The Dumper Blog

Festival Fun: 4 Webseries From the LA Web Fest

2011-03-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Dumper Entertainment is pleased to announce that Big Bother is an Official Selection of the L.A. Webseries Festival. It will be screened on Saturday, March 26^th at 5:25 p.m. at Stage 52 Theater. Lots of other great webseries will be screened over the weekend too. Many of which we’ve covered in the past, like GOLD, SOLO, In The Rough, Hard Drive 13, Suck and Moan, Miss Behave and Out With Dad. But there are many shows we haven’t yet covered, so this month’s webseries category focuses on a few of the LA Web Fest’s Official Selections.

Asylum

St. Dympna is a hospital for the criminally insane. Only the most difficult patients end up here. The methods of head Dr. Suli Urban (Sophie King) and her disturbingly close-knit staff seem unorthodox, but you can’t argue with the results they achieve. But when an outbreak of violence draws the attention of Department of Mental Health Agent Patrick Aubert (Dingani Beza from SOLO), Dr. Urban has some explaining to do – starting with the whereabouts of her predecessor. Asylum is written by Dan Williams and directed by Scott Brown (Both from Blue Movies) and produced by Matthew Arrevalo (From GOLD: NOTZK).

Who…

Men, did you ever wonder what women discuss when no-one else is around? “Who…” has the answer. In each episode, a pair of African American gossip queens (Played by Shoneji Loraine and Nafeesa Monroe) discuss everything from “Who… Needs Jesus” to “Who… Better Not Look At My Man” to “Who… Needs To Shut The Hell Up” to “Who… I’d Do” to “Who… Be Workin’ My Nerves” to “Who… Can Kiss My @$$.” Besides the episodes themselves, AjakweTV.com features a wide selection of music you can listen to as well. Who… was created by L.A. Web Fest founder Michael Ajakwe Jr.

The Best Friend

Our next selection is about Sooze (Allie Smith) the beautiful girl the boys adore. But this is not her story. This is really the story of her best friend Millie (Marilyn Anne Michaels). We first meet the duo when Millie’s date is smitten with Sooze. Next, Sooze’s stalker does nothing to make Millie feel better about herself (Though it does allow Millie to break into a great “Stalker” musical number). The Best Friend is created and produced by Smith and Michaels; written by Smith, Michaels, Dominic Conti and Krystel Schley, and directed by Tarique Qayumi and Wednesday Standley.

Cell

Last but not least is Cell, the story of … a cell. It’s actually two cells, but that’s not important. What’s important is how the cell inhabitants got there. Or maybe it’s “where do they go from here?” We’ll see. Brian (Danny Cameron) wakes up in said cell looking for answers. Instead, he gets a cattle-prodding from his jailer (Kevin McCarthy). Brian’s only other company is the woman in the cell next door (Jourdan Gibson). Together, they attempt to find out why they’re here, and more importantly, who they are. Cell is written, directed and produced by Mark Gardner.

Canadian Kudos: 4 Webseries North of the Border

2011-02-26T00:54:00.000-08:00

We’re happy to announce that Dumper Entertainment’s Gym Shortz won Best Animated Webseries of 2010 by the podcast Indie Intertube. Who’s Indie Intertube? Funny you should ask. They’re Destini and Shad, the Canadian WebTV fanatics. Congrats also to Gym Shortz’es Cooper Harris who won Smexiest Actress (For Squatters) and Max Glick who won Most Loveable Geek (For Gold: NOTZK). Tune in to Indie Intertube every Wednesday at 4 p.m. (Pacific Time) to hear their latest webseries news and reviews. In honor of the Canadian co-hosts, this month’s webseries category focuses on WebTV from The Great White North.

Heroes of the North

Our first selection is Canada’s answer to The X-Men, Heroes of the North. The story begins during World War II, where concentration camp experimentation to create the super human results in the evil Zombots. We pick up in the present where an elite team of heroes is being assembled to defend Canada against evil: The Canadian (Larry Vinette), Fleur-De-Lys (Edith LaBelle), 8-Ball (Anderson Bradshaw), Nordik (Vanessa Blouin) and Black Terror (John Fallon). Heroes of the North is written by Sergio Rico and Christian Viel and is also an Indie Intertube winner for Best Credit Sequence (You need to see it).

Hard Drive 13

Our next pick is another web thrill ride, but with fewer heroes and more hackers. Nomad (Video D.J. C.B. Shaw) is a world-class computer hacker who is investigating the mysterious death of his father. But his efforts result in the disappearance of fellow hacker Lifer38 (Terry Levergood) and the discovery of the mother of all conspiracies. Nomad and secret agent and femme fatale Dee Thompson (Denyc) soon find themselves outrunning Agent 01 (M.E. Lewis) and the Interplanetary Security Department. Hard Drive 13 was created by Stephen H. Plitt and is produced by Plitt, Lewis and Michael Chmarca.

Venus Spa

Next, we head to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the ladies of Venus Spa give the Gym Shortz crew a run for their money. It’s 1983. Phones have cords, Charles has Diana, legs have warmers, and aerobics instructors have attitude. Molly (Braeley Hobbs) is the blonde one, Ally (Danielle Brincheski) is the smart one and Nancy (Leilanie Giordmaina) is the one you don’t want to mess with. But Nancy meets her match when newcomer Andrea (Amy Simoes) challenges her to an intructors’ duel. Venus Spa is written and directed by Chris Greenaway and features the ‘80s music of Winnipeg’s The Pumps and Orphan.

In the Rough

Our final selection is the brand new golf webseries, In The Rough. Will Ryan (Jake Michaels) is a great golfer who never went pro. He’s dismayed one morning to learn that his club membership has been suspended because he hasn’t paid his dues. Things get worse when Will heads home early to find his girlfriend Quinn (Adele Gigantes) in bed with his best friend Danny (Bryan Stanley). But with the help of his old coach O’Rielly (Len Greenaway), Will just might get his game back. In The Rough was created and co-produced by J. Michael Dawson and Chantal LeBlanc-Everett and written by Reece Crothers.

Drama Queens: 4 Webseries With Chicks in Charge

2011-01-30T10:33:00.000-08:00

Dumper Entertainment is proud to announce our latest animated webseries – Sketch 22. This month saw the release of the debut episode, Sarah Failin’s Disasta’. Devin Mills (From Dating in the Middle Ages) plays Sarah Failin’ while yours truly (Justin Marchert J ) and Katie Wilson play Todd and Bristol Failin’ (respectively). Check it out at www.DumperFilms.com. For this month’s webseries category, we decided to look at drama – not dramatic thrillers like After Judgment and The Fall of Kaden, but rather real-life drama. It turns out all of our picks feature strong, female lead characters. Who knew?

Diary of a Single Mom

Ocean Jackson (Monica Calhoun from The Best Man) is a single mom hoping for a fresh start in life. She has a new boss, played by Richard Roundtree (From Shaft) and a new apartment. Here, she meets neighbor single mom Lupe (Valery Ortiz) and single grandmother Peggy (Janice Lynde). The three initially clash, but soon become each other’s baby-sitters, career support group, and even closest friends. Diary of a Single Mom is produced and directed by Robert Townsend and written by Cheryl L. West. The show recently won the Webseries of the Year award from podcast Indie Intertube (More on them next blog).

Anyone But Me

Our next selection finds another young woman in strange new surroundings. Vivian (Rachel Hip-Flores) is forced to leave New York City when her dad Gabe (Dan Via) suffers from 9/11-related asthma. A difficult enough move for any teenager, the transition is further complicated by Vivian’s courtship with Aster (Nicole Pacent), which suddenly becomes a long-distance relationship. New friends like Archibald (Joshua Holland) and Sophie (Jessy Hodges) have their ups and downs, but slowly help Vivian adjust. Anyone But Me is written and executive produced by Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward and received the 2010 Streamy Award for Best Female in a Leading Role.

Miss Behave

We go from east coast to west with our next pick, Miss Behave. Tori Archer (Jillian Clare from Days of Our Lives) is an affluent Malibu teen. School is for hanging with BFFs Dylan (Brett DelBuono from The Cleaner) and Danielle (Jenna Stone). Home life is shared with her brother Billy (Trevor Nelson), as their parents are rarely around. But Tori may lose her good girl reputation when Riley (Marco James) becomes the new bad-boy-friend. Miss Behave, known also for its extensive soundtrack, is written by Frances Gilbert and executive produced by Clare, Susan Bernhardt and Anne Woodward.

Out With Dad

Rose (Kate Conway) is another teenage lesbian. Or so she thinks -- or doesn’t she? We’ll see. The one thing she’s learned thus far is that her best friend Vanessa (Lindsey Middleton) is not (Or is she?). Things are further complicated by the men in her life. Guy pal Kenny (Cory Lof) is presumed to be her boyfriend, much to both of their chagrin. Her dad Nathan (Will Conlon) suspects her alternative sexuality, but is having as much trouble broaching the subject as she is. Out With Dad is shot on location in Canada and is written and directed by Jason Leaver.

