We receive a ton of tips every day from independent creators, unaffiliated with any major motion picture studios, television networks, new media studios, or other well-funded online video entities. The Indie Spotlight is where we’ll write about and shout out to a select few of them and bring you up to speed on the great (and sometimes not-so-great) attention-grabbing series you probably haven’t heard about until now. Read previous installments here.
If you’re looking to end your work week on the edge of your seat, I suggest tuning into Drained World. Fabien Garcia’s post-apocalyptic thriller is a sublime accomplishment that includes well-balanced doses of suspense, melancholy, and exquisitely-choreographed action.
Drained World takes place 65 years in the future, in the aftermath of a nuclear war. Its pilot begins by introducing us to Frank (played by Garcia), a solitary protagonist in search of edible food and unirradiated drinking water. Frank’s first foray into the wilderness is accompanied by stirring music, and the scene accurately conveys the loneliness of Drained World’s post-apocalyptic landscape.
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And then, with remarkable skill, Drained World goes from zero to sixty. In the second half of the pilot, Frank encounters a group a bandits, and after a brief exchange of words, he savagely cuts his way through their numbers. This fight scene benefits from the pedigree of co-producer Lohan Buson, who worked on the web series Dragon Ball Z: Light of Hope and has collaborated with The Raid director Gareth Evans. It’s still July, but I doubt you’ll see a better action sequence in any indie series this year.
As of now, Drained World’s run is limited to its pilot, but Garcia and his team at Z Team Films hope to raise enough funds to produce nine more episodes. In lieu of a crowdfunding campaign, they’ve set up some old school donation buttons on Drained World’s website. I would certainly enjoy seeing how Garcia’s vision plays out across the next nine episodes. If you concur, consider giving Drained World some love.
OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT
- Outreach. A young woman looks to prove her worth by serving as a street fundraiser.
- QSN with Helene Ellford. Home shopping gets very weird, very fast.
- Newsroom One. A piece about a thieving Spider-Man is one of the stories in this fake news series.
- Decrees. A pair of young men live their lives with a series of self-styled “decrees” in mind.
Got a series you’d like to see featured in the Indie Spotlight? Be sure to contact us here. For best coverage, please include a full episode in your e-mail.
