Indie Spotlight: The ‘Ephemera’ Of History Are Revealed For Modern Audience

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.

Thinking about the dense and rich nature of history can be overwhelming, but there are some stories that have been forgotten by most modern people that deserve to be remembered. Brandon Alvis has highlighted a few of those curious tales in Ephemera, a new web series that uses texts, photos, and interviews with experts to piece together the truth surrounding historical moments.

Unless you are deep into US history, you will probably be unfamiliar with Ephemera‘s first subject: A mysterious man named Peter Lebeck who was mauled to death by a bear in rural California. Using all the information at his disposal, Alvis shares his account of the life of Lebeck, which contains a few twists and turns before its ursine end. Even with no knowledge of the topic, the story is fascinating:

Alvis, who previously researched paranormal places with his web series Haunted Discoveries, has a knack for turning the small, little-noticed tidbits of the past into the sharp, compelling web content of the present. For the next episode of Ephemera, he will look at a mining accident from the 19th century and will surely reveal more curious details within.

OTHER UNDER-THE-RADAR SERIES TO CHECK OUT

• Happy Street. A Swedish web series ties together several genres and a web of interwoven characters.
• Enthusiasts. People with unusual passions share their stories.
• Keep Me Posted. The modern obsession with cell phones is examined through three friends.

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.