Bottom Line: Psycho Babble is a sketch series about a group therapy session. If you are in the mood for neurotic comedy and wacky character archetypes this is your one stop shop.

The camera can be a little shaky and the sound could use some work, but once you get settled in you’ll find yourself watching episode after episode and looking forward to seeing how the characters develop.

Details

Cast: Rebecca Roy, MFT., Steve Brewster, Scott MacDonell, Kristin Cummins, Deidre Miller-Cohen, Charles Horn, Jim Staahl, Chris Valenti, Kasey Wilson
Website: Psycho Babble

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

Storytelling 4

The video and sound quality could use a bit of work, but overall the show is strong. (Polish 3)

Watchability 4.5

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 3.66 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Lisa Kudrow as a therapist who more or less hates all of her patients is worth the price of admission. Add to that an episode framework that allows for some really unique story premises and you have a show that keeps you looking forward to the next person on the couch.

Lisa Kudrow stars as a therapist with limited patience for other people’s problems in this original improvised Web series.

Details

Cast: Lisa Kudrow
Website: Web Therapy

Hulu: Watch Them On Hulu
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Vote For It: Web Therapy

Ratings

Style 3

The story is broken into arcs, with approximately three episodes devoted to each patient. Not only does this make it easier to jump into the series at almost any point, but it also means that the “joke” very rarely gets stale. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 4.5

Polish 4.5

Even on the rare occasions that you can tell the show is improvised, Lisa Kudrow and the patient de jour manage to take the gaffe and use it to produce something even funnier. (Watchability 4.5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Yes, I know, another dating show but it’s worth giving D Don’t Date a second look. Rosie Tisch takes the neuroses and site gags that defines these shows and breaths new life into them as D.

D’s having a problem with dating. She sucks at it. Bad. But with her best friend Kate to push her, her guy friend Benj to mock her and her neighbor Creepy Richard to stalk her, she’s going to venture back into the dating cesspool that is LA.

Don’t worry. Her love life sucks worse than yours.

Details

Cast: Rosie Tisch, Chris Fontakis, Marlene Martinez, Michael Beardsley
Website: D Don’t Date

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: D Don’t Date

Ratings

Style 2.5

The scenarios that D ends up in are well thought out, and each story is self contained enough for you to hop into the middle of the series without feeling like you’ve missed anything. It has a sitcom feel to it, and it uses it really well. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 3.5

It’s well shot and well edited but the sound quality can use some work. You get a lot of scratchiness and echo, especially when characters are yelling. (Polish 3)

The absolute best part of this show is Rosie Tisch’s D, I measure my dating procedural by the level of neurosis of the main character and D is a cut above the rest. Add to that a talented supporting cast and you have a markedly entertaining ride. (Watchability 4)

Novelty 2.5

Overall Rating: 3.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: In the wide world of religious satire Mr. Deity stands a cut above the rest. It manages to raise some really interesting questions about the way the we look at the world beyond without devolving into a heavy-handed mess.

Mr. Deity is a webshow/podcast that looks at the every-day life of the creator and everything he must endure as he attempts to manage his creation.

Details

Cast: Brian Keith Dalton, Jimbo Marshall, Sean Douglas, Amy Rohren
Website: Mr Deity
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Mr. Deity

Ratings

Style 4

Pacing 4

For a show that could have become nothing but a series of sketches, they do a fantastic job of tying episodes together, rewarding those who have been keeping up from the beginning. That being said, the show is still enjoyable even if you only have a few episodes under your belt. (Storytelling 4.5)

Polish 3.5

This show is downright addicting. The episodes only get better once they introduce Jessie and Lucy to the cast in the middle of the first season. As always with a show that touches so prominently on religion, this it’s not for everyone, but I think they keep it light-hearted enough to keep most people coming back for more. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: An occasionally uneven but always interesting super hero comedy, Captain Alpha Male is one of those shows that you wish could have been longer to give the writers more room to explore the cast of characters they had developed.

Meet Captain Alpha Male, the world’s first middle-management superhero! He’s a man’s man, a hero’s hero. And he’s about to get the promotion he’s worked his whole life for.

Details

Starring: Jay L. Lutsky
Website: Captain Alpha Male (RSS) (iTunes)

Funny or Die: Watch Them On Funny or Die
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Vote For It: Captain Alpha Male

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 3

There are a lot of potentially entertaining characters in this series, but you get to see them so rarely that it takes a away a lot of good sources for jokes. Even Super Sugar seems underutilized, spending a good part of the season saying almost nothing other than how important it is to “build the brand.” (Storytelling 3)

Polish 3.5

I think my biggest problem with the show is that I couldn’t always tell whether any of the “super heroes” were actually super, and I think that is because they spent so little time onscreen. The first time I figured out the Captain had any powers at all is in the episode where they showed him flying. I understand that they were supposed to be super-cliches but the idea could have been executed more clearly. (Watchability 3.5)

Captain Alpha Male takes a unique look at the life of a group of Super Heroes, if you can get past its flaws what you’ll find is a quirky show with an entertaining protagonist that is worth the price of admission. (Novelty 4)

Overall Rating: 3.33 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Compulsions is one of the rare occasions that a show I was looking forward to seeing didn’t disappoint. It’s sharp, well acted and leaves you looking forward to the season two. More than that it shows that an open-ended Thriller can be done and done well on the web, something that other web producers should take note of.

Everyone has a compulsion, most of us fight them, repress them, and keep them hidden. Compulsions tells the story of three seemingly normal people who instead of repressing their dark desires, act on them as emotional outlets.

Compulsions is a serialized dramatic thriller focusing on the internal dark sides of the leads juxtaposed with their “daily lives”.

Details

Cast: Craig Frank, Janna Bossier, Annemarie Pazmino, Seth Caskey, Taryn O’Neill, Sean Spence, Andrew Clemons
Website: Compulsions (RSS)

Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook

Ratings

This is an incredibly stylish Thriller — cold, dark and hard as steel. while the blood effects are a little B grade, the editing and the acting more than make up for it, breathing life into the torture scenes and tying the action of the series together. (Style 4.5)

Pacing 3.5

While I understand the need to maintain mystery, I do wish that they were a little more clear about some of the plot elements. There were times, especially early on, that I had trouble tying the characters into the plot and I was a little lost. (Storytelling 3.5)

Polish 4.5

Watchability 4

You have never seen anything quite like this in web series land. The story concept is unique, three people letting their inner demons run rampant in order to accomplish some mysterious goal and the acting is rock solid. It is right up there with Girl Number 9 as one of my favorite Thrillers. (Novelty 5)

Overall Rating: 4.16 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Musical web series are a rare breed, and finding one with songs that are actually catchy is rarer still. Taryn Southern, cast and crew have done an amazing job showing us what High School Musical might have looked like if it were rated PG-13.

Welcome to Private High…where sex and drugs are “always cool.” It’s the middle of senior year and shy Sandra Smith is the new girl in town. As if her virginal status isn’t horrifying enough, things go from bad to worse when Sandra suddenly experiences the joys of womanhood…in first period.

Created by and starring Taryn Southern.

Details

Creator: Taryn Southern
Website: Private High Musical

Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Private High Musical

Ratings

It’s wacky, raunchy and did I forget to mention — it’s also a musical? Since the Internet loves catchy songs and funny videos, Private High Musical is a near perfect example of how to take a standard high-school procedural and make it watchable again. (Style 4.5)

Pacing 3.5

Storytelling 3.5

In some of the episodes the sound, especially during the musical numbers, leaves something to be desired. Overall, however, it is a well shot and well edited series. (Polish 4)

Watchability 4

If you’ve ever wanted a version of High School Musical that might actually make you laugh, this is it. (Novelty 5)

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This review is a plea to the people who made Penny Dreadfuls, a plea that they realize what a fantastic piece of horror they have on their hands and keep making new episodes. Horror is hard, actually darn near impossible on the web for a variety of reasons, chief of which is that people usually go for shock value rather than diving into those things that really curdle our blood.

Watch the episodes, leave some comments and encourage the creators to keep turning out this wonderful series.

Darken your day with a little bit of murder, mayhem and other unsettling distractions

Details

Creator: James Arnall
Website: Penny Dreadfuls

Ratings

Style 4
Pacing 4
Storytelling 5
Polish 4
Watchability 4.5
Novelty 4.5

Overall Rating: 4.33 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: This is one of the more under-appreciated shows on our review docket. Rules of the League combines the surprisingly popular fantasy football league genre with a great cast of supporting characters that drive a fun, light-hearted comedy.

A web comedy based around the lives of fantasy football bloggers as they struggle with success.

