Canadian Kudos: 4 Webseries North of the Border

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

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

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.