What was the process like?
The process of making the first season of CHICK was amazing and
exhausting. Working with an ultra low budget made for some
obvious challenges but it also forced me to think outside the box
to come up with solutions to production problems.
In Episode two of the series the main character falls from the
roof of a building. We couldn't afford to actually have someone
fall from a building so we got creative with still photographs and
some simple visual effects. You can check out the process in our
behind the scenes videos.
Overall I had a great cast and crew to work with which made this
production one of the best I've ever been a part of. But even
with the great chemistry we still had our challenges.
We got kicked out of one of the locations we chose to 'steal'
during our first shoot. That resulted in us having to do a
re-shoot a couple of months later. But even that ended up being a
blessing in disguise, since the second location actually worked
much better.
The biggest challenges for me personally were directing and acting
in the project. I've acted and I've directed but never at the
same time. Next time around I need to make sure I have enough
support so I can carry those two roles to the best of my ability.
The other challenge was getting the word out about the show while
still being in production. There are only so many hours in the
day and I suffered trying to do so many jobs at once.
One of the elements we are really proud of with CHICK is our
efforts to be a green production. It was important to me that we
do everything we could to make environmentally conscious choices
during the entire process. This started in pre-production and
impacted all the choices we made for the show.
We wanted to show other independent filmmakers, who are stressed
because of limited time and money, that you can still make
eco-friendly choices in your production.
The main way to do this is to make sure your cast and crew are on
board for the cause. Then you'd be surprised how easy it is to
implement a few changes in how you do things...like requiring
everyone bring a drinking cup/water bottle to the set and offer
filtered water from a tap or Brita jugs if you're on location so
you avoid all those half used plastic bottles that end up strewn
all over the set at the end of a shoot day.
We dedicated a page on our website to our green practices as a
referral guide for other filmmakers. We always tell people, even
if you pick just one thing on the list, that's a start, and you're
making a difference.
You can check out the page here:
http://whoischick.com/greenfilmproduction/
How much in advance to shooting was everything written?
We shot in what I like to call two different blocks. There were
seven episodes (Ep. 1-5 and 18, 19) that were fully produced.
Meaning we had a full crew, lighting and grip equipment etc. The
scripts for these episodes were finished five months in advance of
shooting. The rest of the episodes, were written usually a day or
two before or sometimes I improvised on the set as I shot them.
This is due to their vlog like nature.
Was the season arc-ed out before hand, or was it an episode-to-episode basis?
The seven produced episodes were arc-ed out before hand. The plan
was to have an alternate reality game (ARG) bridge the gap between
episode 5 and episode 18 in which the players of the ARG would
help Lisa find the Secret Academy she is searching for.
Unfortunately the ARG component fell apart right before we were
scheduled to implement it so I was left scrambling to bridge the
gap myself with the impromtu video blogs you see the main
character shooting. I'm not disappointed the ARG didn't work
out.
I'm going to try again in season two using all that I learned
from our mistakes this go around.
What were some of the things you've learned since the pilot episode?
There are underlying themes in CHICK about going for your dreams
that were really important to me but at the same time I didn't
want to bang people over the head with 'message'. I think I may
have erred to much on the side of being subtle to the point that
some people didn't get CHICK. They almost took some things too
literally. Like in episode one she says her mom used to tell her
that she was the only person she knew who could hide in an empty
room. People interpreted this to mean her super power was
invisibility but it's not. She doesn't have superpowers...yet.
It was a statement to how invisible she feels in her life.
When you work with a story for so long it gets too close to you
and becomes hard to be objective. It's been a great experience
seeing how others respond to the show. I'm going to use what I've
learned and continue playing with the balance between storytelling
and subtle underlying themes and messages for season two.
Getting enough support and asking for help is something I've
learned is imperative to survive doing a web series. Towards the
end I brought on a couple of interns to help with social media for
the show which was huge. In future I will do more of that.
Yes I think the biggest thing for me is support, support, support.
I think the first season suffered somewhat because I
took on too many roles. But it's a learning process and I had to
work out letting go of the reigns a bit because this is my baby
and a very personal project for me.
What was the production schedule like? What were some of the snags that were found?
Well I think I addressed some of the snags earlier. We shot for
three days in January of 2009. Then for two days in April 2009.
The web series premiered in November of 2009 and then I started
shooting the video blog episodes from December through April
2010.
One thing, if I can, in future I will plan my shoots in the middle
of the year (April - September). We were really challenged by the
limited number of hours of light during our January shoot. And
the quality of light in April was noticeably different from
January which played havoc for our colorist when he had to match
shots from the two different shoots.
How long are your shooting days?
We had one really long shoot day in the loft...probably sixteen
hours. All the produced episode shoots were on the longer
side...although many were impacted by daylight. I'd say on
average 10-12 hours.
The vlog shoots varied. Sometimes I would mess up and have to go
reshoot stuff. But on average those shoots lasted four or five
hours...mostly because I was often a one woman show, setting up
camera, set stuff and anything else that came up. I mean picture
it...set up the camera, press record, run to my mark, run back to
the camera to make sure the framing is good and then get into
acting mode to shoot it. Over and over again.
What kind of crew do you need to make a webisode?
It really depends on the style of your piece. As you can tell
from what I've previously written with produced episodes we had a
crew of around thirty people. The standard roles you have on any
film shoot. With the video blog episodes sometimes it was me and
other times there may have been my two producers with me if other
actors were involved or there was some complications to the shoot,
like resetting props etc. There are no rules, many productions
have only three or four people.
What's the best way to kick start a webseries into the vast, vast pace of the interwebs?
I tell everyone who asks to start building a following months in
advance of shooting. Most filmmakers react to this advice with
trepidation. They don't feel they have anything to share before
it's ready to show but that's actually not true. What you want to
do is let your fans in on the process. Tell them about the
challenges your facing while writing a particular scene. Show
them pictures from a location scout you're thinking about using.
Ask for their input. It's all about an emotional connection and
if they feel like they were a part of that show getting made,
they're much more likely to support you all the way through and
share it with their friends. I also say figure out ways to give
back. Meaning if you're going to ask people to watch your show,
share your show, talk about your show, then you should balance
that out with information and/or experiences that make their lives
better. They should be things that are relevant to your show but
all about them. There's so much room for creativity in this
department.
To get a sponsor or not to get a sponsor?
I'm big on getting sponsors. I funded the first season of CHICK
myself and I just can't do that for a second season. I think it's
important to partner with companies that have similar objectives
to you. I want to make sure I retain creative control which would
also require in depth conversations with potential sponsors. But
they can only help you prosper if you find the right
relationship.
I've been creating a database of potential sponsors for the last
year or so. Every time I come across a company I think would be a
good fit for CHICK I put them in the database. Now I have close
to 100 companies to start contacting and beginning conversations
with as we start planning season two.
Some series are used as a "backdoor pilot" what's your feeling on webseries as TV-lite?
I think web shows are similar to tv shows in the sense that they
are recurring. I think the challenge is in not assuming they're
exactly the same. This is especially true as the web content
community tries to figure out business models to sustain our
work.
There are many reasons why someone might be motivated to shoot a
web series. Using it as a backdoor pilot is a great objective.
It gives you the opportunity to test out an idea inexpensively,
build up an audience and see if it's a story that people would be
willing to watch in more traditional mediums. I also think web
shows are a great way to establish yourself as an artist. I'm
always telling actors to produce their own shows for the web.
There really is no excuse with all the technology available
today. And it gives you the opportunity to present yourself
exactly as you envision.
And the biggest question that everyone?s been asking monetization.Is it possible?
I don't think the traditional television monetization models are
going to work...at least not right now. We need to think outside
of the box and open ourselves up to different approaches. There's
some interesting ideas floating around out there. I'm definitely
playing around with different approaches for season two.
It's a very exciting time in the web space right now. I'm
thrilled to be a part of it.
We're still in the infancy of this industry. It's an industry
made up of hard working, passionate artists. That alone makes me
confident it's just a matter of time before we really start to
profit from this fascinating space.
Right now I'm reading Napoleon Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich".
It talks about the qualities necessary to be
successful. Desire and persistence are two of the main ones and
web content creators have those in spades. We're on our way up.
The moon and the stars are just the beginning.
Introducing a new generation – gay, straight, and ethnically diverse – struggling with identity and modern relationships. This award winning web series revolves around Vivian McMillan, sixteen and gay. As the daughter of a NYC firefighter she goes through seismic changes when her father’s health problems, resulting from 9/11, force them to move from the city to the suburbs. Navigating a long distance relationship with her girlfriend and developing a bond with a straight, African American boy fuel the heart of this dynamic drama as it follows the journey of six teenagers riding the waves of sexual awakening.
When developing the series what were some of the biggest issues you faced?
TCW: In terms of the writing and creation of the series, it really came together fairly quickly. But then the biggest issue we faced was financing. Financing is nearly always the biggest issue any production faces. Once we established the budget then it was a matter of writing with that budget in mind. Lots of compromises are made, from locations, to running time of the episodes, to shot selection. But ABM came together rather quickly once we were able to financially move forward with it.
What was the process like?
TCW: I don’t think the process was much different then getting anything else into production. In the writing process we did a lot of poking around at other web series to understand the form more. Back in late 2007, early 2008 there wasn’t really any form, not that there’s a set form now. But back then, there was even less to reference. We talked to Marshall Herskovitz from “Quarterlife” and he gave some advice on length and other things. And at that time, the web series narrative video blog was very popular, like “Quarterlife”. We wanted to steer away from that, and make our show in more of a TV tradition but infused with a cinematic style.