Details

Cast: Joel Ballard, Kate Ballard, Wallace Greene, Vincent Murdoch, Teri Bradshaw
Website: Rules of the League (RSS)

Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Them On Facebook
Vote For It: Rules of the League

Ratings

They make extremely clever use of overlays to show off their Twitter accounts and tie the show into their Social Media presence. Fantastically executed. (Style 4)

Pacing 3.5

What I like most about this show are the characters. Even though the supporting cast (except for the wacky friend Wallace) don’t get a lot of screen time, they are a fun bunch and really add color to the show. What I like least is that a lot of the early episodes seem repetitive, not that the plots are the same but the themes are and they don’t do anything to drive the story forward. (Storytelling 3)

Polish 3.5

Watchability 3.5

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: There isn’t enough overblown melodrama in the world. After watching IKEA Heights a few months ago, I realized that there is a hole in my heart that can only be filled with deeply self-effacing Soap Opera parodies. When I thought all was lost, Hot Hot Los Angeles came along and gave me hope.

If you can get past the chaos of it all, and you enjoy a little melodrama with your comedy, you’ll like Hot Hot Los Angeles.

In a town where money is power, beauty is godliness and the privileged elite live fast and die young, things are spiraling out of control.

Details

Cast: Randy Wayne, Scott Speiser, Olivia Hardt, Kodi Kitchen, Christian Monzon, Alyshia Ochse, Jayson Blair, Marnie Alton, Spencer Hill
Website: Hot Hot Los Angeles (RSS)

Hulu: Watch Them On Hulu

Ratings

Style 3.5
Pacing 3.5
Storytelling 4
Polish 3.5
Watchability 5
Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: With The Angels is a surprisingly touching story of a small town girl trying to make a new life in California. I know it sounds a little hokey, but that’s almost the point. It tells the story of growing up in a simple yet powerful way.

Former Lonelygirl15 writer Mary Feuer tells the fish-out-of-water story of Taffy Simpson, a small-town Arkansas girl swimming in the freak-infested waters of Venice, California.

Details

Creator: Mary Feuer
Website: With The Angels

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Their Page
Vote For It: With The Angels

Ratings

Style 3

Pacing 4

With The Angels is shot in a classic webcamumentary style (as classic as a made up word can be) but it avoids the disconnect from setting that usually plagues these sorts of shows. Taffy feels like she is in a living, breathing world and as the story progresses you find yourself rooting for her more and more. (Storytelling 5)

Polish 3.5

I really like this show. Which is saying something considering how many webumentaries I pass on. What surprises me more than anything is how easy it is to keep watching. The writing is good but the real hook is the fantastic acting. It’s worth staying tuned just to see “Taffy’s” mastery of her role. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Dark and moody, this story has a lot of bite for a series based around what amounts to an ARG. Even with the somewhat wonky chronology you will find yourself quickly drawn into the intrigue if you can piece the story together.

DELETED: THE GAME is an interactive web series that promises to blur the lines between fantasy and reality by drawing viewers into an interactive social game. The 12 episode series begins with Tyler who is struggling to piece together her life after an accident left her with an amnesiac condition. Unexpectedly, she finds herself embroiled in an identity theft conspiracy and feeling overwhelmed, Tyler turns to her new online friends for help. All the main characters eventually become open for interaction. There are hidden trails of clues in each episode, all over the internet and even in real places, setting up a massive search for answers. For their participation, viewers earn points towards weekly prizes including the grand prize of an all-expenses paid trip to do a cameo with the cast.

Details

Cast: Charlene Miller, Shawn Parsons, David Rudd, Brian Seibert, Elia Monte-Brown, Megan Channell
Website: Deleted: The Game

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Vote For It: Deleted The Game

Ratings

Style 3

Every episode delivers something interesting, the characterization is strong and in general it is a fun and addictive show for thriller junkies. That being said, the dialogue gets a little melodramtic in places but not so much that it will distract you from the overall arc. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 3.5

The story hops around a lot, which does add to the mystery but also takes away from the plots coherence. There are a lot of scenes that are used over and over again with slight variations, which can also be distracting. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 3

Overall Rating: 3.41 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Shot in black and white and dripping style Girltrash is a worthy entrant into the action web series market even if it relies a little too heavily on recaps and flashbacks to fill up its rather short running time of under four minutes.

GIRLTRASH! is the story of three hapless chicks getting by any way they can. Tyler and Daisy are small-time criminals and best buds. Their friendship is put to the test when Tyler is seduced by the two-timing temptress, LouAnne. When LouAnne double-crosses Tyler and Daisy by stealing money from the local Kingpin, Tyler and Daisy are thrown into a world of shit. They need to find the money and LouAnne before they turn up dead… or worse.

Created by Angela Robinson (The L Word, Hung, D.E.B.S.), the 10 original webisodes premiered online weekly, to overwhelming success. It was recently announced that the Girltrash! saga would be making the leap from webisodes… to movie, with filming underway in December 2009.

Details

Creator: Angela Robinson
Website: Girl Trash (RSS)

Blip.tv: Watch Them On Blip.tv
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Vote For It: Girltrash

Ratings

With great visual style and dialogue that is snappy and silly without being grating, Girltrash sweats cool. (Style 4.5)

Despite some minor pacing issues, the story is solid and satisfying. (Storytelling 5)

When your run length is often less than 3 minutes, you really should not spend 20 seconds of your time doing recaps. What makes this even more frustrating is that by time you get to the meat of the show (which is really fun) they’re just about ready to roll ending credits. (Pacing 2.5)

Polish 3

Watchability 4.5

This show feels a lot like Thelma and Louise with tighter jeans and spikier hair, which works really, really well it. If nothing else, I can tell you that you have never seen a web series quite like Girltrash. (Novelty 4)

Overall Rating: 3.7 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled action Thriller, look elsewhere. The plot of Vetala plods along, revealing its mysteries layer by layer and rewarding viewers with the patience to follow along. It’s an fantastically interesting ride for those who can make it through the slow points. My best advice is to take the time to watch this show all the way through. It’s designed for that type of viewing, and the structure works best if you see it as a coherent whole.

A supernatural thriller about a hostile, yet conflicted spirit from the pages of Sanskrit mythology, and the succession of people it travels through.

Season One follows Lily Callahan and Alex Reed, two college reporters who have become targets of The Syndicate, an organized crime group responsible for the trafficking of illegal guns. Alex’s obsession with exposing the city’s gun trade places both Lily and him in harms way, giving rise to The Vetala.

The Vetala hails from the Baital Pachisi stories, first written in the Indian book Brihatkatha of Gunadhya, first century A.D. The British explorer, writer and poet, Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) translated eleven of the Vetala stories from Sanskrit into English in 1870, and titled them Vikram & The Vampire. Burton believed this collection of tales and legends was the inspiration for The Arabian Nights, a book he would also famously translate along with The Kama Sutra.

Details

Cast: Candace Chase, Paul Mendel, Marina Pasqua, Leslie Mildiner, James Tyce, Tina Moore, Russ Ball
Website: The Vetala (RSS)

YouTube: Watch Them On YouTube
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Their Page
Vote For It: The Vetala

Ratings

Style 3.5

The plot moves slowly and methodically for a series with five minute episodes, at times you wish they would throw a few more carrots to the hungry audience. (Pacing 3)

Storytelling 3.5

The series is beautifully shot, with some well done effects and good use of gore. (Polish 4)

Watchability 3.5

The show has a really rich background history, which makes it sad that the early episodes don’t take more time to explore it. Too much screen time is given early on to elements of the story that aren’t particularly relevant to the overarching plot nor character development. (Novelty 3.5)

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Raunchy, wacky and filled up to the brim with one-liners, Safety Geeks SVI is an object lesson in High Camp and a real must-watch for anyone who likes their comedy with a great, big dollop of outrageousness.

Safety Geeks: SVI starring Dave, Tom, Brittney Powell, Benton Jennings & Mary Cseh, chronicles a CSI-like team which investigates safety accidents, leaving a swath of comedic chaos and destruction in their wake.

The P.O.S.H. (Professional Occupational Safety Hazard) team investigates safety violations and accidents, ineptly causing more damage as a result. P.O.S.H. provides an obscure, well-meaning service’ unfortunately, they are a bunch of idiots. The world of P.O.S.H. is very unsafe, largely due to them.

Details

Cast: David Beeler, Tom Konkle, Brittney Powell, Benton Jennings, Mary Cseh
Website: Safety Geeks SVI

Koldcast: See Them On Koldcast
Twitter: Follow Them On Twitter
Facebook: Join Their Page

Ratings

Safety Geeks SVI has some of the best special effects I’ve seen in a web series. It’s right up there with Condition:Human on my list of masterfully done graphics. Sure, all of them are a little corny but it just adds to the overall camp of the show. They understood what they were trying to achieve and executed it. (Style 4.5)

The show moves a little too quickly in places. It feels like the type of series that squeezed 10-12 minutes of content into 7 or 8. With such fun characters on stage, you really wish they had taken more time to flesh out their plots from episode to episode. (Pacing 3)

Storytelling 4

Polish 4.5

This is not a show for everyone, few shows are. People with weak stomachs, a distaste for fart jokes and a particularl sensitivity to sexualized humor will not enjoy Safety Geeks, however, that makes it funnier for those without those particular predilections. All in all, this is a show that deserves your attention. It’s timing, sense of humor and overall feel put it on the list of top tier web comedies. (Watchability 3.5)

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: In the exhausting world of husband and wife comedies, sometimes you’re looking for something a little weird. Drama Kings manages to throw some really unique story premises over a tired genre, and combine an age old story with some really funny moments.

