OTHER: WEB SERIES- Film School

spidey

spidey

Shogun Assassin
So my webseries I created just went online today, pretty excited about this show. It somewhat personal to me because it is how some of my experiences were like going back to film school for 3 years. as the story goes you'll see what I mean. I hope you enjoy and you can check the episode below with other content!

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PROMO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ghvPKdqMl4

EPISODE 1: The Script http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrC61iZx6Zc
Two students, Kat and Tim (played by Rebecca Bruder and James Huneycutt) try to figure out their new script. Only both have no ideas. Guest Stars: Greg Green and Terrance Johnson.


EPISODE 2: The Director http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjSpbNWvJHo
Kat and Tim struggle to find a new director. When all seems lost, they have one other person to ask. Guest Star: Katy Sink.​

EPISODE 3: The Actor and The Actress http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RrG4InLyHE
In this HUGE EPISODE, Auditions start for the teams new film, but problems arise and it all comes down to a face-off.​

BTS: Clapper fun on set http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDzqng5hDGU

More stuff will fill up here. check it out and come by often!

if you have questions ask away.​
 
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I watched a couple of episodes on YouTube. A little slow to start, but I chalk
that up to growing pains. I look forward to additional episodes.

Two thoughts occurred to me while watching. Feel free to disregard them.

First, I'd shy away from using techniques like looking at the camera. - which
immediately makes me think the series is just "The Office" at film school.
Try to be original, and create techniques that other people will copy from you.
They might not always work, but they'll set you apart. For example, I remember
Battlestar Galactica's fast "zoom in" camera moves. I hated them at first, but it
quickly became their signature.

Second, your "Clapper fun on set" video really made it look like this is a very
amateurish production. Even the zaniest, funniest film/TV shows have very
professional people on set. The comedy should be happening in front of the
camera, not behind it. Now I realize a set can be a fun environment, but if you
want this to be your calling card for major networks and studios, I'd highly
recommend restricting footage of the behind the scenes antics to the
production's Christmas Party.

That's my 2 cents anyway.

Good luck with the production.

P.
 
I like this format. It will likely get some heat, but I think at this day in age, it's become a perfectly legit dramatic format. I agree with the poster above, I think you might want to make sure you avoid the Office cliches. Look for ways to stretch the format. I also like it because there is a kind of Brechtian thing going on, which I think is increasingly interesting and again, legitimate as an entertainment form going forward given how so much of our society itself is turning into performance. There was just a good NYTimes article about this and Twitter and the pressure to always be commenting on what you're doing and also making it entertaining.

Anyway, all of that is why I find this form interesting.

I think the big key to this form though is that the characters have to be amazing. Taking the Office as the example, every single character is sharply drawn and very very specific. That is crucial, as it is in any dramatic form. But I think actually more so here. So if I were to suggest any one thing to improve in this, it would be really focusing on the characters. Making them specific and sharp.

We're writing a web-series right now, maybe to shoot in then Fall.
 
Peter Reynolds said:
I watched a couple of episodes on YouTube. A little slow to start, but I chalk
that up to growing pains. I look forward to additional episodes.

Two thoughts occurred to me while watching. Feel free to disregard them.

First, I'd shy away from using techniques like looking at the camera. - which
immediately makes me think the series is just "The Office" at film school.
Try to be original, and create techniques that other people will copy from you.
They might not always work, but they'll set you apart. For example, I remember
Battlestar Galactica's fast "zoom in" camera moves. I hated them at first, but it
quickly became their signature.

Second, your "Clapper fun on set" video really made it look like this is a very
amateurish production. Even the zaniest, funniest film/TV shows have very
professional people on set. The comedy should be happening in front of the
camera, not behind it. Now I realize a set can be a fun environment, but if you
want this to be your calling card for major networks and studios, I'd highly
recommend restricting footage of the behind the scenes antics to the
production's Christmas Party.

That's my 2 cents anyway.

Good luck with the production.

P.
Click to expand...

hey peter,

1. theres another film school show you're thinking of. Thats not us. This is the first episode and it premiere today.

