Our ongoing series covering web-based productions in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres. If you have a recommendation for a web original that we should look at, contact us at mail@axiomsedge-scifi.com.

PASSENGER is a fantasy/supernatural web-series about an angel named Michael who roams the Earth in human form (across various time periods) acting as a “hit-man” of sorts for God. He is just a foot soldier taking orders, but he finds out that he is actually caught up in an apocalyptic final war between Heaven and Hell.  The series has five episodes completed (available for online viewing at the show’s website) with quite a few more in the pipeline that will hit the web in the coming months.  We recently caught up with series creator (and star) Al Galvez to discuss PASSENGER, web series, and the future of episodic genre productions.  Following is our interview:

AE: PASSENGER (it is spelled with all caps, right?) gives us an interesting fantasy/supernatural concept about a war in Heaven played out on Earth in the past, present, and future. Can you tell us about your inspiration for this story?

AG: My greatest motivator for creating this show has been the chance to explore many subjects I’ve always been fascinated by. I wanted to take everything from the study of dreams, mortality, spirituality, science, psychology, archeology, history, and quantum physics, and directly link them into more unorthodox concepts such as the supernatural, time travel and ufology, and imagine new possibilities. Also, there have always been intriguing themes unifying some of my own life experiences, which relate to some of the areas covered on PASSENGER. Creating the world of PASSENGER gives me the opportunity of figuring out what some of that means, and to have a lot of fun in the process! And yes..all caps on the show’s title..no real reason, I just like how it looks .

AE: The episodes we have seen so far have been quite enjoyable with first-rate production (and an excellent score which I believe you wrote). Can you tell us about the response you have received and have you tracked online viewership?

AG: Thank you. Necessity is truly the mother of invention, and producing a high quality sci-fi series on a symbolic budget creates exciting challenges, so I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.

The score of PASSENGER is another valuable story layer and helps to flesh out the mythology. Originally, I started out my professional career as a song writer and musician before going into acting, and released several full length albums with my band AKIAV through my record label [Ed: and you can download their music from Amazon.com at this link]. Eventually I created a publishing catalogue of hundreds of songs which are featured on the show, as well as specifically compose new material for other scenes.

We have gotten an incredible response from the general audience. People are enjoying that the show is a lot more about capturing ‘a day in the life’ of some of these supernatural characters versus the glamorous lives portrayed on some other shows, and how that grittiness lends more believability to both the escapist and intellectual experience. We have also received a lot of much appreciated support from the online sci-fi community, like you guys, thanks! We’ve had some amazing reviews, received a prestigious award, have been official selections at various festivals, gotten an amazing amount of growing viewerships and fans through our online channels and have the wonderful distribution of the series through our friends at KoldCast, who we met when we screened PASSENGER at the Independent Television Festival.

I’d be doing all sorts of crazy projects regardless, but the positive feedback and overall reception of the series has been amazing, and it’s really encouraging to know people appreciate what you’ve dedicated yourself to and are working so hard for.

AE: Apart from creative control, what are some of the advantages of creating a web series vs. working within established channels such as network television?

AG: I never set out to limit PASSENGER to one particular format. I’m producing a show that can be viewed online as well as on television, so we have been blessed to have already been approached for online distribution opportunities as well as met with some TV studios, networks, and considered certain offers, and I would never alienate any one particular distribution possibility. I’m always open to listen to anyone who is genuinely interested in PASSENGER, of its well being and existence.

The web provides a platform in which to develop, distribute and test the potential of ideas and to freely exercise creative control, something which is rarely given to an unknown by network television. But from a marketing and promotional perspective, major channels have a vast amount of resources to help a show be more visible. They are both valuable outlets, it all depends which one better serves your project at the time.

I think what’s great about the online movement is its similarity to what happened with music, the freedom to create and the ability to distribute has shifted. Hopefully more creators will stop feeling like they have to please many people to see their ideas through. And can re-claim their voice by exercising their craft.

AE: Among the web series we have viewed so far, yours is one of the best suited to make the jump to television as an ongoing series. Did you try to pitch this to any of the traditional television outlets, and if so, what were the responses you received?

AG: Taking PASSENGER to Television has been part of the plan and design of this series from a beginning. I think the quality of the show has consistently attracted positive industry response without me really having to peddle it, and I’m grateful for that, and some companies have expressed genuine interest on doing the show, which has been very flattering. But the offers thus far haven’t been balanced enough for it to be worth it for the project in the long run. I want PASSENGER to have the allowance of creative development, so that not only the fans benefit by there actually being a series, but this way I’m also protecting the investment of the network, producer, investor or whoever I’m partnering with.

I had a gentleman from a studio who invited me to meet and discuss PASSENGER, so I went on my passionate way of describing the show. And then he said, “Hey, that’s a great pitch!” and i couldn’t help telling him that it wasn’t a pitch, that I’m happy to talk about my work with the same passionate deliberation and excitement to anyone who wants to listen, because I really enjoy what I do. Anything formulaic runs the risk of being dead on arrival. I’m too busy doing, to be chasing. Burning useful energy on just pitching an idea, or writing a treatment which maybe will pass through many different desks before probably getting a ‘no,’ is wasted time. It seems that for some, the idea of working together is simply to buy you off. I’m looking for business partners to share a vision with. In the meantime, I rather invest my time into creating and evolving. Essentially, I strongly believe honest and unapologetic art eventually attracts good business.

AE: If PASSENGER did get picked up as a television series, what would you see as some of the disadvantages of moving to a broadcast network/cable production?

AG: It really shouldn’t be an us versus them thing. But making a move to TV too early on can be dangerous, even pilots with established stars fail more than succeed. So it’s partly about timing, creating a following and demand for the show by fans which builds leverage for your cause, and bringing something new to the table. I only plan to take PASSENGER to TV when its guaranteed that the season will run through out its entirety. Wether we partner with a larger company or by financing it ourselves internally, and then license the series out.

Going to TV doesn’t mean we’d abandon the quality and care that goes into PASSENGER independently, or stop creating episodes of PASSENGER for the web. If anything, a TV deal would improve our overall production because it would increase our budget exponentially, allowing for very few creative limitations. It would also speed up the pace in which we produce, post and air new episodes, combined with the online channel for the show where viewers can get their fix by watching exclusive new material between the airing of each episode.

The cross-promotional aspect of those two formats is essential for the success of a show these days. I’d love to have more financial resources in order to execute many of the plans I have for PASSENGER, like playing with a lot of really cool interactive online games, view animation episodes, post a PASSENGER comic book series, music videos, interviews, and behind the scenes footage that fans will be able to enjoy.

AE: You mention on your website that you have an aggressive marketing campaign planned for PASSENGER. Is that bringing attention to your web series and is that part of you strategy to eventually get the show on television?

AG: Doing it for the right reasons, and word of mouth will always be king. That being said, PASSENGER was created to be adaptable to this new age of the entertainment business, and our online presence has been an incredible marketing and promotional tool for us. Also, I was lucky to be a principal actor in many commercials, so I was able to observe and learn a lot about the balance of creative & business. And there are certain products which typically invest much more into advertisement, and are everyday lifestyle necessities, so we targeted those product groups by weeving them in organically as necessities for the characters in the storyline of PASSENGER. Rather than shoving obvious Ads down people’s throats and ruining a scene, we are more on the soft product integration side, rather than the greedy short run.

In the long run, being respectful and not patronizing your audience, is important for the success of both art and commerce. And placing products justifiably, builds brand trust and awareness in a cool and seamless way, earning people’s loyalty rather than scaring them away. The fact that PASSENGER was structured to be ‘brand’ friendly has definitely been a key asset in acquiring the interest we are receiving.

Independently through my production company Space Cadette Entertainment, we are almost half way into production of the first TV format season. We currently have 3 completed hour episodes (or Chapters, which are broken into webisodes online) and three more in pre-production. And have already been discussing the show’s possibilities for TV over seas as well as here with producer reps and sales people. Basically if the sponsors like the show, they buy into a time slot on a channel and Pam! PASSENGER is on TV. So it’s not really a question of if it will be on TV, but when and where.

AE: What sort of budget did you put the series together on?

AG: That’s always a little difficult to answer, mainly because I’m shooting on the Red and film. We are also a union production, we do permits, insurance and all that..so there are a few heavy costs we can’t avoid. But I have an amazing team which truly believes in the show and work lovingly for long and cheap. We are also able to get some of the best gear and services at incredible rates around town because of my work history and friendship with a lot of professionals. So the actual production money value is ten times more than what we have to actually spend out of pocket. It’s a constant process of thinking outside the box to come up with inventive and creative solutions in order to overcome obstacles. And we are maintaining the quality of PASSENGER at the competitive production level of major shows, which was the goal. We are just doing it with a fraction of what they typically spend, but it comes comes at the cost of exhaustive sacrifices.

A huge part of the success of this show is shared by the fact that the majority of the main actors on PASSENGER are like me, co-executive producing and acting. Meaning that they are also investing financially on the project for points on the back end. Those friends and phenomenal actors are my heroes, they believe in their talent and believe enough in me to take part in my crazy world, and I wouldn’t be able to produce this show without them.

AE: I noticed that you are soliciting sponsorship through product placement. Have you had any success with that and do you believe that revenue from sources like that could keep a web series like PASSENGER in production in its current format over the long term?

AG: Like product placement or sponsorship, ad sharing and partnering with online channels who already have commercial clients they work with, is another way to make money and even finance your web series. In the case of PASSENGER, our budget is somewhat bigger than most web series, since we are also producing it for television. Nonetheless, getting paid by hits can add up to be a substantial means for funding, and in the long term be a viable resource to sustain a good shows solely online.

AE: Web series have continued to grow and now offer a good alternative to the bland genre shows the broadcast networks and cable channels continue to throw at us. Do you believe that independent productions like yours can remain a viable force and can they maintain themselves financially for multiple seasons in their current format?

AG: I really believe the general public’s ability to be engaged in more intelligent and challenging programing has been highly underestimated by a large part of the entertainment industry. A lot of programing has fallen into a degeneration of original ideas, by thinking they are playing it safe and feeding filler to viewers. But like what happened in the music business, the online video revolution born out of a creative need for change, holds both its positive and negative aspects. And it will take some time before it can structure itself in order for anyone to be able to really track and link big profits directly from online sources. I’m not sure we’ll be able to solely depend on online income in order to sustain the budget we presently need for PASSENGER, any time soon. But I’m gonna keep going with the show one way or another, it’s too rewarding for me on so many levels, not to.

AE: What do you see as the most effective means for web series like PASSENGER to become financially viable, multi-season productions in their current format? (i.e., Ad revenue from online viewing, sponsorship/product placement, sales of tie-in products, DVD sales, etc.)