How much in advance to shooting was everything written?
TCW: Season One we went into production with all episodes written. But only about two of those episodes I think remained as they were before we hit production. We did a lot of rewriting in between shooting the episodes. Because we didn’t know when the money was coming in we shot 2 episodes at a time.
Season Two we had are arc laid out but were writing in between the production of episodes. But with Season Two we shot a lot more episodes together. The last four episodes were shot all at once.
Was the season arc-ed out before hand, or was it an episode-to-episode
basis?
TCW: The arc of the season is always laid down before we begin writing. Some things change once we get in the writing, but we always have a road map before we begin.
What were some of the things you’ve learned since the pilot episode?
TCW: Mostly, I would say we’ve learned a lot about how to market and build an audience for a web series. Knowing how to get your work out there and build an audience is just as important as writing and producing the series.
As a director that came from making films, I learned to be more of a TV director but without losing my cinematic sensibilities. We’re a very ambitious show on our budget so I’ve learned some tricks to get the most out what little we have. The compromises needed to be made on the production side can be frustrating, but you have to learn to roll with it to some degree and try to find a way to make it work the best you can.
What was the production schedule like? What were some of the snags
that were found?
TCW: Season One we pretty much shot two episodes at a time over a period of time. Season One took a year before it was completely shot. Season Two we shot three episodes at a time with the exception of the last four, which we shot together. We shot them a little closer together, so it took us have the time it took us to shoot Season Two.
How long are your shooting days?
TCW: We had some serious long days on Season One. I think we once had an 17 hour day. Again, we’re a very ambitious show. We want it to look good. But we learned a lot from Season One, in terms of what we realistically can get done in the production time we’re given. And after every production we’d try to evaluate things to improve production. As a result we have had more manageable days in Season Two. For the most part we stick 12 hour days, some days less than 12, rarely too much more than that.
What kind of crew did you need to make a webisode?
TCW: Often one that believes in what you’re doing because you can’t pay a lot. We have a small crew considering what we want to accomplish. We’ve expanded from Season One, just because you can only demand so much of your crew for so long. But I’d say we have about a 12-15 person crew.
We have a lot of the same crew from production to production. We’ve been extremely lucky with the crew we’ve gotten throughout our two seasons, starting at the top with our wonderful Director of Photography, Ava Berkofsky. Some really great people have been through the ABM production doors and many of them have been on the show from early Season One. Our set photographer, Michael Seto, is very proud to say he’s been on “Anyone But Me” since the pilot. No small feat.
What’s the best way to kick start a webseries into the vast, vast
space of the interwebs?
TCW: First, know your audience. If you don’t know your audience you won’t know which websites to target to get the word out about your series. It’s vital that you know the audience you want to reach. Once you know that, then find the biggest site that caters to your audience. Try to get them to embed your series. You want to get your series embedded as many places as you can. Don’t just settle for one site and then see if you can get people there. Put your content where your audience is. We use blip.tv as our player but we’re also on YouTube, hulu, strike.tv and koldcast. And then other sites that embed our player from blip.
To get a sponsor or not to get a sponsor?
TCW: Who doesn’t want a sponsor? Someone’s got to pay for production. And besides the possibilities of subscription, sponsorship is it. But of course, it’s not easy to get sponsorship. You have to have really big numbers to bring in sponsorship, and also again it goes back to knowing your audience. Brands want to know who your show talks to so that they know if it’s a good fit or not.
Some series are used as a “backdoor pilot” – what’s your feeling on
webseries as TV-lite?
TCW: I wouldn’t ever think of a webseries as TV-lite because to me a lot of web series address issues and tell stories that TV won’t tackle. We can take a lot more risks in a webseries, there’s not millions of dollars on the line. And we can talk to an audience that is mostly ignored by television. But also because we do get the chance to take risks and prove that there is an audience for whatever non-conformist story we’re telling, it gives TV Execs a chance to see that what they think can’t work can. The web series can work very much like independent film once did when it comes to the relationship it has with Studios.
And the biggest question that everyone’s been asking – monetization.
Is it possible?
TCW: Well it has to be at some point right? Sponsorship is key. And I’ve seen more and more brands jump into the web series market. The great advantage the web series has is that it’s on the web 24/7 to everywhere in the world for however long it wants to be available. That’s a lot of visibility for brands, more than they can get from traditional outlets. It’s just a matter of them making that leap, and they are starting to a lot more every day. And as content creators we just need to continue to prove there is an audience for this medium. We need to continue to push the limits and progress our storytelling so that TV audiences take notice and realize there’s a lot of the stories their looking for on the web.
When developing the series what were some of the biggest issues you faced?