Performers’ Pieces: 4 Webseries in the Actors’ Arena

2010-11-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

We’re very excited to announce the next animated release from Dumper Entertainment. November marked the premiere of The Film Bowl -- your typical movie review show except for one thing -- the critics are fish. Check out the opinions of Gillbert C. Weed (Nathan Baker from Big Bother) and Finley Fitzwater (myself, Justin Marchert) as they scrutinize the cinema in “good cod, bad cod” fashion. Hopefully, they’ll go easy on the actors in this month’s webseries category: Acting Shows. From celebs on their second careers to child protégés waiting for their start, Hollywood has them all.

EASY TO ASSEMBLE

What does an actor do after she’s hit it big? Go to work at IKEA, of course. Illeana Douglas (From The Temp Life) has accepted a celebrity spokesmodel position at the Swedish furniture megastore, only to find out that they expect her to sell furniture. When frien-emy actor Justine Bateman (From Wake Up and Get Real) joins the staff as well, the battle begins for the coveted Employee of the Month award. Michael Kang directs guest stars out of every Swedish aisle. Besides playing herself, Douglas writes and produces the show, which won the 2010 Streamy Award for Best Ensemble cast.

THE DAY PLAYER

Before stardom and Ikea, celebrities begin as day players. At least they strive for day player roles while they wait tables. Leena (Helenna Santos from The Ex-Convict’s Guide) is just such an actor. Her career frustrations manifest themselves in fantasy sequences such as stabbing angry customer Miranda Allgood (Also co-executive producer) in the face with a fork. But on the other end of her imaginaton’s spectrum, Leena can sing her troubles away, with the help of co-workers Jane (Jackie Clifford), Marci (Jill Klopp) and Chef Al (Patrick Gallagher from Glee). Santos also executive produces, writes and directs The Day Player.

WORKSHOP

Our next selection expands on the trials of one actor and introduces us to a network of Hollywood hopefuls. Writers/producers Nate Golon and Kimberly Legg play Jeff and Kaitlyn, a pair of actors struggling to launch their careers. To do so, they enroll in acting workshops, which may lead to the right audition, which just may lead to stardom. Also enrolled are actors Adam (Phillip Jeanmarie), Vivian (Leanne Wilson), Matthew (Jonathan Schwartz) and Sarah (Audra Marie). Some actors have good fortune, others bad. But the one thing they all learn is that no-one has it easy. Look for WORKSHOP: Season 2 early next year.

PRETTY

Some stars begin their careers before their 20’s. As early as the age of 5, some children know they’re destined for greateness … or at least their parents do. Annette Champagne (Stacy McQueen) is a contender in the Star Eyes beauty pageant. Annette’s advantage over the other 5-year-old girls is that she recently grew three feet (and two breasts). Her father Michael (Sam Pancake) is the driving force behind Annette’s pageant ambitions, which leaves time for her mother Ribina (Dee Freeman) to carry on her affair with Michael’s brother Ethan (Troy Conrad). Look for new episodes of Pretty: Season 2 every Monday.

The New Dumper Blog: & 4 Webseries With Bite

2010-10-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first edition of The Dumper Blog. Yes, if you're a follower, this will be very much like the old Big Bother BBlog -- a new category of webseries featured every month. The difference is that we've expanded from Big Bother news to encompass all of Dumper Entertainment's projects. We're extremely excited to announce that our newest webseries, Gym Shortz, launched this month on 10/10/10. This animated comedy educates viewers on what to do (& not to do) at the gym. It features the voices of Taryn Southern, Maxwell Glick, and Jim and Justin Marchert. Check it out at www.GymShortz.com.

Vampire Zombie Werewolf

Halloween is nearly upon us, so what better webseries category could we feature than vampire shows? Today marks the release of Vampire Zombie Werewolf, the latest webseries from Rob Padgett and the cast of Life From the Inside. In the first episode, webseries producer Padgett is seeking funding for his latest project (Aren't we all?). Hollywood power couple Tad and Bunny (Steven Lekowicz and Tanya Ihnen, also from LFTI) are happy to help him out. But there's something creepy about the pair. Are they vampires? Are they zombies? Are they werewolves? Padgett writes, directs and even composes Vampire Zombie Werewolf.

Vamped Out

It seems like everyone is getting cast as vampires these days. Everyone, that is, except the vampires. Undead Alowisus Hewson (Jason Antoon, recently in No Ordinary Family) is fed up with being a vampire who can’t get cast as a vampire. His agent, Billy Goldborg (Samm Levine from Freaks and Geeks) isn’t much help. Through documentarian Elliot Finke (Kevin Pollak from Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show) we soon learn that there’s a side of vampirism not meant for the “Twilight” crowd. Pollak also directs and produces along with Antoon, Amber J. Lawson from Babelgum and Mike Rotman from Stupid For Movies.

Suck and Moan

If you thought life as a Hollywood vampire was rough, our next selection adds another twist to the tale -- zombies. This month marked the release of the vampire/zombie hybrid, Suck and Moan. Just when vamps Banyan (Courtney Geigle) and Henry (Eric Hailey from Dwelling) thought modern life was tough enough, anchorwoman Valeena McQuarry (Deven Green from Betty Bowers) announces an outbreak of zombies. Craig Oullette DPs while WebTV horror make-up specialist Caryn Coblio brings the zombies to life (or death). Joel Bryant (From After Judgment) performs in and produces the webseries, along with writer / director Brendan Fong.

Vampirism Bites

Our final selection plays on many different vampiric myths: Dracula, Twilight, True Blood, Castlevania, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc. These pieces of undead lore add up to one conclusion -- Vampirism Bites. Writer/director James Fernandez begins the story with Belle (Natalie Baxter), a newly made vampire, and her BFF Kristy (Lindsey Black), a newly made vampire slayer. Other vampires and slayers include Jesse Dunsmore, Jacquie Floyd, Jason Cale, Ryan Falchek, Miranda Tully, Dan Hiebert and Adiva Wayne. If you’re still looking for more vampire tales, check out our Valemont blog post as well as last October’s Horror Blog. Happy Halloween!

The Final BBlog: A Super Sayonara

2010-09-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

All good things must come to an end, and with this post, so ends the Big Bother BBlog. We've covered the development of BB and featured over 50 other webseries. But have no fear! We’ll be returning with a new blog soon. Following the release of Big Bother: Season 2, there won’t be a lot of Big Bother news until we return next summer with the third and final season. BUT, Dumper Entertainment has multiple animated webseries in the works. We’ll bring you all of the latest news on them in the new monthly blog. We just haven’t decided what to call it yet J. On to this month’s WebTV category: Super Hero Shows.

The Greatest American Hero

Believe it or not, America’s favorite TV super hero of the ‘80s is back … on WebTV. Writer/producer Frank Zanca has reimagined the adventures of Ralph Hinkley (Allen Rueckert), the high school teacher who inherited a super suit, but not the instructions. This time around, Hinkley is joined by cheerleader sidekick Ashley Rizzo (Brittany Ross). Other cast members include Morgan Snyder, Duane Daniels and Don Stark (From That ‘70s Show). The Greatest American Hero can be viewed at Zanca’s video website StayTunedTV.net, which also hosts such webseries as The Darkness Descending, Safety Geeks: SVI, Murder Squad, Workshop and Big Bother.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog

Our next show is one of WebTV’s biggest success stories. Its super hero, Captain Hammer, is actually the antagonist to protagonist Dr. Horrible, the evil genius. Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother) has his wicked heart set on acceptance in the Evil League of Evil. But he encounters two obstacles: 1) His nemesis Captain Hammer (Nathan Filion from Castle) and 2) His love interest Penny (Felicia Day from The Guild). Joss Wedon (Creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) directs this family project, written by Maurissa Tancharoen and Joss, Zack and Jed Whedon, who also composed.

The Fury of Solace

Our next selection was inspired by Dr. Horrible. At ComiCon 2008, Joss Whedon announced a contest that would accept video submissions for the Evil League of Evil; the top picks would be included on the Dr. Horrible DVD. Thus, The Fury of Solace was born. In the musical pilot episode, we learn of the mysterious Fury of Solace (Creator Emmett Furey from Bumps in the Night), and the crime he once committed. We also learn of The Orphan (Played by Laurel Rankin), a blue-haired hero with a tragic past. Look for BB's Carly Jones in new episodes later this year.

Johnny Raikou

Our final show is a cross between super drama and super slapstick comedy. Johnny Raikou (Writer/director Jonathan Hance) is a hero for hire. With the aid of his friend, Friend (Portis Hershey), no case is too small. But their half efforts to engage in just enough heroics to pay the bills quickly spiral into a super adventure when they get involved with Jaden Adventure (Hana Mae Lee) and battle a human trafficking ring. Producer Amber Thomas mixes conventional comedy staples, like thought bubbles, with unconventional staples, like staples (you need to see it) to create a unique super show experience.

