Greetings all!
It has been a busy past couple of weeks as I transition from the completion of one film project into the preparations for my next big project, which is partially why I haven't been posting too much blog material recently. But I believe that is about to change.
For my next piece of film work I am diving into the web series universe. Yeah, I know, everyone has taken their shot at that, but unfortunately so many of these series that come out are done with their eye on the prize without knowing how they'll get there. So sadly their series' meander and wander about without any real transition or deviation from what was funny in their first episode. It's particularly sad when a series can't even make it to a ten episode season because their project has such little substance. And it's hard, it really is. Coming up with an idea that is sustainable is a very difficult premise. When we look at a show like "How I Met Your Mother", which has powered through nine seasons it's not hard to understand why the premise has worked for so long. The premise is wide open and allows for so many possibilities, and thus the show seldom gets stuck in something that already happened (I say seldom because yes, they do slip into that from time to time). But lots of shows create a premise that either doesn't have the depth to last long term or it's just a premise that is either overused or not interesting and so after one episode people can look at the series and know in their own minds that there isn't going to be a whole lot more than what they just saw.
It's my objective to establish that premise for a series that is open like "HIMYM" and thus there can even be an episode or two that deviates from the focal structure of the piece and still fits. Now my storyline has been in the works for over three years and originally just started as a random film idea I came up with along with a close friend of mine. We developed just enough of it together that I was able to step away and continue working the piece together myself. And somewhere along the line I recognized that the piece as a whole was coming together in sections, which helped me to realize that it would be perfect for an online web series. And it's only expanded from there.
The overarching focus of the piece is relatively simple, against allowing for a vast string of possibilities to occur (this is intended to be a driven comedy piece of work). The story follows roommates Jake and Taylor. Jake is the polar opposite of a lady killer. In fact, what makes him most unique is his inability to obtain a second date with any girl. Taylor is his lesbian roommate, who has no problem attracting women. They are polar opposites, which makes them work together so well. But everything changes when Jake comes home rambling about an amazing girl named Cary that he just met. Taylor is skeptical, until she meets Cary and discovers she is interested in her as well. And so begins the rivalry between the two. We see things escalate from merely backstabbing to spy stings, infidelity, sabotaged dinner dates, the works! Things just continue to escalate because neither Jake or Taylor has the nerve to ask that one fundamental question: Cary, do you like men or women?
I have come up with such a plethora of ideas that I've recently had to go through the sometimes painful process of deleting ideas from the production so as to keep it from becoming overlong. But on the flip side, that can be seen as a positive in that I have no loss of ideas and directives for this piece. Currently I am looking to begin production in the middle of January. Right now I'm just completing organization of the script for these various episodes. My next step will be bringing in the talent for the characters and bringing in crew members. But I know better than to try and bring these folks on too early, because you bring someone on several weeks early and tell them, "I'll let you know when we're ready to go," they obviously don't just wait around for me. They go and see whatever projects they can work on, and sometimes that leads to them making other commitments that force them to break the one's with me. So it is important to pick and choose your moments for bringing cast and crew on for a project that is still a little ways in the future.
I am also, and this is most important for me right now, I am opening an Indiegogo campaign in order to raise funds for the production. For something as significant as a 10-12 episode web series there is going to be a good deal of work and a nice collection of shooting days and I obviously cannot expect my talent to work for free through that. So my primary objective in raising funds is so as to compensate those who are giving their time and talents to me. There will also be other costs such as providing food to cast and crew. I want to be able to reimburse those involved for transportation cost and obviously there will be set, prop and location costs to consider as well. As of now I am hoping to raise $1,500 and hopefully more if possible. I am probably less than 24 hours from launching this campaign and I will be providing further information on it in blogs in the immediate future because I would love any contributions I can get. Even a dollar helps, and I really mean that! I know everyone says it, but being a filmmaker who knows how it feels to save up coins and make sacrifices all around to make sure a project gets done and done right I appreciate contributions from anyone no matter how small. And with an objective of $1,500 it sounds like a high number on its own, but if I can get a $5.00 donation from 300 people then I've already reached my goal. And of course I will be putting as much of my own money as I can in this production. I've even asked everyone close to me to, instead of buying me Christmas presents, to take whatever money they would have spent and to put it towards this production. I can't think of anything else that would be a greater present for me! And it's my hopes that anyone who reads my blogs and can see the love and talent I have for film can make a small contribution in any way towards this production. It's going to be hilarious and a great production experience. And again, I will be making updates on here in future blogs over the next several weeks that will provide more information on the project and information on how to access my Indiegogo account. Making contributions through there is very simple.
So as I begin to launch this thing and get it going I ask you all to wish me luck! It's going to take a lot of work, but I want to do this project so back and I know that when it's done it's going to be something that everyone will love!
Thanks all! Back to networking!!!
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