How To Make a Hit Web Series

AKA - the questions you need to ask yourself before you start.

The ever fantastic Jason Leaver linked to this article from Felicia Day and I felt it should be linked to again - as most of what she says is still incredibly pertinent.

A lot of people are making web series now a days - they've replaced the short film as the attainable Thing To Do (TM).

But you often get the very common question banging out about - what will make a hit show?

Felicia pointed out four major questions to ask yourself.

1. How is My Project Unique to the Web?
2. How is My Web Series Unique to ME?
3. Who is My Audience and How Will I Reach Them?
4. Do I Know What I’m Getting Into?

I'm going to add two more questions to ask yourself.

5. Do I have an understanding of what success means to me?
6. Who is My Circle?


The first four Felicia covers on her blog, so I'm not going to tackle them here - other than to really hammer home the fact that you need to know who your audience is and where they live.

Unlike TV we're doing all the marketing ourselves when it comes to web - so if you don't know where your audience plays (beyond say, twitter and facebook) it's going to be almost impossible to find them and get them to come to you.

5. Do I have an understanding of what success means to me?

The extra questions I have here are important for a number of reasons - know what SUCCESS is to you. We all want a "hit" web series, but barring million view numbers what does success mean. Is success getting people to see your video in the industry. Is success getting a sponsorship deal? Or is it just making it and sharing it.

Knowing what success means allows you to have specific goals after you release it - which is incredibly important when you get stuck in the giant headspace that is marketing, interviewing, releasing and other billions of things that have to be done to release the show.

6. Who is My Circle?

Your Circle (hey, it's like Google+) of people - from family to friends - is your lifeline in web series. They can not only help you get the project off the ground - from donating to food, to other things (also, huge shout out to all the people that made Pretty In Geek possible - all of you Amazing People who donated cash, food or time) like time, you get a way to get things moving and continuing.

Each web series is a beast unto itself in making a show work - but, you're lucky. Because you have friends (right? Right!) that can help you, or make lasagna, or even, if you're really lucky, get you an interview to market things. Use your connections, and don't be afraid to ask. Chances are you'll get an opportunity to pay that person back in the future soon enough!

So, in answer to what makes a hit - anything, everything - but mostly perseverance . But to know if you have a hit, you need to know what "hit" actually means - because sometimes even if only five people watch something... if it's the right five people, that's all you need.