We’ve said it before, but this whole web series movement isn’t just an American thing. Sure, it’s quite the rage here in the states and especially in our own backyard of Los Angeles. But still, there are web series created daily all over the world, some of which we can’t understand what’s being said, and we do our best to keep you fine readers up to speed on these foreign gems.

News out of Australian web series scene today is twofold—first, that indie drama OzGirl has inked a deal with Virgin’s V Australia to be on the seatback screens of all its flights (and trust us, those are really long flights) starting in Novemeber for a one year run of its 23 episodes through its free on demand video service.

The low-budget indie series, which was shot for a reported $7000 (AUS),  is no stranger to US web series fans however since it launched last fall, with its production team and stars making the trip out to LA this summer for ITVFest where it scored best web series and best acting honors.

The young filmmaker behind OzGirl, Nicholas Carlton, who was just 18 when the series launched last year, is taking his online momentum to the next step, forming Carlton Digital, a Melbourne-based digital media and entertainment studio. The outfit will be what he calls, “a disruptive business in a disruptive time—a digital media and entertainment studio that truly understands young people.” Carlton also recently signed with United Talent Agency, who will presumably help facilitate some studio and brand deals in the States.

We asked Carlton about the new distro deal and his new venture. Carlton said he found out that the airline was looking for web series during their long flight to LA. “Another great web series, Imaginary Bitches plays on V Australia,” he told us. “On the plane ride to Los Angeles we got hooked to the show. It just so happened we met Andrew Miller, the creator in LA and he introduced us to the team at Virgin. They had, coincidentally, already heard of our show when we launched but were not aware that it had concluded.”

Looking forward, Carlton has plans for a handful of web series including OzGirl season 2 which is already in the works, along with a thriller web series Stitch, that is planning to shoot in Cambodia. “There are a number of projects which are really different to anything that is out there at the moment—all aimed at the youth market,” said Carlton.

The Web Files interviewed OzGirl creator Nicholas Carlton, his DP Shaun Crawford and stars Sophie Tilson (“Sadie”) and Shanrah Wakefield (“Megan”) during their recent LA trip (below).

Filed under: Articles, blip.tv, Drama, News, Production Companies, Web Series by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »

Most people equate San Francisco based Revision3 with unscripted, net-friendly hosted web series—Diggnation, TekZilla, Film Riot. Some of the series clock in over the hour mark, firmly rooted in the vein of freeform tech video podcasts. And it’s around that techie niche that the company has built out an online network of dedicated fans, and incidentally, loyal sponsors like Netflix and GoDaddy looking to make waves in that scene.

But with the launch of its latest series, Web Zeroes, Revision3 is taking the leap into scripted comedy with what it calls its first “sitcom.” Truthfully, its closer to an Office-style single-camera comedy, than a multi-camera TV sitcom. The geek comedy was a pickup from indie creators Eddy Rivas, Nick Comardo and Daniel Miller, who together make up Houston-based Smooth Few Films. Their previous series, The Leet World, was a machinima series shot in Counter-Strike: Source.

The trio of web series creators in fact play themselves, or, as they see it, “amp-ed up versions of themselves”—the control freak Alex (Eddy Rivas), the jaded filmmaker Ray (Daniel Miller), and the nerdy fanboy, Nate (Nick Comardo).” In true modern geek fashion—a blend of online dependency tweaked with a relentless desire to be internet famous—the three are pining to become the next great web stars in hope of “making the big bucks” (and meeting Diggnation host Kevin Rose). First stop: making their own podcast.

Alex: I think we all know too much about too much to really narrow it down to any one thing. Or at least I do, and I’ll be in the driver’s seat anyway.

Nate: Shotgun!

Ray: You can’t call shotgun on podcast!

Nate: You’re just mad that I called it first.

The series had been previously released on the Smooth Few Films site, though as part of the Revision3 deal, episodes have been removed and re-cut with sponsor shout outs to Netflix. Just the pilot episode, “Cast Aways” (above) has been released. New episodes of Web Zeroes come out every Wednesday (the same day as Diggnation), with a total of 13 planned for this season.

Filed under: Articles, Comedy, Featured, News, Production Companies, Revision3, Web Series by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »

And God presented to Noah his new creation, ‘The Reverse Zebra’ and Noah told God, “It looks exactly like a regular zebra…don’t worry about it we all get into ruts sometimes.” And so God decided to flood the earth and start over with a clean slate. This is the Gospel according to Stephen and Joel Moss Levinson, the writers of the award winning animated web series, God & Co.

According to a recent JTA.org article, the show is based on the Levinson’s seder skits from their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. Stephen tells me it took a UCB theater show in NYC to push him into animation, which he’d been planning on doing for a while, spurring he and his brother to make their pilot, ‘Let My People Grow’. This so far four episode series that comes out with eps a ‘couple times a year’ retells Biblical stories that, I won’t lie (it’s a commandment), is sometimes over my head because I didn’t always pay attention in Sunday school and I’m not Jewish. That said, I’ll assume the things I didn’t get were just as funny as the things I did get were I a better student of the Bible.