The story of a married couple, one is planning to retire wealthy the other is adjusting to life at home.

Details

Creators: James Tucker, Greg Travis
Website: Drama Kings

YouTube: See Them On YouTube
Facebook: Join Their Page
Vote For It: Drama Kings

Ratings

Style 3

What’s great about this show is how often they throw you for a loop. Whether it’s the Russian plumber sexcapade or the adopted “child” of episode 5, every episode brings something new and interesting to their relationship. (Pacing 4)

Storytelling 3

Some of the camera work is a little shaky but overall it is well shot and well edited. (Polish 4)

Watchability 3.5

It’s a husband and wife comedy, there really are only so many different ways you can write one. That being the case, especially in the later episodes, it does have a quirkiness that makes it an incredibly enjoyable watch. (Novelty 3)

Overall Rating: 3.41 out of 5 stars

These are web series that show us that there are very few respectable professions that don’t somehow involve you wearing your underoos on the outside. Some of these are comedies, looking at the lighter side of the cape, others are as dark as your last trip to Arkham Asylum’s Day Spa and Grill; all of them involve average people doing extraordinary things with the aide of B-grade special effects.

Some of you web series aficionado’s may be wondering why Take 180’s In2uition didn’t make the list. Well, we are trying our best to avoid repetition and it’s already holding its own as one of our favorite supernatural web series.

Drawn By Pain

Summary: The story of a little girl pushed to the utter edge of sanity and the animated demons that are unleashed by her pure rage and fury.

Run Time: 10+ minutes
Genre: Superhero Thriller
See More: Drawn By Pain

[Read Our Review]

Reservation

Summary: A Community of young people with extraordinary abilities live in hiding, trying to lead normal lives. A black-ops government Agency is searching endlessly for them, hoping to utilize their gifts for the good of the nation.

As the Agency draws ever closer, this Community must come together in order to preserve their way of life- no matter what the cost.

Run Time: 4+ minutes
Genre: Superhero Drama
See More: Reservation

[Read our Review]

The Defenders of Stan

Summary: Stan is frustrated with being an everyman in a world full of supermen.

Run Time: 5+ minutes
Genre: Superhero Comedy
See More: The Defenders of Stan

[Vote Backstage]

Captain Alpha Male

Summary: Meet Captain Alpha Male. He’s a man’s man, Heros hero. He’s about to get the promotion he’s worked his whole career for. Or is he?

Run Time: 5+ minutes
Genre: Superhero Comedy
See More: Captain Alpha Male

[Vote Backstage]

Junior League of Superheroes

Summary: Imagine we live in a world where good battles evil … where ordinary people strive to leave their mundane lives and accomplish extraordinary things.

And within that world are six bumbling, wannabe superheroes who have no idea what they’re getting themselves into.

Run Time: 7+ minutes
Genre: Superhero Comedy
See More: Junior League of Super Heroes

[Read Our Review]

Chick

Summary: Chick is a comic drama that uses the superhero as a metaphor for exploring human potential. The web series follows the adventures of Lisa, a woman disillusioned with her life, as she sets out on a quest to realize what she believes is her destiny; to become a superhero.

Run Time: 3+ minutes
Genre: Superhero Drama
See More: CHICK

What are your favorite Superhero web series?

We all know that web series producers love Zombies, but as it turns out there is one other supernatural entity that tickles their fancy even more and that is the old staple of genre horror the Vampire. Since this is not a list about the best Vampire web series, we decided to mix things up a bit and include some demons, devils and other nasty bits alongside everyone’s favorite blood sucker.

To start us off, turn your attention upwards to Craig and The Werewolf, a personal favorite.

Absolution

Summary: Absolution The Series, a supernatural thriller that follows an ensemble group of mysterious, dangerous and conflicted characters through the dirty streets of old Las Vegas.

Run Time: 4+ minutes
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
See More: Absolution

[Vote Backstage]

I Heart Vampires

Summary: Corbin is the #1 fan of the Confessions of a High School Vampire book series, running the fansite IHeartVampires.net with her best friend, Luci. After Corbin leaks part of the final novel, the “fangosphere” explodes, sending the girls on an adventure where they cross paths with the mysterious Nick, and their lives begin to imitate the very series that they love. Only with your help can Corbin and Luci complete their quest and set the world right again.

Run Time: 3+ minutes
Genre: Vampire
See More: I Heart Vampires

[Vote Backstage]

Valemont

Summary: An teen girl’s brother is murdered at Valemont, an elite college on the east coast. Disguised as a student, the girl works undercover to unravel Valemont’s dark secrets from within.

Run Time: 9+ minutes
Genre: Vampire Horror
See More: Valemont

[Vote Backstage]

Soul Fire Rising

Summary: Soul Fire Rising takes us on a journey between Heaven and Hell, where Demons and Wingers fight for human souls in the ultimate battle for supremacy.

Run Time: 4+ minutes
Genre: Supernatural Horror
See More: Soul Fire Rising

[Vote Backstage]

Dead And Lonely

Summary: Dead and Lonely brings the classic vampire love story to the modern Internet dating age. The series unfolds from both the predator and the victim’s perspective until the characters finally meet. In the vein of Let the Right One In the series focuses on the mundane reality of the day-to-day life of an immortal, while seeking to humanize her to the degree that she seems almost as desperate and lonely as the rest of modern society.

Run Time: 5+ minutes
Genre: Vampire Drama
See More: Dead And Lonely

In2ition

Summary: For nearly 150 years, The Program has pursued its secret mission to identify and develop the “abilities” of individuals with paranormal powers.

Now, Hope Fox is its number one target and she needs your help!

As Hope goes on the run, the only people she can trust are Belinda and the members of SAGE – a small group of resistance fighters who oppose the The Program. By participating in challenges, you’ll become a member of SAGE and help Belinda and Hope evade Program agents and discover the dark truth behind Zain’s disappearance, Mrs. Fox’s true identity and The Program’s real motives.

Run Time: 9+ minutes
Genre: Superhero
See More: In2ition

What are your favorite Supernaturally themed Web Series?

We don’t know why but Web Series writers love Zombies. Maybe it’s because the makeup is easy, maybe it’s because we all secretly want an excuse to decapitate our friends and family for the sake of art. No matter what the reason, the love of Zombies has brought us more than its fair share of great web television.

The subgenre that seems to get the most traction in web television is the Zom Com, shows that are more Shaun of the Dead than The Beyond. Here are five shows to introduce you to the genre.

American Hearts

American Hearts combines the camp of Romero’s Day of the Dead with the joys of a roommate comedy. You have a group of people, locked in a hospital, dealing with just about everything but the horde of shambling monsters at their door.

Run Time: 9+ minutes
Genre: Zombie Comedy
See More: Koldcast TV

Woke Up Dead

Everything is going wrong with Drex’s life, until he wakes up in a bathtub full of water and realizes he may just be the living dead. Woke Up Dead is a great Crackle orginal series that deals with the question, “What is it like to be a nerd and be a Zombie?”

Run time:
Genre: Zombie Comedy
See More: Crackle

I Am Not Infected

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped in a frat house turned reality TV set with a group of idiots with the living dead as the only thing around to keep you company? Well, that’s the concept of I Am Not Infected. Honestly, this is one of the funnier attempts at the Zom-Com I’ve ever seen, give it a chance and it won’t be long before you find yourself addicted.

Run Time: 7+ minutes
Genre: Zombie Comedy
See More: I Am Not Infected
Read Our Review: I Am Not Infected

Semi-Dead

“Chris and Joe are roommates, both former military, trying to live normal, productive lives in this modern, Internet-dominated world… It’d be a lot easier though, if the city weren’t swarming with zombies.”

Semi-Dead is new to the arena but after two episodes I’m really enjoying where the series is going. There are only so many places you can go with a zombie roommate comedy, but Semi-Dead manages to show off some new tricks.

Run Time: 9+ minutes
Genre: Zombie Comedy
See More: Semi-Dead

Zomblogalypse

Zomblogalypse is like a documentary but with a twist and that twist is, you guessed it, Zombies. What’s really entertaining about this show is that you get to see that life after the Apocalypse doesn’t have to be so serious. Sometimes it’s a lot creepier just trying to get on with your daily life.

Run Time: 7+ minutes
Genre: Zombie Comedy
See More: Zomblogalypse
Read Our Review: Zomblogalypse

Did we miss something? Leave your favorite Zombie Comedy in the commments.

We watch a lot of films and web series here in the Screening Room, but since we’ll never manage to watch everything, every so often we try to reach into the community and find out what the filmmakers and creative types who produce all of this great content are watching. While we’re there, we try to pick their brain about another topic near and dear to their hearts. This edition we are talking to web series actors and asking them:

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

If you’re in a big hurry, scroll to the bottom for the readers digest version.