Like so many other ventures, the key is raising sufficient funds and hiring the right people to implement the concept. This where creative rubber meets the tough road. It's a lot easier to dream up this projects then execute them well, which takes professionals who know what they're doing and a lot of time and energy.
What was the process like?
Our is the first home shopping show to combine entertainment and shopping, which we liken to American Idol Meets QVC. So a big part of the process was recruiting talent to perform, vendors to sell products and a TV studio where we could shoot the pilot.
How much in advance to shooting was everything written?
We had a final script about two weeks before the pilot.
Was the season arc-ed out before hand, or was it an episode-to-episode basis?
This is a traditional pilot in the sense that we are not going to test the public's response before producing more shows or trying to barter them to TV stations, thereby augmenting our website to where we're live streaming at www.shoplaughing.com.
What were some of the things you’ve learned since the pilot episode?
We could use more run throughs for the hosts and co-hosts to get more familiar with products; we could have a wider search for talent, which would yield better performers. We can partner with other web-based retailers, which we are now doing and are in the process of adding into the mix online.
What was the production schedule like? What were some of the snags
that were found?
We had a series of run throughs and a full practice day in-studio prior to the shoot. We had difficulty dealing with scheduling amateur talent and product presenters who failed to arrive on time for their scheduled block, so there had to be several adjustments during the shoot, which is always burdonsome and risky.
How long are your shooting days?
We shot the pilot in less than six hours.
What kind of crew do you need to make a webisode?
Producer, Associate producers, floor manager, three cameras, director, product/talent coordinators, and me, executive producer and creator.
What’s the best way to kick start a webseries into the vast, vast
space of the interwebs?
Hire a PR firm. I happen to own a great one, TransMedia Group, which so far has gotten hundreds of hits and has stories in the works in a variety of media.
Some series are used as a “backdoor pilot”?
I'd call ours a "frontdoor pilot" as this is actually the first installment of what eventually will be 24/7 live shopping mixed with entertainment and views can vote with their credit cards for products or text vote for their favorite performers.
When developing the series what were some of the biggest issues you faced?
I honestly can't think of any major issues we faced in developing our series PRETTY. We really lucked out in that. We pulled together an incredible production team. There were two minor issues: One of our actors' schedules wasn't working with our shoot schedule. This actor offered to step out of the process, suggested we recast - I refused. I wanted this actor for the part, so we moved our production schedule back a full month to accomadate there's. It's a decision none of us regret, we got our actor and we got an extra couple of weeks to ready ourselves. The other minor issue that presented itself was when our pageant location wasn't open for a full day of shooting on a weekend - which was when we planned to do all our shooting. We opted to move that location's shoot back one day, to Friday, which worked out for about 75% of our production crew.
What was the process like?
First and foremost, the script is your bible. It's gotta be there on the page, cuz when it is, it's a blueprint that's simple to follow. Our process was exceptionally smooth and I believe that was because we pre-produced the heck out of PRETTY. The four of us, John Carrozza, Doug Prinzivalli, Thordis Howard, and myself, as Executive Producers, along with Jim Cannella as Producer, held multiple pre-production meetings. We outlined all our needs, created a calendar, kept in communication via email with updates. We started our shoot ready to go. The four shoot days went so smoothly because of how well the group readied the production. In fact, on our second day, which had 50 some scenes to shoot, we not only shot them all, we were able to shoot another 3 and get ourselves AHEAD - unheard of. Post-production was amazing, mainly because we had one of the best editors on the planet working on PRETTY, Mr. Rich Mikan. We couldn't have done this project without his incredible eye and skills.
How much in advance to shooting was everything written?
Our script was written about two months before shooting began.
Was the season arc-ed out before hand, or was it an episode-to-episode basis?
The full script was written with a season arc: Events build, episode by episode. You can watch any one episode and it will hold up on it's own, but if you follow it from the beginning, you experience the 'build.'
What were some of the things you’ve learned since the pilot episode?
Write a kick-ass script, make sure it's all there on the page first and foremost, surround yourself with the talented people to bring it to life, and know when and how to get out of the way to let that group do the best they can do. And most importantly, make sure there's snacks. Everyone likes snacks.
What was the production schedule like? What were some of the snags that were found?
We filmed 5 episodes in 4 days. Our schedule was hectic, but manageable. Things went fairly snag-free. Minor snag we hit: The pageant in the script takes place over 2 days, which we shot all in 1 day. We realized at one point one of our actors was in their second day outfit when they needed to be in their first day outfit -costing us about 10 minutes of filming - whoops! I caught it, that actor dashed out and changed, dashed back in and we picked up where we left off.
How long are your shooting days?Our shooting days went between 5 to 8 hours.
What kind of crew did you need to make a webisode?
The same kind you need for a television series - only they gotta be willing to work for a lot less - haha. Everyone says "We had the best crew on our project" - add me to the list of everyone. Our crew are all professionals, most of whom donated their time to PRETTY.
