A new YouTube series based at the University of Western Ontario is drawing national attention, but not all of it is positive.
Dave Provost, a 21-year-old media student who co-wrote the show, 3 Audrey, with his friend Miguel Barbosa, was recently questioned about the show by a campus security officer. He was told that school officials and students’ parents found the trailer offensive and took it down after being threatened with academic consequences, according to Maclean’s magazine.
A new trailer has now been put in its place, making it more clear that the show is not an official UWO production, but the school is still distancing itself.
”If the show was produced to deliberately denigrate Western, that would certainly be disappointing,” Keith Marnoch, director of media and community relations at Western, told Maclean’s.
Barbosa, who is not a UWO student, told Maclean’s he doesn’t see what the problem is. He said Western students have a poor reputation .
“I want to show it in a different light. There are really good people there.”
“Party hard, but do your work or you won’t last,” Provost’s character Danny Rambis said in front of the school’s University College tower in the series’ trailer.
Not everything is as positive, though. 3 Audrey is full of sexual innuendo, partying and excessive alcohol consumption mixed in with Western references.
”We’re just trying to show realism. People should understand that it’s a fictitious series,” Provost told Maclean’s.
Barbosa told Maclean’s the stereotypes of Western students portrayed in 3 Audrey are widely held.
It would be impossible to cut out every scene where alcohol consumption is seen on UWO sites since the show was partly filmed during the school’s rowdy homecoming weekend, he said.
“Obviously, anyone can shoot a video on campus, but commercially-produced programs require pre-arranged agreements ” Marnoch told Maclean’s.
While Barbosa and his company, YEAH! Films, didn’t make any “pre-arranged agreements,” the show is not set to make any money, according to Maclean’s.
3 Audrey is being presented in association with Ottawa and Carleton University based clothing company, Bad Habits Co (BH).
“[Barbosa] approached me a few months back with an idea he had for a show he and [Provost] wrote. BH was involved and [he] asked if I was down to be a part of it,” said Chief Bosompra, the founder of Bad Habits. “I’m the narrative voice in the show, and have a few scenes as well as Tommy Nobles’ [the protagonist of the series] mentor since he works for Bad Habits in the series.”
The BH logo, which can be seen on stickers in the tunnels, doorways and walls of Carleton’s campus, is also shown several times in the trailer and first episode for the show.
“I fully support everything [Barbosa] does with YEAH! Films and he shows the same support for BH,” Bosompra said, adding he’s been busy “spreading the word on 3 Audrey just as much as the show publicizes Bad Habits.”
A quick look on Bosompra’s Facebook profile shows several links to the website and related articles and news.
“I’m in charge of spreading updates and news about the show through various online networks,” Bosompra said. “As well, collecting music from up and coming local artists to insert in the show.”
Despite the controversy, Bosompra said he has high expectations for the series. He’s hoping for 10,000 views in the first week.
The trailer had over 4,000 views in its first few days, according to Maclean’s and the series can be watched on 3Audrey.com.