Annemarie Pazmino – Actress – Compulsions

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

I would tell them go for it!! Web series and Indie films have the potential to be just as good, if not more so, than some of the bigger budget films. Just because a project has a smaller budget doesn’t mean that everything is sacrificed. As a young actor, it’s possible to land a large budget film and have a role that isn’t really something you can put your teeth into. Often times Indie films and web series can offer an actor something that isn’t necessarily mainstream but really fun and enticing. The awesome thing about Indie projects is that there usually isn’t such a need to make a large amount of money to reimburse the large budget and so projects that people really believe in, are able to get made.

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production.

My biggest challenge on Compulsions was the shooting schedule. It was probably one of the fastest shoots Ive ever been involved in. When your moving so fast, things can feel a little hectic but the crew and the cast were all so amazing that it really felt like everything was going as smooth as was possible within the time that we had. I’m really excited to see how the show turns out.

I have to say I was watching my co-stars web series for entertainment. Craig Frank is on two other web series called The Crew and Craig and the Werewolf. He is so funny and talented, I was a fan from the very beginning.

Citations

Compulsions
Sorority Forever
Shoot the Hero
Annemarie Pazmino

Eden Lake – Actress / Model

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

You probably aren’t as monetized as a network/studio project. That’s OK, you just have to run a tighter ship. Have shot lists, qualified crew who know their jobs, and things like extra battery’s, extension cords, bottled water & Kleenex.

Anyone willing to spend their time as cast or crew on your project is likely giving their time freely, for a stipend, or for a nebulous percentage if the project is ever profitable. Treat their time as valuable. Just because a crew member is cheap, doesn’t mean they’re worth slowing the whole shoot down. If one person is sandbagging, have the balls to fire them.

Respect actors schedules, try to shot load in a way to maximize all characters time on set to completed scenes. Be honest with yourself and the actors about how long the commitment will be to your project. Don’t set unrealistic call times – don’t call actors at 2 if you won’t have anything set up until 5 unless they have sfx makeup to do.

When you cut an actor significantly out of the final edit, give them a couple of their best ‘cut’ scenes for their reel. Credit actors accurately.

Have an extra plate of cookies for when you go 5 hrs over and no one is bitching but you are all starting to fade.

Say thank you.

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production.

I’ve been cast in a lot of shorts for festival submission lately. Its nice in that I can move on to new roles and have diversity in character options.

But…I have had one ‘neverending short’ that’s been 1 day from completion for 3 months now. That’s the one hardship with indie filmmakers…lack of resources/funds sometimes cause things to take longer than maybe they should.

I have empathy though, I am so far behind schedule myself on my own production schedule I can’t even begin to explain it… Move 80 miles, dog dies, transmission pukes… It happened to me this summer too.

So, I’m going to edit a short that’s web only in the next couple weeks due to equipment available at the time I shot. Then I’ll film two shorts for festival submission that are already cast. Shooting a social documentary & writing a 5 min serial will round out the winter.

That and I’ll stay committed to ‘Empty Reflection’, the never ending short. Its good film karma.

As for inspiration, I watch clips all over. From YouTube & mainly through recommendations, links, and mentions from other sites like twitter feeds & magazines I read. I am also browsing your site and filmannex.com to see what’s coming out of other countries etc.

Citations

“Empty Reflection” Director Chris Allen
Eden’s Company, Core 98
Model Mayhem

Judalina Neira – Actress – Blogging Badly

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

It’s a super flooded market and a HUGE undertaking. Before you go and create your own vanity project just for the sake of…vanity… make sure you have

a) a great idea,
b) a target audience that wants this content and will watch it,
c) the wherewithal to see it through from inception to completion,
d) a marketing plan that’s above and beyond putting it on youtube and pushing it onto your already exhausted friends,
e) the funds or access to equipment to shoot it at a quality that will appeal to an audience
f) a release schedule

I’ve acted in a few different web projects – some still haven’t seen the light of day. Others were edited within a week of shooting and got me my footage already (of course, I far prefer those!)

Enlist the help of your cast and crew. You cannot promote a show on your own, nor should you try.

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production.

Money is always a problem… with “Blogging Badly” we want to launch with at least six episodes in the can, and sorta “blew our load” pulling favors to get the pilot and first two episodes shot. Luckily, we’ve really jumped head first into our target audience community (attending tech conferences, being active on Twitter, etc) so we have viral footage to work with until our launch date.

It takes 10 times longer to shoot, edit, create a website, build a following than you think. We’ve been so attractive to investors, crew, cast, etc because we treat it like a business. Our entire first season is scripted already. I send episode samples along with an 8 page marketing kit on the show that has an entire page on “Revenue Streams” including a section on branded content, product placement and merchandise.

I have friends over at “DuckNCover” who’ve been a huge help/lots of free advice. (Plus webseries guys pretty much cream themselves when they meet a cute girl who wants to talk about their HVX200.)

Just booked Spike TV’s “1,000 Ways to Die” which will be airing this spring.

I’m on Twitter @BloggingBadly and @TheJudalina

Citations

IT Casting
Join the Mosaic
Operation:Nightshade
Blogging Badly

Al Ghanekar – Actor – Reservation

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series independent film?

Take enough time to ensure that individual episodes have enough content to stick with people until the episode next week, but not so much that it loses the audience’s attention. A five minute video, used to be the sweet spot, however now that viewers are getting used to watching full-length shows online, more time can be added to each episode.

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production?

[My biggest challenge is] getting into my character’s mindset in regards to where the current scene fits chronologically into the story. I try to make it a point not to know any more about the overall story than my character.

This is a pretty unique web series. The ones that I have scene are mainly comedies. However I watch cop movies and cop shows like Numb3rs and Fringe, to help study characters’ demeanor. It helps when you’re playing a black ops agent.

Citations

IMDB
Demo Reel

James Nalitz – Actor – Reservation

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

1. Actors do not go before the camera because they crave anonymity. Working in a web series guarantees immediate planetary exposure upon release of the first episode.

2. Since you’re not in every episode and episodes are usually under 10 minutes, you can always fit shoots in around other work. So when an auditioner asks, “What have you been working on lately?”, you always have a current project.

3. Working with an ensemble cast and crew for months or perhaps years enhances everyone’s performance.

4. More than most other vehicles, a web series gives the actor ownership of the role. Portraying the same character through multiple episodes leads you to believe you know him better than the writer (who is busy with all those other characters), “Don’t you think John would do it – say it – this way?”

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production.

With episodes that follow maybe in the same or next day but shoot weeks or months apart, actors must be attentive to their look. Hair length and color may change from season to season but not from episode to episode. Actually, my biggest challenge has been logistical. When the series started, I lived about a half hour from production offices. Now I live about 7 hours away. They have been very considerate about combining my scenes over a couple of days to limit my travel.

Other online content to check out: g14’s earlier weekly shorts which, while primarily individual shorts, includes mini-series Stone and MacGregor, Joey and Hiroko and Jeff and Toaster. Also, a more recent production that cracks me up: Ken Arnold’s ParaAbnormal.

Citations
Where’s Duff
Capital Artists, North Carolina
IMDB

Craig Frank – Actor – Compulsions

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

If you want to get into webseries or independent film, go for it! It may be the only time you get to express YOUR creativity. I hate it when people throw studios under the bus, but, at the risk of sounding like I am, there are times when executives make decisions based on what they feel will sell tickets. With webseries/independent films, you’re normally hired based on your ability and not on previous box office success or how many albums you’ve sold. And, if nothing else, you’re working the muscle. It’s a learning platform for those who understand that success is never final.

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production.

Not to brag, but with Absolute Disaster, I normally have multiple projects at any given time. And, for some odd reason, people think I’m talented, so they offer me parts in their projects. That, in itself, is a challenge. I’m always looking for subtle differences in the different characters that I play and I don’t normally have a lot of time to fully develop them. I often feel that certain characters are underdeveloped and based mainly on instinct rather than a journey. But until (if) I have the opportunity allotted to those like a Daniel Day-Lewis or a Forest Whitaker, I’ll have to either learn how to work faster or hope that people continue to believe in me.

As for the second part of the question, I’m a big fan of “Dorm Life,” “2/8 Life” and anything from Big Fantastic. That being said, I’m really bad with watching other webseries. I’m more a fan of traditional film and television.

Credits

IMDB
Absolute Disaster
The Crew
Compulsions

Stephen Evans – Actor – Moxie Spendlove

As compared to working on more traditional, commercial projects, what would you tell someone who wants to get into web series / independent film?

Be flexible, acting in a web series might take a lot of time. Your every spare moment could be spent filming or you could be done in a day. It depends a lot things going smoothly. Things almost never go completely smoothly. Be prepared to also become part of the crew. If you’re on set you’re probably going to be holding something or moving something, maybe helping out with wardrobe changes and makeup. The best thing about working on a web series though is just how different it is than a normal show. A web series can be about literally anything if someone has an idea they can turn it into a web series. It really opens the door for so many different types of roles.

What has been your biggest challenge with your current project? What other web series have you been watching for inspiration/entertainment during production.

