Van Hansis and Matthew McKelligon on the first day of shooting EastSiders after their successful Kickstarter campaign raised more than $10K above their original goal. Photo tweeted by series producer Kristyne Fetsic.
This Photo Made Me Smile
Category Archives: Web Series
Congratulations to EastSiders
Here’s a screenshot of the EastSiders Kickstarter page. They raised more than $10,000 more than their target. That’s excellent for them — and excellent for those of us who enjoy this type of entertainment. You know, authentic, not co-opted by the studios, thus, well, better.
I’m proud to have been a supporter of this venture. I can’t wait to see the result either.
I tracked and wrote about this Kickstarter campaign HERE. Read it, please. I think it’s an excellent model to use when thinking about funding in this manner.
In with The Outs
It’s no wonder, then, that the most accurate and essentially human portrayal of young gay men today can be found on the Net, not the networks. Since premiering in spring 2012, a web series called The Outs has taken the gay community by storm. It’s been praised by The Huffington Post, Out, Paper, and more for its heartfelt and realistic portrayals of a group of 20somethings as they struggle with life and love in the city.
via Adam Goldman, on The Outs – Page – Interview Magazine.
Good interview with Adam Goldman by Benjamin Lindsay in Interview, which, I suppose, is a bit redundant. I mean, you don’t expect bad interviews from a publication called Interview, now do you.
Anyhow, I’m not a Brooklyn hipster, I’m definitely not a 20-something, so I’m not sure I’m remotely in The Outs‘ demographic, but I really do LOVE this web series. It’s witty, it’s well-crafted, well-produced and well acted. Smart, sparkling dialogue that exudes a fantastic reality. Refreshing, really. What’s not to love. The exceptional eye candy as witnessed below (along with the adorable Tommy Heleringer, who deserves a shout-out) make it a treat to watch.
(l-r) Hunter Canning, Sasha Winters and Adam Goldman star in the exceptional Web series, The Outs. Photo: Interview/Unusually Fine Photography
Along with The Outs, I’ve been captivated by additional Web series, such as Husbands and recently L.A.-based Eastsiders, which I’ve written about here as well as on my Marketing blog. I’ve watched a lot of others, but these are the best of the lot — well at least in the “I’m hunting for high quality content with a gay bent” aisle that I’m shopping in. And that aisle is damn near bare in the network big box supermarkets.
(Aren’t you impressed that I segued so easily from Marketing into marketing? It’s okay, often I’m the only one who thinks I’m funny.)
NPH Bollywood Puppet Dream = Legen (wait for it) ‘Dairy?’
I don’t know about you, but I love NPH. Hardcore.
How to Say Thank You — A Saga and a Case Study in Doing It Right
Cross-posting this from my marketing blog so people who only follow this part of the blog can see it as well.
Okay, kiddos, I brought this up at work last week and a few people seemed to understand some of the words, so I thought I would repeat it in more augmented form here. So, here’s a few tips from the land of Savvy-Ass Marketing 101, inspired by watching the Kickstarter campaign of the web series EastSiders unfold.
‘EastSiders,’ Web Series Debuts Second Episode
‘EastSiders,’ Comic Web Series About Gay Life, Debuts Second Episode.
I’m not sure why it’s “comic” in the headline. I wouldn’t call it a comedy. Maybe a deep, dark, black comedy. What it is, really, is just plain good.
I’ve blogged about this before, but here’s episode #2 of a series you should be watching. (The link jumps to a story and video embed on HuffPo.)
Kit Williamson and Van Hansis star as Cal and Thom in the new web series “Eastsiders.”
EastSiders – New Web Series Worth Watching
Take a few minutes and watch this new web series from Kit Williamson. Interesting story. Terrific acting.
Look, I’ll be honest with you. I’d happily pay to watch Van Hansis read the damn telephone book. I think he’s a sensational talent — and I was delighted to see him in this. Like so many others, I first encountered him as Luke Snyder on As The World Turns. I watched him in a two-hander with the astonishing Elizabeth Hubbard and he matched her note for note. I just couldn’t believe it. I’d never seen anyone do that before. “Who IS this kid?” I asked. I think that was 2006 or 2007. I’ve been watching him ever since.
Watch this. You won’t regret it.
By the way, more information here.
I’m hoping that they start a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign. I understand they have three episodes in the can. I sure would like to see these performers do some more.
The Outs – Very In
I don’t know if you’re familiar with this web series, but if you haven’t seen it, I do urge you to give it a look.
Tommy Heleringer as Scruffy and Hunter Canning as Jack, two of the adorable stars of the web series The Outs.
The Outs is the brainchild of Adam Goldman who wrote the six-episode series with Sasha Winters. Both of them act in it as well. The show features nuanced acting, creative camera work, and something that you find too little of — especially in made-for-the-Web-stuff — excellent lighting. (I know, I know. That’s always the dead giveaway in theatre reviews — talk about the lighting instead of giving a bad review.)
But I’m telling ya, it’s lit great and it highlights these performers.
The writing is smart, edgy sometimes, gritty, unflinching, real. These characters speak as real people speak. So refreshing to see.
I love the web series Husbands, too, but for entirely different reasons. Husbands is the parfait of a sitcom I wish was on television in prime time. The Brooklyn-centric The Outs is the great indie project that only you and a few savvy friends have found and it makes you feel good for having some knowledge that the rest of the hoi polloi don’t deserve to care about.
Well, watch The Outs. And tell somebody smart to watch it. These talented folks deserve our support.
Why ‘Husbands’ Matters: An Exclusive Look at the Marriage Equality Sitcom’s Second Season | ThinkProgress
Excellent article by Alyssa Rosenberg. Read it.
This is an intriguing web series — and a cut above almost every other web-exclusive show. It helps that they are in Hollywood and they’ve got some connections because, let’s face it, how else do you get Jon Cryer and Joss Whedon to appear in your web series?
The first season is a series of approximately 2 minute eps. Longer, but fewer eps for the just being released season 2.
The writing is excellent. And the eye candy is first rate.
Watch it.
One Last Word 