(L) Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight

[Benigmatica]

All I can say is that Episode 12 changed everything, from rewriting the stage play story into something that'll satisfy us as the giraffe told us to do so. Man, Karen Aijou is one revolutionary girl who refused to die just because a tragic fate awaits her and Hikari Kagura!

With that said, I give props to Bushiroad and Kinema Citrus for creating Revue Starlight as it's one of the most interesting shows that I've watched. I never regret on picking that up!

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

Ep12 was Karen finally outshinning Hikari and doing what every other opponent she ever faced demonstrated, taking control of the stage and making it move to her will.

Losing but getting to fight again right away is a little more than what the other girls did. It was an asspull.

Besides, if she really outshone Hikari, which I agree she did, then she became top star in Hikari's place. The fundamental problem of the system that there can only be one top star went unchallenged and the dream Hikari and Karen had of becoming top stars together went unfulfilled. Yet, the show brushes this off and tries to make it seem like it did happen and everything was resolved.

[4th Dimension]

It all works out at least for this batch of girls because in the end it's the Giraffe that's the all powerfull one. Put up a good enough performance for it, and he'll do whatever it takes to sponsor your next one. In this case they offered to show him a Starlight with more participants and a happy ending. Just like Karen showed him something new, but exciting for him.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Losing but getting to fight again right away is a little more than what the other girls did. It was an asspull.

For all the "rules" the stage seem to have, there was one more rule that overrode all of them:

The most important thing is putting on a good show.

You have to admit, Karen at then was the best showing of all the contestants, yes?

Another matter, the Top Star battles were over. The "old" rules no longer applied to the Karen-Hikari match.

The fundamental problem of the system that there can only be one top star went unchallenged and the dream Hikari and Karen had of becoming top stars together went unfulfilled. Yet, the show brushes this off and tries to make it seem like it did happen and everything was resolved.

Karen's reward for daring the impossible and succeeding in knocking sense into Hikari was getting to put on the performance she wanted, which was having Hikari as her co-star. "Brushing off" is a condescending way of referring to her hard work.

As for the system being the "fundamental problem" it is actually very easy to change, because it's all in the heads of the audience and the performers. The audience should stop ranking the performers. Meanwhile, performers should adopt Karen's attitude, which is to be reborn anew every time she gets on stage and shine again. No matter how much shine was used in the last performance.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

You have to admit, Karen at then was the best showing of all the contestants, yes?

It didn't seem any different to me. What was different was how the plot bent all over itself to give her whatever she wanted.

Another matter, the Top Star battles were over. The "old" rules no longer applied to the Karen-Hikari match.

The battle was the same. The rules should have been the same. Good writing means, among other things, to be able to resolve the story without contradicting your fictional universe.

Karen's reward for daring the impossible and succeeding in knocking sense into Hikari was getting to put on the performance she wanted, which was having Hikari as her co-star. "Brushing off" is a condescending way of referring to her hard work.

It's not condescending. It's the truth. Top star means you're the top. Hikari's not a top star after being defeated by Karen. The show might wink and say it doesn't matter anymore, but that's just bad writing.

Meanwhile, performers should adopt Karen's attitude, which is to be reborn anew every time she gets on stage and shine again. No matter how much shine was used in the last performance.

Then it should have been an ending where everyone gets to participate and do that. This ending just showed how Karen is special and the rules don't apply to her.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

What was different was how the plot bent all over itself to give her whatever she wanted.

The whole battle was to make the plot bend to her will. Or have you forgotten, it's a performance as much as it is a battle.

The battle was the same. The rules should have been the same. Good writing means, among other things, to be able to resolve the story without contradicting your fictional universe.

One battle ends, that doesn't mean you can't start the next one right away. Once Karen knew what to do, there was no point in delaying.

And the paramount rule is: Put on a good performance!

Top star means you're the top. Hikari's not a top star after being defeated by Karen.

And Karen wants a stage where Hikari stands with her. Since you keep insisting on following the rules, then follow the one that says Karen gets to decide her Stage of Fate because she won.

Then it should have been an ending where everyone gets to participate and do that.

Everyone did get to participate. The 100th Starlight had nine named characters. They could have done a happy ending without adding the additional character played by Nana. It was symbolic of their changed circumstances.