The ‘Reverse Zebra’ exchange happens in ep 4 of the series (above) when God, played by Jonathan Katz in a sublimely matter-of-fact voice, visits Noah and gets the bright idea for the flood to start anew. I laughed within the first thirty seconds of this four minute cartoon and continued throughout while watching paired animals in various stages of seduction, copulation or utter rejection. Only to finish off this little masterpiece with Noah, played by Bob Balaban (another stellar perf) telling God that his latest creation, the rainbow, was, ‘a little gay.’ That’s funny.

I’m guessing this isn’t exactly how that moment went down, but it’s a lot more entertaining than the Bible describes it, I’m sure. In fact, perhaps this is a good way for me or anyone to swallow the sometimes bland pill of religious storytelling. Take episode 3, where Moses’s brother Aaron roasts him Friar-style for dragging them through the desert for forty years. “I can’t think of anyone who I’d rather have guiding our people, except maybe, someone who knows how to find the fucking promised land!” The F-bomb is bleeped, but don’t worry, we still get to hear Aaron call Moses a prick. Funny? Yes. For kids? No.

So add this entry of adult cartoon to the ranks of The Simpsons and Family Guy. Seriously. The writing is solid, smart and funny…at least with eps 3 and 4. I found 1 and 2 to go off the rails a bit. Ep 1, is the story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son and though this version ends well, it was just too dark for me, plus Shek Baker’s, Abraham is a little over the top. Make that, a lot. Episode 2, ‘Let My people Grow’, described as ‘The Exodus story as a breakup,’ is funnier in concept than execution I think, but this might be because I’m not up on my Bible study – there were some jokes in there that were lost on me.

So that’s fifty percent good, fifty percent bad. Those aren’t great odds, I know, but the good is so good, that it really makes up for the rest. Plus, my fave, the Noah story, was the last one made, so they’re getting better, I guess. The bummer, and probably my biggest beef, is that there just aren’t enough eps. I want more! Having won best animated pilot in the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) for 2009 and being a finalist for Fox’s “FTVS 15 Gigs of Fame” award, I’m guessing there are a lot of other salivating fans out there.

Stephen blames the lack of new eps on himself, telling me that his brother will tell you it’s because he’s a perfectionist. Whatever the reason, I hope they get over it, because he’s got a couple ideas in the pipeline that should be good, namely retellings of Adam and Eve and Job. The possibly more interesting thing here however is that the boys are now working on a pilot of a longer version of the show. This could be one edgy TV show, folks.

As for the internet, the God & Co site is a pleasant enough, no frills interface, which puts the eps in a different order than I mentioned above. However, the links send you to www.tabletmag.com where the ep chronology is clearly listed. The cartoon itself is illustrated by Mike Herrod and animated by Ed Mundy, both of which lend to the funny in their relative simplicity and sometimes modern flares (Noah wears glasses, Moses’s brother Aaron dons a bowtie…).

And, as always with ADD me, at three to five minutes apiece, this show wins for not taking up too much time during your busy workday to pop one on between visits from the boss. Plus, if you’re like me and you’re not in love with all of them, you won’t be demanding all that much time back. My suggestion is to watch all four eps and decide for yourself because chances are you’re smarter than me and they’ll all be hilarious to you. And if you’re not smarter than me, you’ll at least laugh your ass off at two of them and probably learn something from the other two like I did.

Filed under: Animated, Articles, Comedy, Reviews, Web Series by Jonathan Hludzinski
No Comments »

Anyone else notice that there seem to be a lot more deals going on this month? We’re not calling this economy out of the crapper just yet, but Q4 has brought with it some nice reasons for optimism.

Kodak backed its first original web series (other than the Streamy Awards..), Woke Up Dead, which premiered this week on Crackle.com. The Jon Heder led zombie comedy is worth your time watching the first 5 episodes this weekend.

Netflix decided it has the distribution network and, why not start making its own web series too—signing 80’s film star Corey Feldman on for its first horror series, Splatter. Then Wednesday came the news that Babelgum snatched up sci-fi comedy The Crew for a second season, after previously being on online network KoldCast TV.

Illeana Douglas’ IKEA-backed indie web series, Easy to Assemble, kicked off its second season on Wednesday with a star-studded premiere that mixed web and traditional stars in a 500-strong launch party hosted by My Damn Channel. Even Keanu Reeves was on hand, helping promote the show’s spinoff series Sparhüsen. Reeves said he is on board for more episodes which are planned to start shooting next month.

And capping off the week we had some news of our own to report, with AMD and now Blip.tv coming on board to sponsor the October Tubefilter Hollywood Web TV Meetup. RSVP soon, before it’s sold out. There will be some premium product giveaways (think laptops, smoking fast ATI graphics cards!)

