'Chalkhill Lives' - The World's First Internet Soap Opera

Between 2002 and 2009, Touchlife Productions Ltd created the ultimate community cohesion project: Chalkhill Lives. It became the world's first community produced Television and Internet soap opera Based in Portsmouth UK, and designed to bring people together, build self esteem and raise aspiration, each weekend local residents of all ages - who paid a fee to participate - would come together to film scenes of the show rehearsed and recorded against a tight schedule. All the scripts were written by aspiring-scriptwriters. On weekday evenings, drama workshops would teach participants screen acting and scriptwriting techniques to enhance their contribution to the production. The show broadcast to the world via the Internet in the pre-YouTube world, as well as broadcasting on the BBC's 'Community-Channel' becoming their highest rating show. The show was an early experiment in full audience participation Web television, a concept the company is now developing further. Above is a 10 minute sample episode of the show demonstrating potential advertising opportunities as well as episode length. Created on a zero budget, it was made using low cost digital camera and editing equipment. The show received significant praise and acknowledgement in the UK press.