This ending just showed how Karen is special and the rules don't apply to her.

I think you can find more peace if you think of it as Karen changed the rules. The 100th event is simply to stand for how that affects the nine of them.

As to why could she change the rules? Easy. It lets the performers put on better shows. Which is the most important thing.

Did she need to say she changed the rules? No. Rising again to Hikari's stage was sufficient demonstration that the rules had changed.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

The whole battle was to make the plot bend to her will. Or have you forgotten, it's a performance as much as it is a battle.

The ending was a mess. There was only one thing that was foreshadowed and is that shine can be re-born. This is the only element of the climax that was earned, mostly thanks to episode 8. The rest was asspull.

One battle ends, that doesn't mean you can't start the next one right away. Once Karen knew what to do, there was no point in delaying.

They spent the entire show building up a set of rules. You can't just throw that way. It's shit writing.

And Karen wants a stage where Hikari stands with her. Since you keep insisting on following the rules, then follow the one that says Karen gets to decide her Stage of Fate because she won.

If Hikari was to stand besides Karen on the stage, she should have earned it on her own. Just like a real life actor can only get roles with their own ability and effort. No one can get the role for you. You have to do it by yourself. Symbolism is cool and all but it has to have some basis on real life to be meaningful.

I think you can find more peace if you think of it as Karen changed the rules. The 100th event is simply to stand for how that affects the nine of them.

Again, think about it in terms of real life acting. Can an actor change the rules of the stage or an audition they participate in? No, they can change themselves to face those rules or the stage or an audition with a better attitude, but they don't get to decide the rules nor how the story is gonna end.

As to why could she change the rules? Easy. It lets the performers put on better shows. Which is the most important thing.

That's for the writers to decide, not the actors. Besides, what is a better show anyway? Some people like happy endings, some people don't. That has nothing to do with the quality of the story.

Rising again to Hikari's stage was sufficient demonstration that the rules had changed.

Actually, there was no need for a fight in the first place. The moment Karen told Hikari she couldn't shine without her, that should have been enough for Hikari to understand what she was doing was pointless. The fight was forced and pointless as well. And the conclusion made no sense. We were supposed to end with Karen and Hikari accomplishing their dream of becoming stars together. Instead Karen had to force her shit on Hikari, effectively robbing Hikari the ability to decide for herself and become a star to stand besides Karen. Like I said before, an actor can only get a role by their own ability. Karen can't make Hikari a star. Hikari had to do it on her own. The perfect symbolism for this would have been for Hikari to get out of her prison stage on her own after Karen told her she needed her besides her. Karen rescuing Hikari effectively reduced Hikari to damsel in distress. Pretty far from the star she wanted to be.

You know, it almost feel like this should have been a show about writers instead of actors. Honestly, as a story about actors, it's a pointless mess.

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

One battle ends, that doesn't mean you can't start the next one right away. Once Karen knew what to do, there was no point in delaying.

And the paramount rule is: Put on a good performance!

I did not realize that. Good observation.
So I guess that's why her pin reformed right away, eventhough it was destroyed only a few moments ago.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

They spent the entire show building up a set of rules. You can't just throw that way. It's shit writing.

Funny thing about that. Karen's been changing the rules since episode 1.

How did Karen muscle in on the Revues?

She jumped into Hikari and Junna's performance and beat Junna.

If the rules were immutable and as you assumed them to be, Karen should never have been allowed to do that. Rather than landing on stage and reborn, she should have been booted back to her bed or something.

What does that tell us? Either the rules allow for doing things differently or you can change the rules. There is nothing you can object to in ep12 that won't apply to ep1. Either Karen should never have been allowed in, or ep12 goes the way it does.

If Hikari was to stand besides Karen on the stage, she should have earned it on her own.

If Karen says she can put on a better performance with Hikari, would you, as someone who's pursuing the "best" performance, allow it or insist she cannot?

Besides, what is a better show anyway? Some people like happy endings, some people don't. That has nothing to do with the quality of the story.

Do you see it? This is exactly what this series has been trying to tell you! Just as you shouldn't rank shows from worst to best like that, you shouldn't be ranking the girls like that and pouring accolades on only the "best" either.

