Link’d Racks Up Another Force Award

Link’d took its third Force Award this week and is looking in prime position to make the second ever season-long sweep in Duck TV history.

The show hit a dramatic high this week in a gut-wrenching episode that demonstrated the potentially ominous effects of Than’s invention. Vina, facing enormous pressure from her anti-technology girlfriend Naara to do something about her brother, finds herself faced with the eerie effect spurred by the Link’d pill. She drags an apparently-unconscious Ajax home only to find Naara has kidnapped Than—and her intentions seem anything but benign.

Link’d has been a runaway success from the start. Co-producer Anna Connelly said of the show’s success: “I don’t want to say that we anticipated it, but when we decided to do the show, we all agreed that we were going to give it our all. We believed in our message and knew we had the resources to bring something special…”

The dynamic of the crew is no small contributing factor to Link’d’s ability to connect with its audience every week. The members are close and cooperation results from a dedication to a quality production. “We are able to be brutally honest when need be and know that, in the end, we all still love each other. I think that attitude towards our product is why we have been so successful,” Connelly disclosed.

The last episode ran into some unexpected roadblocks; production of this episode went much smoother. While the “Episode from Hell,” as the crew affectionately calls it, was heavy with information about the characters and the story, the most recent episode focused more on the visual aspect of the show, by including less dialogue and more silent shots where imagery offers the greatest amount of content. The effect was no less impactful; the soaring soundtrack and striking shots were more than enough to leave a silent room at the screening. Filming was apparently a much quicker process as well: “We filmed in three days and got a weekend off!” Connelly reported.

Link’d will compete for its fourth Force Award during Week 10.

By Kaylee Tornay

Screenwriter of Link’d Wins Best Actress Week 8

Sophomore Arianna Trames, the screenwriter for Link’d, won best actress for her performance in the latest episode of Link’d. Trames is from Portland, Oregon and majoring in Cinema Studies. She first became involved with Duck TV fall term. “I always knew I wanted to write for Duck TV,” Trames explained, “I just got my toes wet working as a PA for IN$TINCT.”

When she first wrote the script for Link’d, Trames had not planned on acting. “When our main actor who would play Vina’s boyfriend couldn’t commit I thought it was a perfect time to readjust the gender roles in the story that were changed when we made Than a boy,” Trames noted. Originally, Link’d was going to have a female dominant cast and crew. “Although we love Rob Klein and Conor Stott and our male editor and director, I adore the energy it [having a female dominant cast and crew] brings,” Trames expressed.

There are some drawbacks and advantages that come with the responsibility of being the writer, producer, and an actress for the show. Trames stated, “Being in front of the camera, I notice that I lose the attention span to lead my crew and act.” Luckily, her production team is always willing to help out and she always has someone to watch her back. As an actress, Trames has achieved a new insight into her show; “It has been easier to write dialogue because I understand the atmosphere and interactions that occur between the actors,” she explained.

Being a part of Link’d has been a positive experience for Trames. She expressed, “My favorite part of producing this show is seeing it come to fruition. As the writer, the story has been in my head for more than a year now and it is exciting, if not relieving, to see it physically turn into the show it is.” She is now open to the idea of acting in her future, but her main focus is on screenwriting and directing. “I do have much higher aspirations as a screenwriter and director than an actress. For me, if I can get passionate enough about a story I am working on than I will throw myself at it in all ways,” Trames explained.

By Erin Coates