There’s something about this that we love.
The script is first rate. The production itself is fascinating.
Category: Peer Production
Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie – Chapter 11
New Beginnings
by Leesa Dean
So, last week went to a very cool animation panel that was put together by YouTube. It was in the Google offices, they had tons of great munchies and Fred Seibert (the head of Frederator) and Simon (from Simon’s Cats) were there. Fred is a heavyweight in the business. He was MTV’s first creative director back in the day, which is saying a lot. He’s really responsible for, pretty much, creating the brand. He also started Nick-At-Nite and was President of Hanna Barbera (home of Underdog, The Flintstones and other iconic cartoons.) Frederator, of course, is a really huge cartoon presence on the internet (and tv.) He talked about his shows and production. It was pretty interesting to hear that they actually produce some of their cartoons the way TV Networks do (meaning a creative team here in the States and other work farmed out to Korea or India.)
In particular, he talked about Bravest Warriors, which is a hit for them. I never imagined that internet shows would have budgets that big. As an indie animator/producer, I’m used to doing everything myself for no money. And ad dollars, even with millions of views, can’t really pay for a show produced on that level, unless you have some great branding thing going on…I think. I’m guessing (and this is a total guess) that his other shows on cable and broadcast are so successful, they can, in part, finance the internet shows, which is, to me, a very very smart gamble/business move if that’s the way he’s rocking it.
Next up was Simon from the wildly successful, Simon’s Cats. Turns out he also has a ton of experience as an animator. Simon’s Cat was just something he thought up for fun and it took off (millions of views, book sales, etc.) Now he directs and has an animator who does all the work. Just one animator. I was particularly impressed with the quality of the work. It’s simple but incredibly fluid.
Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie, Chapter 10 – Don’t F*ck With Mr. Zero
by Leesa Dean
What a week! The good, the bad, the ugly!
So, in reverse order, first the ugly: Boston.Wow. It was shocking, surreal and awful to read about. As someone who lived through 9/11 in New York City and knew a number of people who were killed, it was particularly tough and scary. I have a few friends who live in Boston and luckily, no one I know was hurt. My heart goes out to the victims and everyone directly affected. My thoughts definitely are with with them. And while I normally write about web series stuff here, I felt I had to mention it.
Emmy-Nominated actress joins the cast of..um…NOT INSPECTOR SPACETIME?
Emmy-Nominated actress Mayim Bialik joins the cast of Untitled Web Series About A Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time as the voice of The Inspector’s time machine!
by Travis Richey
Greetings, Inspectators!
As production begins on the Season 2 Prequel Episode of the hit web series USA Today called “the best TV on the web for 2012”, Siv-Art Productions is proud to announce that Mayim Bialik (Big Bang Theory, Blossom) is joining the cast of the show fans still call “Inspector Spacetime”. Mayim will be playing the voice of the B.O.O.T.H., The Inspector’s time machine.
Producer and star Travis Richey (Pretty Little Liars, Community’s Inspector Spacetime) had previously worked with Mayim at ACME Comedy Hollywood when he produced the digital content there for ACME Saturday Night in 2010. “I am beyond thrilled to have Mayim involved with the series,” Travis said. “Besides being an amazing actress, she’s a brilliant and wonderful human being. Her take on the personality of the BOOTH made us go in and completely rethink the character. It’s so much more interesting now, and of course we had add more lines for Mayim.”
Peer Production: Kevin Smith Meets George Lucas
…When they were young.
Well, kinda. They’re definitely an influence anyway: