Indie Spotlight: ‘Platonic’ Clicks Thanks To Strong Chemistry

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. 

This edition of Indie Spotlight is sponsored by Tongal.

The question “What would happen if you slept with your best friend?” is a tried-and-true narrative sparkplug. In 2011, that central question launched two movies within months of each other. A recent web series brings that question to the web. Platonic puts a welcome spin on a tried-and-true plot thanks to the undeniable chemistry of its two leads.

Platonic opens with a short scene in which best friends MJ (series creator Matt Jackson) and Gray (executive producer Gracie Lane) embark on a night of passion after promising each other that they will never tell anyone or do it again. The series then flashes forward to MJ and Gray’s shared job–they both work at a trendy restaurant, though they don’t ever seem to get much work done. Instead, they gossip with friends and co-workers, with each character spilling details about his or her sex life.

The most refreshing thing about Platonic is that it does not make its inciting incident the center of attention. Instead of constantly rehashing what happened between them, MJ and Gray act like nothing has changed, though Jackson and Lane’s emotive performances allow the viewer to see how that is not necessarily the case. Platonic

is, quite simply, an actor’s showcase. You can check out all six of its episodes on its official website.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT

• 2 Girls, 1 Asian. A pair of half-Asian best friends watch their seemingly perfect lives unravel before their eyes.
• Pants on Fire. A 43-year-old psychiatrist who still lives with his mother also happens to be a pathological liar.
• Dating Disasters. Each episode of this web series is a self-contained romantic horror story.
• Coming Attractions. This series, which features a unique animation style, is set at a dying video store during the aughts.

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This edition of Indie Spotlight is sponsored by Tongal. Tongal is changing the way creative work gets done, by making it accessible to people everywhere. For brands, studios, and causes, Tongal’s innovative platform provides continuous access to a global network of creatives, offering fresh ideas and insights, and top filmmaking talent to bring them to life. Tongal’s collaborative, merit-driven process enables everyone to focus on the work they do best. The result is outstanding content delivered with great speed and efficiency. Tongal is based in Santa Monica, California.