We love Lou Stone Borenstein for two reasons:
For example, how about this video “for every introvert skeptical of the advice out there and every extrovert wondering what introverts are so scared of, and everybody in between”:
A wonderful article on the latest web series created, written by, starring, et al, TVWriter™ frequent contributor Bri Castellini and her partner Chris Cherry. This TVWriter™ minion’s favorite read of the week:
Many people view depression and other mental health issues in negative terms, no thanks to the typical tropes that have been attached to mental illness in mainstream media. In reality, daily life can be quite mundane for people who deal with various mental health issues; problems that are actually more annoying than life-altering.
However, getting through those problems with a sense of humor can make a remarkable difference in the lives of those who suffer from depression. When dealing with life’s highs and lows, it’s true that laughter is the best medicine, and the acclaimed comedy web series SAM AND PAT ARE DEPRESSED is perfect evidence of that credo.
Co-executive produced and co-written by Bri Castellini and Chris Cherry (who play, respectively, Sam and Pat), this comedic yet relatable look at living with mental health returns for its second season March 25th on Stareable and Seeka TV. Season 1 of SAM AND PAT can also be seen on both platforms.
Complimenting each episode of SAM AND PAT is season 1 of the podcast BRI AND CHRIS ARE DEPRESSED, which can be heard on several audio platforms including iTunes and Spotify. Co-hosted by Castellini and Cherry, the podcast covers many of the mental health issues portrayed in SAM AND PAT. In addition, listeners can contact Castellini and Cherry on Twitter (@_UndeadBurrito_) with their questions for season 2 of the podcast…
While the visual look and feel of SAM AND PAT ARE DEPRESSED has improved in season 2, the show is still focused on two people who try their hardest to deal with the complexities of their mental health. While Castellini and Cherry continue to live prosperous lives in spite of their struggles with depression, they hope that their series and podcast can help viewers achieve that same existence for themselves.
Based on Castellini and Cherry’s own experiences with depression and therapy, season 2 of SAM AND PAT humorously addresses many topics similar to those explored in its first season. Yet, both of them note that SAM AND PAT’s second season will also explore a topic that many people still find difficult to discuss: antidepressants….
Look what we found on YouTube! That’s right, a video essay totally fucking over YouTube with every bit of the quality usually found only in New Yorker criticism.. You don’t have to be a Lindsay Ellis fan to enjoy this:
Vesta Giles, winner of the PEOPLE’S PILOT 2018 Special Web Series pilot script award has made her directorial debut on YouTube via Telus Storyhive, a Canadian production company currently giving out production grants to those who need and deserve them.
Vesta has promised to write an article telling us all about Storyhive, which we will be running in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, here’s When I’m Dead, a short film filled with joy both because of and in spite of the title.
(EDITOR’S ADMISSION: We here at TVWriter™ love this and have a pretty good feeling that you will too.)
In a world where spells and potions are commonplace, a young
woman named Tracy Buckles is struck by a despicable curse that prevents other people from hearing her voice.
She joins forces with a nameless drifter and a bumbling wizard in order to break free from the evil sorcery. With a dynamic female lead, plenty of irreverent humor and a sprinkle of magic, TRACY BUCKLES tells an epic story across six fast-paced episodes.
Robin Nystrom, the multitalented writer/director/producer of one of our favorite web series, NicoLife, has a new show for us all to see – and it’s even better than what came before.
Taking advantage of Robin’s varied skills, we asked him to tell us all about Tracy Buckles. Specifically, we were interested in what he, as the creator, wants the show to accomplish, artistically, personally, and professionally. Here’s what he had to say:
When I wrote and directed Tracy Buckles, I set out to accomplish three things.
First, I wanted to craft a comedy web series with fantastical storytelling elements.
At the age of seven, I discovered a paperback copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring in my elementary school library. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked on the fantasy genre. I was dying to create a world of my own where spells, potions and curses can be as commonplace as toasters and televisions are in our own reality.
Second, I wanted to devise a story with a dynamic, kick-ass female lead.
The qualities I hope our audience will recognize in Tracy is that she is brave and headstrong and impulsive. Those are some of the characteristics that I’ve often found in the women I look up to in my life.
Third, I wanted to tell a complete narrative with strong thematic resonance over six fast-paced episodes.
In Chapter 2, our protagonist Tracy meets a nameless drifter called No One who is plagued by a curse of invisibility. Tracy and No One form an immediate friendship, because they both understand the pain of not being seen or heard.
I think we’ve all felt that struggle in one way or another — the pain of not being listened to or of being misunderstood. I know I have. I hope that people find that theme to be strong enough to carry our web series through to the end.
I intend to use this web series as a springboard for my future endeavors as a filmmaker. I hope we can spread the show far and wide and that we can connect with viewers who like the kind of stories that I love to tell.
In late 2018, we brought Tracy Buckles to ten film festivals all over the world, and I’ve already had the chance to meet other filmmakers and hear their feedback on the project. I hope that dialogue will continue as our audience grows.
Looking ahead, beyond this particular project, I am also hard at work with a feature length screenplay. My dream future would be that I could go full-time with writing and directing my own screenplays.
On Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/album/
On the official Tracy Buckles website: https://www.tracybuckles.com
See the 30-second trailer: http://vimeo.com/tracybuckles/
TRACY BUCKLES has been screened in 10 film festivals, including LA Film Festival, iTVFest, NYC WebFest and Dances with Films.
During its festival run, the show won three awards:
Best Produced Series,
Best Young Adult Series, and
Best Actress in a Web Series.
The show was nominated for ten awards, including:
Best Series Director,
Best Sci-Fi Fantasy,
Best Representation of Women,
Best Comedic Performance, and
Best Overall Web Series.
Oh, and you can read about Robin’s earlier series, NicoLife, here: https://tvwriter.com/?p=31326
And here: https://tvwriter.com/inside-nicolife-the-web-series-lb-luvs/
Not bad, yeah?