Actually, there was no need for a fight in the first place.

Tell Hikari that first. She was trapped by her own fears. Remember, that stage was her design. The giraffe didn't lock her in it. She was the one who insisted Karen fight her at that point and try to drive her away by defeating her. Not even the giraffe made it a revue, that was Hikari.

If Hikari can say, "If I break your pin, leave and stop coming back."

Then Karen can damn well say, "I'm coming back until I pull you out of here!"

Honestly, as a story about actors, it's a pointless mess.

It's only a mess if you insist the rules are what you assumed them to be and that they are unchangeable.

But, like I showed, they've been trying to tell you since episode 1, the most important thing is putting on a good show. Everything else is how everyone involved has worked out to do so. If you can find a better way to do it, you can damn well do so.

Edit: Took out a section, because I thought of something better for it.

Can an actor change the rules of the stage or an audition they participate in? No, they can change themselves to face those rules or the stage or an audition with a better attitude, but they don't get to decide the rules nor how the story is gonna end.

Changing the rules isn't something as innane as crashing an audition or hilariously performing off script.

No, changing the rules is Youtube and the other streaming platforms like it. Where the classical standards for success don't matter. Where you can be the main star, director, writer and producer of your own show. With ad revenue and crowdfunding initiatives, you can make a comfortable living as long as you can put on a good show. Where your success is not defined by whether you're better than the other performer or not.

Yet, does the existence of streaming render the classical movie industry extinct? No, just like the movie industry didn't drive live theater into extinction either. It's still there, along with its cutthroat rankings, "rules", exploitation and abuses. For those who want to thrive in there, who are willing to put up with the pain of dealing with, they're welcomed to it.

Yet, also, what are the "rules" that both streaming and classical entertainment platforms still have in common?

1. The goal, the most important thing, is to put on a good show.

2. Hard work is required for success, regardless of how you define it.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

What does that tell us? Either the rules allow for doing things differently or you can change the rules. There is nothing you can object to in ep12 that won't apply to ep1. Either Karen should never have been allowed in, or ep12 goes the way it does.

You're thinking about this in a vacuum but the show goes out its way to present itself as an analogy to acting in general and takarazuka in particular. In that context, if the message is that you can change whatever you don't like, then the message is pointless because you can't do that in real life. Now, if the message was something more like facing the stage or an audition without losing hope or giving up even if you can't have your way, then that would be a good message, something that has value in real life.

If Karen says she can put on a better performance with Hikari, would you, as someone who's pursuing the "best" performance, allow it or insist she cannot?

Karen didn't want a better story. She wanted a happy ending, which isn't better or worse than a tragic one. It's just her personal taste. I can see why she's an actor and not a writer. She would suck at it.

Do you see it? This is exactly what this series has been trying to tell you! Just as you shouldn't rank shows from worst to best like that, you shouldn't be ranking the girls like that and pouring accolades on only the "best" either.

It's not about ranking girls. It's about roles. The protagonist gets the spotlight. You can fool yourself into believing playing a side character is the same as playing a protagonist, but that's not true for many reasons. And to get a protagonist role you've gotta compete with other actors in auditions. And the one who gets the role is the winner, the top, and the one who isn't selected is the loser. But shine can be reborn, meaning the loser can try again in a different audition (like how Hikari did try again after losing in London). But not the same audition. The audition you lost won't ever come back again. That's why it doesn't make sense for Karen to get to try again right after losing. That's nonsense.

Tell Hikari that first. She was trapped by her own fears. Remember, that stage was her design. The giraffe didn't lock her in it. She was the one who insisted Karen fight her at that point and try to drive her away by defeating her. Not even the giraffe made it a revue, that was Hikari.

The one to blame is the writer for not realizing Hikari had to get out of her prison on her own, the same way she ended up locked there in the first place. Being forced by Karen makes the whole thing pointless. Not to mention losing to Karen means she can't be the star she wanted to be all along. Mind you, the show brushes this off as if it didn't matter anymore, but that goes to show how weak the writing is.

It's only a mess if you insist the rules are what you assumed them to be and that they are unchangeable.

If that's all you got from this then I'm taking to a wall and this discussion is pointless.

But, like I showed, they've been trying to tell you since episode 1, the most important thing is putting on a good show.