AG: All those different avenues are very beneficial. They provide independent productions with a fighting chance, and hold the potential to be extremely profitable resources one day. But in the end, where there is a will, there is certainly a way. It just requires some sacrifice and determination to achieve what you imagine.

AE: You currently have quite a number of episodes in post-production. Is your plan still to roll out a new episode on a weekly or semi-weekly basis, and how many total do you have planned for the current season?

AG: Yesss!! I promise we will be posting new episodes of PASSENGER much more frequently. Starting with a brand new episode of PASSENGER on Friday May 27, on all our online channels, and followed by episode 6, two weeks after that. I can’t wait for the fans to see ‘em! We have a total of about twenty new episodes currently in post production for the next two online seasons of the show.

AE: Any other comments about PASSENGER or web productions in general you would like to share in parting?

AG: Yeah, you don’t have to have a lot of money or experience, to experiment and explore your ideas and share them with the world. Just the willingness to dream out loud.

Watch PASSENGER Online at the Show’s Website

SciFinal.com – Offering a comprehensive directory of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Web Series with over 200 listings.
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I Am Tim is a mockumentary web series following Tim Helsing who is the last remaining descendant of Abraham Van Helsing, the guy who offed the original Dracula in Bram Stoker’s novel and has since shown up in any of a number of horror stories, comics, movies, etc. However Tim does not quite match up to the heroic legacy of his ancestor, as we see all too well in the six-part first season of this offbeat web production that offers plenty of fun (and plenty of gore). We recently caught up with Jamie Simcox, creator of the series, and talked with him about I Am Tim and the world of web series in general. Following is our interview:

AE: I Am Tim definitely seems to draw heavily from horror/gore movies of the past to the present. Can you tell us specifically what was the inspiration for this series?

JS: It’s an evolution of an old project. I wrote a pilot for a TV series called Zombie Force back in the early 2000s, long before broadband internet and webseries. It was a fake documentary following a ragtag team of council employees responsible for culling the residual zombie population that plagued a small seaside town after a huge outbreak. We filmed a 30 minute pilot in one day, shot on a JVC handicam. It was terrible, obviously… but had some great characters and ideas. Fastforward a decade, and the city of York is brimming over the edges with webseries. They’re such great outlets for creativity, so it was inevitable that so many would spring into life. The most excellent series Zomblogalypse [Ed: see Johnny Jay's review of that one at this link] was well into the second series by then, and I didn’t see how a second zombie webseries based in York would draw anything other than comparison. So the idea was revamped (vamped! Ha.) and it became the show it is now. Obvious influences come from pretty much every geeky film or series you can think of. It’s essentially one massive reference…

AE: We have really enjoyed I Am Tim and have given it a strong recommendation to our readers. Can you tell us what response you have received so far and have you tracked online viewership?

JS: The Internet is such a massive, massive place. There are millions of webseries out there, and the truth is not all of them get the attention they deserve. I’m not just talking about our series here, I watch a lot of these things. Some are awful, some are wonderful. The Legend of Neil is my favourite. It’s just perfect, and deserves all the success that came it’s way. We have a core bunch of fans who eagerly await each episode, join in with discussions on the Facebook page and make use of the #IAMTIM hash tag on Twitter. In terms of our views, not many… although I recently recut the first series and uploaded them all over again, erasing the previous viewcount. You become obsessed with the amount of views the series gets on YouTube… a singing baby can go viral and get 25,000,000 views in a day, but some of our episodes have yet to crack the 1000 view mark. Maybe I should write a singing baby into a future episode…

AE: Did you try to pitch this series to any of the traditional television outlets or to movie studios, and if so, what were the responses you received?

JS: Not this series, no. I am currently working on a pilot script for a UK TV channel, but I Am Tim will remain firmly online. RedShirt Films only formed thirteen months ago, so really Tim is used as a very active learning tool for us. We have ideas for short films, even a feature, but those projects are a long way off. I recently got some feedback on the series from someone who works with Channel 4, and they really liked the series, comparing it to Spaced… which for me is probably the highest praise anyone could give the series.

AE: What sort of budget did you put the series together on?

JS: Very, very little. When I met with some TV people recently, they were stunned at how little we had to spend. Series one, which is made up of six episodes cost us around £400, excluding actors travel and accommodation. We shot like naughty guerrillas… asking forgiveness rather than permission on many occasions. The location for episode 1.6 was the hospital ITV drama The Royal was shot in. I have no idea how we pulled that one off. Simon, the man behind the effects, works miracles with nothing. Props are made out of things people chuck in the bin, and every single time he unveils his latest creation our jaws hit the floor. God knows what he’ll produce when we actually fund him.

AE: For Season 2, were you able to raise additional money for the production or are you proceeding the same as Season 1?

JS: We received donations from fans which allowed us to film the first four episodes of series two, but after that we were at zero budget again. I launched an IndieGoGo campaign, but it’s slow going. We shot episode five last week on nothing… but luckily that episode used every single prop that Simon has ever made, so very little new things were needed. Episodes six, seven and eight however need funding. We’ve had to halt production until we reach funding targets per episode.

AE: Have you been able to recover any of the production costs for I Am Tim either through ad revenue or tie-in products?

JS: We sell the t-shirts that the RedShirts wear in series two, have badges, fridge magnets. People buy them now and again, and all the money goes directly back into the series.

AE: Web series have continued to grow and now offer a good alternative to the bland television output for episodic genre shows (referring specifically to programming in the U.S.). Do you believe that independent productions like yours can remain a viable force and can they maintain themselves financially for multiple seasons in their current format?

JS: It depends entirely on the series you make. For instance, our second webseries is currently hovering in pre-production limbo. It’s a rom-com set around a table top Dungeons and Dragons game, and never leaves the house. That could run forever if we wanted it to, as we don’t need to pop anyones head or blow up a fridge… As long as the actors are game, the series lives on. The trouble with Tim is that as the story evolves and mutates, we need bigger and bigger things. In series one we blew up some monsters, craved a vampire up with a chainsaw, hit a monster with a van… in series two we’ve had to up the game, and that costs money. We have three series planned, with six, eight and six episodes to tell the full story.

Obviously major networks have noticed the quality and accessibility of the webseries. Look at the current flood of massively budgeted webseries that are popping up. Those are all well and good, but I worry that it narrows the opportunity for an independent series to break through. People look at a webseries that has faces well known in sci-fi and fantasy, that have the budget of a full TV series, and wonder why we’re still using gaffer tape and rubber hoses to fire a blood squib.

AE: Any thoughts on the best way for shows like I Am Tim to become financially viable, multi-season productions in their current format? (i.e., Ad revenue from online viewing, sponsorship/product placement, sales of tie-in products, DVD sales, etc.)

JS: Honestly, no idea. Webseries currently exist in a bizarre limbo. A lot of a people don’t get why we would spend our time on them, and there’s little out there in terms of funding. If you want to make a webseries, you need to be prepared to put the work in to raise the funds, or be extremely lucky. I see a lot of people trying to raise money for webseries before they even start work on them. Get stuck in, make an episode, then ask people to give you money. It’s so wildly different to funding a short film or even feature. I’m sure pretty soon it will become a more recognised format, but if you set out making a webseries to get rich, famous or both… walk away now.

AE: Are you planning a DVD release for Season 1?

JS: Yeah, we’re working on it. As I said earlier, I’m recutting the first series… and once that’s done the DVD will appear. We’ll do a run of fifty to start, probably sell about ten and the rest will sit under my desk. But to those ten people that buy them, we’ll be eternally grateful!

AE: Since you are in England, can you comment on the state of science fiction and fantasy television there? Based on what we see coming through on BBC America, it seems like you have some pretty good shows to watch.

JS: We’re currently blessed with some incredible series. Sherlock, Doctor Who, Being Human… the list grows and grows. TV channels over here are hungry for the next Doctor Who. The attempts to fill the void left between series haven’t done so great though. BBC3 produces some excellent new shows, and currently KUDOS (the guys behind Life on Mars) are shooting Eternal Law in the same city we shoot Tim. Their budget is ever so slightly higher though…

AE: Any other comments about I Am Tim, web series, genre television or life in general you would like to share in parting?

JS: We want more and more people to find the series, and then tell their friends about it. Oh, and donate to our IndieGoGo campaign if you like what we do…

You can watch the first season of I Am Tim at the show’s website

Read Johnny Jay’s Review of I Am Tim at this Link

SciFinal.com – Offering a comprehensive directory of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Web Series with over 200 listings.
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Our ongoing series covering web-based productions in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres. If you have a recommendation for a web original that we should look at, contact us at mail@axiomsedge-scifi.com.

Cell: The Web Series is a Science Fiction / Conspiracy internet production created, written, and directed by Mark Gardner that consists of thirteen episodes (for its first season). It has similarities to The Prisoner and Lost (because of its complex, multi-layered storylines) along with excellent production values and we highly recommend this series.  It should interest Science Fiction and Fantasy fans looking for good, challenging, and engaging entertainment (you can read Johnny Jay’s review of the series at this link and you can watch the show at this link). We recently caught up with Mark Gardner to discuss Cell, independent productions, episodic sci fi and other topics (and we thank him for his time and in depth answers). Following is our interview with him:

AE: First of all, we wanted to say that we love Cell: The Web Series and would probably rank it as the top production we have reviewed in our Internet Connection column, neck and neck with Pioneer One. Your series appears to have some Kafka-esque elements and also hearkens back to The Prisoner at times. It also has similarities to Lost in the multiple mysteries implicit the the storylines along with the complex, layered writing. Did these act as influences on you when creating this series or did you draw on other inspirations?

MG: First of all, thanks SO much for the compliment on the show. I always said that if I could at least make a show that people liked then I would consider it a success. Pioneer One is a great show so to be up there with them is flattering to say the least.

I think you nailed it on the head as far as influences go. I love TV. I love it more than movies. I say that because to me TV gives you the ability to really delve into characters and deeper mythologies. In a movie, you have 2 hours. In TV you can have 10-17 hours of story development and character growth in one season. Take a successful multiseason show and you have the potential for a real connection with your audience and real complex stories. Show’s like Lost, Fringe, Buffy, Farscape, Babylon 5… I love how they really take the time and create these huge worlds and then let the viewers play in it with them. I’m hoping that I can capture part of that feel in all of the things I work on.

AE: You have some professional experience. Can you tell us a little bit about that and also if any of the other participants in this production had any professional experience?