WebTV Wizardry: 4 Webseries of Fantasy Fun

2010-08-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

We’re proud to announce the completion of Big Bother: Season 2 with the release of Episode 20: The Fast and the Furry-ous. Cast, crew and fans were treated to the entire season, as well as other webseries episodes, on the big screen at the recent season finale party. We’re also pleased to reveal the Big Bother T-Shirt; order yours today at www.BigBotherShow.com. The third and final season won’t be released until the summer of 2011. But this fall, look for a brand new webseries from Dumper Entertainment (Watch website for updates). And now for this month’s webseries category – one of my favorites – fantasy.

Doraleous and Associates

In a world ruled by barbaric warlords, the oppressed, fearful masses now have someone to turn to – Doraleous and Associates (for a small fee). Legendary warrior Doraleous fights for justice with the aid of his not-so-legendary companions: Neebs the archer, Mirdon the wizard and Drak the dwarf. Available on EscapistMagazine.com, this animated fantasy comedy is currently releasing Season 2 episodes every Thursday (Like BB!). The tale of the band of bumbling brothers is written and voiced by Brent Triplett, Nate Panning, Bryan Mahoney, Jon Etheridge and Tony Schnur, collectively known as Hank and Jed Movie Pictures.

A Good Knight’s Quest

Also from Escapist Magazine.com comes our next selection, A Good Knight’s Quest. Video gamer Dorian (Craig Frank from Compulsions) has a geek’s dream-come-true when video Princess Adriana (Show creator Paula Rhodes) zaps out of the game and into his living room. But the dream becomes a nightmare when she’s followed by wicked vixens Raine (Cathy Baron from Valley Peaks) and Sandrine (Angie Cole from Sorority Forever), servants of the evil Galen (Douglas Sarine from Ask a Ninja). Dorian, Adriana and Gabriel (Charlie Bodin) must save the world by completing A Good Knight’s Quest, directed by The Crew’s Brett Register.

305

One of WebTV’s biggest success stories is 305. After their webseries, a parody of the film 300, received millions of views, creators David and Daniel Holechek produced a feature-length, DVD version (Available at Blockbuster and Netflix). You know the story of King Leonidas and the 300. But what you don’t know is the tale of five other Spartans who were hand-picked to remain behind and protect the goat gate. This mockumentary style webseries focuses on Claudius the boss (Tim Larson), Darryl, his incompetent assistant (David Schultz), Shazaam (Edward Portillo), Demetrius the Blind (Sunny Peabody) and the almost competent Testicleese (Brandon Tyra).

Spellfury

Our final fantasy selection strays from the comedy realm into pure fantasy with Canadian W.T.S. Entertainment’s Spellfury. In this mystical world, Druinia, the heroic and beautiful elf (Julie O’Halloran), finds herself in possession of a mysterious sword. Evil forces like the ghostly Straos (Darian Tibert) will stop at nothing to reclaim the powerful weapon. Druinia’s only companion is the thief Tarek (Matt Ficner), whose incompetence makes him more of a hindrance than an ally. Additional cast members include Rob Drebitt and Penu Chalykoff. Spellfury releases new episodes monthly on Koldcast and is written and directed by Travis Gordon.

Roommate Comedy: 4 Webseries About Raucous Roomies

2010-07-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Big Bother is back, with brand new episodes every Thursday through the end of August. We’re getting the word out -- I recently did a promotional event in which the latest episode was strapped to my back (See picture). Another BB promotional opportunity is the Big Bother t-shirt. We’re hoping to have them available next month, so contact Justin if you’re interested in getting one. On to this month’s WebTV category – roommate comedies. Some are “friends,” others are “odd couples,” but all of these characters make great web stories because of their roommates.

We Need Girlfriends

Shot on location in the apartments of New York, We Need Girlfriends follows the escapades of boy-next-door Tom (Partrick Cohen), neurotic Henry (Seth Kirschner) and over-confident Rod (Evan Bass) as they attempt to cope with their recent break-ups by finding -- you guessed it -- new girlfriends. The show gained instant YouTube fame for creators Angel Acevedo, Brian Amyot and Steven Tsapelas (Collectively known as Ragtag Productions). The group relocated from New York to Los Angeles after scoring a development deal with CBS. The Ragtaggers are now working on their next webseries, My Future Girlfriend (Watch for 2010 release).

Squatters

Our next webseries to watch centers around former roommates Hank (Director Brendan Bradley from The Legend of Neil) and Alex (Erik Scott Smith), who learn in the pilot episode that they’ve been evicted. After they make a vow to never pay rent again, their lives become an unending quest of finding a place to squat. Alex turns his office into his home, carefully avoiding annoying supervisor Sam (Sandeep Parikh from The Guild). Hank relies on the kindness of women -- like Julie (Co-producer Cooper Harris). This Toad Hop Entertainment production will soon return with the conclusion of season one on Daily Motion.

Robot, Ninja and Gay Guy

Our next set of roommates includes, believe it or not, a robot (Ryan Churchill), a ninja (composer Brian Giovanni) and a gay guy (show creator Travis Richey). The trio deals with the usual problems of 20-something roomies. Who owes rent money? Who ordered the pizza? Whose throwing stars are lodged in the flat screen? All three actors are students of the ACME Comedy Theater in Los Angeles. Helping out the robot, ninja and gay guy are director Rob Wood, head writer Eric Loya, co-creator Curtiss Frisle and guest star Nicholas Brendon from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Life From the Inside

Our final selection is the tale of Mason Evan Harris (show creator Robb Padgett), a once famous songwriter who no longer has a career and technically doesn’t have any roommates. But, his fear of leaving the apartment makes surrogate roomies out of his friends: slacker BFF Guy (Steven Lekowicz), nosy neighbor Ashleigh (Tanya Ihnen), building supervisor and love interest Jennifer (Corrie Myers) and power broker agent Kate (Kathy Harmening). Check out their website for sitcom-length episodes (a rare thing in WebTV) and lots of additional shorts. Padgett and KATR Pictures are currently producing their next web series, Vampire Zombie Werewolf.

Travel Time: 4 Webseries From The Road

2010-06-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Father’s Day! This picture of my Dad and I is a sneak peak of a future Big Bother episode (Though it’s quite a ways off). We’re on a brief Mid-Season 2 hiatus right now, but we'll be returning with new episodes in July. In June, the BB trailer was screened at the Stay Tuned TV awards. We didn’t win, but saw some great webseries. For this month’s BBlog, we’re kicking off vacation season with a tour of WebTV’s travel shows. We’re leaving scripted shows behind, for the first time, and traveling through Los Angeles, California, across the globe and beyond (You’ll see).

My Way or the Highway

You may be able to enjoy the first travel series with out even leaving your city. In My Way or the Highway, car enthusiast Joe Neuburger attempts to cross a different town every episode using only the highways. Green traveler Chad Rock attempts the same feat using only, you guessed it – public transportation. Producers Neuburger and Rock, along with producer Joe Stockman, are planning trips to New York, Seattle, Chicago and maybe even your town. Check out the first episode to see who will win – the green guy or the gas guzzler – as they take on their first challenge – Los Angeles.

Gettin Outta Town

When you’re ready to breach the L.A. city limits, you’re ready for Gettin Outta Town. "Daycations" are the travel topic for creator Venetia Pristavec, who co-hosts the show with Matthew Anderson. Join them for a day in Solvang, a Danish community where you can take a tandem bike ride and visit the Hans Christian Anderson Museum. Their Julian tour includes a gold hunt, a horseback ride and homemade apple pie. Or, accompany them to Santa Ynez for wine tasting, berry-picking and a mini-horse ranch. Associate Producers Michael Siegel and Corina Garcia help assure that every destination is a delight.

The Peregrine Dame

When you’re ready to go abroad, you just might be ready for The Peregrine Dame. Creator, producer and host Rachel Parsons is a one-woman travel documentarian. In Australia, she hikes Uluru (Ayers Rock), takes in a Sydney opera and camps in the Outback. In India, she explores the Gandhi Memorial and the Red Fort, but is also unafraid of visiting the not-so-scenic side of town. In Israel, she visits a Jerusalem bazaar, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western (Wailing) Wall (As well as the catacombs beneath it). Other destinations include Italy, California and a soon-to-be-taken African safari.

SOLO

If traveling around the globe isn’t enough for you, then you’re ready for the ultimate destination … Mars. OK, this last selection is a joke, as travel shows go. But it’s legit for web comedy. SOLO is the tale of Scott Drizhal (creator, writer and star Jonathan Nail), who is on his way to Mars as a reality TV show star. He leaves behind wife Becks (Michelle Boyd from The Guild) for the sole company of his ship’s computer, PHAL9000 (Jason Burns). Everything is going according to plan for the solo explorer … until his TV show is cancelled.

Women of WebTV: 4 Webseries From Female Filmmakers

2010-05-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Big Bother: Season 2 is in full swing -- six housemates down, nine to go. May marked the half-way point for our webseries. Fifteen of the thirty episodes are now online for your viewing enjoyment. Also this month, the BB trailer was nominated for a Stay Tuned TV award (Winners will be revealed in June) and we released the BB Cinco de Mayo special. May also brings us Mother's Day. To honor the feminine holiday, this edition of the BBlog features four female-created webseries. Though they aren't necessarily mothers, these ladies have each created their own babies in WebTV.

Life With Kat & McKa y

We begin with creator Sandra J. Payne’s romantic comedy about a struggling actor who falls in love with a successful young woman. When McKay (Paul Haitkin) proposes to Kat (Jenna Finley), it looks like they'll live happily ever after ... until we meet their families. Kat's power broker Dad (Jim Garrity) is less than thrilled with McKay’s chances of success. The only person less happy with the relationship is McKay's Mom (Belinda Dunn), who sees no use for a woman who can't cook. Payne wrote, directed and produced KoldCast's Life With Kat & McKay and also directs and produces The Web Files.

Private High Musical

Creator Taryn Southern (from Sorority Forever) wrote our next selection, Private High Musical (Think High School Musical with sex, drugs and talent). Southern plays Sandra Smith, the awkward new girl joining the class of Mr. Johnson (Dennis Haskins from Saved By The Bell). Her classmates include WebTV regulars Craig Frank and Angie Cole (Both from The Crew and A Good Knight’s Quest) as well as several faces from Southern’s upcoming project, Taken: Among the Stars, including Lauren C. Mayhew, Mark Hapka, Jeff D’Agostino, Brett A. Newton and Katy Stoll (Look for BB’s Justin Marchert in Taken as well J).

Damsels & Dragons

The 2010 Streamy Awards brought a night of surprises – some of them were even planned. You may recall the two beauties who opened the show by trying to kill each other. That was just a taste of the feminine fighting in Damsels & Dragons. Creators/producers April Wade and America Young, along with writer Eric Campbell, bring the RPG webseries to new heights with Live Action Role Playing. Every episode, the Game Master (Wade) leads the femme fatales into a fantasy adventure. The group includes a Cleric (Mirai Booth-Ong), Warrior (Kelly Lloyd), Wizard (Shaifali Ratti), Thief (May Zayan) and of course a Monster (Young).

Groupthink

Ever participate in a market research study? Did that study require you to rub yourself down with a product that caused scratching, scarring, bruising and mild constipation? If so, you may be a victim of Groupthink (I mean a “productitioner” of Groupthink). This office comedy is created, written, directed, produced by and stars Angela Espinosa and Wendy Rosoff (both from Goodnight Burbank). Market research partners Cynthia (Espinosa) and Pilar (Rosoff) are less concerned with their work and more concerned with where to get highlights afterward. The duo reprise their roles for The Temp Life: Season 4 episode, Cynthia and Pilar.

Streamy Winners: 4 Webseries That Took the Trophy

2010-04-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

At long last, we’re thrilled to announce the release of Big Bother: Season 2. The first episodes are already live at www.BigBotherShow.com. Look for a new one every Thursday this spring. If you’ve been watching, you know that blood is shed in the first five minutes. Season 2 will bring more violence, more love affairs, and of course, more laughs. In the afterglow of this month’s Streamy Awards (WebTV awards) this month’s BBlog is dedicated to a selection of Streamy Winners (See past BBlog posts for many winners and nominees who have already been covered (The Guild, Blue Movies, Valemont, GOLD, Compulsions, etc.).

The Bannen Way

The biggest winner of the night was SONY/Crackle’s The Bannen Way, which took awards for best drama, director, editing and male in a drama series. The film-like style of Bannen has been redefining what webseries are capable of offering since its release last year. Writers Mark Gantt and Jesse Warren (also the director) draw us into a slick underworld of fast cars and dangerous dealings. Neil Bannen (Gantt) is prepared to leave the criminal lifestyle … after one last job, of course. Rounding out the cast are veteran actors Vanessa Marcil, Michael Ironside, Robert Forster and Michael Lerner.

Between Two Ferns With Zack Galifianakis

Do you remember the worst public access show you ever saw? It was probably very close to Between Two Ferns. Don’t think this is a rip on creator and Streamy best comedic male actor winner Zack Galifianakis. The Hangover actor successfully portrays the worst local cable host ever. He knows exactly what questions his guests are tired of hearing … and then asks them. Some guests who have had the misery of joining him include Charlize Theron, Jimmy Kimmel and a very disgruntled Ben Stiller. Between Two Ferns is written by Galifianakis and Scott Aukerman, directed by Auckerman and Ruben Fleischer and won the Streamy for Best Comedy Series.

Odd Jobs

The Streamy award for best new webseries (A coveted category when the majority of webseries are new) went to OddJobNation's Odd Jobs. Creator/writer/director Jeremy Redleaf plays Nate Brooks, a recently fired New York yuppy. To make matters worse, his fiancee Cassie (Alex Daddario from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) is planning the wedding of the century. Enter roommate Joe (Devin Ratray from Surrogates) who introduces Neil to the lucrative world of -- you guessed it -- odd jobs. The show goes beyond entertainment by providing viewers with recession news, career advice and even job postings at OddJobNation.com.

Agents of Cracked

Possibly the biggest surprise of the evening went to Cracked.com's Agents of Cracked -- not surprising because Agents is undeserving, but because it was up against some of the oldest and most successful webseries out there -- The Legend of Neil, Dorm Life, Elevator, etc. Agents is a look at what life is like for the editors of a comedy website -- but in buddy cop show form. Agent Michael (Swain) is coping with the tragic loss of his (8th) partner when he's paired up with Agent Dan (O'Brien). Agents is Cracked.com's first original webseries and was created by Swain, O'Brien and Abe Epperson.

College Shows: 4 Webseries That Make the Grade

2010-03-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

Who has great hair, a winning personality, and is willing to take on any other project rather than complete the editing of Big Bother: Season 2? Justin Marchert – that’s who. For my latest project, I created a demo interview reel (with the help of Carly Jones, Jeff Williams and Max Glick) for my submission in the Red Carpet Host the Streamy Awards contest. Check it out and vote daily through April 2nd at http://www.gotcast.com/Marchert . BTW, the release of BB season 2 will be … soon (If we announce a timeline, the terrorists win). And now, the March Bblog category: College shows.

Dorm Life

Our college edition begins on the notorious dorm floor – 5 South. With the exception of writer Mark Stewart Iverson, Dorm Life’s creators are all regulars in the show: Chris W. Smith and Jordan Riggs play college students Mike and Daniel, Jim Brandon and Jack DeSena play party animals “Gopher” and Shane, and Brian Singleton and Jessie Gaskell take charge of the floor in a good cop/bad cop relationship as Marshall and Steph (Steph’s floor-bonding ideas include “Temporary Tattoo-sday”). Dorm Life is also up for an audience choice Streamy Award. Cast your vote here.

Sorority Forever

We move from college comedy to the darker side of campus in the WB's Sorority Forever. Directors Doug Cheney, Chris Hampel, Chris McCaleb and Ryan Wise (Collectively known as Big Fantastic) and executive producer McG bring us the exclusive sorority, Phi Chi Kappa. Here, freshman Julie (Jessica Rose from Lonelygirl15) tries to fit in with seemingly confident sorority girls like Taryn (Taryn Southern from Private High Musical), Naomi (Angie Cole from The Crew) and Rachel (Annemarie Pazmino from Compulsions). But with the help of the mysterious Joaquin (Joaquin Pastor), Julie soon learns that Phi Chi Kappa holds secrets she could never imagine.

Valemont

If the secrets and scandals of Phi Chi Kappa aren’t enough for you, then perhaps you’re seeking MTV’s gothic horror, Valemont. Creators Christian Taylor and Brent Friedman introduce us to Sophie Gracen (Kristen Hager), who enrolls at Valemont University in hopes of learning how her brother Eric (Eric Balfour from 24) was brutally killed. Things quickly get creepy when she sneaks into the fraternity house of horror. Sophie’s crazy new roommate, Poppy (Nikki Blonsky from Hairspray) turns out to be the sanest one on this campus of supernatural surprises. Valemont was nominated for six Streamy Awards, including best drama and best writing.

Sex Ed

We return to college comedy/drama with Koldcast’s Sex Ed. Professor Alison Trevase (Joanna Cassidy, whose extensive credits include Blade Runner) has decided to teach her students a thing or two about sex – without the textbook. Creator Ernie Vecchione and director Tamela D’Amico bring us a class of students whose sexual experience varies … greatly. Dean (Matt Barr) knows “a lot about lovin’ but little ‘bout love.” Kate (Andrea Lui) must learn to overcome her self-consciousness. Al (Andra Fuller) seems the most out of place, with no intention of having sex before marriage. Cassidy is nominated for a Streamy for best actor.

Vloggers: 4 Webseries From the Feminine POV

2010-02-09T21:10:00.000-08:00

Happy (Early) Valentine’s Day! The big news this month is Big Bother’s IMDb acceptance. Check it out at IMDb.com. Note: most of the cast and crew members aren't posted yet, but will be appearing in good time. Also, big thank-you's to all of the fans who submitted us for Streamy nominations in January. Keep your fingers crossed. For Valentine’s month, we originally intended to BBlog about “Romance Webseries.” But it turns out there just aren’t enough of them (yet). So we decided to cover the next best thing – lonely girls looking for love – the vlog shows.

