A super-sneak peak from later in the season with Sarah's 'yet to be-named' band!

By: Emily

So far in Season 5 we’ve got: Sarah and Gwen in a LDR, Davis ‘switching teams’ at camp, a budding romance between Robin and Tamsin…and Sarah holding auditions for the teenage essential: a garage band. There’ll be more on Sarah’s yet-to-be-named band later in this season but until then, here are my all-time Top 5 Made-For-TV Bands:

Jason Segal on drums, James Franco on guitar, and Seth Rogan on vocals = a total supergroup. Freaks and Geeks is another one of those cancelled-too-soon, intense cult-following TV shows and is pure 80′s teenage magic. The tentatively named ‘Creation’ also had another teenage band essential: Groupies.

3) Fraggle Rock -Fraggle Rock

Ok, I don’t know if this counts as a band– but Fraggle Rock was awesome. It’s a live-action puppet musical television show.  And they had albums, so it totally counts. The theme song give clear instructions to dance your cares away, and let the music play.

2) Gilmore Girls – Hep Alien

Lane Kim’s band Hep Alien was the bomb (especially back when Adam Brody was on Gilmore Girls before ditching for The O.C.) Sebastian Bach of Skid Row actually replaces him in the band as guitarist later in the series. Also, the soundtrack for that show was always very alt. and they had great guest appearances from The Sonic Youth, The Shins and The Bangles.

What do the cards hold for poor Sarah?

It’s summertime, but Gwen is oh-so-very cold. Sarah keeps calling, but Gwen has been totally dodging her calls for WEEKS. Her super shady, or as we like to call it, “up to no good behavior”, is getting worrisome. How dare she pass off her phone-tagging duties to her no-so-enthused NYC roomie! Going camping?! What is that all about? What is she trying to hide? What’s in the cards for Gwen + Sarah…?

This episode displays a prime example of life: ups and downs. We go through the joys of love at first sight and we go through the woes of loveless fights. We’ve been through the beginning and nearly the end of Gwen and Sarah’s relationship. The sun must set eventually, no matter how beautiful the sunrise is.

It’s a new day and I’m sure we’re all looking forward to seeing what’s in store for one of our favorite couples.

Gwen will make a grand re-appearance in this Friday’s episode… & perhaps we’ll find out more about the future of Sarah + Gwen. Until then, watch Gwen fight off the advances of mysterious gentlemen in her alternative life as a telenovella star & read more about her character: http://orangejuiceinbishopsgarden.com/gwen/

It’s Blackout Wednesday, everybody (don’t run to the liquor store, this is serious.) As you may have heard, there are two pieces of legislation in the works that aim to stop piracy online but could threaten the freedom of the internet in the process. Sites from WordPress to LOL Cats are ‘blacking out” today in protest.

Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden has been a victim of piracy from around the world. However, it is the openness of the internet that allows web-series like us to grow and flourish– even if as a result we lose some of our revenue to piracy. Because we produce content for the web exclusively, we rely on the internet to distribute and promote our show. Much of our success has been from the organic promotion of people talking about and sharing our show with each-other through blogging and social media sites.

While we don’t support piracy or copyright violation, we also do not support the maiming of free speech and creativity, in order to stop it.  Piracy is a problem, but this censorship is not the solution.

Right now, the entertainment industry is pushing the passage of the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act (I would link to the Wikipedia page for each of those, but ironically it is blacked-out in protest today). The intention of these acts is to stop the piracy of music, movies and television online– but in reality it will have a huge impact on much more then that.

This video helps explain the potential effect of Protect IP and SOPA:

[PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.]

Instead of fighting it to the death, Hollywood should embrace and adapt to the internet as a new medium. The internet is a platform for creators to share content in new and exciting ways and makes it easier then ever to be creative. The television and movie industry will adapt to the internet, the same way the radio industry had to adapt to them. We’ve evolved from listening to The Lone Ranger on old-time radio to watching Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog on our iPads– and that’s OK. Entertainment changes (and grows!) with technology. The internet is also a way to preserve and share our beloved mediums of entertainment, old-time radio shows can be listened to online at Archive.org (which is also blacked-out today.)

Right now, websites are required to remove copyrighted content if presented with a formal DMCA take-down request. With the passage of these bills, the government would be able to block entire web domains for one violation and make websites responsible for what their users post and comment. Start-ups could be shut down easily and links and content shared on social networks would be heavily censored by the sites in order to avoid being blocked by the government. Think of all the spam comments and pirated TV episodes that show up on YouTube– should the entire website be taken down because of it?

With the internet, anyone with a webcam and some talent can become a star. With SOPA, Less piracy = less innovation, less creativity, and less content like OJBG. Is that a fair trade?

#1 Happy Birthday, David Bowie

• #1  Happy Birthday to you, David Bowie.

Bowie’s b’day was yesterday, fyi.  And the thin white duke has the distinct honor of being 1 of 300 people, to decline HRH, the Queen’s offer of knighthood. In Ashley’s words: “How rock & roll of him”.

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this leads me to #2 this week, which is…

#2 a helluva album cover

• #2 DIAMOND DOGS

The awesomeness speaks for itself.

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#3 Manba, cover image via Japanese magazine "Egg"

• #3 MANBA… all hail the Japanese street look of the 90s

How cool are they?  The whole taking of Western surf culture…peppered w/ Ken & Barbie… and then, taking it to the EXTREME. Turning it into a pastiche. It’s just brilliant.

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and speaking of pastiches… have you seen this?

#4 Muppets mock Twilight. win.

• #4  MUPPETS POSTER — aka Muppets mock Twilight

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#5 teen dreams and beauty queens. the ep

• #5 TEEN DREAMS & BEAUTY QUEENS — the Beach Week EP is here

and it is great. You can have a listen and grab it for yourself at either CD-baby or iTunes. (yes ma’am/sir, those are hotlinked).

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#6 Thunder & Lightning. live.

•  #6 THUNDER. LIGHTNING. the way you love me is frightening.

OJBG favorite composer and person, Mr. Brent Katz, has a show coming up. So to those of you located in NYC, I highly recommend that you check out his upcoming show at the Glasslands.

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•  #7 OJBG’s upcoming EP

Yes, this is TRUE!   I was actually in the recording studio — of the very kind and talented music-guru, Ben Ozeki — just last week.  I was there with the lovely Ms. Ellen Winter (aka Sarah Roberts).  I am extremely excited. There will be 3 songs on the EP — all tracks written & inspired by tracks composed by Brent Katz, and then performed by members of the cast. There is even a song called “Me, I’m Afraid of Nothing” and it sounds like a Hawaiian/Western. It is my favorite.

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#8 Geek Chic, via etsy BongaChopShop

• #8 The FACT THAT THIS DRESS EXITS

It is made by “Bonga Chop Shop” (found on etsy). And all hail the New Orleans based designer who makes these charming and adorable finds. I wish I had known about her sooner. The wallets she makes would have made great stocking-stuffers.

Check out the etsy shop HERE.

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#9, Looking for Alibrandi

• #9 MOVIES FROM OZ

I’ve been on a kick lately — watching coming of age movies from Down Under. The above still is from the wonderful movie “Looking for Alibrandi”, which is based on the eponymous book, “Looking for Alibrandi”, written by Melina Marchetta. Marchetta is absolutely amazing. Her book “On the Jellicoe Road” was  one of the favorites that I read last year.

(*And PS if you haven’t seen Peter Weir’s “Picnic at Hanging Rock” from ’75 –then I suggest you go see it… run, NOW. It’s a staple of Aussie cinema. And it’s that good.)

And now for some “Honorable Mentions from OZ” :

#9 tomorrow when the war began

The above still is from the movie  ‘Tomorrow When the War Began” (which is based off John Marsden’s best-selling book/series of the same name).  Some reasons why it is great:  Post-Apocalyptic survival story. Bad-Ass female lead. Coming-of-Age element.  Lush Scenery. Strong Action Sequences with compelling cinematography.

#9 cont'd: "Puberty Blues"

And of course there is “Puberty Blues”.  I know, I know, the name is kind of cringe-worthy. But, don’t be fooled by the slightly-sacharine name. The movie  explores the extreme darkness and light of being 13, in the ’79 Sydney suburbs.  The movie is (like the others listed in #9) based off a book of the same name. Incidentally, the book created quite a stir when it was published (mainly because the authors were only 18 when it was published, and also because the book was a candid auto-biographical account of their experiences being 13, and dealing with sex, heroin, and surfing).

#9 cont'd more "Puberty Blues"

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• #10  SEASON 5 of Orange Juice in Bishops Garden HAS BEGUN!

Hip, hip, HOORAY!

Watch the trailer here…

I hope that you  like, comment, & enjoy.  The first episode of Season 5 starts THIS FRIDAY! And new episodes roll-out weekly from then on — always new, always Friday. xoxo

1. Reel Fest D.C.

            The weekend we have all been talking about is finally here! Reel Fest D.C. is in full swing this entire weekend. At the festival, there will be a screening of Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden Episode 4.02 “Sarah Live! At Comet Ping Pong” as well as works by some of Washington, D.C.’s most inspiring up and coming filmmakers! OJBG is being screened Saturday night at 9 p.m. and Monday afternoon at 12 p.m. at the Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts. The address is 1055 Thomas Jefferson Street NW,
Washington, DC 20007. Visit the Facebook event for more details! To purchase tickets, head to the Reel Fest D.C. website: http://www.reelfestdc.com/

*Tip: Note the location change in the Facebook event. It would be tragic if you showed up to the wrong place and missed this splendid event.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151617208263790

2. The Reel Fest D.C. After-Party

            We have raved about the actual event, but the After-Party is just as important! Right after Reel Fest D.C., head on over to the D.C. Jazz Loft this Sunday night, November 13th,  for some sweet tunes, a cool atmosphere, and great conversations with inspiring D.C. natives who love the arts just as much as we do!

