Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-10502460-20190209043821/@comment-9041013-20190316121046

HopelessNightOwl wrote: I've added a little more about the effects of the film on the narrator.

> Also, I didn't like the feeling of New World Order this Lost Media Group gives off, might as well make them seem more criminal. People consume Snuff, gore, illegal pornography and what not. Give them a mafia feel, and bang, you have something that feels far more real than "we give people the option".

Well, I wasn't trying to make them the Illuminati, but since this story is basically framed as a deconstruction of the whole lost episode genre, I made the conscious choice to incorporate the existing tropes of lost episode stories, knowing it was a risk. That includes some supernatural elements that would make them more than just a crime syndicate and kind of forced me to stray into secret cult territory.

That said, I do like your suggestion. Originally I did consider tying the group to snuff tapes, but didn't know how to include it without it being forced and awkward.

My original vision was for the Lost Media Group to resemble the secret group in this story, which I feel successfully splits the difference between the secret cult group that may or may not have occult powers, and the seedy eccentric illegal media syndicate. Guess I fell somewhat short in that aim. I think you just need to clarify what are the means of your group for all their connections, control and "work abilities", basically. Make them appear not supernatural. Crime syndicates, even very localized ones are extremely potent, and we're talking on a scale of something cross nation or even global, just look at how the Yakuza operates for a good example.