The biggest challenge I’ve had is the large breaks between filming. I’ve completed about a third of my filming for season two of Moxie Spendlove but due to cast and crew having jobs and lives we shoot on a “when do you have time?” basis. Which means it’s sometimes over a month between scenes. It’s also awful to go months without a real haircut while trying to keep your hair consistent with a scene you shot two months ago. Thankfully though the bulk of my scenes left to film are with myself. Of course that creates its own new set of challenges. Split screen acting is unlike anything I’ve ever done but the director’s been really supportive.

Other web series I’m watching:

The Guild, There Will be Brawl and Dorm Life have been my staples. I of course can’t wait for Riese the Series, every preview I’ve seen looks amazing.

And here are two credits for things I’ve been in that are available online

Citations
Magic Paintbox (as Chip)
Moxie Spendlove (as Pervin Mercury)

Readers Digest Version

1. Often times Indie films and web series can offer an actor something that isn’t necessarily mainstream but really fun and enticing.

2. Quite often the shooting schedule will be much faster than a commercial project.

3. Make sure everything is prepared on set: shot lists, crew, and even things like food and water.

4. Understand that there is a chance that the project will be delayed or may never see the light of day.

5. You need to be willing to help promote your own work. Without a huge marketing budget it’s the only way it will be seen.

6. It’s going to take ten times longer to shoot than you expect it will.

7. Since you’re not in every episode and episodes are usually under 10 minutes, you can always fit shoots in around other work. So when an auditioner asks, “What have you been working on lately?”, you always have a current project.

8. You need to be attentive to your look. Since shoots can take place days, weeks, or months a part you need to pay attention to ensure continuity.

9. More often than Studio projects, you will get hired onto a web series because of your talent rather than how many “tickets” they believe you will sell.

10. Be prepared to also become part of the crew. If you’re on set you’re probably going to be holding something or moving something, maybe helping out with wardrobe changes and makeup.

Pick Five is a segment where Steve Spalding, our resident editor and a guest share five web series they are watching this week and give you some thoughts about them.

For our premiere Pick Five we are joined by filmmaker Ryan Balas, who has most recently been involved in directing Carter: The Movie, which will be premiering on November 24th (8:45 PM) at the Anthology Film Archives, as a part of the New Filmmakers Fall Series.

If you are in New York City, be sure to check him out.

Now, for this week’s picks.

Ryan: Dead and Lonely

When Justin, down on his luck with love, decides to create a profile on the dating website Date or Die, he may have bitten more than he can chew…or it could be the other way around. Lee is not who she appears to be.

This new series from horror auteur TI West (The House of the Devil) is just beginning over at IFC and looks to be both aesthetically experimental and have a fun horror bite to it. The first episode “Date or Die” has a great score and premise, and the series looks really promising. New episodes up daily (started oct. 26) at 12noon.

Website: Dead and Lonely
Creators: by TI West and IFC
Cast: Justin Rice, Paige Stark.

Ryan: Young American Bodies

The sex lives of twenty-somethings living in Chicago intersect in this episodic web series by Joe Swanberg.

With three seasons under it’s belt, and a fourth one on it’s way, you can expect to see the love lives of Ben, Dia, Maggie and the rest of the rotating cast on full display. Likely the most sexually explicit work by Swanberg served with great stories and fully developed, realistic characters and relationships. This show often features prominent figures of the film festival circuit like Lynn Shelton (Humpday) and Greta Gerwig (Hannah takes the stairs). Season Four begins this fall.

Website: Young American Bodies
Creators: Joe Swanberg, Kris Swanberg and IFC
Starring: Joe Swanberg, Kris Swanberg, Eve Rounds, Nathan Adloff, Nikita Word, Mollie Leibovitz

Steve: Old Friends

Old Friends was developed by Nick Ross and Tim Curcio as a spinoff from an orginal sketch show at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. The premise is pretty simple, Nick Ross runs into old “friend” Tim Curcio one afternoon. They get to talking about the past which happens to include that one time when Nick took Tim’s wife’s virginity.

It’s funny, it’s sharp and it explores interesting issues about sex, friendship and dwelling in the past.

Website: Old Friends
Creators: Tim Curcio, Nick Ross, Matt Cady
Cast: Tim Curcio, Nick Ross, Amy Flanagan, Natalie Knepp

Steve: O-Cast

O-Cast is only about two episodes in, usually I reserve my judgment when a show is so new but I can’t help myself, I really like it from the concept all the way down. It’s a mockumentary shot with reality TV sensibilities that follows the travails of 12 Greek Gods as they try to adjust to life in New York City, nearly 2000 years since people lost faith in them.

Each of the characters is a broad sketch of their Olympian counter-parts — womanizing Zeus, egotistical Aphrodite so on and so forth down the line. As a result, it helps to have some knowledge about the myths. Even if you don’t, there are enough “Real World” elements here to keep you entertained. I’m a little surprised I haven’t heard more about this, it’s definitely worth a viewing.

Website: O-Cast
Creators: Bryan Dechart, Anne Richmond
Cast: Jon Riddleberger, Peter Coleman, Andrews Landsman, Kate Kuen, Anne Richmond, Eddie Gutierrez, Heather Parcells, Alex Goode, Leah Johnston, Preston Martin, Tim Reinhart, Steven Medvidick, Erik Gullberg, Michael Eisenstein, John Boonin, Jonathan Hinman, Nicole Balsam

Editor’s Choice: Condition:Human

Condition:Human is our Editor’s Choice pick for this week’s Pick Five. This six-part science fiction drama explores the fine line between humanity and the machine. The story is extremely well crafted (albeit somewhat slow) and the visual effects are just stunning. You can see our full review here.

Our Guest’s Project: Carter

Synopsis: In three days, Jeb Sminch is going to kill himself and he’s never been happier. When Jebediah Sminch was 17, he made a vow that he would kill himself at the age of 25 if he wasn’t married by the time he was 23. ‘Carter’ takes place three days before Jeb’s 25th birthday.

The film will have it’s NYC premiere on November 24th at the Anthology Film Archives, as part of the New Filmmakers Fall Series.

Time: 8:45 pm Cost: $6 and free wine!

To purchase a Naked Series Festival Screener of Carter go to: www.carterthemovie.com

Website: Carter: The Movie
Creators: Ryan Andrew Balas, Princeton Holt
Starring: Mark Ryan, Julia Porter Howe, Richard Buonagurio and Deirdre Herlihy

If you have a web series or short film and you want to submit it for review (increasing the chance we will stumble upon it for the Pick Five), be sure to head over to our Backstage.

We watch a lot of films and web series here in the Screening Room, but since we’ll never manage to watch everything, every so often we try to reach into the community and find out what the filmmakers and creative types who produce all of this great content are watching. While we’re there, we try to pick their brain about another topic near and dear to their hearts. This month we tracked down nine web series creators and asked them,

What is one thing you have learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started?

If you’re in a big hurry, scroll to the bottom for the readers digest version as well as the shows mentioned in this guide.

Mike Parker – College University Animator

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

Shorter is better. Granted, it should still be funny, but shorter is better for the web. When we started with College University, the episodes were epic. 10-15 minutes long. It offered a massive amount of freedom allowing us to put every joke we wanted in there. But for the web 10-15 minutes might as well be 17 hours. When we started Clock Suckers for CollegeHumor, we cut to the chase a lot quicker, put only the best jokes in there and just kept the pace faster and funnier. The result was episodes that ran 5-7 minutes and viewers were more willing to watch it a few times. Now we do viral one-offs for CH and everything is under 2 minutes and viewers watch over and over.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

I watch a lot of TV while I work, so my list could run on and on. But there are a handful of shows that I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to watch. South Park, classic Simpsons reruns, Seinfeld, It’s Always Sunny, Family Guy. Mostly comedies, but I’m also a sucker for Lost and also a handful of cheesy dramas wrap up nice and neat in an hour. Oh and I also watch every single Charles in Charge episode every day.

As for independently produced content, it’s really anything on the web that makes me laugh. More and more comedy teams are able to produce amazing, high-quality content for next to nothing and put it on the web. My buddies at Team Tiger Awesome put out some hilarious and bizarre stuff and do it at a professional level. Same goes for the entire production team at CollegeHumor.

I’d like to see more web content producers get a shot at TV, but not just piled together in some sort of variety show. It’s already happening, but I think it’s just a matter of time until web content and TV content overlap so much that shows that started out as small web series will get opportunities to develop into full TV series.

[College University] [Our Review]

Rosemary Rowe – Co-creator Seeking Simone

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

Well, we got into it for the chicks and so far, that’s not working out. That would have been good to know FOR SURE.

Another thing we’ve learned is that even with the technological miracle of the internet, it’s still a challenge sometimes to do things long distance. Rose lives in Vancouver – Renee lives in Toronto – we co-produce the show. Between day jobs and the time difference, sometimes accomplishing basic tasks like shooting content for extras or kickin’ it in the editing suite or having a production meeting can get kind of clusterfuckesque if you don’t plan ahead. So you kids out there – if you’re planning to create a web series, try to make sure that your key players are all in the same geographic location most of the time. It will be easier! You’re welcome.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

Well, naturally we’re watching the other great lesbian web series out there, like BJ Fletcher PI, Anyone But Me, FEED, Plan V, which is this awesome web series from Argentina…and Venice The Series has lots of buzz going too, so we’re excited to see that when it comes out later this fall. Lots of great content! As theatre nerds, we’re definitely enjoying Exit Stage Left – as steampunk nerds, we’re looking forward to Riese the Series – as nerd nerds, we love The Guild.