What’s the best way to kick start a webseries into the vast, vast space of the interwebs?
First off, be unique. If I see one more "Sex In The City" or "Friends" type
web series about 20-something trying to make their way in the dating world, I will rip the last two hairs out of my head. Second, whether it's in your script or how you promote yourself, identify and target a specific audience. "Everyone" is not your audience. PRETTY went for the "We Love Mockumentaries" audience - the folks who love "The Office" and anything by Christopher Guest. Third, use community-based outlets that are already in play - see Facebook, Myspace and Twitter as examples. They're promotional dreams - who better to help you spread the word than your own friends?
To get a sponsor or not to get a sponsor?
If you can GET a sponsor - by all means, GET a sponsor. Without a celebrity or known personality, it can be difficult. PRETTY's first season was 80% 'sponsored' by Producer Jim Cannella and myself. Our second season, which we're gearing up for, we have more than 50% funding from OUR FANS, who have been donating the funds needed for us to go back into production.
Some series are used as a “backdoor pilot” – what’s your feeling on webseries as TV-lite?
I told the PRETTY cast from the very beginning, "Let's focus on making the best webseries we can. Anything MORE that comes from it, great. But let's focus on this here webseries." The truth is, you never know WHO is watching you online. Which doesn't mean we're not out there pitching PRETTY as a television series, of course we are. All that said, I don't see webseries as TV-lite, I see it as the next step in the evolution of entertainment.
Watch PRETTY Season 1 now: www.prettytheseries.com.
When developing the series what were some of the biggest issues you faced?
My first attempt at a series was a fan-parody of lonelygirl15 called LonelyJew15. Its premise was "What if Anne Frank had a webcam?" Doing not only a parody but humor around a historical figure presents unique challenges. It was extremely important to me that I honor both the source material (of which I was a huge fan) and the real person I was basing the main character on (Anne Frank is a hero of mine, I own 3 different copies of The Diary of Anne Frank and have done extensive studies on her short but inspirational life). With comedy, it is so easy to go over the line and this was something I definitely did not want to do. I wrote the episodes as well as played the role of Anne, my editor also shot the series and the two of us produced it together. All the additional roles were played by either friends of mine I asked for favors or fans of lonelygirl15 who wanted to get involved (many of them created original characters for themselves that I would incorporate into the main storyline). We experimented with styles and genres, began expanding our parodies beyond the lonelygirl15 universe (we had an entire episode parodying the SNL sketch "Dear Sister"). When all was said and done, we ended up doing over 60 episodes over a course of a year and a half.
On the other end of the spectrum is the series Bumps in the Night, which I currently produce. I did not produce the first season of episodes (which was actually one long episode cut into several parts). I was so impressed with the core idea of the show and thought it had awesome potential and I eventually became friends with the creators and asked them when more episodes would be coming out. When they told me that they had lost their producer, I volunteered to take over. The three creators of the show also write and star in all the episodes, so in essence, there is always 4 points of view (mine and theirs) on every episode. We also have a guest director every episode, which presents challenges with making sure they can express their vision and yet still honor the overall tone of the series. But this was something very important to me to do…it makes the three creators better writers and actors by constantly learning more from each director they work with. We shoot 1 episode a month and they write them as we go. So at any particular time, we are in pre-production on one episode, completing drafts on others, and doing post-production with our editor. It's a hectic system, but one that keeps us constantly working on different things, which I find rewarding in the fact that I'm never doing the same thing every day…nothing gets stale for me.Again, my process is different depending on the series. With Bumps in the Night, it's a frenetic, constantly evolving and changing process, as I have to switch gears from pre-production, to production to post and back and forth again depending on the episode.
What was the process like?
There is another series I am producing with a new producing partner, which was brought to us as a full script. This was a new experience for me, as I wasn't producing something I had created myself as well as with a partner. And it is a sci-fi series, something I have less experience with (I was the Assistant Director of season 2 of The Crew, which is sci-fi comedy…but it was entirely shot on greenscreen and not effects heavy, so it was a very different experience). This script contains heavy action sequences and effects make-up. I'm so used to doing multiple jobs myself as well as producing on my own that this have been an adjustment for me. My partner and I are excellent at divvying out responsibilities and it's extremely freeing to know that if things start to get overwhelming, you have someone to turn to and help you pick up the slack and vice versa. It also helps that he had access to an effects artist, which will be integral to this series. We are learning from each other as well as from the experience as a whole. It's been a very positive experience overall.
The most important part of my process at all times is that if I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, I shouldn't be doing it. The material has to move me in some way. Because when things get hectic and stressful (as they always will), remembering why you wanted to do the project in the first place will get you through the bumps in the road. And if you are responsible for the project from a producing or creating standpoint, you are setting the tone on which the rest of the production will be based. If you come into it with a bad attitude or dismissive in any way, the rest of your production team will feel that and it will trickle down into every segment of the project.The theme here again is "it depends". LonelyJew15 was written in five-episode arcs and then we'd shoot those 5 and edit them and then release them once a week. Once we got 3 or so of them posted, we knew it was time to produce more.