Top stories of the week:

• ‘Woke Up Dead’, Jon Heder and Kodak Undead on Crackle
  
• ‘Easy to Assemble’ Season 2 Premieres with ‘Sparhusen’ Rock
• ‘The Bannen Way’ Set Visit: Ironside, Jaguars and REDs
• ‘The Crew’ Gets Babelgum On Board For Season 2
• Corey Feldman and Netflix Go ‘Splatter’
• AMD Hearts Web Series, Sponsors Hollywood Web TV Meetup!

Filed under: Articles, Channels by Tubefilter News
No Comments »

Full disclosure: I am a fan of serial killers. Now before you back away slowly from your computer screen, I assure you it is a purely academic fascination. I have always wanted to know what in a person’s mind compels them to take life: is it something a person is born with or that develops over time? Is there ever instances when it could be a benefit?

So you can only imagine how I feel about Showtime’s Dexter. Michael C. Hall is captivating as the serial killer with a heart of gold…well, it might be gold if he could actually truly feel anything at all. The Emmy-nominated series takes an unapologetic look at how it is actually possible to murder and have a socially-acceptable life at the same time.

One of the great story-telling aspects of the series are the glimpses into Dexter’s past: as his adopted father discovered his dark leanings and instead of condemning them, redirected them in an effort to avoid the invariably unhappy ending that could have been. Today Showtime announced that it will be premiering a twelve-part exclusive animated web series entitled Dexter: Early Cuts, which will hopefully expand upon the flashbacks that we’ve seen to date.

Written by Dexter producer and writer Lauren Gussis and driven by voiceover by Hall himself, viewers see the beginnings of Dexter’s methods, watching his process evolve to the methodical and calculated rituals he currently employs. The audience will have their questions answered about tidbits of Dexter’s life such as when he started collecting slides of his victims and how he acquired his boat, the Slice of Life. Each webisode features a different illustrator such as eight-time Eisner Award winner Andres Vera Martinez and, Ty Templeton.

Dexter: Early Cuts premieres on Sunday, October 25 on sho.com and will also be available On Demand.

Images courtesy of Showtime.

Filed under: Animated, Articles, Drama, News, Showtime, Thriller, Web Series by Jenni Powell
No Comments »

And we now have Reason #127 Why you need to come to the Tubefilter Hollywood Web Television Meetup on the 19th: Free high-end gear giveaways from our new sponsor, AMD! (We can’t reveal exactly what the giveaways are just yet, but trust us, you’ll want to win these.)

Going LIVE! is the theme this month—we’re talking to some of the top LIVE streaming experts on the web—the brains behind (COIN-OP TV, TheStream.TV, This Week in YouTube, The Streamy Awards). More and more web series are realizing that live streaming isn’t as hard as it seems and that it actually works in terms of growing an interactive and engaged audience. If you’re even thinking about live streaming a web show – you need to be there.

This month’s Meetup is the first time we’re breaking out the panel and mixer into two separate tickets. So you can RSVP for both or come a little later (you rowdy ones) and just hit up the mixer. Naturally, we’re going to be live streaming this panel for those not in Los Angeles. More details on that coming soon.

So please take a moment to check out more about AMD for their generous support of the booming web video community:

See, Share, Create
AMD VISION
Leading semiconductor company AMD will be onsite to demo brand new computing technologies that deliver superior visual experiences, and host giveaways of notebook computers and newly released ATI graphics cards. Check for VISION technology from AMD before purchasing a new computer to ensure you’re getting the PC that best meets your needs by being optimized for video, digital media and content creation. For more information: amd.com/VISION or @AMD_Unprocessed.

Going LIVE!
Monday, October 19, 2009
7:30 pm – Panel / 8:45 pm – Mixer

Location:
Busby’s East (Mid Wilshire)
5364 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036

And next week on Tubefilter News, we’ll be taking a more in-depth look at some of the web’s cutting edge LIVE series. So if you have a live streaming web series, let us know in the comments and we’ll check it out.

Top photo by Jonathan Dingman.

Filed under: Articles, Channels, Hollywood Web Video Meetup, Live Streaming, News, YouTube by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »

I woke up Sunday morning, slid into my skinny jeans, a low-cut, tight black shirt, and stilettos; and slipped on a pair of shades. There’s something about going to visit the set of a series that has been labeled “slick,” “sexy,” and “dangerous” that just makes a gal want to look good…even at 7:00 a.m.

And just why was I dragging myself out of bed at such a god-awful hour on a weekend? To get a first-hand glimpse of the shooting of The Bannen Way, the highly anticipated new web series from Sony Pictures Television set to debut on Crackle.com this January. In case you missed the story: Jesse Warren and Mark Gantt debuted the trailer last August, the cybersphere went wild over the racy action series, ICM signed the duo and then Sony snatched up the project based on the strength of the trailer and the scripts the pair had written. Plus, they landed a group of high-profile sponsors, including Jaguar, Ray-Ban and Apple.