[Seeking Simone] [Our Review]

Brad Jones – Writer/Creator The Cinema Snob

What have I learned about creating a web series that I wish I had known?

That there are far better sites out there besides YouTube to host your web series on. YouTube may be a decent starting point, I was certainly able to build up a steady fan base on there, but I definitely regret waiting 2 1/2 years to make my own website and move my material over to blip.tv. I really have to think Noah Antwiler for recommending blip to me. There’s a lot more freedom on that site, and it’s far less of a totalitarian dictatorship that YouTube. With blip you actually feel like it’s run by people who AREN’T out to destroy your work.

What am I watching?

Well I’m constantly watching movies in order to make Snob videos out of them, so any given day of the week I’ll have something in my DVD player like “Brazilian Star Wars,” “Massacre at Central High,” “Rock & Roll Nightmare,” or “Nudist Colony of the Dead.” But I’m also a huge exploitation fan in general, so really, good or bad, I love watching stuff like this in general.

My favorite director of all time is Bruno Mattei, and now that we’ve started The Bruno Mattei Show on the site, it gives me an excuse to track down some of his more rare flicks that I haven’t seen before. So I’m watching a lot more of his movies now too. A Bruno Mattei movie can more often than not cheer me up. As for other independently produced web series, I’m a fan of Jame Rolfe’s work, and Noah Antwiler of Spoony Experiment is probably the best adlibbed reviewer I’ve ever seen on the web. Look at his work on the “Transformers 2″ review, it’s nothing short of a comedic masterpiece of review/storytelling. I enjoy Doug Walker’s Nostalgia Critic, especially when he reflects back on something that I probably haven’t seen in 15 or 20 years. His show definitely brings back memories.

[The Cinema Snob] [Our Reviews]

Brent Rose – Creator of 50 in 50

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

I wish I knew how long each episode would take! Also, there are a lot of little technical details of Final Cut Pro (my editing software) that I only learned in the last month or so, which would have saved me hours of work, early on. I guess I also wish I knew that people would respond so positively, because I would have started trying to spread it around earlier.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

I have pretty fickle viewing habits. I’m a big fan of Derrick Waters’ various endeavors. I think Jon Lajoie has done a lot of really funny stuff, too. In terms of what I want to see: I want to see more good acting. There is so much wretched acting on the internet, when you come across something that’s well acted it really jumps out. In my book good acting and writing wins out over good “production values” any day. I don’t care how good your graphics are or how slick it looks, if the acting/writing is bad, you’re just polishing a turd. That sounded harsh. It’s true, though.

[50 in 50] [Our Review]

Sam Hoffman – Co-creator of Old Jews Telling Jokes

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

In terms of your questions – they are both challenging. The things that we have learned, over the course of this project, have been so manifold, from the technical and picayune (shoot two cameras instead of one) to the global (advertising doesn’t pay anything) that I can’t really say which particular one I wish I had known. I’m glad my/our ignorance allowed us to move forward as the process has been remarkably rewarding.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

My most favorite content of the past year was Kutiman-thru-you. Does that count? I really felt like I was watching something that had never really been done and that was combining the global reach of the internet with some seriously exciting talent. Eric may have some stuff to add here – he is more content savvy then I am.

[Old Jews Telling Jokes] [Our Review]

Heath Vinyard – Creator Of The End Result Web Series

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is about marketing and having a solid release schedule. Originally I shot End Result one episode at a time and then released them. That marketing strategy doesn’t work. You have to shoot them all at once, edit them, and then have a solid release for each that a viewer can count on. All this time you need to be marketing your series, attending mixers, putting out auxiliary content and keeping the viewers engaged through social media. Even if you’re doing a great ground breaking web series, it doesn’t help if no one sees it or loses interest due to a poor release schedule.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

Right now I’m watching for a few upcoming series that have a lot of potential and hoping they deliver. Mercury Men, Compulsions and Solo have really caught my eye and I’m really excited to see where they are going. They have a fantastic premise on each and their marketing and user engagement has been really good. They’ve managed to get press and talk generated and have no released more than a teaser for each. Exciting stuff.

Current series that have my attention are LUVumentary and Exit Stage Left. Both have my attention and I’m watching and waiting to see what they do next. Exit Stage Left is obviously well financed so it’s setting the bar at sometimes an unrealistic level for the rest of us struggling filmmakers. But with new heights brings new levels of creativity, and there are always ways around budget constrictions.

[End Result]

David Nett – Actor, Writer, Producer and Creator of GOLD

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

Wow. I guess I wish I’d understood the responsibilities I’d have in creating a community to watch the show, and just how much time and effort that would take. There’s a crazy amount of work involved in getting people to watch your show and then keeping in touch with fans (and critics). It’s at least as great an effort as making the content itself, maybe more. That said, I’m not certain what I’d have done differently knowing that, apart from warning my wife that I’d be deeply preoccupied for the next decade talking to a bunch of people I don’t actually know.

Oh – one more thing I learned near the end of Season 1 that I wish I’d have known all along: it is okay to ask for help. The worst thing that can happen is that people will say “no.” And, more often than you think, they say “yes.”

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

I prefer scripted narrative over hosted or reality content – that holds true for pretty much all media for me. I like the occasional well-made documentary, but I watch very little reality TV and read very little non-fiction. That carries over to the web. There are a few unscripted/hosted shows I watch, but not many. I’m a huge fan of anything with great writing, acting or storytelling. That’s what primarily draws me. The genre is, frankly, secondary. I watch a lot of short content as well as longer stuff, but my preference is longer content (stuff over 5 minutes), if the story warrants a longer narrative. I wish there was more well-written, well-acted drama out there. It’s hard, especially since so many creators are afraid of stuff that’s more than a few minutes long.

I like so much of the content out there, and I’m constantly being influenced by talented creators, many of whom I’ve the honor to call my friends. If I had to call out specific shows, right at this very moment I’m thoroughly enjoying season 2 of “the Crew” and “Legend of Neil” and eagerly anticipating “Mercury Men,” “Compulsions” and season 2 of “Anyone but Me.” But if I started listing all the shows I enjoy watching, this would get pretty boring pretty fast.

[GOLD: The Series] [Our Review]

Jonathan Nail – Creator of Solo – The Series

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

It costs twice as much and takes twice as long. When you sit at your computer and watch “The Guild“, “The Crew” or even “Safety Geeks SVI” you get lulled into thinking “Oh, that doesn’t look too difficult to produce.” But you never take into account the actual crew members needed to light, film, record sound, do makeup, edit and plan everything, much less feed everyone! We wanted the look of “SOLO – The Series” to be above and beyond the average web series – so that meant a quality camera, proper lighting equipment and the crew to make it look awesome. And quality, unfortunately, doesn’t come cheap or free. We borrowed a lot of equipment (not to mention everyone’s time) but there were still a lot of costs we didn’t expect.

And time is never on your side. Getting the shots you would like takes more time than you would realize. When writing the show I imagined the scenes in my head, and as I read the scenes on the page I thought “Oh, this won’t take long to film, at all!” I never took into account coordinating the setting up of lights, resetting the lights, actors going up on lines, technical difficulties, tweaking that performance to get the joke just right… You get the idea. What I thought would take 5 days to film two, 7 minute episodes is taking nearly 10 days to film. This also takes into account locations and people’s schedules. Again, cost enters into the picture. People will work for free, because they believe in the show. But we’re at the mercy of talented people booking paying work. We have to schedule around those bookings.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

The Guild, Leaving Bliss, EXIT Stage Left, Safety Geeks SVI, The Crew, 88 Hits and a scattering of others. I cannot wait to see The Mercury Men, which should be coming out soon. The story and quality of this series just blows me away. The director/creator makes me jealous with his creative talent.

[Solo - The Series]

Brian Wenrich – Producer of The Scare Game

Tell us one thing you’ve learned about creating a web series that you wish you had known when you started.

We ran into a small problem when we started making the series by alerting the people in the area that we were shooting that we were shooting in that area. Apparently the place we were shooting in was filled with older people that got really freaked out. They called the city and raised all kinds of uproar. We found out after talking to some people that we were better off not telling people we were shooting so there was no way they could raise a fuss. Lesson learned: it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

As a side note we actually heard from people after shooting how nice, quiet, and respectful we were in the neighborhood. So no matter what we left a good impression of film crews working in the neighborhoods
of Albuquerque.

What are you watching? What other independently produced content has caught your attention and what do you want to see?