*Tip: Check out the Facebook event for all the little details regarding the After-Party.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=283110075063089

3. Free Burger at Z Burger

            Who doesn’t like getting stuff for free? OJBG certainly does! Z Burger in Tenleytown is offering its customers a single patty burger 100% free of charge. The offer is available from now until November 18^th.  Why are you still sitting here reading this? Go get that burger.

*Tip: OJBG heard of this deal through ScoutMob. Download the app to your smart device and easily stay informed about all of the hot deals circulating D.C. every day.

http://scoutmob.com/washington-dc/today/2011-11-11?referrer=Scoutfinds&utm_source=DC%3A+Scoutfinds&utm_campaign=5ff9cb119c-DC_DailyEmail_11_11_2011&utm_medium=email

4.  Make a wish! It’s 11/11/11.

            It’s okay to give in to the camp tradition of kissing the clock and making a wish at 11:11. Take this once in a lifetime opportunity to make a wish at 11:11 p.m. on 11/11/11.

*Tip: Be careful what you wish for- it may actually come true this time around.

5. The Harry Potter Finale

            If you’re like me and enjoy a cozy night in on the couch with Chinese food fresh out of the carton and your best pals next to you every once and awhile, I suggest making a night like this happen this weekend in celebration of the DVD release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Who would give up an opportunity for relaxation, quality time with the pals, and a night to relish in the FINAL CHAPTER OF HARRY POTTER? I certainly would not.

*Tip: Watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone first. Your mind will be blown by how young the trio was, how sucky the special effects were, and how incredibly wonderful the series’ beginning still is.

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          **PS psst extra addition by Otessa:

#6 see kimya live at the black cat. minus the bunny suit

 #6   Kimya Dawson is playing tonight (11/11/11) at the Black Cat… doors are at 9pm. Check it out, get tickets & info HERE.

It’s been a while since I saw her live…actually it was several years ago, when she and Adam Green were still Moldy Peaches. There was a bunny suit involved & the drinking of (fake/real?) pee on stage. Quite memorable. I also have one of Adam Green’s sweaters. Long story. It was bought from off of his back.

by Otessa

Many viewers have had questions about OJBG. “Why do I feel like I’m missing things sometimes? Why are there gaps in the story line between seasons? Why are there new characters, and mysteriously disappearing/reappearing charcacters? Why do you use corded phones?”

Every season is a new summer– and a year passes in between. So Season 1 is the summer of ’94, Season 2 is summer of 95…and a lot of the story line is not just what IS happening…but also is about playing catch up — trying to figure out what happened throughout that passed year. It is a bit like a mystery. I like that when the characters have lives outside of what we see on the screen. It gives them more life and they aren’t always knowable. We have to get to know them.

I chose summer because it is, in many was, the quintessential high school time period. While you are in school, the social order, and the hierarchy are constantly being re-instated daily, because of the pre-ordained and constantly repeating schedule. But during the summer– people change, their schedules change. Sometimes people get thrown into the mix with an unexpected crew. Sometimes people have to go away to their grandmother’s for the summer. Sometimes they have summer school or work and cant hang out like they used to. Sometimes people have camp many states away. Whatever it is– the order is changed — destabilized. And a person’s place, at that age, is uncertain. Their friends, their “standing”, their beliefs, the very structure of their lives — these can all change, becoming re-ordered or dis-ordered. It is in many ways the most fitting representation of that unknown, unknoweable, unsettling age — precisely because it is so unsettled and up-in-the-air.

Also, in terms of characters disappearing and re-appearing… we are a super indie and we don’t have the luxury of 5 year contracts, which is how most TV shows work, and how they are able to guarantee that the actors can stay around for a while. (Ever wonder what happened to Carly Kittredge-McBride?? Yea — me too. I had big plans in store for her, which I had to scrap.) Sometimes our characters/actors just arent available for that season. Sometimes they have moved, sometimes they have job conflicts, sometimes they are college visiting, sometimes they have summer school. Simply put — we have to roll with the punches a lot more. And we hope that you are willing to too.

And as for the corded phones… if you have to ask, the show is set in the 90′s, and you might just be a lost cause.