Fast forward to October 6th, 2009. It’s the second to last day of the 19-day shoot near downtown Los Angeles. As I head into Lacy Street Studios, the door to the stage is slightly ajar. All I can see is a plaid-clad arm in flannel stretched across the opening, beckoning to a dark space beyond. My blood starts to race in anticipation of what I’m about to see. I expect cool, sexy, high stakes…instead, I get the most mellow action shoot ever.

U.P.M Shea Farrell walks me through the maze of a stage over to the monitors where director Warren is watching a hospital scene play out between Gantt, who plays title character Neal Bannen, and Michael Ironside, who plays Chief Bannen, Neal’s father. Extras in hospital scrubs and stethoscopes chill on the side while Warren calls out direction to the dolly crew and the actors. It’s one of the simpler shots – no sassy vixens or Jaguars here – but both Warren and 1st AD Andy Flinn are quite particular about the framing and movement. Flinn has earned the right to be specific – he’s AD’d hundreds of hours of episodic television, including The Practice, Gilmore Girls and Hawthorne.

While I’m bummed that I’m not going to get to see them shoot a fantasy seduction or an action sequence, it means I’m actually able to grab some quality time with the director and actors. Despite being at the tail end of an intense shooting period, Warren is focused and energized. His spiky hair, big eyes and lean frame from years of running and now martial arts combine to create a somewhat pixie-like appearance. If he’s exhausted or worn down, he’s doing a good job fooling everyone.

Perhaps his energy is fueled by gratitude. He’s still feeling incredibly fortunate regarding the progression of The Bannen Way, and is thrilled that the project will debut on the web. When he and Gantt started this process 2.5 years ago, he could not have predicted that he’d be the one calling the shots on an all-union set. Yep, that’s right – DGA, WGA, IATSE and SAG are all on board for this one via their new media contracts. On a break between takes, standing amidst a sea of cables, Warren tells me, “We originally envisioned this as an idea for a TV show. But if it went to television, I wouldn’t have been able to direct and Mark wouldn’t have been able to star in it.” It is still undetermined as to whether or not Warren and Gantt will have to join the DGA and WGA; ultimately, it will depend on the length of the episodes.

Prior to this project, Warren had only directed a maximum of four people at once. On set today, though, a cast and crew of 65 surround us, and Warren is shooting with the coveted RED camera. In fact, they’re only using one camera for the scene I’m watching, but for much of the shoot they’ve shot with two REDs in order to move more quickly. Though the size and scope of the project could have been intimidating, Warren found himself relying on a former teacher’s advice: When you’re afraid, just take the first steps forward and begin to create. He says, “I focused on what I had to do on that first day, and from there it just flowed.”

As Gantt steps away from the hospital room set, I grab him for a quick chit-chat. Tall, dark and handsome, he seems a perfect fit to play the conflicted leading man. Therefore, it’s a surprise to find that on television, he has so far only played co-star roles. A quick glance at his IMDB resume shows he has a particular affinity for playing Bartenders. He tells me that the opportunity he’s had with The Bannen Way to go from #89 to #1 on the call sheet has been an incredible experience for him.

“There’s a huge sense of accomplishment as we near the end of shooting. This is by far the best crew I’ve worked with,” says Gantt. “They’ve got the best attitude. Everyone – from make up and hair to wardrobe to the grips – has a passion for the project. I’ve tried to lead with energy, and it really feels like everyone here wants us to succeed.” Gantt isn’t imagining the support for Bannen.

As Farrell and Flinn release the actors for a break while they get ready to turn the camera around to shoot the reverse angle, I join veteran actor Michael Ironside outside in the sunshine. He’s known to most for his portrayals of villains and tough dudes in movies such as Starship Troopers and Total Recall, but today there’s no sign of the badass. We make grab a seat on top of some ice chests in the craft service area, me in my stilettos and Ironside in his self-described “semi-naked” state: bike shorts and a hospital gown that opens in back. When he notices that the sun is directly in my eyes, he suggests moving so that I’m more comfortable. He just may be the nicest villain I’ve ever met.

I tell Ironside that I’m curious as to why he got involved with the project – at this stage in his accomplished career, he doesn’t need to do a web series. “The writing is exceptional,” he explains. Then he jokingly adds, “Certainly not for the money.”

After hearing about the project from his manager and responding to the script, Ironside met with Gantt and Warren, which sealed the deal. “They’re good guys. Plus, I know Jesse’s agent, which made me feel safer about doing a project like this,” says Ironside. “I’ve been on every size project, from $250 million to $250,000, and this is an incredible group of people. For example, with Mark, you can’t tell who is important by how he talks to them. Jesse gives everyone the same level of care and attention, which is at it should be.”

The fact that it’s a web series as opposed to a television series hasn’t affected the way Ironside has approached his role. He says, “The way it’s delivered doesn’t affect creativity on set. Whether it’s a movie of the week, a DVD release or a web series, that’s just the way it’s chopped up afterwards.”

Gantt is grateful that this project has given him the opportunity to work with talent such as Ironside and Robert Forster, who plays his mafia boss uncle. “Working with Michael and Robert raised my game. They are mensches – they care about the work. The bring 150%. It doesn’t matter to them whether it’s on the web or on TV.”