You can do that without having Karen be a special snow flake. In fact, her being that way detracts from that message. It trivializes the whole thing.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

You're thinking about this in a vacuum but the show goes out its way to present itself as an analogy to acting in general and takarazuka in particular.

If you put it that way, one could say the show's also trying to say you can find success in acting in other arenas.

She wanted a happy ending, which isn't better or worse than a tragic one.

Well, she considers a happy ending to be better for this particular story.

It's not about ranking girls. It's about roles. The protagonist gets the spotlight.

For every show that has only one clear protagonist, I can name you one that has two, or more.

You can do that without having Karen be a special snow flake.

Any of them could have changed things up if they wanted to. They were just too caught up on the status quo being the only way to do things.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

If you put it that way, one could say the show's also trying to say you can find success in acting in other arenas.

I think episode 8 was the best one because it shows Hikari getting "reborn" after losing in a different audition. That much makes sense. What Karen did in the last episode does not.

Well, she considers a happy ending to be better for this particular story.

She never talked about what was better and whatnot. Her choice was purely a personal preference. Which is why she could never be a writer, btw. A true writer has to consider more than their personal tastes.

For every show that has only one clear protagonist, I can name you one that has two, or more.

Of course. And it would have been a good ending if Hikari and Karen got to be top stars together, symbolizing how there are stories with two (or more) protagonists. Besides that was their dream to begin with.
But that's not what happens. Instead Hikari is reduced to damsel in distress and ultimately loses to Karen. She wasn't a star, neither in the show nor in the Starlight story. The show tries to make us think they achieved their dream but it's not true. Only Karen became a star.

Any of them could have changed things up if they wanted to. They were just too caught up on the status quo being the only way to do things.

The point is the show shouldn't be saying you can change whatever you don't like. That's meaningless. Episode 8 was good because the one who changed was Hikari, not the audition. That's grounded in reality. It was a good message. It's a shame the last episode ruined it.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

I think episode 8 was the best one because it shows Hikari getting "reborn" after losing in a different audition. That much makes sense. What Karen did in the last episode does not.

The one making up the rules in the last revue was Hikari, Karen told her, "you're going about it wrong."

She never talked about what was better and whatnot.

Did she need to say it?

Instead Hikari is reduced to damsel in distress and ultimately loses to Karen.

You need to stop thinking of the last part as Hikari losing to Karen. That was Karen finally winning Hikari over to her viewpoint. The final charge was just a formality.

If you must see it as Karen being the winner and Hikari the loser, then think of it as Hikari admitting defeat and putting all her shine into supporting Karen's performance as she should for losing.

What do you demand? That Hikari be shown to obviously be lower than Karen? That she be grouchy over her loss? That Karen shouldn't be allowed to change anything, even after precisely winning the power to do so?

She wasn't a star, neither in the show nor in the Starlight story.

She was a star. Just not the TOP star. To repeat, does being defeated make her less of a star? If not, then why shouldn't she get back onstage and shine to her best?

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

The one making up the rules in the last revue was Hikari, Karen told her, "you're going about it wrong."

Hikari is an actor. She doesn't make rules. Nor should Karen.

Did she need to say it?

Karen's a baka. The only reason she wanted a happy ending is because she wanted to be with Hikari. She wasn't really thinking about making a better story.

You need to stop thinking of the last part as Hikari losing to Karen. That was Karen finally winning Hikari over to her viewpoint. The final charge was just a formality.

That's besides the point. The scene detracts from the idea of Hikari making her own decisions and becoming a top star together with Karen. It shouldn't have been included at all, formality or not.

If you must see it as Karen being the winner and Hikari the loser, then think of it as Hikari admitting defeat and putting all her shine into supporting Karen's performance as she should for losing.

It doesn't matter, the damage is done. They build up to them accomplishing their dream but it didn't happen, there was no pay off.

What do you demand? That Hikari be shown to obviously be lower than Karen? That she be grouchy over her loss? That Karen shouldn't be allowed to change anything, even after precisely winning the power to do so?