2. i love the office and the format is pretty standard now, it was the intent to create a show in the same format. originality, i'l leave to my films, but to hit certain markets familiar grounds work for people.

3. that was a fake slate. we had 2. It was help to keep moral up on the show because we shot 10 episodes in 6 grueling days, the budget for it was like 300 dollars. you got to make people feel good when you can't offer anything other than hope and sandwiches.
 
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Mark Harris said:
I like this format. It will likely get some heat, but I think at this day in age, it's become a perfectly legit dramatic format. I agree with the poster above, I think you might want to make sure you avoid the Office cliches. Look for ways to stretch the format. I also like it because there is a kind of Brechtian thing going on, which I think is increasingly interesting and again, legitimate as an entertainment form going forward given how so much of our society itself is turning into performance. There was just a good NYTimes article about this and Twitter and the pressure to always be commenting on what you're doing and also making it entertaining.

Anyway, all of that is why I find this form interesting.

I think the big key to this form though is that the characters have to be amazing. Taking the Office as the example, every single character is sharply drawn and very very specific. That is crucial, as it is in any dramatic form. But I think actually more so here. So if I were to suggest any one thing to improve in this, it would be really focusing on the characters. Making them specific and sharp.

We're writing a web-series right now, maybe to shoot in then Fall.
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yeah i never did a format show like this, so i wanted to try it out. see what works and doesn't

As there are 10 episodes it starts to be more about characters and the story. by the latter half of the season i think its more about the people and less about the objectives. it just a starting ground.

Again, this is all new to me, you can't really get your face out there unless you're doing stuff. so this is what i did.
 
I hear dat. We're actually shooting a feature in a similar format now. Not really the same, but documentary and found footage style. Learning a ton from it.
 
yeah its different. its very much run in gun get what you can type feeing, where in the past i storyboard every shot. improv plays in to it.
 
I really admire the "let's just do it" attitude. It's the best way to learn. To often people
(myself included) are so worried about perfection they never do anything.

Best of luck!
 
yeah because im the same way. im so over perfectionistic.... but i didn't want to kill myself into a project.
 
its doing pretty good. episode 2 is out now!
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I AGREE
 
Enjoying this so far! The episodes are a little long for my taste... I'd prefer 6 min or shorter, but I never felt bored watching. As a side note, I was happily surprised to see Joel Leonard play a bit role in the second episode. I was in an awful production of Into the Woods with him a few years ago, back when I lived in NC.
 
not bad at all. i'd agree with going a little shorter. i know the first episodes need to be a little slower and more drawn out to introduce characters, but i'd say speed it up once everything is pretty well established. and less time between jokes is good for a webseries. keep it up, it's pretty good so far. is this at UNC Greensboro?
 
haha yes, its at uncg, and yes im hoping the next episode will be around 7 minutes. i know some go on longer but i was trying to tell the writer to keep it under 10 pages each time. then i get scripts that are 20 pages in length. glad you're digging them.

into the woods who made that again or is that a play?
 
It's the first ep when they're watching NOTLD. I so didn't see that coming. I LOLed so hard. I love how she just looks at him then pats him on the back and walks away. Then the title comes up. That was timed so well. Dude, "Sherlock Bones". OMG! Tim is funny whenever he's on screen. The improv group instructor was so on point. He reminds me of my acting teacher. LOL. What school was this shot at? The interiors looks like Columbia here in Chicago. The new intro owns BTW. And Christie is so much fun.

-Nate
 
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thanks nathyn, its actually shot at unc-greensboro in north carolina. It was one of my old schools. I'm glad you're digging the show, i hope to have the new episode up this week but might be out of town due to it my birthday. but keep coming back man!
 
Into the Woods is a musical. One of my favorite shows, but the production Joel and I were in was awful. Joel was funny though, and a good guy.
 
spidey said:
haha yes, its at uncg, and yes im hoping the next episode will be around 7 minutes. i know some go on longer but i was trying to tell the writer to keep it under 10 pages each time. then i get scripts that are 20 pages in length. glad you're digging them.
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I don't mind. I'd love to see a 30 minute ep a week like a regular sitcom if it's going to be this funny.

-Nate
 
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