While shooting for the web may not change the creative process, it has certainly expanded the opportunities and responsibilities available to Warren and Gantt. Throughout my conversations with both of them, we are politely yet constantly interrupted by members of the crew who come over to consult on details about the shoot. Warren and Gantt may be newer at this, but there’s no doubt about who is in charge. They are both relishing their roles as producers and the chance they’ve had to be involved in every aspect of the project from marketing meetings to hiring the crew to procuring that nifty Jaguar.

As I look around the busy yet calm set, I can’t help but root for the series to succeed. I haven’t read the script. I haven’t observed a flashy, high stakes day of shooting. Rather, I’ve been privileged to observe a dedicated, passionate group of artists coming together to create a project they all believe in. A project that, without the web, might never have seen daylight. A project that, if developed for television, most likely would have shed its creators at some point because they would have been deemed too green to handle such an ambitious endeavor. Instead, they are getting an incredible career opportunity as a result of their hard work, talent and dedication.

Being as it is a web series, though, with a considerably smaller budget than that of most television episodes, the crew moves fast. Producer Bailey Williams comes over to tell Ironside they are ready for him. The actor graciously thanks me for my time, and heads back to his hospital bed. Gantt resumes his brooding pose. Warren heads back to the monitors, Diet Dr. Pepper in hand. I exit the stage, slide on my sunglasses and smile. Sometimes, getting up early is worth it.

Tamara Krinsky is an actress, journalist and new media producer. She has appeared in web series such as Back on Topps and The Shaman, along with a variety of film, TV & theater projects. As a reporter, she focuses on entertainment, science and tech news. She hosted the weekly tech show THE SPOTLIGHT for TomsGuide.com, was a correspondent for PBS’s WIRED SCIENCE, and was a Webby honoree for the independent film series AT THE FEST, which she produced and hosted. She is currently the Associate Editor of DOCUMENTARY Magazine. In addition to her adventures on camera, Krinsky became intimately acquainted with the business of web video while working for 2.5 years at the entertainment marketing firm Crew Creative, where she strategized and produced online content for clients including the Discovery Channel, TLC, Warner Independent Pictures, Picture People and Overture Films.

Filed under: Action, Articles, Crackle, Crackle (Sony Pictures Television), Featured, Interviews, News, Web Series by Tamara Krinsky
No Comments »

I don’t speak Portugese, but I still found myself sucked into watching a whole chunk of the newly released Castigo Final (Final Punishment) episodes. The horror web series and alternate reality game (ARG) launched last week in Brazil following 8 women thrown into an experimental maximum security prison for violent crimes they didn’t commit. The ARG elements include a race-against-time style hunt for clues through the characters social media accounts and web sites to find the password to save each prisoner before they are killed off.

There’s also a mobile phone angle with an IVR system that lets viewers call the fictional prison and tale to the warden and even have him call you back. To cap off the series and the game, they will be airing a 4-part faux-documentary created with footage from surveillance cameras inside the prison block on Brazilian TV channel OI TV in late November.

beActive, the Portuguese outfit behind the series, might be the most successful non-US based web creators going right now. Last summer they successfully spun off their Portugal-based Flatmates into an English-speaking UK version. Their last series, Sophia’s Diary was an international licensing gold mine, spinning off British, Irish and Brazilian versions before penetrating China with its first major web series. The Chinese version, dubbed Sufei’s Diary, took the model of young college age girls finding their way in the world with a local Mandarin-speaking cast and some westernized product integration from Estée Lauder’s Clinique brand along for the ride. As of a March feature in the Wall Street Journal, the series had notched over 20 million views on Chinese web sites Sina, Youku and Cernet.com.

In some ways they are like a European version of Electric Farm, who like beActive, chose Sony Pictures Television International to handle foreign licensing and format sales of its Afterworld, Gemini Division and just-launched Woke Up Dead series. While there isn’t a great deal of English around this new series just yet, given their track record we wouldn’t surprised to see a British version down the road.

Fittingly, Nuno Bernardo, beActive’s CEO, presented the series at MIPCOM in Cannes during the MICPOM Screenings, “The Best Multiplatform Entertainment.”

Filed under: Alternate Reality Game (ARG), Articles, Horror, News, Production Companies, Thriller, Web Series, YouTube by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »

Last night’s Los Angeles premiere of Easy to Assemble season 2 was everything you would expect in a sophomore debut—bigger, brasher and beaming. For the gawkers on Hollywood Blvd. peering onto the red carpet outside the Egyptian Theater, most probably thought they were scoping out a movie premiere as stars like Keanu Reeves, Kevin Pollack, Justine Bateman and Harry Shearer casually strolled past the check-in tables with cameras flashing.