Lonelygirl15

The granddaddy of all webseries, Lonelygirl15 launched in 2006 and acquired an immediate and loyal following. Lead character Bree (Jessica Rose from Sorority Forever) was believed to be a real teen vlogger. When the truth was revealed, fans were forgiving. The “reveal” also gave creators Mesh Flinders, Miles Beckett, Greg Goodfried and Amanda Goodfried the opportunity to shift the show into much more exciting directions. Bree turned out to possess a biological trait which put her on the run with characters like Daniel (Yousef Abu-Taleb), Jonas (Jackson Davis) and Spencer (Maxwell Glick). International “LG15 Spinoffs” include KateModern, N1ckola and the latest, Outbreak.

With the Angels

Our next selection is Strike.tv’s more down-to-earth vlog show, With the Angels. Taffy (Jamie Tisdale) has just moved from Arkansas to California with dreams of filmmaking. Creator Mary Feuer shows us that Taffy is not an instant match with the Hollywood lifestyle. She feels much safer with the camera between her and Venice residents like Andy (Rene Alvarado), Clay (Timothy Lee DePriest) and Miranda (Kay Ostrenko). Two of her new friends, Trey and Ashley, are Lonelygirl15 alums, Sean Vincent Biggins and Carly Jones. Listen to Jones as the voice of Kiki Bonjour this spring in Big Bother: Season 2.

Oz Girl

We head across the Pacific from California to Australia for our next selection, Oz Girl. Sadie (Sophie Tilson) has just moved from the countryside to the big city of Melbourne (Sound familiar?). There, she reunites with cousin and fashionista Megan (Shanrah Wakefield, who guest starred in The Guild). But their friendship is soon splintered by a love triangle with Aussie barrista George (Richard Askin). Creator/director Nicholas Carlton and writers Tilson and Lisa Bedwell prove that love, betrayal, ambition and other elements of the American soap story are just as prevalent in the land down under.

Abigail’s Teen Diary

And now for something completely different. Abigail Hoffman is our final vlogger girl. She discusses many of the same topics as the rest – love, sex, K-Fed. The difference is that this 13-year old web chick looks like a 40-year-old, overweight, bearded man. Hayden Black plays the digital debutante who is suffering from the fictitious “Bloomberg’s Disease,” which caused her to age approximately 25 years between the 7th and 8th grades. Abigail even has plans for a book, DVD and TV series. BBlog followers will recall Black’s many other webseries, including Goodnight Burbank, The Occulterers and the upcoming The Cabonauts.

Cosmic Comedy: 4 Webseries With Universal Appeal

2010-01-01T00:41:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! While 2009 saw the release of Big Bother, 2010 will bring (God willing) the completion of our webseries. Also in 2010, the second annual Streamy Awards will be held. These are the honors for the best in WebTV. Here’s how you can help: All categories select one nominee by viewers’ choice. So please go to Streamys.org and vote for Big Bother in any categories you like – Best Comedy, Best New Show, Best Ensemble Cast, etc. You can even vote for a specific cast/crew member. Learn more at BigBotherShow.com or The BB FB Page. And now, this month’s WebTV category – Cosmic Comedy.

The Crew

Deep beneath the important decks of the Starship Azarius, The Crew of the engine room is hard at work ... or something. Through a bureaucratic mix-up, the incompetent Captain Tom (Philip Bache) runs the show, much to the chagrin of experienced crewmen Tim (Show creator Brett Register) and Patrick (Craig Frank from Compulsions (Compulsions creator Bernie Su co-produces The Crew as well)). Other crewmembers include Mike Hart (The voice of Big Bother’s Boticelli) and Ariel Lazarus (from A Guy And His Beaver). The Crew had several WebTV guest stars in Season 2, including Jessica Rose (from Lonelygirl15), Robin Thorsen (from The Guild) and Taryn O’Neil from…

Hurtling Through Space At An Alarming Rate

The cast of our next selection are also Hurtling Through Space (At An Alarming Rate), but without a ship. HTSAAAR takes place in the apartment of Mike (Davies, show creator) and Stuart (Paap, from Live From The Future With Stuart Paap). For reasons not entirely clear, their apartment is on a cosmic journey, visiting such otherworldly realms as the Planet of Dirty Laundry. Also for reasons unknown, the boys can receive visits from neighbors Stephanie (Thorpe) and Taryn (O’Neil, both of whom are from Davies’ After Judgement). The season finale also gets a visit from Casey McKinnon (from Galacticast and A Comicbook Orange).

Zerks Log

We move from Babelgum.com (Where The Crew and HTSAAAR can be found) to Koldcast.tv for our next spacely selection, Zerks Log. “Three time fragments ago, Captain Zerks Ganymedewski (Ben Alpi from Star Trek: New Voyages), and his ship, the Venturi 553, disappeared without a trace. What happened to Zerks and his ship? No-one knew -- until the recent discovery of the Venturi’s log capsule” (From the Zerks Log website). Other crewmen include Abel Farnspet (Dave Condon), Lt. Suva (Sarah Babb) and Cilanjoe (Rob King). King is also a show creator, along with Steve Lettieri and Chris Conway.

The Cabonauts

The final selection, for the first time on the BBlog, is a webseries that hasn’t been released yet – Daily Motion’s The Cabonauts. But creator Hayden Black (from The Occulterers and Abigail’s Teen Diary) has a great track record, so we’re confident it will be a hit in 2010 (And who knows when we’ll feature space comedy again). Black and Norm Thoeming play galactic cabbies in a sci-fi musical Black calls “Hichhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Flight of the Conchords.” The cast is completed by Monica Young (from Black's Goodnight Burbank) and sci-fi legend Nichelle Nichols (From the original Star Trek).

December Drama: 4 Webseries That Put a Chill in the Air

2009-12-01T17:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! We’re excited to announce the release of our seasonal special, “I’m Dreaming of a Big Bother.” This musical romp features the BB cast playing Santa’s elves and dancing to hip-hop, country, disco and more. It also contains previews from BB’s upcoming weeks 3 and 4. Look for the return of new episodes in January. You also may have noticed the mini-redesign our website has undergone. We’re doing our part to be green. And now for our latest selection of webseries to see. We may not like it among our friends, but on the small screen, we love Drama!

Compulsions

Today marks the premiere of DailyMotion's new thriller, Compulsions. Creator Bernie Su draws us into a world where everyone has a secret. Justine (Janna Bossier) is the girl next door, except for her need to hunt -- people. This is handy for Mark (Craig Frank from The Crew), who has an insatiable need to hurt people. The compulsive trio is completed by Cassandra (Annemarie Pazmino from Sorority Forever), whose need remains a mystery. Director Nathan Atkinson and company were all on-hand for Monday night’s premiere event, complete with interviews by WebTV personalities Kristyn Burtt (The Web Files) and Cricket Lee (Fangirl's Guide).

After Judgement

Our next selections can all be viewed at KoldCast.tv, beginning with the post-apocalyptic drama, After Judgement, which garnered six Streamy nominations. Writer/director Michael Davies Jr. (from HTSAAAR) offers a grim picture of the future. The sun never sets, the oceans are poisonous and the world’s population is quickly dwindling. But one day, survivors Steven (Joel Bryant from Hillers), an ex-priest, Michelle (Taryn O’Neill, also from HTSAAAR), an ex?-prostitute and a cop (Jim McMahon) learn that things may be changing when they see a child for the first time in 100 years. Has humanity been forgiven?

The Darkness Descending

Deep beneath the streets of New York, a network of dark tunnels, hundreds of miles long, provide shelter for the homeless, escape routes for criminals and, possibly, answers for the rest of its inhabitants. In The Darkness Descending, some of these inhabitants, like ex-cop Jake Armstrong (webseries creator Frank Krueger), addict Skeeter (Michael Walton) and artist Harmony (Wylie Small), will soon learn there’s more to be afraid of here than the dark. “The Chosen,” a cult of sorts, have now laid claim to the tunnels. Director Mark Clebanoff and company have already begun developing the webseries into a feature film.

The Fall of Kaden

We travel from beneath the streets of New York to the mean streets of Chicago in our final dramatic selection – The Fall of Kaden. Loan shark Kaden (co-creator Adam Leiphart) has enough to deal with in his ne’er-do-well brother Danny (Joe Andaloro). Loose cannon Burke (Brian Troyan) has his own problems with unstable wife Nerissa (Diane Hren). But when Burke gambles away Kaden’s last $10,000, the fall truly begins. Director and co-creator Matt Doubler shot the series on location in Chicago. Wilson Cleveland (From the last Bblog post’s The Temp Life) associate produced (Perhaps during his 33-week vacation).

