Author: ChilltownTV

I'm primarily a writer. Sold a few series to tv networks and production companies but never had anything get on the air. So I taught myself how to animate and completed 3 digital series, launching two. The first, Chilltown has been named one of "Five Web Series That Should Be on Your Radar" by ABCNews/Univision and a "Show to Watch" by Tubefilter. The second, Lele's Ratchet Advice Show, garnered a fanatic cult following. As a result, I now do Lele's 60 Second Wrap Up, a weekly comedic entertainment report (which I write & perform) that airs on urban radio stations Rhythm 105.9fm and the Just Wake Up Morning Show on WWRNfm.

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

Chapter 37 – Waiting…
by Leesa Dean

keep-calm-and-still-waiting-18Before I bring you guys up-to-date, a little cool news: I was listed by ComedyTV is Dead,a really cool blog from the UK that reviews web series. They reviewed Chilltownglowingly a number of months back, so I knew they liked it, but was thrilled and surprised when they assembled a list of Women to Watch in Web Series…and I was on it!!I’m in heady company, including Issa Rae of Awkward Black Girl fame and Kylie Sparks from hit show Squaresville and L.A. Girls. Since I’m on hiatus and working like crazy putting together new material it was SUCH a shot in the arm to be included. And I’ve already heard form a producer who saw it and told me, “You are now on my radar.” Which is pretty cool.

Meanwhile, we’re waiting. Have a ton of feelers out to snag a celeb for the TOP SECRET PROJECT and, hopefully, within the next couple of weeks, we’ll line someone up. The holidays kind of slow things down a bit; people are out of town, have a lot of commitments, but things look promising.

So, what am I doing while I’m waiting? Tweaking things on the project. Working like crazy putting ideas together for Season Two of the Lele Show. And actually brainstorming a few new projects. I think it’s really important to always juggle a lot of balls in the air. read article

We Aren’t The Only Ones Who Love Chilltown TV

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ChilltownTV’s creator/producer/writer/etc. and TVWriter™ contributor Leesa Dean is featured – featured – we say, over at Comedy TV is Dead and we can’t think of more worthy subject of adoration.

Yes, we said “adoration.” What else do you call an article that starts off like this: read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

frankgehryChapter 36 – The Meeting
by Leesa Dean

So, the meeting was scheduled for early this week. The way it happened? Kinda serendipitous. My producing partner happened to be out at an event, bumped into an old friend who, its turns out worked out at the gym with Mr. Celeb #1, the b level musician we were hoping to get. He said he’d put in a word, he did and Mr. Celeb #1, unbelievably, was interested.

He wasn’t our first choice, but he did have a big twitter following, a major record deal and some name recognition. And he agreed to meet us for drinks.

It was nerve-wracking. Meeting Mr. Celeb #1 wasn’t. I’ve met a number of celebs and, in general, I’m WAY too much of nerd to be over-impressed hence nervous around them. No, I was frazzled because earlier I took the Defensive Drivers Course online and it was unexpectedly CRAZY. read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

wranglingcomplexityChapter 35 – Wrangling Celebs
by Leesa Dean

I’ve mentioned it in passing a few times here, but since April I’ve been working on a TOP SECRET project. It’s brand new, I have a producing partner (a first!) and we’re still a ways off from figuring out when we’re gonna release it, etc. And while, as the world’s most superstitious atheist, I don’t normally like to talk about projects til I’m ready to release them, I will talk about this.

We’ve been having a tough time wrangling celebs.

When you’re a relative nobody like me, let’s just say it doesn’t hurt to have a celeb attached to your project. It’s definitely a way to get views and, if said celeb has a big following and tweets about it, well you just might have a hit on your hands. read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

buildyourownfuture-tvwriter.comChapter 34 – The Pep Talk, Part 2 (Build Your Own Future)
by Leesa Dean

So. As promised, the Rollo Pep Talk.

We met at a tiny Turkish restaurant/bar in the East Village. Ordered cocktails (I sure needed one after spending time visiting my friend in Bellevue) and Rollo started talking.

He had hit rock bottom professionally. His deal, which was tenuous at best, had finally fallen apart. It was an enormous blow to his ego. I mean, this was a guy who ten, fifteen years earlier had been a player. Maybe not a huge one, but a player nonetheless. But time had partially eroded his connections and unless you’re active doing stuff that people know about, you’re dead to them, professionally. read article