The new season of the IKEA backed web series, which kicks off today, is a classic season long face-off. Picking up essentially were things left off last season, Illeana Douglas and Justine Bateman both still work at the Burbank IKEA store, playing themselves “in between acting jobs.” The rivalry of the two celeb employees squares off around the coveted Co-worker of the Year title, the retail equivalent of queen bee. It’s a 40 year-old’s Blair vs. Serena.

For the dozens of web video folks at the event, there was a underlying buzz that Hollywood is starting to take notice. It had that blend of celebrity, both online and off, last seen at the Streamy Awards. The fusion on the red carpet of web stars and traditional celebs kept the publicists extra busy, but ultimately scored the event a win in both camps. It was easy to forget this was a premiere for a web series.

Ask a Ninja creators Kent Nichols and Doug Sarine make more than just a cameo midway through the season, playing themselves and eventually making a special pro-Illeana video with the Ninja. Other cast members on hand at the premiere were Tom Arnold, Daryl Sabara, Sean Durrie, Cheri Oteri, Kent Nichols, Michael Irpino (who came in full costume), Todd Spahr and Rob Mailhouse.

All ten episodes of the new season were screened to the 500 or so attendees, including two episodes of the faux-vintage spin-off series Sparhüsen which stars Keanu Reeves as the famed Swedish rock producer Vorste Fierron. Word is that Reeves is on board for more episodes of Sparhüsen and production is set to begin on those next month.

Sparhüsen the band, made up of Douglas, Spahr and Mailhouse and in character, treated the audience to a 4-song set after the screening. Not to end there, they actually went as far as putting out an album of sorts, set to drop in a few weeks on iTunes, with their singles “Apples and Fish” and “Ice Fishing” which won over the crowd. (You can actually listen to some tracks already on Last.fm)

For Easy to Assemble, it’s a wide release of the series, led by My Damn Channel who had signed the series for the new season earlier this summer. CJP Digital which is handling sponsor and distribution for the show, also just locked a deal with The Hotel Networks, putting the show as a VOD offering in 1.9 million hotel rooms in the US and Canada starting in January. Other distribution includes Blip.tv, which will have it pushed wide through its pacts with Verizon FiOS and Roku set-top boxes.

New episodes of Easy to Assemble come out every Thursday through December. A special finale episode will be released after viewers vote to determine who will win Co-Worker of the Year between the two ladies.

Top photo by Todd Williamson, licensed from Getty Images.

Filed under: Articles, blip.tv, Channels, Comedy, Featured, News, Production Companies, Web Series by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »

Some people cringe when you refer to the web as a development ground (or minor leagues) for TV. And rightly so, the moniker is too limiting for what amounts to a super-fragemented online community of millions of avid surfers. Not every web series is meant for TV. That doesn’t stop network development execs from scouring video sites for the latest tweet-worthy vids.

With tonight’s premiere of Secret Girlfriend on Comedy Central, we have the latest data point to test the development lab theory. What started as a mobile phone series, that was later released as a web series through Atomic Wedgie, was able to catch the eye of development execs enough to order up six half-hour episodes.

The show’s creators, Jay Rondot and Ross Novie, have been at the online content game for a while, finding some success with their series The Rascal for Sony’s Crackle as well as the mobile-turned-web series for Fremantle that would become Secret Girlfriend, the TV series.

The concept of the series takes the same viewer-as-the-first-person perspective as the web series, albeit drawn out into two 11-minute chunks per episode. Sara E. R. Fletcher, who starred in the web series, takes the leading role as the viewer’s “secret girlfriend” Jessica sending frequent video voicemails to you while hanging out with your stuck-up ex-girlfriend Mandy (Alexis Krause) or your web video wannabe roommates Sam (Michael Blaiklock) and Phil (Derek Miller).

The internet references strewn throughout the show are up to snuff, even having the hapless viral creators posting their vids to Comedy Central’s Atom.com and Skyping each other on laptops. I talked to creators Rondot and Novie on the eve of the TV premiere, asking about the shift from web to TV budgets, the pressures of having much more at stake and how they plan on working the online angle.

“It kind of bothers both of us when other TV shows or movies throw hokey internet videos in them,” said Novie. “Even within our own show it was as fight in terms of how much internet feel we put in it. Having lived that life there are a lot of funny things that happen online.”

When the duo pitched it originally, “it was like Tamagotchi type decision tree,” said Novie. “You could have a relationship with a girl that you could pretend to yourself that you were having.” From the mobile series, which didn’t exactly take off in terms of views, Fremantle put the series on the web where thanks to a some sultry thumbnails attracted a steady crop of young males into the short eps.

The idea of viewer as the camera seemed to click. “We felt out the device of having everyone addresss the camera,” added Novie. “The viewer is the camera. Other than some children’s shows, nothing else is really doing that.” So for them, the web was the laboratory, and when asked about that concept the two agreed. “You get to make a showpiece for free, almost a presentation, to go out and pitch,” said Rondot.

The fate of web series-to-TV isn’t exactly a golden storybook, most notably being Quarterlife’s creash and burn on NBC back in 2007.  MTV hasn’t yet re-upped on its web-pickup The CollegeHumor Show yet which. And speaking of MTV, we’re still waiting on Private High Musical to make it out of development and see that pilot they ordered.