How much in advance to shooting was everything written?
I did another experimental web series (which was uploaded on Super Deluxe, which has since shut down) called Two Dudes in Capes, which was entirely improvised, so there was no script. I believe I was having a conversation with a friend of mine about superheroes and it somehow lead to, "what if a dude in a cape walked down the street, how would people react to him?" This developed into Two Dudes in Capes, which is exactly what it sounds like. I put two of my friends who were heavily trained in improv into capes and followed them around sections of Los Angeles to film people's reactions to them. We went to Pink's Hotdogs, into a comic shop, shopping on Melrose, eventually ending up at a Swap Meet (which was a happy accident, we didn't know it was happening that day) where the guys found a life-size Pink Power Ranger model. I then took the footage to my editor and together we pieced it into a series of 30 second to 3 minute episodes of their journey.
The sci-fi series I am currently producing is completely written, though it will need to have some adaptation done because it was originally written as a short film. We are shooting a "proof of concept" (a 3 minute scene from the series) to shop around for funding while we do a revision or two to get the script fully structured for series. We won't shoot the entire project until the script is totally ready. Other series I have also worked on (The Guild season 3, The Legend of Neil season 2, Simply Simon, The Crew season 2) have shot this way: they write the entire series and then go into production. This is traditionally closer to the way film and television works. I am fine with shooting this way, but it can be extremely exhausting as you are working long days and are most of the time shooting material out of order, which requires putting in longer pre-production hours to get prepared. This is, however, the most efficient way to do a series.LonelyJew15 was constantly evolving and changing as the series progressed. It also had interactive elements worked into it (something I am a HUGE fan of), meaning there were certain episodes that would be effected by how the audience responded to them, which meant you had to adapt the storyline depending on the situation. I enjoy working this way. I find it challenging but extremely rewarding if it goes well. If it falls flat, it is the worst feeling in the world. But hey, no risk, no reward, right?
Was the season arc-ed out before hand, or was it an episode-to-episode basis?
Bumps in the Night (which I don't write but as a producer, often have input on) is written on an episode by episode basis. It's a ghost-hunting comedy parody show, so each episode is essentially a "monster of the week" type show, so while the characters do have emotional arcs to them that progress throughout the series, the episodes themselves are pretty standalone. We had a basic idea that we wanted to do a 6 episode season and already had an idea where the finale would go, but since then, we've added at least 2 additional episodes with the possibility of a couple more. But we still have that finale goal in mind. It's a very organic way of working, but so far, it has been working well for us.
The sci-fi series I am working on is completely arced out. Though we will make a few adjustments here and there, the story arc will remain unchanged. I am also toying with the idea of adding some interactive elements to the story because as mentioned before, I am a huge fan of interactivity, both as a creator and a web series consumer. I have watched countless series over the years (I cover web series for Tubefilter News, so not only is watching web series something I enjoy, it's also my job) and the ones that I find most engaging are the ones with interactive elements. Which makes sense, what would be more engaging than actually having a vested interest in the show because you can effect it?Since Bumps in the Night is shot one episode at a time, we generally have a writers meeting to go over the current script and finalize any rewrites, a pre-production meeting where we go over what props we need and divvy those up between the three writers, myself, and whatever we think we can get from friends, and if there is enough time, a rehearsal where we'll read through the script with our guests stars for the episode and block out a few of the scenes. Then we take a weekend (we all currently have day jobs) to shot the script. Since we shoot the series handheld (much like other ghost-hunting shows), we generally only have one setup per scene, which makes for a quick shoot day. We also have minimal locations since we tend to stick to the main character's "command central" (AKA their apartment) and/or whatever location they are investigating that episode.
What was the production schedule like? What were some of the snags that were found?
I'm producing another web series called Simply Simon, which is currently caught in a very long post-production schedule. We took a month and a half to shoot the entire, 10-episode series (again shooting on the weekends to accommodate for people's day job schedules) and having used all our resources on the actual shoot, we are now having to take a long time with post due to the fact that we are asking editors to help us out by working for free. We currently have 3 different editors helping us cut the project (one of which is located out-of-state so we had to ship him a harddrive with all our footage on it) as well as a composer write a score for us. When people are working for free, in their spare time, generally you need to be gracious and allow them to work at their pace. Otherwise you run the risk of them just walking away from the project because they aren't invested in it other than to help you out. It of course depends on how deep your relationship is with the people who are asking to donate their time and/or they have to be completely in love with the project.Across all projects I've ever worked on, it can range from half an hour to up to 14 hours and over. It all depends on the amount of material you are shooting, how complicated the story is, and whether or not your cast and crew allows you to go longer. If you're on a union shoot, which some web series I have worked on are, you can't go past 12 hours without having to pay an insane amount of overtime and/or penalties. If it's a non-union production, you are at the mercy of what your cast and crew will allow you to do. If they believe in the project or have a great relationship with you, you can often stretch them to the limit. But keep in mind, just because you CAN do that, doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD. Make sure the work you make your cast and crew does is matched to the amount of benefits you are going to offer them (whether monetary compensation, great craft service and catering, or just an awesome, friendly working environment).