Office Humor: 4 Webseries You'll Be Discussing at the Water Cooler

2009-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

What’s this? A new “Big Bother Bblog” just two weeks since the previous one? There are so many new webseries popping up that we may start Bblogging a little more often. Tell us what you think by becoming a Bblog follower (Link above, or comment below), a Facebook fan, a Twitter follower, and or a YouTube subscriber. Before we get to the new webseries picks, check out the new poster artwork for Big Bother (right). Find a larger version in our Facebook Pictures. And now, what you’ve all been waiting for. Our latest WebTV category – Office Humor.

The Office: Subtle Sexuality

The mockumentary style of The Office (BBC & NBC) has influenced the look of many different webseries, like The Crew and MyJobESearchOnlinester.com. But Dunder Mifflin fans may not realize that the show branched into WebTV with its own webseries, The Office: The Accountants, and several follow-ups. The latest of which is the recent The Office: Subtle Sexuality. In this newest incarnation, Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling, who also directs) and Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper) take advantage of their co-workers’ absence and shoot a music video for their girl band, “Subtle Sexuality.” Kaling also writes and stars in Strike.tv’s, House Poor.

Blue Movies

Intern Tom began his first day of work in a very different type of office – a porn office. Blue Movies, created by Scott M. Brown, is the story of what goes on behind the scenes of some of our favorite films (Adult films). Though Tom (Beck Bennett) has always dreamed of working in Hollywood, Pornamount Pictures was the last thing he had in mind. But with a little coaxing from Pornamount execs Max (Jareb Dauplaise) and Anna (Sascha Alexander), Tom learns that there just may be some dignity in films like “The Porn Identity,” “Forrest Hump” and “Men in Black Men.”

The Temp Life

One of the longest-running shows on the web is The Temp Life. They’re about to launch their 4th season (Imagine 10th season in TV world) in which Nick “Trouble” Chiapetta (Writer and creator Wilson Cleveland) returns to work at the temp agency after his 33-week vacation. Employee Mark Sebastian (Mark Jude) informs “Trouble” that he has been demoted from CEO to temp. WebTV fans will recognize many faces in this office: Sandep Parikh from The Guild and The Legend of Neil, David Nett from Gold, Taryn Southern from Private High Musical and Sorority Forever, and Wendy Rosoff and Angela Espinosa from:

Goodnight Burbank

“Breaking news -- broken reporters.” Long before Hayden Black was summoning spirits in The Occulterers, he was spinning tales in an even more fantastical realm – broadcast news. Goodnight Burbank, a fictional local news program (and what goes on behind the scenes there) has garnered praise from USA Today, TV Guide, L.A. Times and a slew of other publications. Co-anchors Gordon Winston-Smythe (Black), Kelly Jones (Shulie Cowen), Susan Jones (Jamie Denbo) and the rest of the newsroom do their best to keep the public informed, even if they aren’t. Look for Black in the upcoming sci-fi comedy, The Cabonauts.

The Horrors!: 4 Webseries that bring Halloween to the small screen

2009-10-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

Big Bother is still on hiatus for a bit, so be sure to watch (and tell all of your friends to watch) the first 10 episodes if you haven't done so already. I can tell you that housemates will be "checking out" at a faster pace in upcoming episodes, be it by way of eviction or more dangerous challenges. But while you wait for the BB season to continue, check out our next selection of other great webseries. This month we feature horror webshows that set out to make you nervous, make you shiver and, some of them, even make you laugh.

Circle of Ei8ht

Today marks the official launch of Circle of Ei8ht, the new horror series from MySpace (and a list of other producing partners). Jessica (Austin Highsmith) has just moved into the Dante, a creepy apartment building whose residents include Ed (John Bishop), the superintendent who anticipates your EVERY need, Bale and Elaine (Josh Kelly and Katie Lowes), the expectant couple with TMI, and the always comforting stranger-with the camera, Randall (D.J. Qualls of "Hustle and Flow" fame). We first believe Jessica's only problem is neighbors with boundary issues. But by Episode 3, she'll learn what horrors lie in the Dante.

The Occulterers

Another long-awaited horror series releasing this week is Babelgum.com's The Occulterers -- a comedy of terrors. It features paranormal "experts" Jennica (Ellen Sandweiss of "Evil Dead"), Kevin ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"'s James C. Leary), Chelsea (Amy Kline) and Herve (Not that one) Villechez (Hayden Black). The foursome investigates the dark secrets of Count Vampire's Castle and receive help from audience members who tweet about ghostly activity in various rooms. Black, who also produces, directs, and composes for The Occulterers, is widely known in the WebTV world for his webseries: Goodnight Burbank, Abigail's Teen Diary and the upcoming The Cabonauts.

Bumps in the Night

Continuing with the comedy-horror genre, we come to Strike.TV's Bumps in the Night. Got ghosts? Hard water? Look no further! Pool cleaners Emmet (Furey), John (Reha) and Greg (Benevent) discover a haunted swimming pool on their first day of work. Though John remains skeptical, it's hard to disprove paranormal activity when Emmett is dragged into the pool by unseen forces and Greg has his own wet nightmare. Unfortunately, catching their haunting on film will be difficult with a camera man afraid of ghosts. Furey is also the creator and star of the "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog"-inspired webseries: Fury of Solace.

Penny Dreadfuls

Finally, we return to true tales of horror with Penny Dreadfuls, another Strike.TV offering. We almost expect to see Rod Serling lighting a cigarette and offering his two cents in this Twilight Zone-esque collection of short films. Penny Dreadfuls is written and shot beautifully. But that's where the beauty ends. These tales of neglect, abduction and apocolypse have one thing in common -- their lovers suffer a gruesome fate. Creator James Arnall paints a grim picture of what love can do to castmates Carolyn Hennesy, Donald Agnelli, Christopher Collard and Michele Boyd (from The Guild).

Dice vs. Mice: 4 Webseries That Turn Geek to Chic

2009-10-01T00:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Big Bother fans, we're continuing to feature other webseries we hope you'll enjoy with a different theme each month. Wondering what's with WoW? Don't know your charisma from your constitution? Are you baffled by dice with more than six sides? Then RPG webseries can help. From the traditional table-top games like "Dungeons and Dragons" to the high-tech, online versions like "World of Warcraft," role playing games have provided a fountain of source material for some of the internet's most popular webseries (Upon completion of this bblog, you will be awarded 400 experience points).

The Guild

If you know WebTV, then you know “The Guild.” This viral series attained legions of fans and even a sponsorship from Microsoft. You may have caught creator/star Felicia Day in the Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog sketch on last month's Emmy Awards (Look for "Dr. Horrible" in a future, musical-focused BBlog). The show centers around Day and her "guild" of online gamers, including Sandeep Parikh, whose other webseries, The Legend of Neil, was featured in last month's BBlog. Other cast members include Jeff Lewis, Robin Thorsen, Vincent Caso, Amy Okuda and new to this (third) season – “Star Trek: TNG”'s Wil Wheaton.

GOLD

The "World 'Goblins & Gold' Role Playing Game Championship" is only a few short weeks away. The perennial second-place American team has undergone an upheaval -- their longtime team leader, Jonathan Drake (Webseries creator David Nett), has suffered a tragic, gaming-related accident. Maverick player Richard Wright (Rick Robinson) takes the reigns and tries to wrestle his new team (Nathan Mobley, James Paul Xavier and Gary Karp) into shape before the competition. Writers Nett and Andrew Deutsch pull us into the world of table-top RPG. "GOLD" was recently featured in the 2009 New York Television Festival.

Project Lore

If you're a serious gamer and interested in play rather than the players, then "Project Lore" is for you. This unscripted webseries provides strategy tips and other vital information for "World of Warcraft" fans. Each episode, we watch Joshua Brentano play a Draenei Warrior, Zand Broumand play a Dwarf Hunter, Jeff Cannata play a Draenei Paladin and Brandon Sato play a Draenei Shaman. Several roles are also played by host/creator Alex Albrecht. Albrecht also co-hosts the podcast Diggnation and is a member of improv troupe Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em along with "Guild"'s Day, Lewis and Parikh (small world wide web).

Chaotic Good Online

Finally, we return to the table-top with newcomer "Chaotic Good Online." In this RPG webseries, the game of "Magic and Monsters" is ruthlessly played out by "Game Master" Bri (Amy Vorpahl), Grant as "Fortinall" (Matthew Buchholtz), Taylor as "Nefariel" (Barbara King), Anthony as "Ra'Assinmatta" (Jake Regal) and Kyle (Ian Gary). Vorpahl also cowrote the webseries along with Essiem Buchholtz. Jason Axinn directs this geeky realm where "emotions run high and dice roll higher." Episodes 1 & 2 are available now. Keep an eye out for a "rockin'" third episode this fall.

Release the Bother!