Two 16-year-old girls begged us to buy them a pack of black and milds and we ended up chatting about high-school and boys and best friends for most of the night (or at least until their 11 o’clock curfew.) Their boasts of never getting hangovers and never getting caught (even though they’d been drunk every night this week) made me both cringe and smile. They painfully reminded me of my friends and I at that age– for us it was sneaking mixed drinks in Dr. Pepper bottles down to the river to watch movies screen on Magic Island or spiking Slurpees before class.

They’d been sipping rum and cokes out of plastic bottles and flirting with boys who might be old enough to buy them booze all night. As they started telling us about their lives they continually asked, “Are we being annoying?” — but we really didn’t mind. One girl asked me earnestly if things ever get better, if friends ever tell the truth, or if she’d ever not feel like an outsider. And I said yes and no and…maybe.

I warned her that her Junior year would probably be the worst of her life– but Senior year would kick ass. I warned her that soon she’d think back on the people and moments she once loathed with fond nostalgia– “Remember that time you threw-up in my Mom’s closet and I didn’t get to drive the car for a month? Man, those were the days.” I told her the only way to find out who you really love is to move as far away as possible for college and see who you actually miss. The people who don’t matter or aren’t worth the trouble of keeping in touch will just fade away.

The other told me how her boyfriend dumped her after she cheated on him on New Years Eve (Twice. In one night. Ouch.) And wondered if it was possible he’d ever love her again– because she was still “totally in love” with him. Her friend whispered to me, “They had SEX,” as if to validate that love. I paused and told her I sincerely didn’t mean to belittle her emotions, but it was likely in a few years she’d look back on what she thought was love– and laugh. That in a few years she might even doubt the existence of love at all.

Though they were loud and silly and totally oblivious– there was some kind of magic in these girls. The same kind of magic that makes me love watching Orange Juice in Bishops Garden. Because there’s something about watching people make all the same mistakes you did that makes you feel a little nostalgic, a little bit wiser and mostly jealous that you no longer have the same excuse of just ‘being young.’

The first day I started interning at 2020 Productions- I had only a vague notion of what an “Indie Film” was. In fact, I really only had a minimal idea of what “Indie” was at all. That said,( yes I will admit it), to better understand this genre I did both Google and use Wikipedia, (a link for which is included above).

And, I decided that for everyone who might be new to the show, new to web series, and new to the “Indie” genre- I thought it would be valuable to start a discussion.

According to Wikipedia: an indie film is a film that is produced outside of a major film studio; these films are often distinguished by content and style, particular to the artistic message or theory the artist is trying to convey. Further, the marketing of these films is generally characterized by a limited release designed to build word of mouth or to reach small specialty audiences.

However, the longer I’m here the more I’ve realized how bare bones of an assessment that definition is. And that according to these characteristics- “Orange Juice in Bishops Garden”- viewed in 136 countries and now viral- must be doing something right.

And for those of you unfamiliar with the term “viral” it means that these video have spread not by paid publicity or promotion, but by having independent websites pick them up and air them. As of late, episodes of “Orange Juice in Bishops Garden” (particularly those dealing with the Gwen and Sarah’s new relationship) have been picked up and promoted by One More Lesbian, and Shewired.

And anything that promotes female empowerment, self esteem, and acceptance- well, we’re all for it. But in reality, we at 2020 have to ask what is it that demonstrates we’re dealing with material that is worthy of such laud? Because our whole objective is merely to provide truth, mirror life, and create a banging product.

But isn’t that what everyone is aspiring to do?

At least we would think so. Then again, maybe that’s just what inspires people to watch OJBG- this pursuit.

From a conservative perspective there wouldn’t be a hook to naturally draw me into the “Indie” culture, my palate was simply not refined enough. However, there is a hook for me here. The realness of the series, free from iron fist of a bullying studio, draws you in. There is no show of “reality tv” or people trying to portray real life- it simply is real life.

So, where the term “Indie” had once caused my mind to drift towards images of Birkenstocks, moderate facial hair, and hemp- I’m instead interpreting the word to mean something more, something real, something pulsating.

So, for those of you curiously clicking through the OJBG website trying to discover the “hype” that has begun to surround the series: stop clicking and watch. After an episode or two, you may just begin to label yourself as someone who is into “Indie.”

Image via punkgoesindie.com

Episode 4.6 – “Ask Me Anything

In episode 6 of season 4, Sarah and Gwen take a trip down honesty lane revealing things to one another that they’ve kept from one another. They take steps to becoming closer and more vulnerable towards each other.

In my opinion, there’s something quite scary yet so intimate and vulnerable about that phrase “Ask Me Anything”.  In the age old game of Truth or Dare, there is something just as exhilarating as picking Truth because a person just may reveal something about themselves that they never imagined themselves saying.

Favorite Quote About Truth… “The Truth Shall Set You Free” (Let Go Let Flow)

Least Favorite Quote About Truth… “Truth Hurts” (Only Hurts When It Isn’t Told)

Off the soapbox on to the new episode! Check It Out Below