How long are your shooting days?The size and extent of your crew will expand and contract based on the project. I am very used to working on little to no budget projects where a few crew members need to do all the jobs. I own my own camera, so as well as producing Bumps in the Night, I also shoot it. The sci-fi project, however, involves heavy effects and a lot of action. For the first time, I'm having to find fight choreographers and make-up artists. With the continuing advancement of camera technology, with camera shooting quality of DSLRs reaching the point where you can shoot entire web series on them, you can shoot faster and with less crew (you can generally get away with a cinematographer, someone to do lighting, and maybe an additional person as an extra pair of hands). And the production values wouldn't lend themselves to anyone even realizing you had such a minimal crew.
What kind of crew do you need to make a webisode?The biggest advice I can give on that front is tell a story that is true to your heart and be open and honest with your core audience and the views will come. I know a lot more about what NOT to do than what TO do, because even if you have all your eggs in a row, there are just some series that will not make it. But the best things you can do to improve your chances is to not make yourself out to be something you're not and not make promises you don't intend to keep. With the direct feedback nature of the internet, web series audiences often feel a sense of ownership with the shows they enjoy and you can either foster those relationships or damage them by betraying them. And it's not a difficult thing to do: take an hour a day responding to comments of fans, create a forum or a chat room based on your show and be a presence there. Reach out to sites that relate to your show somehow and also make your presence known there (but DON'T SPAM…that is the kiss of death for a series). If someone loves your show and you thank them, they are likely going to tell their friends about it…and word of mouth is still the best way to get your series out there.
What’s the best way to kick start a webseries into the vast, vast space of the internet?Well, let's put it this way: if instead of paying out of pocket and struggling to get your story shot on the weekend, if someone came by and said, "if you mention Cheetos on your show, I'll pay for it", what would you choose?
To get a sponsor or not to get a sponsor?
Perhaps this question is more about whether you need to try to FORCE sponsorship into your show. There is nothing worse then product placement done badly. And what I mean by that are series specifically made as longform commercials for a product. Audiences can feel when they are trying to be sold something…and generally they don't like it. But if your show already has a natural place for it, go for it. The example I always like to point out is The Bannen Way. The main character wears sunglasses and drives a fancy car, it's a part of his image of being a smooth, charismatic con-man…so why not try to get a sunglass company or Jaguar to sponsor?
So I guess my answer would be: sponsor if it can be naturally integrated into your project, not sponsor if you just plan on shooting a longform commercial.There is a place for everyone on the web. That might sound hokey, but I honestly believe it. If you shopped a TV pilot everywhere and no one wants it but you totally love the material, heck yes adapt it and put it on the web. That is how we got The Guild. And while The Guild as of yet has not yet ended up on TV, several other series have made the transition from web to TV: Children's Hospital and Web Therapy being two examples.
Some series are used as a “backdoor pilot” – what’s your feeling on webseries as TV-lite?
There is such a thing as Independent Television, of which web series are often categorized as. There are festivals dedicated to it (ITVFest and the NY ITVFest) and it's a viable way to get your stories out there. And if in doing so, there is even the remote possibility it can be picked up and shown in another medium, then why not go for it?It is indeed a big question and again, it's on a project by project basis. I think the biggest hurdle that New Media needs to get over is to stop trying to make itself fit into the model of film or television. It is completely different in some ways and similar in others but the exact same models for film and television won't necessarily work for a web series. Web series which are considered a financial success are few and far between and those that are successful got there totally different ways. The Guild has a full sponsorship with Microsoft while Felicia Day retains the rights to the show, giving her the ability to also explore other revenue streams (DVD sales, a comic book deal with Dark Horse, merchandising, just to name a few). Lonelygirl15 had angel investors who believed in the project enough to invest their money in it, as well as several product placement deals (the most interesting of which was the Neutrogena deal, where a complete character, Spencer, was created around the Neutrogena brand), Easy to Assemble is written completely around it's main sponsor (Ikea). You have to be willing to be adaptable and take the time to research where your show best belongs. And there are some stories that just aren't "sponsorable", the most common reason being because they tackle a subject that is so controversial that no sponsor wants to tie themselves to it. Does it mean these stories shouldn't be told? Of course not, and if anything, putting those stories on the accessibility that is web is a way to give those stories a place to live.