MG: Professional experience? Me? Nah. I never studied screenwriting or film production. Everything I’ve done has been from reading, writing, joining groups, asking questions, and just plain ‘ole doing it myself. A few years back I realized the career I was in was never going to let me even try to pursue what I want in a career. So after watching a sneak preview of what’s now my favorite movie ever, I walked in to my work the next day and resigned. Terrifying but liberating. I kept working and a local production company liked a writing sample I sent in. They took me on to help develop a one-hour drama that they were going to produce. So I spent several months with 2 other writers on the staff developing the bible and writing out treatments and scripts. (Keep in mind this was all a pay upon pick-up deal. So no cash changing hands there.) The scripts were looking good and we were ready to cast for table reads and gearing up to shoot a pilot. Anyway, the production company changed their mind and decided not to do it. They kept all the IP for the show and me and the others didn’t really have anything to show for it. That’s when I decided I was sick of writing stuff that was never going to be seen. So instead of waiting to ask for permission, I decided to figure out how to make the web work. That was around the time Felicia Day was starting up The Guild so I followed her success very closely.
Most of the crew on the shoot volunteered to work and just about all of them have had some level of experience in the film industry. Our DP was nominated for a Student Academy Award so she’s definitely skilled. I think if you look at the overall production we were just about as indie as indie can get. Lots of experience on set, but no one that was really from established old media.

AE: Did you try to pitch Cell as a television series or a feature film, and if so, what response did you receive?

MG: I didn’t but maybe I should have. At the Austin Film Festival a few years back I was fortunate enough to meet an Exec from Starz right as they were getting ready to invest in more original productions. He talked a lot about Spartacus so it was really exciting. I ended up sending him a pitch for another concept I had been working on that was already written as a TV show, whereas Cell had been written for the web from day one. I never heard back from Starz about my pitch. Of course now I wonder if they would’ve liked Cell. Hmmm.

AE: What sort of budget was this series put together on and how long did it take to produce?

MG: The budget was my savings account. We had some minor/major emergencies come up just before we were set to shoot so unfortunately that threw us over budget. That happens when you’re 2 days before rolling and your set is still pieces of wood lying all over the floor. Even with that it was still a small budget. So after I wrote the scripts and decided I was definitely shooting, we probably spent 6 weeks in preproduction. Then we spent 2 weeks straight on set shooting. We did a reshoot of Episode 13 that we did in a weekend in order to get Beth Chamberlin involved in the show. We really pushed post and more often than not we got an episode a week. But all in all we streamed our finale in August of 2010 and our first episode streamed February 3, 2010.

AE: You are using Koldcast to host the series, I believe. Are you making enough from the add revenue to sustain production of the series for more seasons? Do you have other means of generating revenue for the series?

MG: Short answer: no. Ad revenues are no where near where they need to be to support any more production of Cell. I’ve got some merchandise for sale but that hasn’t brought in enough. There are some rumblings of some potential things in the background that may help fix that problem but nothing that’s certain.

AE: The network and cable channels seem to have lost their way as far as Science Fiction and Fantasy series turning out ersatz Lost wannabes like FlashForward, V, and The Event or “sci fi lite” shows like No Ordinary Family, Being Human, and Warehouse 13. But productions like Cell prove that strong creative energy is still out there focused on producing inventive, episodic sci fi. Do you believe that web series can remain a viable force, that is, can they maintain themselves financially for multiple seasons in their current format?

MG: Big question with a lot of tentacles. I feel very strongly that web series can remain a viable force. The emphasis is on “CAN.”

There’s a lot going on that addresses that. First off, ad revenues have not been where they need to be to support scripted shows like Cell. It’s easier with smaller, quicker productions to pull a positive return financially. So far, however, ad revenue hasn’t been able to do it for “bigger” productions. I think that’s changing. Advertisers are slowly starting to see the light about the market and the benefits that web content can bring in regards to targeted ads and addressing an engaged audience. CPMs also seem to be going up as more companies enter the web space with their advertising. If ad revenues continue to increase, the we can stay alive longer.

Now when you add in merchandising and crowdfunding, I think the outlook gets a little brighter. Look at the success of Vampire Mob or Anyone But Me. Those are totally indie productions that have been able to get their base moving to buy merchandise and donate money to get things made.

One of the best things about working with genre and sci-fi stories is that the fanbase is hugely supportive. If you tell a good story, they’ll buy the merchandise. They’ll donate a few dollars. More importantly, they’ll tell their friends. All of that is key for purely independent productions to be successful.

The flip side is that more companies are looking to create original web content. Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and others are all investing in new original content for the web. How much of that will be comedy and feature “established” actors putting in time on the web? Who knows. But you just have to look as far as Asylum being picked up by BET to know that they’re still looking for edgy independent content. Those of us making it now just happen to be first on the scene. And let’s not forget Warner Brothers investing in the Mortal Kombat series. Big money is starting to land in the space. That might actually hurt some indie producers, but it could also bring more eyes which we all need and more money as they look to people already in the space to create their content.

And let’s not forget about net neutrality. Cable companies that are throttling their bandwidth and charging by usage are a real threat to independent TV creators who rely on streaming technology as their distribution platform. That’s probably the biggest threat to indie creators that I can see.

When all is said and done I feel like Indie TV on the web will keep growing. But there are a lot of variables. I don’t think any of us can really imagine what it will look like in another 5 years. That’s why I also have hope for young non-profits like the IAWTV to help with indie creators in the space.

AE: Cell has received multiple awards. Did you actively submit the series for consideration and how do producers of other web series go about doing the same?

MG: I actively submitted to most of them. I did get approached by one or two festivals asking me to submit but mostly I chose the ones to submit to. I found most of them from talking to people on the web or just doing general web searches.

