best of home and garden design in Second Life. As well as the lovely furniture design, I always look out for Cassie Eldamar's doll houses - really beautiful, intricate models of Victorian houses - and a library, a pub, a lighthouse - all tiny with amazingly low land impact.

So many people contribute to Second Life in so many ways ... Marianne McCann, OldeSoul Eldemar, Desmond Shang, Mosseveno Tenk, Maxwell Graf, Froukje Hoorenbeek, Tymus Tenk and Truck Meredith, Kaya Angel and the wonderful team behind Grendel's - Flea Bussy and Toady Nakamura. Toady also runs wonderful classes teaching people to build in Second Life every week.

Final Scene of Much Ado About Nothing for Fantasy Faire 2017

Are you currently working on anything new?

Actually, yes. I'm working with Zander Greene (and many others) on a new series set in the same universe as The Blackened Mirror series. It's called "Harland Quinn and the Omega Hex", and I can say this about it ... When a lethal, magical anomaly out of the pages of legend begins wreaking havoc all across the Fairelands, it falls to a mismatched band of heroes to stop it before it’s too late. A Dark-Elven femme fatale, an erudite librarian, a rough-and-tumble sanitation worker, and a hard-boiled Private Detective will have to overcome their differences if they’re going to solve the enigma of the Omega-Hex and a mysterious scientist who may not be what she seems. We're planning to release the first three episodes at Fantasy Faire this year, and the next three next year. There's a very large team behind this - as you can imagine!

The first episode of The Blackened Mirror - 2012

Where can people follow your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.

Prim Perfect Website  
Prim Perfect Facebook  
Designing Worlds Website
Saffia on Flickr  
Saffia on Twitter  
Saffia on Facebook  
Saffia on YouTube  
Saffia on Vimeo  
You can watch many of Saffia’s interviews with the Lindens & Moles on YouTube

A Media Project from 2014 by Saffia Widdershins

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Saffia’s successful years in Second Life! Each of these weekly Spotlight posts will feature a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup. 

Today we are shining a spotlight on Ravenstarr, a talented Second Life builder who weaves destinations brimming with adventure and dipped in fantasy.

How long have you been in Second Life and how did you first hear about it?
I've been a resident of Second Life for a remarkable 12 years. It all began with my school, which surprisingly owned an island in Second Life. They tasked us with creating avatars and using the platform to present our research posters. Picture an island brimming with newcomers, all stumbling around, attempting to present our medical research. It was hilarious, to say the least. I became curious about Second Life. I decided to explore this unique realm, and it was here that I truly fell in love with the boundless creativity it offers.

You’ve been building creative, interactive, and fun destinations in Second Life for many years. Can you walk us through your creative process, from ideation to the final build? Where do you draw inspiration from?
My wellspring of inspiration flows from various sources - movies, books, or even chance encounters with captivating images or videos. It all begins with a concept, and from there, I construct my creative vision. I deeply consider the emotions I aim to stir with my "art." For instance, my destination, Kaleidoscope, was inspired by a documentary I stumbled upon during a period I was battling intense anxiety. The breathtaking beauty of monarch butterflies it showcased ignited feelings of wonder and optimism within me. In Second Life, I endeavored to recreate that very sense of awe and hope.

Teleport to Kaleidoscope

What are some of your past destinations that you worked on and also any current ones that Residents can explore and enjoy? Which ones have been your favorite?
I've created quite a few destinations that people may remember. 

My first was Junktown, that was inspired by the game, Fallout. 

Ravenport Reclaimed was another apocalyptic themed region that was a deserted town reclaimed by nature. 

The Pond was an oversized koi pond that you could explore above and below the water. 

This Mortal Coil for SPARK was inspired by the movie “What Dreams May Come”. 

The Deep Woods for SPARK was inspired by fairytales both light and dark and explored fantasy and fairy tales. 

A Who Christmas was a Christmas inspired region. 

Nova was a sci-fi utopian themed build with aliens and a chat AI bot. 

Kaleidoscope - Monarch Education project, which I mentioned earlier, is still open to the public. Kaleidoscope can be found here.     

OLYMPUS for SPARK was inspired by Greek Mythology and fantasy. I wanted to play with proportion again and build something very different. Olympus can be seen here.   

My newest destination, Neverland, is inspired by my favorite children’s story, Peter Pan. I wanted to create the whimsy and playfulness that made me fall in love with Second Life. Neverland can be seen here.

It’s hard to pick a favorite because each one is a favorite for different reasons.

Teleport to Neverland

Can you share more about the Spark Project, what it is, and your affiliation with it?
SPARK Project is a collaborative project with my dear friend, Drew Lukas. We wanted to create an experience that combines music with an immersive environment. We host two day music festivals at the opening of each destination. Then the region is open for exploration for a couple of months before we break it down and create again. I help build the regions with Drew and organize DJs. Our current project, OLYMPUS, is still open for exploration until the end of September.

Teleport to OLYMPUS for SPARK

Are you working on any other projects that you can share with us?
My next project will be a new SPARK destination. It will be something inspired by Agatha Christie. We are hoping to open that one at the beginning of December.

This Mortal Coil for SPARK

Tell us about some of the other Residents in SL that inspire you and whose work you admire.
I'm inspired every day by the creativity I see in Second Life. There are so many beautiful people who create from their souls. 

My build partner, Drew Lukas, is a creative genius who pushes me to expand my skills. 

My friend, Faith (proverbs312014), created Cotton Candy Bay, and it's a constant source of inspiration. 

Vɪᴏʟᴇᴛᴛᴇ Mᴏʀɴɪɴɢꜱᴛᴀʀ (Violette Rembrandt) and her partner, Lucifer, have crafted an amazing Wonderland that never ceases to amaze me. 

My friend, Cube Republic, with his sheer talent and the quality of his landscaping plants, is another source of inspiration. 

Vrutega, Macguyver Mode, and Godiva Varela captivate me with their ability to breathe life into their art, creating captivating visual stories.

The list could go on and on because Second Life is a place to celebrate creativity, and it’s a testament to the power of virtual communities to bring people together and foster artistic expression.

Ravenport Reclaimed

Where can people see your work? Please share links to your sites and social media accounts.
My personal brand is MORPH Productions. 
My Flickr
My Facebook

The Pond

Thank you Raven, your creative contributions to the community illuminate the vast potential of virtual worlds and inspire us all!

Each of our Spotlight posts features a different Resident to showcase the spectrum of experiences and personalities found in our virtual world. If you have created something inworld that you’re proud of, or have had a deeply meaningful experience that could brighten someone else’s day, please sign up! More info here: https://second.life/spotlight-signup