And the biggest question that everyone’s been asking – monetization. Is it possible?
When developing the series what were some of the biggest issues you faced?
Vivian: Communication and organization is always challenging. We made the mistake of rushing pre-production and so we made a lot of choices b
ased on our time constraints instead of what was truly going to be best for the project in the long run.
Heleya: Finding locations was hard for us. Our show focuses on these two girls who are 'out and about' A LOT. It was hard to find locations that were available during our shoot schedule, fit our budget, and were easy to get to.
What was the process like?Heleya: It was really fun! Vivian and I had been wanting to work on a project together for a while, so it was great to finally sit down and collaborate. We've had so much fun learning about the web TV world, discovering new shows and meeting some very talented people.
Vivian: It was definitely fun, but also a lot of hard work. As both the main actors and the producers, we had a lot of responsibility to both the artistic and the technical aspects of the project. But it's also exciting to have so much on your shoulders. You really have to grow and push yourself.
How much in advance to shooting was everything written?
Vivian: The script was locked by December and we shot it in February, but I was still making minor changes to dialogue and a few internal cuts during pre-production and on set.
Was the season arc-ed out before hand, or was it an episode-to-episode basis?
Vivian: It was really important to me to have an arc in the series. Even though it's a comedy and episodic, I wanted the characters to go on an emotional journey. TV writing is so exciting because there can be stand-alone episodes within a larger arc. You can go off on tangents but still develop the characters.
What were some of the things you’ve learned since the pilot episode?
Heleya: I would have spent more time in pre-production. Some of our production decisions were rushed because we were so excited to shoot our script. Hindsight is 20/20 of course.
Vivian: I wish our first episode was stronger. Because it's for the web, if your first episode doesn't knock people's socks off, they'll probably stop watching and some of our best episodes come later in the season.
What was the production schedule like? What were some of the snags that were found?
Heleya: We had a pretty fast schedule because it was cheaper to shoot the whole season together, rather than episode by episode. Our biggest snag was actually weather if you can believe it. It never rains in LA, except when we decided to shoot! The last episode of the season has a scene that was supposed to be in bright sunlight. It was raining the day we shot so we had to change some of the lines. It ended up working out really well!
Vivian: The production schedule was very intense. To their credit, our cast and crew stepped up to the challenge. They really stuck it out through long days, unpredictable weather, and numerous location moves.
How long are your shooting days?
Heleya: We had long days, again, because it was cheaper that way! We had a very talented and focused crew and we got SO MUCH done each day. I think we ended ahead of schedule every single day, which is pretty much a miracle.
Vivian: We basically had budgeted for 12-hour days. We did come in early most days, but then as producers Heleya and I usually had about 3-4 hours of work to do afterwards. We basically didn't sleep for a week!
What kind of crew do you need to make a webisode?
Heleya: It can really vary. It depends on what your script and schedule are like, your locations, number of actors, etc. We had an amazingly talented crew, and almost every one of them doubled up on their duties. Our sound mixer was also our boom-op, our 1st AD was also our Script Supervisor, our 2nd AD was also our Production Designer...they were so great!
Vivian: I've heard of shows that just had two crew: a DP and a Sound Mixer, so I think it's a mistake to think that web projects need to be crewed like films. You have to find what works best for your project. We had about seven people.
What’s the best way to kick start a webseries into the vast, vast space of the interwebs?
Heleya: Have a niche audience. Our show is about the LA Hipster Scene, and there are a lot of LA specific jokes. But we were also careful to develop characters people outside of LA could relate with. We also found it very helpful to have a distribution partner. The more people who are invested in your show's success the better. WAWTB is on KoldCast.TV, Strike.TV, Blip.TV, Clicker.com, YouTube, and we recently signed a deal with a mobile phone distributor called Fun Little Movies.
To get a sponsor or not to get a sponsor?
Heleya: Sponsors are great, and if you have a lead for sponsorship you should absolutely pursue it. Don't be discouraged if you don't get it though. Go ahead and make your show anyways!
Vivian: If it's incorporated in a clever, subtle way, there's no reason not to have one.
Some series are used as a “backdoor pilot” – what’s your feeling on webseries as TV-lite?
Vivian: I say more power to them. If someone has an idea for a pilot and isn't getting pitch meetings, it's smart and ultimately more satisfying to shoot it themselves. There's no need to wait for a network or a studio anymore. You get more support and reach a wider audience on the internet anyway.
Heleya: I think one of the most exciting elements of web television is its diversity. You have everything from TV pilots trying to gain an audience to v-logging. It is an amazing way to get exposure and if believe in your pilot then you should definitely make it.
And the biggest question that everyone’s been asking – monetization. Is it possible?
Heleya: It is possible, but not for many. You shouldn't get into web television because you want to make money.