The process is virtually identical to submitting for consideration for most film festivals. While WithoutABox has some technical issues, if you sign up with them then you can search for festivals that will take a look at web content. In all honesty I know plenty of people that submit their shows as shorts in festivals that don’t have web categories.
Ultimately it depends on what your strategy is for marketing your show and what your final goal is. I submitted to festivals because I was completely unknown. I felt like if I could get in to festivals it would be a great way to get more eyes on the show and expand my reach. In that way it definitely worked for me. I think that everyone needs to be honest as to what they’re doing and what their goals are. That will tell you which ones to go for, if you go for them at all.
I should also point out that Indie Intertube Awards and the WeLoveSoaps were not things that we submitted for. Those were based on them curating the shows they’ve seen and selecting awards. The others were festival submissions.

AE: We have seen the trailer for Season 2. When can we expect it to hit the web?

MG: When I find the money. :-) We shot the trailer for season 2 as we did the reshoot for Episode 13. It’s meant as a proof of concept for the rest of the show. It hasn’t been shot. I’ve got the outlines ready to go and have some of the scripts written. We just have to have full funding before we can shoot it.

AE: Is there a DVD release of Season 1 planned?

MG: I am planning on a DVD release of Season 1 and maybe a release of the soundtrack as well. Date is TBD.

AE: Any other comments about Cell or web series in general you would like to leave us with.

MG: There’s a whole world of really talented creators out there making independent TV on the web. We want to keep making it our own way on our own terms, but we depend on our fans and our viewers. If you find something you like, tell your friends. If they say they don’t have time to watch it, tell them to turn off Jersey Shore and they can watch a whole season of some shows in an hour. I recently came across a little phrase I love that I’m going to start using a lot: “Search. Stream. Share.” So keep watching and if anyone likes the show, please let me know.

Watch Cell: The Web Series at the Show’s Website

SciFinal.com – Offering a comprehensive directory of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Web Series with over 200 listings.

Our ongoing series covering web-based productions in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres. If you have a recommendation for a web original that we should look at, contact us at mail@axiomsedge-scifi.com.

The Third Age is a web series created by Patrick Meaney and Jordan Rennert that mixes mythology with supernatural and scientific elements giving us a unique story about humanity trying to elevate its consciousness to a higher level. The first season of the show (comprising thirteen episodes) is currently available for viewing online, and the second season will be hitting the web soon. You can read Johnny Jay’s review of the series at this link. And following is our recent interview with Mr. Meaney covering The Third Age and the state of independent web productions in general.

AE: Can you give us a brief rundown of the professional experience that you and the other creators/producers have?

PM: The series was created by myself and Jordan Rennert. When we started out, neither of us had too much serious film experience. We had both recently graduated from college, and had done some short films and low level stuff, but nothing too ambitious. Over the course of the series, we worked together on a lot of other projects, and did more and more, most notably a documentary feature on comic book writer Grant Morrison, which was distributed theatrically and on DVD last year. Currently, we’re working on another documentary, about comic book writer Warren Ellis.

So, we’ve both gotten a lot more experience as the project has gone on, largely thanks to the lessons learned doing The Third Age. And, I think the series has gotten stronger as it’s progressed as we learned more and more.

AE: The Third Age deals with some pretty heady stuff, combining science with mythology and mysticism. What was the inspiration for this story?

PM: I’ve always been interested in those kinds of ideas, and have always loved stories that are psychedelic and mind bending. Those ideas interest me, and I particularly liked works that juxtaposed fantastic elements with a real world setting. One of the most direct inspirations for the show was the short lived HBO series John From Cincinnati, which also mixed cosmic ideas and characters in a basically real world environment.

The other biggest inspiration was a lot of writers in comics, most notably Grant Morrison, but also Jack Kirby and Alan Moore. Morrison’s pop psychedelia really resonated with me, and laced its way into my brain so much that it rewrote my entire thought process. Elements from The Third Age were used in the documentary I directed on Morrison, since they had such clear thematic resonance with his work.

But, I also drew a lot on things in my own life, and reinterpreted them into a sci-fi lens.

AE: Did you try to shop this idea around to any of the more traditional venues, i.e., broadcast networks, cable channels, studios? And if so, what was the response?

PM: When we were coming up with the concept for the show, we were trying to develop something to shoot as a short film, and the Third Age story just spun out of that and got bigger and bigger, until it was feature length. I wanted to tell the story, but didn’t feel ready to tackle a feature in the way, so we decided to do it as a webseries and break it up into little chunks, then potentially combine it all into a feature at some point down the line.

So, it was always designed with an end point in mind, a single story rather than an ongoing episodic thing, and I never really went to channels or studios. We did have conversations with some people after the show was already being produced, and have a distribution deal that puts us on some TV channels, phones and stuff like that. But, the web was always the primary venue I had in mind.

AE: What sort of budget was this series put together on?

PM: The show was made very cheaply, largely possible because we were able to borrow equipment at first, and eventually owned the equipment we needed to shoot. So, it was possible mostly due to very committed and supportive actors and a lot of favors finding locations and places to shoot.

AE: Do you have a DVD/Digital Download of Season 1 planned?

PM: Yup, a DVD release is one thing I’ve been working on getting set up for a while. That will hopefully go up in the next month or so.

AE: I see that a second season of The Third Age is coming shortly. When will that be available and can the series continue to be maintained in its current web only format?