There’s no question the eyes of the web series world will be paying attention to how this one does. Fletcher herself is relatively unknown to TV viewers, but has been a regular online in series like Glenn Rubenstein’s Red Earth 88 and The Fine Brothers’ Prop 8: The Web Series. And her co-star Derek Miller headlined last summer’s PBR loving Every Hipster on Atomic Wedgie.

Secret Girlfriend premieres tonight at 10:30 PM (9:30c) on Comedy Central. Photos by Mark Davis, courtesy Comedy Central.

Filed under: Articles, Channels, Comedy, Comedy Central, News, Production Companies, Web Series by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »

The latest addition to a long line of new media forays backed by major media compaines is Fox Television Studio’s 15 Gigs, which recently sponsored a coveted prize at the New York Television Festival. While covering the festival, I had a chance to sit down and chat with two of 15 Gigs’ executives, Ilsa Berg, Director of Programming and Rachel Webber, Director of Digital Strategy and Development. We wanted to know what exactly they are planning to succeed in a space still looking for its go-to model.

Portfolio Approach

Fox Television Studios, Fox’s cable production arm, best known for edgy shows like The Shield and Burn Notice, is taking a different approach to creating a new media branch with 15 Gigs. “[We’re] not in the business of creating a destination site” proclaimed Webber, such as Sony’s Crackle, perhaps to avoid competing with parent-backed Hulu. Also, they are not strictly sticking to branded entertainment like NBC’s Digital Studio. They are looking more towards a diversified portfolio strategy, and as a company under Fox’s cable production arm, they are expecting to launch some of their web series to cable television. Don’t get the idea that they are trying to produce TV content squished into a YouTube box either, like ABC/Disney’s failed attempt, Stage 9. While their series thus far have not completely leveraged the internet’s key difference from TV, interactivity, the series they have put out have been compelling and have explored new formats. A few examples from their current slate:

• Tease, a dramedy set in a strip club, definitely something not necessarily fit for TV.
• The Iceman Chronicles is an absurd thriller who-done-it in the vein of Twin Peaks
• The Skinny: Fat Free News, a satirical pop culture news show with many scripted moments featuring two comically vapid hosts.
• When Ninjas Attack is a scripted mock-game show in the vein of G4’s Ninja Warrior, only a little more ridiculous.

In terms of content, Berg wants 15 Gigs to run the gambit of genres, as long as it is “smart character driven content from someone who is ambitious and energetic and who … is not going to be upset with [not having a lot of money].” She added, “if you come into pitch me … understand what we do … but [also understand] we are cross genre and cross platform. If someone has a film that can work as a web series, we are interested.” Webber continued, ” [we want producers] with an understanding of the way people consume on [the web] … having someone that’s … going to have an answer to why this is going to stand out and work on the web.” She added jokingly, “I don’t know the answer to the question, but have one!” Hammering the point home, Webber commanded “that piece of content being the funniest thing you’ve ever seen should be a given!”

Branded Entertainment

They are continuing to look into Branded Entertainment, Berg mentioned, “We really wanted to get our portfolio of content out … so we can take [it] to brands.” She also added, she did not want to go to brands necessarilly as simply a way of financing, “we’re really looking to work with brands in creative ways.”

As a brand themselves, 15 Gigs is not expecting to be consumer focused. Webber explained, “15 Gigs brand matters in the B2B sense … [we want to] mean something to the young creative community who will work with us and [as] a brand that matters to a network and a branded content community.” They are really more interested in letting the individual content speak for itself, as can be seen by their current strategy of releasing content with little fanfare.

Using Existing Sites to Market

Webber will be ramping up marketing efforts for the fledgling studio as she finishes her transition, “We’re really just starting out, … figuring out out how to virally get stuff out there.” One of the reasons they aren’t pushing marketing so heavily on these series perhaps lies in their goals for 15 Gigs. “Numbers aren’t the only measures of success” added Berg, “I don’t think that network executives are only looking at numbers in the digital space,” also, “Ultimately, it’s about the content and can that content be episodic.”

On top of this, their hope is to leverage key distribution partnerships and existing social tools such as Hulu, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter to promote interactivity without the hefty price tag that comes from full scale build-outs. They believe they can do some cool things utilizing these platforms. They hinted at a future project that uses some additional features on Facebook that will help create a truly branded entertainment series, but they could not comment further.

Learning from the Studio System

Another interesting approach they are taking hearkens back to the studio system. They are actively looking to partner with existing content creators and production companies and letting them do what they do best creating content. They have already teamed up with new media veterans, Black20, who you may best remember from their breakout viral video “300 PG Version“. Berg commented “[Black20 is] producing content for us. We’re really developing them as a brand [and] as a company. It’s another way for us to develop even more shows … they’re just really smart funny guys.” Together they have created the well received, Heart Felt, a hilarious show that takes the best parts of shows like The OC , The Hills, and The Muppets Take Manhattan and puts them in a blender.

