After 8 weeks the second spinoff of the LG15 franchise ended with a bang.

Those who followed LG15 since Bree first sighed her problems into a web cam and fooled the world, have split into two camps: the haters and the lovers, because the new installment of LG15: Outbreak truly is different.

Creator Austin McConnell decided to step in a new direction when EQAL handed him (partially) the reigns of the franchise, and gave him more creative control than he deserved (his words). Possibly a bigger responsibility than he ever imagined: he was tasked with the job of continuing the franchise that pretty much popularized the web series concept.  Is he sorry that he garnered haters? On his blog he recently noted that

I’ve gotten some thumbs up, and some thumbs down…but a lot of those ‘thumbs down’ seem to be attached to hands that just so happen to be carrying loaded firearms, ready to assassinate any amount of positive feedback that the show may get.

And like the character he portrayed, Austin says I don’t go down very easy.

Unfortunately, it felt like a few audience members were quite upset with the fact that they hadn’t granted me permission to try new things.

Did he really fail? Does he ow the LG15 community an apology? Is Outbreak really the worst show on the internets?

First of, no, he did not fail. Outbreak broke the convention only ever so slightly, yet still remained true to the LG15 mythos. EQAL — much like The Order — made sure he didn’t step out of line too much. And he didn’t. Sure, the aim was not as hot-chick-focused as previous incarnations, and that may be one reason why complaints came in. Many wanted to see more of the scrumptious Dani Martin, preferably Bree-style, but that was exactly the convention Austin broke. Why focus only on the hot chick? Let’s see some guys for a change.

He certainly doesn’t ow anyone an apology. The show stands as it is, and compared to the trite the internets is cranking out these days Outbreak is far into the good side. Good or bad, lousy or exiting — Austin did his best and the show has its charm and deserves a viewing. Haters and trolls are an inevitable part of the internet, as they inhabit the dark corners and levels of cyberspace, and should be judiciously ignored by everyone in favor of constructive criticism. Austin will be the first to admit that the show is not perfect and it was a lesson in younameit for him.

But then again, so was the first Lonelygirl15.  I personally haven’t made it past episode 5 yet and probably never will. don’t get me started…

In conclusion Austin has some sound advice for everyone. Why not, after accomplishing a full show he has the right to pound his soapbox a bit.

So, if there’s any advice I can give out, it’s this: don’t be afraid to jump. Don’t let the naysayers, pessimists, and the haters keep you from trying to do cool things. It’s okay to jump in with both feet. It’s okay to make mistakes in the pursuit of something awesome. It’s okay to fail when you’re experimenting with a new form of thought. It’s okay to take credit when you’re successful. And most importantly: it’s okay to be happy with the work that you’ve done… even if there’s somebody trying to convince you that you aren’t allowed to.

…So what are you waiting for? Go take that chance. Go do something different, or unexpected. Write that book. Paint that picture. Make that movie. Record that song. Walk that mile… because it’s better to have tried and failed, than to spend your whole life doing nothing, because you were afraid you wouldn’t get it right the first time.

To quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

I’m going to keep doing new and different things, creatively speaking. Sometimes they’ll seem off the wall, unconventional, and maybe even dangerous… but that’s not going to stop me from doing them. Telling stories makes me happy… and I don’t have to say ‘I’m sorry’ for that.

Read his full blogpost on the matter…