PM: Since the series isn’t as direct a money maker as some other projects, it always slips to the bottom of the editing queue, paying jobs have to take precedence. But, almost the entire second season is shot, and most of it is edited. I’m hoping to release it by May or so, and it will be in the same format.

After the second season finishes airing, the whole webseries will be re-edited into a feature length film.

AE: Web series like The Third Age certainly show much more creativity and daring than the episodic Science Fiction/Fantasy shows we see on the broadcast/cable networks. Do you believe that they can remain financially viable and possibly grow into an influential niche of their own?

PM: I think it’s definitely possible. Already, a lot of people watch broadcast/cable shows on the web, so people are used to the form. I think it’s just a lot harder to get word out about a web show since you’re not going to have the marketing campaign of one of those shows. I’d say that the best way for web shows to really make an impact would be to have some kind of organized channel that will promote them and draw people to content together. But, then you get into the issue of money necessitating more commercial content. It’s difficult to find the sweet spot, but hopefully something like HBO will come along on the web, that can aggregate quality shows and get them out to people.

AE: Any other thoughts you would like to share on The Third Age or web series in general? Any future projects in works?

PM: Ultimately, I think good filmmaking is good filmmaking wherever it is, and the web, for all the downsides, is a great way to get your work out there and let people see it.

As for me, I’ve got the documentary Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts coming out later this year, the second season of The Third Age and some exciting new music videos as well. So, I’ll be keeping busy.

Watch Season One of The Third Age At This Link

Buy Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods on DVD from Amazon.com:

As part of our Internet Connection column that covers web series, and since we have just put up our review of Episode 2 of Pioneer One, we are re-running the exclusive interview with series co-creator Josh Bernhard that we originally ran last year after the first episode came out.

Pioneer One is a web-based episodic Science Fiction series available for download and funded through donations.  The first episode was produced on $6,000 and is available for free download via bittorrent.  The producers have asked viewers to donate if they like the episode so that they can complete the remaining six episodes of the planned first season.  They set a goal of $20k to cover the next three episodes which they achieved in one and a half weeks and additional donations continue to role in that will cover additional costs for producing the series.  You can read Johnny Jay’s review of the first episode at this link and we recently sat down with Josh Bernhard, creator of the series, to discuss how the concept began and where he thinks it will go and what impact it will have on the future of episodic sci fi.  Following is our interview with Josh (and to download the episode and/or donate, you can go to the Pioneer One Website):

AE: You have achieved your goal of $20k in donations to complete the next three episodes of Pioneer One. First, congratulations! Second, what is the timing for having the next set of episodes available for download?

JB: Thank you! I was really amazed at how quickly we were able to raise that money. It’s going to carry us through pre-production on the first production block of three episodes, which we plan to begin shooting in September. We’ll have a little break in between that and the second block of three, which will finish out the first season. This way, we’ll be able to have an uninterrupted release schedule so people aren’t kept guessing for months when the next episode might pop up. Depending on how things go, we should be able to start releasing them in November or December.

AE: What inspired the creation of Pioneer One, storywise and as a web series?

JB: I’ve always loved television. I’m big into movies, but TV even more so. It has something to do with its serial nature and the attachments you form with characters. Breaking into TV as a writer is tough these days, and I had no desire to leave New York for LA. We had the means to make this pilot and a way to get it out there through VODO, so doing it seemed like a no-brainer.

As for the story, it was pointed out to me that this is a perfect blend of two subjects I’ve always been interested in: Cold War history and space exploration. You’d think I’d have realized that myself!

AE: Did you try and pitch this series to any of the broadcast networks, cable channels, or other production houses, and if so, what was the response?

JB: We didn’t pitch it to anyone. We saw no reason to go that route, to get someone’s permission to do work we knew we could do. Beyond that, I’m pretty certain that had we tried to pitch to somewhere, we wouldn’t be as far along as we are now. It’d likely be sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust. And I couldn’t have blamed anybody for not taking a chance on two unknowns with an unknown property.

AE: The response we at Axiom’s Edge have seen across the web to the first episode of Pioneer One has been generally favorable so far. Have you received mostly positive feedback as well?

JB: Most of the feedback has been incredibly positive. Obviously there are detractors, some for whom it just wasn’t there thing, etcetera, as with anything. Which is absolutely fine. We’re not doing the show to find adoration, but to realize this story and do the work we want to do. Of course, you hope people respond the way you want, but you can never tell how these things are going to land. The difference with this, I think for everyone involved in the show, has been the scale of the response. We’re somewhere in the neighborhood of half a million downloads on the torrent, and at least 100,000 completed streams on various websites. None of us have ever experienced anything like this, and it’s taken some getting used to. But this is what it’s all about, and I’m excited about growing a relationship with our audience.

AE: I have noticed from comments on Reddit and on Axiom’s Edge that even people who did not give Pioneer One high praise still mentioned that they would donate. This seems to suggest that fans are very supportive of new outlets for Science Fiction and Fantasy productions. Do you believe that Pioneer One could be sustained throughout its full run (the current season plus the four subsequent ones planned) on donations alone?

JB: People have been amazingly supportive and generous with donations, and I think it demonstrates that people want content from alternative venues like this. The entertainment industry is very monolithic, and a lot of good stuff doesn’t get made. But there are other ways of doing things and we hope that maybe Pioneer One will demonstrate one way it can work.