No, what I'm saying is they shouldn't have fought at all. Karen's role in this should have been just telling Hikari her feelings, and Hikari should have left her prison on her own. That's all. Alternatively, if the staff insisted in having a fight, it should have ended in a draw, with them cutting each other's badges at the same time, becoming top stars together like they dreamed of since the beginning. You know, getting a fucking pay off after all that build up.

does being defeated make her less of a star?

Well, her dream was to stand beside Karen as an equal, not as her side kick or damsel in distress. Why do you think she tried to win the auditions in London?

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Hikari is an actor. She doesn't make rules. Nor should Karen.

Then who makes the rules? Because this was one revue nobody called for. Who gets to decide the rules for it? And who's going to make them stick?

No, what I'm saying is they shouldn't have fought at all. Karen's role in this should have been telling Hikari her feelings, and Hikari should have left her prison on her own after understanding Karen's feelings.

Karen was telling Hikari her feelings the whole time in the last revue. Hikari just didn't want to listen until Karen rammed a Tokyo Tower into her platform. They had to fight until then because Hikari still had power and wanted to use it to drive Karen away.

Her dream was to stand besides Karen as an equal, not as her side kick or damsel in distress.

And you think everyone else would have just accepted Hikari as Claire if she wasn't up to standards, even with Karen backing her? In fact, you ought to like that part. Hikari still to show she was good enough to play Claire to everyone else (7 actors and the production class) after coming back. You think Maya or Claudine would have just let her have it after she'd been away for seven months?

She wasn't really thinking about making a better story.

Similarly, you think everyone else (7 actors and the production class) would have gone along with Karen's changes to the script if they didn't think it was any good?

[4th Dimension]

Additionally, what is the final part of any fight in the Revues? The winner claiming Position Zero. It's that more than anything else that pronounces who the "Top Star"/winner is.

Yet in this last "fight" does Karen even bother with it? No. Instead they are BOTH on it and BOTH claim the position zero.

And then they go on to have their dream/promise fulfilled by staring on the stage together.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

Then who makes the rules? Because this was one revue nobody called for. Who gets to decide the rules for it? And who's going to make them stick?

The show runner of course. Whoever put together the show or the stage. Definitely not the actors. The fact you're asking me this means you're thinking about the show in a vacuum and not as the allegory the show tries to be.

Karen was telling Hikari her feelings the whole time in the last revue. Hikari just didn't want to listen until Karen rammed a Tokyo Tower into her platform. They had to fight until then because Hikari still had power and wanted to use it to drive Karen away.

The problem is the staff didn't think that having a fight would introduce a lot of problems. I already explained all this so don't make me repeat myself over and over.

And you think everyone else would have just accepted Hikari as Claire if she wasn't up to standards, even with Karen backing her? In fact, you ought to like that part. Hikari still to show she was good enough to play Claire to everyone else (7 actors and the production class) after coming back. You think Maya or Claudine would have just let her have it after she'd been away for seven months?

Even if Hikari plays Claire, the role is not the same anymore. In the original story Claire was the protagonist. That's why she was played by Maya, and why Claudine envied Maya and wanted that role for herself. But after Karen changed the story, Claire became a damsel in distress and Flora became the protagonist. The roles were just swapped, but there's still only one star. Karen and Hikari's dream of becoming stars together wasn't fulfilled. This is actually the biggest problem with the show. The whole show builds up to Karen and Hikari breaking the system in a way that would allow them to fulfil their dream but in the end there was no pay off. The dream wasn't fulfilled.

Similarly, you think everyone else (7 actors and the production class) would have gone along with Karen's changes to the script if they didn't think it was any good?

The only difference in Karen's version is that's a happy ending. The show never claimed that was better. You're the one claiming it's better. Do you really think a story would be better just because it has a happy ending? Seriously?

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

The fact you're asking me this means you're thinking about the show in a vacuum and not as the allegory the show tries to be.

You keep saying that. Then what does that last shot showing Karen and Hikari on top of the stairs mean? You know, the one where only the top star of the Takazuka Revue stands?

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

I already explained all this so don't make me repeat myself over and over.

Let's go back to what you wrote.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Instead Karen had to force her shit on Hikari, effectively robbing Hikari the ability to decide for herself and become a star to stand besides Karen.

Did Karen force Hikari to perform with her? Did she force everyone else to go along with her changes to the performance? How?

