Indie Spotlight: ‘Brooklyn Sound’ Plays A Humorous Tune

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.

As I did two weeks ago, I’m using this week’s Indie Spotlight column to showcase a series built around an ensemble cast of curious characters. This time, the series in our sights is Brooklyn Sound, a mockumentary set at a down-on-its-luck recording studio.

In Brooklyn Sound, Julia Mattison (who co-created the series alongside Noel Carey) stars as Lucy, the second-generation owner of the titular studio. In order to address her business’ downtrodden financial state, Lucy opens its doors to a series of unusual acts, whose respective quirks are all ramped up to eleven. In the first three episodes, we meet a homeless folk bad, an obnoxious pair of YouTubers, and a glum pop singer.

Brooklyn Sound’s characters are well-rendered, but what really makes the series click is its impeccable comedic timing. The mockumentary style is a tough one to get right, but by adding in some well-measured awkward pauses and delivering punchlines with just the right amount hesitation, Brooklyn Sound hits its notes. From there, its other positives, such as its sharp look at its hilariously offbeat musical numbers, provide the finishing touches. Put all that together, and you get a winner–the six episodes currently available on Vimeo are worth watching.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT

• You’re So Talented. This impeccably-shot web series out of Chicago just began a second season of young-person creative angst.
• The Achiever. An aimless man skates by on a series of odd jobs.
• LEGO Adult. Mock ads describe fake LEGO products that depict the banalities of everyday life.

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.