The Force Award is an award of excellence presented each week by Rebecca Force to a Duck TV creative show of her choice. For the winter term premier, Link’d and Franken Affairs were the two shows in the running for the award. Link’d, produced by Duck TV’s first female duo Ari Trames and Anna Connelly, was the premier’s winner. When we sat down to talk to them about the pilot, Connelly explained that despite some initial obstacles, the first episode was, “honestly better than we expected.”

                The inspiration for Link’d came from Trames’ desire to acknowledge society’s growing obsession with technology: “Being a college student in the 21st century, I feel like all we’re thinking about right now is this transition into this technological era… I felt like that was something that needed to be addressed in some sort of way.” Trames and Connelly were able to achieve this message through a gripping plot about a troubled young man who invents a cell phone app that is controlled through the mind.

                The success of the pilot would not have been possible without its outstanding actors, excellent writing, and the wonderful artistic vision of the directors. One of the things that made the pilot special was the use of green screen. The producers envisioned a professional look for one of the scenes, and were happy when they learned they had access to the green room. Trames informed us that their three great directors contributed to the episode’s success, and that, “half of the show wasn’t even in the script.”

                Although the featured technology has not yet been created, the first episode of Link’d challenged its audience to think critically about society’s technological addiction and its potential consequences.

By Aimee Griswold and Sara Kuhnhausen