2009-09-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another "Big Bother Bblog." In the last six months of Bblogs, we've covered everything from begging the actors to show up to multiplying gorilla suits through the magic of Final Cut. The final phase in the process was the June 18th release of "Big Bother." We must have done something right, because everyone loves it! We're still looking for all the viewership we can get, so be sure to spread the word. Since there isn't a whole lot else to say about the release phase, I thought I'd use the rest of this Bblog to share some other great webseries with you:

B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye

Just when you thought you'd never see a lesbian detective web comedy, along comes "B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye." Creator Regan Latimer and Associate Producer Rochelle Dancel have already won the 2008 AfterEllen.com Web Series Contest. With an all Canadian cast and crew, featuring Lindy Zucker and Dana Puddicombe in the leading roles, "B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye" is a distinctly new and unique production bringing to life strong female characters with the right balance of action, comedy, and diversity (Source: "B.J. Fletcher" website).

The Legend of Neil

After a drunken game of "Legend of Zelda," Neil wakes up in the fantasy world of Hyrule. Here, he must battle Ganon's minions -- from Tektites to Dodongos. If he can vanquish these foes and avoid an oversexed fairy, he just may save the princess. "Neil" has just begun its second season. "The Guild" star Sandeep Parikh created the fantasy comedy, which is a co-production of EffinFunny.com, Atom.com and Comedy Central. "Big Bother" fans may recognize "Neil" star Tony Janning as the voice of Lou the Dog.

The IT Chicks

What do you get if you add Playmates to "Office Space"? "The IT Chicks" comes pretty close. Written by National Lampoon's Scott Rubin and Phil Haney, this new webseries follows Stephanie (Elspeth Keller) and Chloe (Jade Catta-Preta) as they take on the biggest computer challenges an office can offer. But the real problems in this workplace are the workers. The worst of the bunch is Barry, played by Kato Kaelin (Who interestingly is mentioned in an upcoming "Big Bother").

Engaged: the Show

“A fake reality show made by a real couple about a fake couple who have trouble facing reality on their way to the altar,” is how creator Matt Enlow, half of the aforementioned "real couple," describes his latest venture, "Engaged." Matt's previous WebTV offerings include "Mountain Man" and "MyJobESearchOnlinester.com." In addition to the webisodes, "Engaged" couple Chrissie (Christine Weatherup) and Keith (Ted DeVirgilis) offer supplemental video "Quick Tips," such as: Call the waiter a prick, so that everyone knows who's boss.

Don't Bother -- We'll Fix It In Post

2009-08-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

It's been another great month for "Big Bother." Fans got to see several new episodes this July, including "Big Bother: Family Edition," edited for all ages. We also recently switched from YouTube as our main webcasting site to Break.com, so let us know what you think of the new site. I have a small apology to make for the month of August. I'll be visiting family in England for the first two weeks, so "Big Bother" will be on a brief hiatus. Look for a the next new episode on August 20th.

Last month, I finished discussing the principal shooting of the web series. The next step in the process was (& continues to be) post-production. This turned out to be the longest phase of the (ongoing) project.

After we finished shooting, I thought I'd go to Shawn, our editor, with the footage and we'd start slapping together some scenes. Turns out there's a great big step that I wasn't aware of which needs to come first -- capturing. This is the process of transferring the recorded footage into digital files as well as labeling and filing them efficiently. As a first-time capturer working in programs and using methods I was unfamiliar with, this took me months.

Alas, between Thanksgiving '08 and Easter '09, I captured the entire project. Shawn and I were finally ready to cut a teaser -- a 30-second promo of the show. It took us eight hours. But we released it on April Fool's Day to rave reviews.

Next step was the trailer -- a 3-minute promo of the show. Composer Ben was hard at work coming up with some great stuff for the show, but it wasn't ready yet. So we added some of my favorite music by The Killers. We released the trailer in May, but got some immediate static from YouTube.

It seemed Universal Music Group caught wind of The Killers music and was not happy. I got an e-mail telling me they were deciding what to do about the situation. In the end, it was decided that the trailer could remain online, but it would have a link to The Killers music available for purchase on I-Tunes. Fantastic! It now looked, to the untrained eye, like we had some kind of cross-promotional deal set up with Universal Music Group. Works for me.

In June, we were finally ready to edit the web series itself. Though we shot a lot of great footage, we frequently found that we were missing a shot, an angle, a cut-away, whatever. This is where Shawn worked his magic and unceasingly found ways to execute the creative ideas we came up with to fill the gaps.

There were many video elements that ended up looking better than I could have imagined -- like the shrinking fairy, the gorilla filmmakers, and other visual effects in nearly every episode. What surprised me most about post-production (And it shouldn't have) is how long it takes. Each 3-minute episode amounted to over 20 hours of editing for Shawn and I.

Another major part of post-production were the voiceovers. Actors Nick, Perry, Mike T., Lavonne, Jen L., Mike H. (of web series "The Crew") David (of web series "Ghost Town") and Tony (of web series "The Legend of Neil") all lent their voices to bring the "fuzzy" characters to life.

As of this Bblog, we've edited and released the first six episodes. Just 24 more to go. :-)

Big Bother Goes Live!

2009-07-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a very exciting month, BB fans. "Big Bother" went live on June 18th, 2009, with our first episode, "The Start of Something Big." It's received rave reviews from everyone we know :-) . June 27th was our Premiere Party. No red carpets or Hilton debacles, just cast and friends enjoying the fruits of our labors -- the first five episodes of "Big Bother," most of which haven't aired yet. Now is of course the time when it's critical that we get all the viewers we can. So please be sure to tune in for a new episode every Thursday and encourage your friends to do the same.

Last month, I chronicled the crises of the first stretch of shooting. We next planned to shoot one brief "Farf Infader's Day Care" Scene at my Dad's house in New Lenox, IL. My Brother Jim was in costume as Farf and my nieces and nephews, MacKenzie, Jessica, Camden, Alexandria, Jimmy, Lochlan and Tyler were to play the daycare kids. Sadly, there was a video camera malfunction, so we had to create the scene with still shots.

I'm happy to report that things went much more smoothly after that. We had several more shoots in the Fall of 2008. The scenes with the largest cast were out of the way, so not spending my evenings begging people to fill costumes was nice. The weather was much cooler as well, as Southern California goes, so the cast appreciated that.

Several new actors joined us at this time. Jenna and Anne did several days as Citronella, Super Chick. Amanda, Austin, Becky, Cameron, Elwood, Ilana and Nick took turns in character costumes as well. I forgot to mention the earliest scene we shot in August '07 when friends Pete and Betsy helped us turn the Arizona landscape into our "Buttcrack Mountain" scene.

Some of the new locations we added were the "To Catch a Character" and hospital sets (Joelle and Nick's house), the Prince's castle and various bedrooms (Nate's house) and Poppy Place (My and Mike's house).

One of the final scenes we shot was that of Mermalade's family. Originally written for my Mom and Dad to play, my sister Jil filled in admirably. Her husband Dan played "Ironing Man" as well. The three were on their first trip to Los Angeles, and were willing to set their vacation aside to get the true Hollywood experience. It was a lot of fun to turn them into mermaids, though we had a lot of trouble with Dad's squid crown.

Lights, Camera, Bother!

2009-06-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

Alright BB fans, it’s the month you’ve been waiting for. “Big Bother” is scheduled for release on June 11, 2009. This means that we’ve got 10 days to complete editing, voiceovers, music, opening titles, reshoots and more. Good times. Please give us your best wishes, prayers, positive thoughts and tune in on June 11th.

Last month, I covered the pre-production process of BB. Next phase in the project was principal shooting. After spending the night before rewriting the shot list every time another actor dropped out and looking for new actors on Craigslist, I was ready to begin shooting at Colin’s house the morning of June 21, 2008.

The crew showed up, so that was good. Most of the actors I found on Craigslist who couldn’t wait to be in the series did not show up, so that was bad. The one Craigslist actor who did show was Taka. He and my college friend Jen were ready and willing to wear a whole lot of costumes that day, making them two of the most valuable members of the team.

The first day of shooting was the hottest day of the year. This would be a challenge on any set, but on a show in which over half of the characters wear heavy, fuzzy costumes, it was a near impossibility. But the cast persevered amazingly.

I’d been told a first-time director should do two things on the first day of shooting: 1) Get the first shot right in one take (To boost morale) and 2) Fire someone (To boost fear). Fortunately or unfortunately, I did neither of these things. The first shot required 17 characters and I had seven actors, so it would take a few tries. Since I was short on bodies and almost no-one was getting paid, I opted not to fire anyone.

Turning seven actors, including myself, into 17 characters was only possible because actors were able to put on different costumes/masks and have their lines supplied by our A.D. Michael Klug, who was fantastic at keeping the shoots moving along as well.

Though efficient, the drawback of having the actors tag in and out as different characters was that they rarely got a break. But everyone rolled with the punches with hardly so much as a complaint.

Another Day 1 snag was that the Dumbob costume (a parody of SpongeBob) was required for a kids’ party that day. That was the primary function for all the costumes, so I couldn’t really complain. We rewrote or postponed Dumbob’s scenes and moved on.

