Web TV Series

How to make and market them

Dan Williams

• Publisher: Creative Essentials
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781842437865
• Topic: Medien & darstellende Kunst
• Subtopic: Film & Video

Today, people can watch television shows, feature films, live sporting events, and just about anything they want on their computers, tablets or phones. As the new media marketplace continues to grow, so does demand for original content and opportunites for filmmakers. Online distributors - such as YouTube, Hulu, and Funny or DIe - are interested in acquiring web series (episodic digital entertainment, like mini-TV shows) that attract audiences and appeal to advertiser. Web TV Series...How to Make and Market Them provides advice and expertise to help readers create their own original, successful online shows - projects that can be profitable, potentially developed into film or television properties, and help to start a career in the industry. Readers will learn how to develop characters and stories designed for new media platforms, and find tips for planning, shooting, and editing that are tailored specifically to web series production. This book also extensively covers the latest distribution platforms and social media marketing strategies, as well as examples of how to find financial sustainability through advertisers, branded content, and sponsorship partners. Web Series has all of the tools necessary for both aspiring and experienced filmmakers to make the most of this growing new medium.

1. INTRODUCTION TO WEB TV SERIES

When I started this book, I wanted to write something that presented all the options, scenarios, and possible routes one could take while developing their own web series. Simply put: I wanted to create the kind of resource I wish I’d had before making my own show.

As internet connections become faster, it is only getting easier to stream videos online. The vast majority of internet users watch video content, and the average amount viewed continues to increase as well.1 Production costs, meanwhile, are decreasing as high-end cameras and editing software become more available to consumers. Websites like YouTube allow users from all over the world to upload and share their own creations.

You have surely noticed these trends yourself. Odds are that you have watched plenty of content – perhaps you have even posted a few videos of your own. What is important to note is that, out of this new web-based production and distribution model, a new medium of entertainment has emerged. Somewhere along the path of making original online videos, content creators began crafting serialised programmes.

These creators posted new content on a consistent basis and built an audience of regular viewers. Successful web videos no longer relied solely on a one-shot upload ‘going viral’ to become a hit. Whether they were flash cartoons like Homestar Runner, fictionalised blogs like lonelygirl15, machinima animation2 like Red vs Blue, or sketches like the YouTube duo Smosh – a new trend developed in online video. Creators promised new material on a specific schedule and focused on building a community of fans around their videos’ brand.

The only thing more contested than the exact genesis of the medium is its name. Early adopters tended toward web television. But what is ‘television’ if it is not being watched on a TV? These new online programmes are broken into episodes and feel relatively like abbreviated versions of traditional television shows. However, many of them feature subject matter, use production techniques, and are uniquely structured in ways that differ greatly from their TV equivalents. Watching ‘web television’ is a very different viewing experience than simply watching a TV show on your computer.

Many have now taken to calling these serialised online videos web TV series or simply web series. The medium is one that took off in a hurry and has begun to capture the public’s attention – as well as the attention of advertisers and studios. Web series have given voices to those left out of traditional entertainment and provided new opportunities for independent artists.

A CASE STUDY (WITH BACON)

Montreal natives Harley Morenstein and Sterling Toth started by recording something they loved to do: eating greasy food. In October 2010, the pair teamed up with some friends to create a pizza made out of all the fast food they could gather – burgers, chicken nuggets, tacos, French fries, and onion rings. Then they ate it and posted the footage on YouTube.3

When the video’s view count soared past the 100,000 mark, Morenstein and Toth decided to produce more content. Their series, dubbed Epic Meal Time, releases new videos every Tuesday. With an over-the-top style and aggressive attitude toward food consumption, the duo lead the creation of ridiculously high-calorie feasts (which usually include layers upon layers of bacon).

In three months, the series accumulated over three million views. Currently, their total views are over 300 million. They built an audience of people who enjoyed their Jackass-like sensibilities and perhaps wanted to binge vicariously through the show. Their YouTube channel became the fastest to reach one million subscribers, completing the task in under nine months. Morenstein and Toth monetise their series through advertising on YouTube, merchandise sales on their website, and referral programs.

The creators of Epic Meal Time are now represented by the Gersh Agency and managed by Brillstein Entertainment Partners. They have been featured in Entertainment Weekly and were guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Morenstein and Toth recently closed a deal to develop their concept as a television pilot for the G4 network.4

A CASE STUDY (WITH UCB)

Upright Citizens Brigade alums Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer have produced two seasons of a sometimes-scripted, sometimes-improvised comedy called Broad City. In the show, Jacobson and Glazer play exaggerated versions of themselves – confused and insecure as they navigate life in New York.5 The series is every bit as awkward and funny as its lead actresses and reflects their distinct point of view (which the creators describe as empowering to women, without having a big message).6

Since early 2010, the duo has achieved cult status online. Their videos do not have nearly the amount of views as Epic Meal Time, but the series has been mentioned in Huffington Post, Time Out New York and the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon blog. Jacobson and Glazer have honed their style and sensibilities with the show, and push themselves creatively – for example, one episode paid homage to Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, including a choreographed dance routine.