Going way back Phil and I were both big fans of Kevin Smith and the ’90s indie film explosion. I was a regular chatter on the view askew message boards back in the day. As for right now Albuquerque is buzzing with this wonderful indie spirit. People are getting together and making some really fantastic work. Scotty Milder continues to impress with Trifecta+ Entertainment and Matt Page with RiffRaff Entertainment is turning out some great stuff. Also, nice indie projects are coming to Albuquerque to make their movie because it’s cheaper than LA. I worked as Prop Master on Easier With Practice, which took the Grand Jury Prize at Cinevegas and Best International Feature at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Speaking of the Edinburgh Film Festival some good friends of ours made Romeo and Juliet vs. The Living Dead in Albuquerque and it was at that festival. That was Third Star Films, the movie co-Written by Jason Witter (the Major) and Ryan Denmark, who also directed.

I’d like to see more people telling stories about themselves and their lives using what they already know and have. I think the audience has become most sophisticated and can recognize a good story when it’s being told to them without the need of an expensive camera or fancy sets. If you can properly get the story across with a digital camera and a work light go for it.

[The Scare Game]

Readers Digest Version

1. Shorter is better (5-7 minutes) beats out 10-15 in terms of willingness to watch.

2. If you’re planning to create a web series, try to make sure that your key players are all in the same geographic location most of the time.

3. Don’t rely solely on YouTube to host your content, there are other options available to you.

4. Understand that it will take much longer to produce than you think.

5. Shoot your episodes all at once and have a solid release schedule.

6. There’s a crazy amount of work involved in getting people to watch your show and then keeping in touch with fans (and critics). It’s at least as great an effort as making the content itself, maybe more.

7. It costs twice as much and takes twice as long as you think. Take into account the actual crew members needed to light, film, record sound, do makeup, edit, plan everything, and feed everyone!

8. Sometimes it’s better not to tell people where you are shooting, so they can’t raise an uproar about it.

9. Time is never on your side.

Other Shows Mentioned In This Edition

College University

Clock Suckers

BJ Fletcher PI

Anyone But Me

Plan V

Venice The Series

Exit Stage Left

Riese the Series

The Guild

Nostalgia Critic

Mercury Men

Compulsions

Solo The Series

Legend of Neil

88 Hits

Romeo and Juliet vs. The Living Dead

Here at 93 Studio’s Screening Room we have the good fortune of talking to a lot of really clever people, many of them happen to be on Twitter. Since it would be impossible for us to tell you about everyone, every month we are going to try to bring you a list of interesting people to follow. This list was inspired by Jessi’s (@CORKY242) fantastic list of people to connect with through Twitter.

We hope you find this useful, and if you have any suggestions of your own be sure to contact us.

Tubefilter

Overall, Tubefilter is the single best source for news about web series and is a fantastic guide for people learning more about the industry.

You are sure to find some great links on their Twitter page, both from their blog and about other interesting happenings in this burgeoning landscape.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Jessica Stover

A whip-smart filmmaker and director out of Virginia with some strong opinions on the industry, media consolidation and advertising, Jessica is definitely worth a follow.

She is also putting together Artemis Eternal, a scifi/fantasy movie of her own.

[Twitter] [Webpage] [Artemis Eternal]

Film Courage

Jay and Mark Duplass Interview filmmakers and industry professionals for LA Talk Radio. Not only are they good people to know if you have a film project, but their interviews and the links they share are fantastic for anyone who wants an insider look at how the industry works from the mouths of those in the trenches.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Wolfgang Junghans

Wolfgang runs a community for filmmakers, he also provides a strong international perspective on filmmaking with links and resources that you probably won’t find anywhere else.

He is an absolute must follow especially if you are interested in the journalistic side of filmmaking.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Film Snobbery

Film Snobbery gives an east-coast perspective on the film industry. Their site is a good place to go for some solid resources on the art of filmmaking and their Twitter account is a great extension of this. You’ll find reviews, interviews, trailers and tutorials of all stripes.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Power To The Pixel

There really is an incredible amount of talent behind Power To The Pixel. It is a company that helps international filmmakers transition into the new digital landscape. As you might expect, you’ll find a lot of great information about the use and abuse of new media in filmmaking and how to take advantage of these tools to create better films.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Gennefer Snowfield

Gennefer is easily one of my favorite people working in the branded entertainment business. Through her company Space Truffles she is trying to develop a more robust relationship between web series producers and brands, and help to provide an answer to one of the stickier questions in independent filmmaking, “How are we going to pay for all of this?”

[Twitter] [Webpage] [Space Truffles]

Julie Keck and Jessica King

Julie and Jessica offer a good mix of commentary and links about filmmaking, they also are great people to know if you are trying to discover new and interesting projects in the industry. Did I forget to mention that they are also filmmakers? Their current projects are Anxiety Acres and Libidoland, which are both parts of the IDVILLE collection.

[Twitter] [Webpage] [IDVILLE]

Kris McLaughlin

A writer and the director of marketing at Either/Or Films, her tweets are a good mix of industry news, promoting of other filmmakers and general discussions of media.

Her most recent films are The Sensation of Sight and Someplace Like America (which is currently in production).

[Twitter] [The Sensation Of Sight]

Jessi

Jessi is the creative force behind Indie Film Follow Friday (#IFFF), Film Follow Friday (#FFF) and the inspiration for this list. Not only that but she is also one of the biggest supporters of independent film that I know, with a much needed international perspective on filmmaking. Be sure to take a look at her blog for some more great people to connect to.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Fans Of Film

Fans of Film are a father and daughter team of film reviewers who also run a community for film professionals. I’m not only really impressed by the strength of their reviews, but I am also impressed by the energy they have devoted to the independent film community. If you haven’t taken a look at their Twitter page it is well worth a visit.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Steve Lettieri

Steve is one of the creative minds behind Zerk’s Log, a show that we really like over here in the Studio. More recently, he has created SciFi Final, a portal for science fiction web series which is a great resource for anyone interested in the genre. Expect links to great shows along with some insightful industry news.

[Twitter] [Webpage] [Scifi Final]

David Nett

David is the writer, producer and creator of one of our favorite shows GOLD: The Series. He is also a great point of contact if your interest in web series is on the geekier end of things.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Chad From Crackle

Chad is the Community Manager for Crackle.com, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s online digital destination for web series, movies and television. He is also deeply in the know about the industry and has a lot of insight into the big brand side of independent television production, not to mention the inside scope to all of Crackle’s new programming.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Film Annex

Film Annex is a pretty fantastic service, it offers filmmakers a home for their movies and it splits advertising revenue with them. They are also big supporters of filmmaking in general, and their twitter account is a great resource for discovering new and original programming.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Tamara Krinsky

Tamara is an actor and journalist who covers a variety of new media topics.

She has a lot of good resources to share on the intersections of social media and filmmaking as well as great perspective on the business side of the craft.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Phil Seneker

Phil Seneker is a filmmaker, screenwriter and photographer who has his finger on the pulse of Seattle filmmaking. More than anything Phil is a strong supporter of independent filmmaking and the information that he shares is right inline with that desire.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Rich Mbariket

Rich is the founder of the Web Series Network and a stellar source for up to date information on web series. Rich’s network is also a fantastic community for web television creators to share ideas, collaborate and show off their great work. All in all, Rich is one of the first people you should be following if you are interested in the space.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

IndieFlix

Indie Flix is a premiere community that helps filmmakers sell their content through DVDs and streaming. As such they have quite a bit of insight into the business side of the industry, they are also a great place to discover new content, whether through their Twitter account or through their site.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Matt Jarbo

Matt does a fantastic job of promoting independent films through his site, Flash Your Shorts. Since his interests are primarily in helping people discover great new content, you will find that a lot of his tweets revolve around helping filmmakers get their work seen. A great choice for independent content producers of all stripes.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Gary King

Gary is a filmmaker from New York who is currently shopping his new film New York Lately to festivals.

He is a genuinely nice guy with some really good perspective on filmmaking from the trenches. Well worth a follow.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Patty Fantasia

Patty is the Director of Marketing at the Nevada Film Alliance, and a fantastic source for finding out about other filmmakers and what they are going. On top of this, she is also co-producing a short film called Accused and writes for Las Vegas Round The Clock.

[Twitter] [Webpage] [Nevada Film Alliance]

Chris Wiltz

Chris is a screenwriter who is currently working on a zombie-comedy web series called Semi-Dead. He is also a good source of information about general film topics as well as quite a few other bits and pieces of culture. Add to that fact that Chris is a really nice guy, there is no reason you shouldn’t be following him.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Jenn Page

Jenn is a director, actor, producer and owner of Luminave Films. Jenn is also an extraordinarily helpful supporter of independent content producers who shares her expertise at every opportunity. She is currently working on The LUVumentary — part mockumentary, part social experiment.

[Twitter] [Webpage] [The LUVumentary]

Craig Wilson

Craig is a firebrand and prolific Tweeter with a strong interest in promoting independent film. He is the mind behind #webserieswed and #indiemm and is currently working on developing public film screening events across the country. He is definitely a great guy to get to know if you want to be on the bleeding edge of the industry.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Jeff Elwell

Jeff is a great lover of web series who has a great site on the subject (Webseries To Watch). He is also a strong support of web television and makes a point to share news about new shows and interesting shifts in the industry.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

John Bosley

John Bosley is the writer, director and producer of the independent film Amnesia. He is also a film lover who has quite a bit to say about film development, distribution and finding your audience. John is also the owner of J.B. Movies and Visual Arts Film production company.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

John Paul Rice

John Paul Rice is the president of No Restrictions Entertainment, and co-creator (alongside Edgar Bravo) of the film One Hour Fantasy Girl. He shares a lot of great resources for filmmakers who are trying to get a better understanding of the industry and those who are looking for tools to help make their films more successful.