Another benefit of being attached to a major studio is getting big name talent attached. Mike Horowitz writer on USA’s Burn Notice created Ashley the Wise, a post-apocalytpic comedy following a valley girl trying to find her boyfriend. To sweeten the pot, the series is narrated by the most famous B-actor of all time Bruce Campbell. While its genre mash-up may scare away the traditional network folks it’s a perfect fit for the web.

Developing for TV — Already

As mentioned earlier, one of their biggest goals is to push some of the web content to television. Berg explained, “we will be redeveloping [series] for TV based on what works … online … [and] what networks want [to see].” Just within weeks of launching properly, 15 Gigs is already hard at work developing their series, When Ninja’s Attack for television. They are even going so far as repositioning this scripted game show as an actual game show with real life contestants.

Keys to Success

For now, their key to future success will be in frugality. “We’re not spending at the same kind of levels [as Studio 9] … It’s really the DNA of Fox TV Studios in general … our traditional approach in development is how do you minimize [cost] the most.” They are generally spending somewhere between $5,000 and $25,000 on their series.

It remains to be seen whether or not they will reign in as major competitors in this space. While they are not first movers, they seemed to be taking to heart the lessons learned previous ventures into this arena.

Filed under: 15 Gigs, Articles, Comedy, FOX, Hulu, Industry, News, Web Series, YouTube by Adam Wright
No Comments »

We knew we hadn’t seen the last of the engine room on the US Azureas when things left in a black hole cliffhanger this past spring. Sci-fi comedy web series The Crew is coming back for a second season next week after singing an exclusive deal with online video site Babelgum.

For creator Brett Register, who had been using the hiatus from the show to roll out a number of short experimental web series like Craig and the Werewolf, he said he is excited to be able to pay his talent and crew this time around.

“We were indeed able to pay everyone who worked on the show this season, which was amazing as the tagline when producing season one was, ‘don’t worry about money, we’ll all get paid in season two,'” quipped Register. “Who knew that’d turn out to be true!”

While it’s not exactly TV-level money going around, it is in fact a step up in terms of production budgets and actors’ salaries. The indie mockumentary series had previously camped out with online network KoldCast TV before signing the larger money deal, reportedly in the mid-five figures, with Babelgum for the twelve-episode new season.

For Season 2, the full original cast will be returning, including Craig Frank, Philip Bache, Ariel Lazarus and Register himself. As with most web series on their second go-round, some new notables have joined the cast, like former lonelygirl15 star Jessica Rose, and a slew of web names as guest stars—Robin Thorsen (The Guild), Benny Fine (The Fine Brothers), Tom Konkle (Safety Geeks: SVI) and Payman Benz (Awkward Pictures). Register’s longtime cohort Tim Riese is back as DP of the green screen comedy.

We asked Register about what to expect for the new season, and just what to make of all these new cast additions. “Well to not give too much away I’ll say that the end of the black hole from the finale of season one lands The Crew on the other side of the galaxy,” he told us. “So the primary storyline revolves around the voyage home (Star Trek reference intended).”

In terms of the deal itself, it’s partly a licensing deal and partly a purchase of the content itself. Essentially, Babelgum is commissioning the new season and will own the rights to those new episodes. The overall show itself, including the characters and all previous episodes remain owned by RegisteredFilms.

“We are actually purchasing series and phasing out the licensing deal,” said Babelgum’s Amber J. Lawson. “So moving forward I am building out a slate of Babelgum Original ‘Smart’ Comedy Content that we will commission to cross all platforms.” The European-hubbed company is trying to carve out a position as a home for “innovative, professionally produced content” somewhere between unvetted user-generated content and the big-budget network TV-style shows.

“We definitely found ourselves in an uphill battle finding the money for season two between the lackluster economy and finding a company that actually understood The Crew and it’s audience,” said Register. “Luckily Babelgum came through in the clutch and is actually committed to creating quality content for the web. I hate to use the phrase ‘match made in Heaven’ but when they said they were looking for ‘smart’ Sci-Fi comedy, I knew we were in the right place.”

The first season notched around 250,000 combined views, according to Register, who says they didn’t do any view inflation or artificial tricks to distort that number. It was enough to get on Babelgum’s radar however, and there is an audience growing for the series. “Our intention with launching with Season 1 is to bring the current fans over to Babelgum and start bringing in new fans to The Crew from the success of our exclusive content partnership,” said Babelgum’s Lawson.

“The hope is to remain at Babelgum for the life of the series,” added Register.

Abrams Artists new media agent Brandon Martinez brokered the deal for RegisteredFilms. Season one (above) of the show is now up on Babelbum with the new 12-episode season set to premiere October 12.

Photos courtesy of RegisteredFilms.

Filed under: Articles, Channels, Comedy, Featured, News, Production Companies, Sci-Fi, Web Series by Marc Hustvedt
No Comments »