The unique nature of Broad City caught the eye of UCB co-founder Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), who helped bring the series to FX. Poehler will executive produce a half-hour pilot that Jacobson and Glazer are writing for the network.7

WHY WEB SERIES?

So, why do filmmakers choose to make a web series in the first place? Or, more than that, why do some creators prefer the online medium over others? There are several elements that make producing web series projects different to, say, a short film or television show.

Worldwide distribution

Distributing a show online allows your project to easily reach audiences all over the world. Not long ago, the model for independent filmmakers relied on festivals and art house theatres to exhibit their work. Worldwide distribution was only possible if a larger company acquired the film.

Posting a video to YouTube or other hosting site immediately makes it available to viewers across the globe. There is virtually no limit to the potential reach of your project. Of course, self-distribution like this also puts the pressure of marketing on your shoulders as well. You have the resources, but also the responsibility of attracting the audience you want.

Engaging viewers

On the web, you have the opportunity to engage your viewers for feedback and support. Instantly after watching, your audience can leave comments about your project. They can communicate via Facebook or Twitter, and share their thoughts. As a filmmaker, this gives you the chance to solicit reactions to your series, figure out what worked and what did not, and hopefully grow as a writer, producer, director, or actor.

Fans can also chat with each other about their favourite shows. Social media gives you the ability to help cultivate a community of viewers around your show. You can speak to them directly, provide updates about your project, and give your audience a look at the creative process behind the show.

Serialised storytelling

Telling stories or establishing a format over several consecutive episodes allows web series creators the opportunity to continuously perfect their projects. For scripted series, serialised shows allow writers to expand their stories beyond a single short or feature film. Actors have the chance for more in-depth character exploration. Hosts of non-scripted formats can develop episode segments that maximise audience engagement.

Monetisation opportunities

New ad revenue sharing models, brand-sponsored content, and an investment by large studios in online-specific content have provided incentives for filmmakers to create web video content.8 The medium will continue to feature one-person video blogs and plenty of cat footage, but the space is increasingly becoming populated by talented professionals. Web series are a great place for experimentation and side projects; they are also how many filmmakers earn a living.

Independent producers can partner with established online networks or distribute themselves. Videos can feature ads or product placement. Web series creators can sell merchandise or ask for donations from fans. There are a number of creative ways for filmmakers to continue telling their stories and eventually make money doing what they love.

THERE ARE NO RULES

Creating a web series provides filmmakers with a tremendous amount of autonomy. You are your own boss, which means that you are in charge of every aspect of your art – from development to execution, distribution to marketing. Because of this, responsibility rests solely with you to make your show a success.

So, what makes a good web series? The two shows highlighted as case studies in this chapter seemingly could not be more different. From their subject matter to execution, each had their own methods of production. Yet each connected with an audience and helped their creators find new opportunities online.

Whether you are a writer, director or actor, producing a show by yourself or collaborating with others, this book will discuss all of the tasks that web series creators perform in order to make a successful show. The book draws upon personal experiences producing web series, making mistakes and learning along the way. It also draws upon knowledge from friends, colleagues and leaders in the new media industry.

Web series is an evolving, ever-changing medium. It is a young industry with few templates and even fewer rules. Working in the space can therefore be a trial by fire at times. Hopefully this book will provide insights and examples into all aspects of web series creation, and give you the tools necessary to reach your goals. You can read about, and learn from, the experiences of others. Then you will be able to make something uniquely your own.

INTERVIEW WITH JEAN MICHEL ALBERT

Jean Michel Albert is the founder and president of the Marseille Web Fest. For the first year of the festival in 2011, web series writers, producers, directors and actors from around the world were invited to exhibit their projects. Shows from countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Israel, India, Canada, the US and the UK were all represented. Attendees were able to meet with international exhibitors, transmedia developers and other experts in the industry. Jean Michel has watched the medium grow tremendously in recent years, and sees a world of opportunity for new web series creators.

What inspired you to create a festival exclusively for web series?

As a producer of web series, I egotistically thought, ‘If there is no one to critique the artistic quality of TV series or movies in movie theatres, who is going to pose the aesthetic question regarding web series? One can imagine all, or almost all, their economic models, their hope in the number of viewers they can reach, but who really worries about their content? Where is the critical discourse to cover the potential creative explosion of this new type of production?’

It therefore seemed imperative for me to create a European festival so as to have a clearer understanding of the hundreds of web series which are created every year. The only well-known festival is in Los Angeles. Therefore I flew to the US and came to LAWEBFEST, organised by Michael Ajakwe. This was a real shock for me. First the joy of meeting the founder of the festival, but especially the shock of meeting so much talent from around the world. I had no doubt as to what to do when I left. I came back to France and organised the Marseille Web Fest, which was a real success.

What surprised you about the quality and content of the projects submitted to the festival?

We watched 130 web series, and retained 22. It is evident that only the best on an artistic basis were retained. But, overall, I was surprised by the level of quality of all candidates. Whatever the country of origin, the majority of the web series were really very interesti...