By the end of Day 1, our hair and make-up person quit. This would be unfortunate on any set, but particularly on one where actors are constantly coming out of fuzzy costumes with sweaty faces and disheveled hair. Since there would be no time to find a replacement before Day 2, actors would have to help each other out, which they did admirably.

Also by the end of Day 1, we shot 90% of what was on a very ambitious shot list. Kudos to all.
Days 2,3 & 4 of shooting (the next day and following weekend) brought a few new challenges. Days scheduled for a location change required anyone with a car to fill it with as many props and costumes as possible. We just hoped that no head would be left behind.

My and Mike’s apartment (the bedroom scenes) was small and offered little room for actors not on set to relax. John’s house (the pool house) had plenty of room. It’s a huge house built in the ‘60s that has hosted many a Hollywood gala. But its old-school charm and scenic gardens were tough on anyone with allergies.

Through a fantastic group effort, we made it through the first two weekends and the 1st half of the script (mostly). At this point, just to prepare you, the story takes a sad detour. Moments after we finished shooting the second weekend, I got a call from my Dad. Mom had suffered sudden and unexpected bleeding in the brain and was undergoing emergency surgery.

I flew to Chicago first thing in the morning to learn that the surgery did not provide the results they’d hoped for. I’m thankful that I, my siblings, and many other friends and family members were able to say good-bye to her there in the hospital in the few short days before she passed.

As I mentioned before, she and Dad are my biggest supporters and inspiration. They were looking forward to seeing the scene I’d written just for them, which would now be modified. The show must go on. And so, I dedicate “Big Bother” to Anne Marie Marchert, 1949 – 2008.

The Bothersome Process of Pre-Production

2009-05-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the Big Bother Bblog. My digital editing education continues. We're hoping for a June release of BB, but it will all depend on how editing goes. We will be releasing an (approximately) 3-minute trailer this month, so keep an eye out for that. You can also follow us on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, where in addition to BB news, you can receive my Web TV Pick of the Day Tweet, which features many other great web series.

Last month, I discussed the writing of BB. Next step in the process was what most filmmakers will tell you is the most important part -- pre-production. This entails doing everything you can to be prepared for the first day of shooting: casting, assembling a crew, SAG paperwork, planning sets, costumes, scouting eastern European locations, testing the mechanical shark, convincing the unions this adult film won't interest them, and props.

Casting began easily enough. The male roles were practically written for myself and three friends: the aforementioned Nate and Mike, as well as Ray, who would be playing Farf Infader, the only surviving character from "Heroes of Hollywood Boulevard."

The female roles presented a bit more of a problem -- but I could not have been happier with our final cast. The first choice for Mermalade was Ray's former live-in girlfriend (sound familiar?). As their split pointed to highly volatile working conditions, she graciously bowed out. Mermalade as well as the Ninkumbell character had a pool of uncertain actresses up for their roles. In the end, they were filled by the wonderful performances of Joelle and Jamie.

We held a read-through with the cast which went smashingly. But as each actor was reading six different roles, I realized I'd written more "fuzzy" characters (Achoo, Dumbob, Hooby, etc.) than I thought. So I began recruiting everyone I know in L.A. to play these roles.

The crew was the next element to line up. I spent many a lunch break in the middle schools I was subbing at begging cameramen and boom operators I found on Craigslist to work for well below scale. I needed someone intrigued enough by the concept to make the pay cut worth their while. Alas, I found Ty and Chris, who also had the equipment we were going to need.

As things fell into place, I became more and more aware that outside a couple of plays, I had no idea how to direct. So I enlisted the help of a Chicago friend who was currently assistant directing on "CSI: New York." With her as my AD, what could go wrong? Two weeks before we began shooting, she learned she'd need immediate foot surgery. C'est la vie. But as that door closed, a Klug came crashing in my window. Another Chicago friend, Michael Klug, had just arrived in L.A. with a suitcase, a dream (sound familiar?) and most importantly, no job in the immediate future. The AD position was filled.

With the addition of a composer, editor and make-up artist, the crew was set. Next were locations. BB is a parody of "Big Brother" (Did I mention that?). So to get our ultra-hip, MTV-style house, we planned to shoot the exterior of some house we had no business being near, then shoot the interiors in our (Mike's and my) apartment. There were two problems: 1) Our place is not air conditioned and the summer heat was going to kill anyone in a fuzzy costume. 2) Many scenes take place on the front porch, so we'd need to actually shoot it at an actual house.

So, I went to the only person in this city I knew who owned a house -- my cousin Colin. He and the family were extremely accommodating, even amused by the project. Their wonderful home (ultra-hip motif and all) would be the setting for the majority of the script. The host's house and pool were provided by the only person anyone knew who owned their own pool, our friend John in Sherman Oaks. The bedrooms would be shot at Mike's and my place, right back where we started.

As shooting day approached (June 21st, 2008) pre-production got hectic. Some of the most difficult elements were creating a fairy-size version of Ninkumbell (I ended up grafting an I Love Lucy head onto a Tinkerbell body), a bedroom containing three matching beds (two of them ended up being cardboard) and some other props that would be plot spoilers to mention.

Days before we began shooting, I started getting calls of regret from the many actors I cast as the fuzzy characters. The 17 performers I had lined up for day one were dwindling. This became the most stressful week of my life, trying to recreate the shot list every time another actor dropped out. Finishing up sets, costumes, props and my day job weren't helping matters. Delegate? What's that?

Also on Friday, while bringing a stack of costumes to Colin's house, I asked his wife Gretchen how to turn on the air conditioning. She kindly explained that you didn't need AC in breezy Santa Monica. Except perhaps on the summer solstice, the hottest day of the year. This would be tomorrow. Our first shoot day. When half the cast would be in huge fuzzy costumes.

By that night, the 17 performers needed for day one were down to eight. I contemplated postponing the entire shoot until we could reassemble the cast. But this would only hurt the morale of the cast and crew who were brave enough to accept this project. So I spent the night posting Craigslist ads offering money for actors to show up in the morning and rewriting the shot list by the hour. We were going to shoot Big Bother tomorrow or die trying.

Next Bblog: "Lights, Camera, Heatstroke!"

Should I Bother to Write a Script?

2009-04-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

Happy April Fool’s Day! We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate this foolish holiday than to release the “Big Bother” teaser. Check it out at www.BigBotherShow.com . What’s a teaser you ask? It’s a 30-second promo for a show that is usually released a year in advance. Not to worry, it will (hopefully) be no more than a few months before our web series officially launches.

In the last BBlog, I brought you up to speed on how the concept of “Big Bother” came to be. It turns out it’s a long way from concept to final product (Or even 1st day of shooting). Writing began innocently enough in August 2007. We’d shoot and release a 10-minute webisode. Then we’d repeat this simple process every month or so until the series was complete. Right?

As I mentioned, I’d recently come into a windfall of cartoon character costumes. Their previous custodian was moving to a studio apartment. This would have been fine for roommate Mike and me at any other point in our cohabitance. However, the one hundred plus costumes were dropped off at the same time Mike’s fiancée moved in. Suddenly every available square inch of our bachelor pad was filled with either fuzzy creature heads or necessities from the softer side of SEARS.

To justify the menagerie of costumes I was forcing everyone to live with, I vowed to use as many as possible in “Big Bother.” The vision of four or five characters sharing an apartment suddenly became 16 characters living together. It was soon evident that there was no way we’d reassemble this cast once a month for the next year. The bulk of the script would need to be shot over a few weeks.

So, the simple 10-page script I was hoping to delve into the world of directing with was now going to need to be a feature-length 100 pages. Somehow, it took me four months to write the first 10. In my defense, I had a lot going on at the time, with multiple jobs, trying to pursue acting and writing careers, etc. I also did some limited research of the reality TV show I was going to parody, “Big Brother.”

The only show event I directly satired in the script was taken from the beginning of Season 8 when one girl is mortified by her unflattering photo. I thought it would be great to have our Farf Infader character experience the same trauma. Over the next four months, I nearly completed the rest of the script. Go figure.

In March of 2008, I made an Easter visit to Chicago. I had a great idea to cast my Mom and Dad in a scene I had yet to write. Actors in their own right, I owe all I’ve learned about the stage to them. They’d play the parents of one of the housemates, Mermalade the mermaid. Despite being midway through her chemotherapy treatment, Mom was already pulling out possible costume pieces (She’d sewn hundreds over the years). We made plans to shoot their scene when I returned home that summer.

As I continued writing the final stretch of the script, Mike and our friend Nate (Both will also play roles in “BB”) helped me begin the pre-production process—finding props, creating set pieces, moving furniture, etc. During this process, Mike’s fiancée was less than thrilled with the space it required. It began looking like this apartment wouldn’t be big enough for both a female and a digital film production. As fate would have it, she and Mike had their final fight (amazingly unrelated to "BB"), called off the engagement, and we suddenly had room to shoot. Go figure.

Alas, by May of 2008 the script of “Big Bother” was complete – 140 pages. An easy task for a first-time writer/director/producer/performer. Right?

NEXT BBLOG: “LIGHTS! CAMERA! BOTHER!”