[Twitter] [Webpage]

Bottom Line: While the pacing early in the series is uneven, this beautifully shot Hong Kong fantasy will draw you in the world of the mirrorspy.

LUMINA is an original web series written and directed by Jennifer Thym and starring JuJu Chan, Michael Chan and Vince Matthew Chung. Filmed on the RED One, the nine part web series is a dark, densely woven fantasy set against the sparkling backdrop of Hong Kong.

Lumina Wong is beautiful but works far too much; although she lives in a city of millions, she still feels lonely and isolated. Late one night, Lumina has a chance encounter with Ryder Lee, a handsome young man from another world that she can see in mirrors and darkened window reflections. She revels in the fantasy relationship until mirrorspy Eben Sanchez comes into her life, warning her of the treacheries of the people of the Dark Realm. Soon Lumina must choose between the safety of the world she knows and the deadly allure of the unknown.

Details

Cast: Juju Chan, Michael Chan, Jacob Ziacan, Shell Z. Zhu, Vince Chung, Emilie Guillot, Lawrence Milman, Kate Sullivan, Aisling Kinsella
YouTube Channel: Lumina
Website: Lumina
Support the Show: Watch Lumina On Koldcast

Subscribe

Feed: Feed
Facebook Page Lumina

Ratings

The entire series is beautifully shot in Red One, the “mirrorspy” effect is believable and the Hong Kong backdrop that we find ourselves in is one of the most stunning of any web series I’ve seen. (Style 5)

My biggest criticism of the show is that it skips around more than it should, in the first few episodes so many cast members are introduced that you never really get a sense for any of them. Even the “Prince” feels more like a sketch than a fully developed character. In a lot of ways it feels more like a problem with the length of each episodes than the writing, and as things pick up I’m hoping we’ll have more time to truly get to know the people we are following. (Pacing 3.5)

You can really tell that a lot of time was put into the mirrorspy mythology, the story is rich and the concepts they are drawing on make you hope they get past the somewhat uneven pace of the early season. In all, unlike a lot of other single-concept based web series, Lumina really feels like you have been drawn into a new,different and altogether compelling world. (Storytelling 4)

Polish 4

Watchability 3.5

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Boy is this a fun show to watch. This wins the award for shortest series that still manages to keep your attention. Even if you aren’t married (and maybe especially if you aren’t) you’ll find something to laugh at here.

Real Life With Married People is a series of very short web videos about a couch, and the two people who sit on it a lot.

The two people are married to each other, and if you happen to be married, in a relationship, or at least familiar with the general concepts, you just might find their exploits hilarious mildly amusing depressingly relatable.

People who enjoy describing things by comparing things to other things describe Real Life With Married People as “Mad About You meets Beavis and Butthead.” Not literally, of course, though such a crossover would be hilarious to watch for the obvious tension between co-stars Helen Hunt and Butthead, who are now divorced.

Details

Cast: Celia Finkelstein, Destin Berthelot
YouTube Channel: Real Life With Married People
Website: Real Life With Married People
Support the Show: Play Some Shuffle Tennis

Subscribe

Feed: Feed
Facebook Page Real Life With Married People

Ratings

No sets, no scenes no problems. Each episode is shot with the married couple sitting on or around the couch. Normally, this might get stale after a while but in this case it adds to the overall understated nature of the humor. We’re left feeling that their life is the same, humdrum back and forth day in and day out punctuated by the clever little scenes that we see every episode. (Style 3.5)

Pacing 5

Storytelling 3.5

Polish 4

Some of these come in at under 1 minute but it’s so tightly scripted that I never felt short changed. The actors really own their parts. This show is also incredibly easy to watch, and you’ll find yourself burning through the snappy episodes in no time. (Watchability 5)

Novelty 3.5

Overall Rating: 4.08 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: It feels a little like a low budget version of Dr. Horrible, which is about the best compliment I can give a show. It’s still way to early in the series to even give it a complete review, but so far it has been an enjoyable ride.

Imagine we live in a world where ordinary people strive to leave their mundane lives and accomplish extraordinary things. And within that world are six bumbling, wannabe superheroes who have no idea what they’re getting themselves into. This is our story. This is The Junior League of Superheroes.

Details

Cast: Teresa Reilly, Justin Davidson, Foster Wilson, Justin Fair, Julie Gearheard, Brian Leahy
YouTube Channel: Junior League Of Superheroes
Website: Junior League Of Super Heroes
Support the Show: Get Involved

Subscribe

Twitter Feed: Feed
Facebook Page Junior League Of Superheroes

Ratings

Style 3.5

Pacing 3.5

Storytelling 4

Polish 3.5

Watchability 4

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Super heroes, government conspiracies, and angst all wrapped up in a cocoon of solid writing and directing. While the story sometimes moves more slowly than you would like, this character driven super hero series rises way above most everything else in the genre.

A Community of young people with extraordinary abilities live in hiding, trying to lead normal lives.

A black-ops government Agency is searching endlessly for them, hoping to utilize their gifts for the good of the nation.

As the Agency draws ever closer, this Community must come together in order to preserve their way of life- no matter what the cost.

Told from the perspective of both the Community and the Agency, g14 productions presents “Reservation”, a new dramatic science fiction web series that explores how far people will go to protect their families and their country.

To learn more about the history and the people of the Community and the Agency, investigate the site and share your thoughts in our forum.

Details

Creators: Matthew Balthrop, David White
Blip.tv Channel: Reservation
Website: Reservation
Support the Show: Watch G14’s Other Videos

Subscribe

Feed: Feed
Twitter Page G14 Productions

Ratings

It’s a super hero series that actually has some pretty great special effects. They don’t pull any punches in Reservation and the show is better for it. Instead of sticking to powers that would have been easy to shoot, they have a wide range of interesting abilities and characters willing to use them. (Style 5)

While the overall speed of the story is brisk, they run into the problem that you often see with ensemble casts — there is this tendency to underdevelop characters. While they tend to base episodes around the actions of one or two of the characters, it’s still sometimes difficult to get a feeling for everyone’s motivations. (Pacing 4)

It’s hard to do a super hero web series for a variety of reasons. It’s hard to do a series with an ensemble cast for a variety of reasons. The fact that the creators decided to do an ensemble series about super heroes deserves a few points by itself. What they have managed to pull off, however, is even better — they’ve done this kind of series well. Certainly there are parts that could be tighter, especially with the interplay between the heroes and the government agency chasing them but in sum it is an absolutely enjoyable ride. (Storytelling 4.5)

Polish 4.5

Watchability 4

Novelty 4

Overall Rating: 4.33 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: Combining hand drawn animation with live action, Drawn By Pain delivers one of the most unique experiences you’ll have the pleasure of seeing on or off the Internet.

Young Emily once watched the world through blinders so the only thing she saw was the page on which she drew. Isolated, she tried to look away as her father gave her mother lessons in brutality from which she could only hide in her mind. But that rage, that fear growing deep within her would surface and once unleashed – could never be re-contained. Ten years older, the demons of old fuel her, empower her and push her to be the very thing she once feared: A monster in her own right.

A dramatic action packed 12-part series in a sea of comedic web content, “Drawn By Pain” engages its audience by leading them through an episodic spiral into one woman’s search for salvation as her animated madness fights for her sanity in the real world.

Details

Cast: Jesse Cowell, Erica Langworthy, Marissa Parness, Elizabeth Plevy, Guy Rader
Blip.tv Channel: Drawn By Pain
Website: Drawn By Pain
Support the Show: Visit The Drawn By Pain Store

Subscribe

Feed: Feed
Twitter Page Jeskid

Ratings

This is a series you have to see to believe. The way they blend live action with animation is absolutely stunning and my only qualm is I wish they had the time to do more of it. Also, the interplay between the main character’s younger and older self and the demons she faces down is the sort of thing you would expect out of a much higher budget production. In all, this is a brilliant piece of work. (Style 5)

Overall the story is fantastic but some episodes seemed to drift, this is especially apparent near the middle of the series when we start to question the protagonists sanity. While I understand what they were trying to accomplish, and they did a good job of doing so, if they had added more exposition it would have helped to flesh out the themes. (Pacing 3.5)

Storytelling 5

Polish 4

This is a complete story in every sense of the word, you’ll find yourself stuck to your seat from beginning to end. Why the 4 then? Well, it’s also one of the darkest web series I’ve seen to date. It deals with issues of abuse, sanity and identity that wil make it difficult to swallow for some more sensitive viewers. If you can get past this you are in for a ride, I couldn’t give a stronger recommendation if I tried (Watchability 4)

Novelty 5

Overall Rating: 4.41 out of 5 stars