You keep describing Hikari as the Damsel in Distress. But the Damsel has no initiative and must wait for the hero to rescue her.

I reject that as a description of Hikari on her solo Stage. I reject that as a description of Hikari as she fought Karen. In those acts, she had the initiative and took action. Just because you disagreed with the action taken, doesn't make it any less of an action.

That Hikari chose her fate and fought Karen to defend her convictions is the clearest proof that she was no mere DiD on her stage.

The whole show builds up to Karen and Hikari breaking the system in a way that would allow them to fulfil their dream but in the end there was no pay off.

I keep telling you, the "system" was all in their heads. That, too, is an allegory. One way of doing things leads to success, so everyone keeps doing things that way. That doesn't mean there aren't others.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

You keep saying that. Then what does that last shot showing Karen and Hikari on top of the stairs mean? You know, the one where only the top star of the Takazuka Revue stands?

That's why I said the show tries to make it seem like they fulfilled their dream and became top stars together but if you really think about it that's not true. Karen beat Hikari. Karen became top star. Hikari didn't. The dream wasn't truly fulfilled. Now, you may ignore that and just go with what the show is saying but I can't because it's plenty obvious to me that's not what really happened. But to each their own. I'm not saying you have to agree with me. I'm just saying I don't see it that way.

You keep describing Hikari as the Damsel in Distress. But the Damsel has no initiative and must wait for the hero to rescue her. I reject that as a description of Hikari on her solo Stage. I reject that as a description of Hikari as she fought Karen. In those acts, she had the initiative and took action. Just because you disagreed with the action taken, doesn't make it any less of an action.

This isn't about me disagreeing with her actions. I'm saying she didn't really take actions. After getting locked up she just waited to be rescued. She didn't have the balls to get out on her own. Karen had to force her because Hikari didn't have the courage to move forward. You seems to have the idea that she's not a damsel in distress because there was a fight. That doesn't mean anything because she was fighting out of fear.

That Hikari chose her fate and fought Karen to defend her convictions is the clearest proof that she was no mere DiD on her stage.

That wasn't conviction. It was just fear. There's a big difference. True conviction comes from having the courage to move forward. Fear is the opposite to conviction.

I keep telling you, the "system" was all in their heads.

And I keep telling you that doesn't make sense. I guess we just don't see the show the same way.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

That's why I said the show tries to make it seem like they fulfilled their dream and became top stars together but if you really think about it that's not true. Karen beat Hikari. Karen became top star. Hikari didn't. The dream wasn't truly fulfilled.

That's the thing I don't get about your stance. You want them to "break" the system. Yet, you continue to define their "success" according the definition of the system. You want them to do something different, to show they don't need to follow the system anymore.

Yet, when they actually do perform things differently, you declare they have failed because they didn't do the things to show they succeeded under the original system.

That seems paradoxical to me. You want them to change, yet declare they have failed to change when they do things differently.

Or was that you keep harping that they should change things and then complain when things actually changed?

And I keep telling you that doesn't make sense. I guess we just don't see the show the same way.

In life, people find success when they do things in a certain way. Other people looking for the same kind of success look to them and do the same things they did, and find the same success. This way of doing things becomes recognized, standardized and institutionalized as the Way to Succeed. It becomes The System.

But that doesn't mean it is the only way to succeed.

Since we're talking about Revue Starlight, let's go with showbiz success as an example.

This series sets a good example of the acting skills neccessary to be considered a good actor, yes?

Then, you need people with directing skills and writing skills, yes?

Get all three, you will have good show, that's considered a success in show biz, correct?

So, can you become a star without acting skills? Can you put on a good show without directing and writing skills?

Until 21st century, that was considered impossible. But the Internet meant anyone who could put themselves in front of a camera and put the video online can gain a following, worldwide too. You do not need what is traditionally considered acting skills to do this. Nor do you need directing or writing skills.

Then comes Youtube and other streaming sites and make everything even easier by making it easier for your audience to find you. Now, without a single bit of traditional acting skill, you can become star. Without a writer or director, you can make a show.

The old system to reach and define success in the show business do not apply in this world. So what was the old system anyway? A belief by everyone, the actors, the staff and the audience, that there was only one way to succeed in the show business. It was all in their heads.