Search the Community

This week we are highlighting VOIR Gallery, a slice of early 20th century Birmingham, England, in which street gangs ruled the urban cobblestone landscape. The aesthetic of VOIR Gallery is inspired by 1920s Birmingham to be specific, during the Second Industrial Revolution and increasing tension among the poverty-stricken working class. This environment brewed many legendary street gangs that roamed the town between the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th. In fact, these gangs left behind such impressive legacies that they have been depicted in numerous films and television shows. VOIR Gallery’s creator, Effy, designed the region as a virtual fan fiction of sorts. For those familiar with this genre, numerous details can be found that serve as an homage to notable characters. Given the intricacy of the world within VOIR Gallery, role playing is not required but certainly encouraged. Effy’s boyfriend Frenchy, who runs the VOIR Gallery group, plays the character of Tommy Shelby. Details of his history have even been worked into the region, such as his Romani heritage, drug addiction, and horse race fixing. VOIR Gallery is the perfect place for historical reenactments or the creation of fan fiction in the form of machinima, photographs, storyboarding, graphic novels, and more. Who will you be? What side of the law will you be on? Visit VOIR Gallery today to find out and let us know if you made your own fan art by submitting to our Flickr. Please note that in order to access this adult-rated region, you must have payment on file. Video Production Credits: Draxtor Despres VOIR Gallery Welcome to VOIR Gallery located in 1920 Birmingham, England. The Birmingham Boys (also known as the Brummagem Boys) were a street gang whose power extended from the North of England to London's underworld, between the 1910s and 1930. They lost control of the South East racecourses to the Sabini gang. The group, which grew out of the harsh economic deprivations of working-class Britain, was composed largely of young men of lower to middle-classes. Visit in Second Life

(photo taken at Astral Dreams) One of Second Life’s role-playing communities involves steampunk fandom. For those unfamiliar with the term, steampunk is a genre of science fiction/science fantasy that takes place during the era of steam power (usually the British Victorian era or the American “Wild West”) in which the fashion, technology, and physical settings are influenced by designs from the future. The aesthetic can be anachronistic, containing futuristic elements that are set in the past, or retrofuturistic, where the design is inspired by depictions of the future made in an earlier period. Residents can visit a number of steampunk regions to be immersed in a wondrous mixture of time and imagine what might have been. The decor often contains a sense of whimsy and magic, with polished brass, plenty of iron, and wood. Leather clothing is quite common, as are clocks/watches with visible gears and thick goggles to protect your eyes while flying airships or welding. The marketplace has tons of incredibly creative steampunk items, from tophats to Victorian furniture. You can also take inspiration from notable steampunk films, such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and The City of Lost Children. For those who just want to see what others are up to before diving in, check out this chat on the forum. Steampunk is an easy style to experiment with, since the accessories are so distinct. You can start out with a monocle and a watch on a gold chain and take it from there! ( (An example of a steampunk setting, photo by Orion)

Hey, so, is anyone out there still making second life music videos? I feel like we're a dying breed lol. And to be honest, I'd love to connect with some other filmmakers! I just dropped my newest video here. Check it out and let me know what you think! And if you make videos, let me know! I feel like this is a creative venue not used nearly enough on the grid.