That said, we’re not going to be able to continue the show on viewer support alone. We designed the show in such a way that it would start out small and scale up as the story goes on. We’re looking for more substantial backing and are now pursuing various possibilities to secure it. But viewer support is always going to be an important part of the show. Any success we have is completely due to the people who responded to the show and demonstrated their support, either in the form of a donation, or by spreading the word. We’re not looking at VODO or the Internet community as a stepping stone to a “real” network–this is how we want to put it out there.

AE: The first episode had almost no special effects. I assume upcoming eps will employ SFX, so will you use CGI and do you have a team to handle that?

JB: It’s funny–there were actually two effects-heavy scenes that were completed, but we cut them out! And not because they weren’t good, it was for pacing reasons. Bracey Smith, the director of the episode and my producing partner, did all of the visual effects. There are actually a handful of SFX shots in there, but most are meant to be “invisible.” The scene in the infirmary where the agents are brought to see the suspected terrorist, for example. There was nothing on the other side of that window, in actuality.

But yes, in the future, we’re going to have a need for heavier special effects including digital models and things like that. We’ve had some generous offers for help in that area from people who have seen the pilot.

AE: Have you looked into adding this among Hulu.com’s offerings?

JB: We haven’t looked into Hulu, and I’m not sure what their policy is for content not licensed with the studios they have deals with. Right now though we are exploring all options for future distribution, but VODO is still our primary venue. There are other ways of making the show visible, especially to people who aren’t familiar with the concept of torrenting.

AE: Have you considered making this available on iTunes? If so, what would you charge per download and do you think you would be able to sell enough to recoup the costs of the production?

JB: We haven’t looked at iTunes yet, but that’s definitely something we’ll consider once we have our episodes in production. I know Apple takes a big cut, but we wouldn’t charge anything more than a normal TV episode. At this point, I really can’t say either way if it would be of any significant help in recouping costs.

AE: You mentioned on your website that many of the people involved with the production worked for free and that you managed to do the first episode for $6,000. What do you estimate the budget for an episode would be if you were paying scale to all involved? Is a “professional” web production bound by the same union pay scales that television shows adhere to?

JB: We haven’t worked out exactly what it “should” have cost, but based on the numbers I do have in my head, we’re talking tens of thousands of dollars at the low-end. We’re discovering now all of the legalities involved in what we’re trying to do, but at this stage I don’t know that we’d be subject to union pay scales.

AE: Science Fiction and Fantasy shows tend to have a high cancellation rate on television, especially with the broadcast networks. Do you see web series like Pioneer One as the future of episodic Science Fiction and Fantasy productions?

JB: I would hope so. I think there’s more freedom on the Internet to tell interesting, challenging stories. There’s more opportunity for risk. I think genre series would do well to explore online distribution as a primary venue. At the current moment, television still has a certain cache of legitimacy that I don’t know the Internet has yet. I think that prevents a lot of people from seeing the possibilities.

AE: We thank you for participation in this interview and for “pioneering” this new direction in episodic sci fi and look forward to the upcoming episodes of Pioneer One. Is there anything else you would like to add about this or future productions?

JB: It was my pleasure! I would just like to say for the record that this show is a true labor of love and I would ask that people approach it with an open mind. We’re not doing this show cause we think it’ll make us rich or gain us notoriety. There are many better ways to do that. We’re passionate about this story, and we’re passionate about this work, and that’s why we’re doing it. I think that comes through in the show, and I hope people receive it on those terms.

More Axiom’s Edge Featured Columns:

The Must-Watch List: The best of the best in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres.

The Anti-Blockbusters: Movies that bucked the Hollywood Blockbuster trend and still managed to deliver a superior viewing experience.
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Gary Kurtz co-produced the first two Star Wars films with George Lucas (now known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes) and he recently reflected on the franchise with the L.A. Times as attended a celebration for the 30th anniversary of Empire.  Kurtz, who has said little publicly about the franchise, spoke frankly about why he left after Empire and his concerns at the time on the direction Lucas wanted to go with Star Wars.

“I could see where things were headed. The toy business began to drive the [Lucasfilm] empire. It’s a shame. They make three times as much on toys as they do on films. It’s natural to make decisions that protect the toy business, but that’s not the best thing for making quality films.”

“The first film and Empire were about story and character, but I could see that George’s priorities were changing.”

“The emphasis on the toys, it’s like the cart driving the horse.  If it wasn’t for that the films would be done for their own merits. The creative team wouldn’t be looking over their shoulder all the time.”

Kurtz also debunked Lucas’ long-standing claim that the series was always planned as a multi-film epic claiming that they had originally intended on doing a big screen adaptation of Flash Gordon, but could not afford the licensing fees.  So instead, Lucas wrote a treatment pulling from Flash Gordon and other sources (like Arthurian legends and Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress).  It was too big for one film, so they started with the middle section of the treatment which became Star Wars.

By the time they got to Return of the Jedi, Kurtz had become increasingly unhappy with the direction Lucas wanted to go, so he decided to bow out.  He commented about the original plan for that film:

“We had an outline and George changed everything in it.  Instead of bittersweet and poignant he wanted a euphoric ending with everybody happy. The original idea was that they would recover [the kidnapped] Han Solo in the early part of the story and that he would then die in the middle part of the film in a raid on an Imperial base. George then decided he didn’t want any of the principals killed. By that time there were really big toy sales and that was a reason.”

For more, you can read the full conversation with Kurtz at this link.

TFAW.com recently interviewed Robert Kirkman, the creator of the zombie-comic The Walking Dead, and discussed the comic and its upcoming television adaptation on AMC.  Following is what he had to say about the TV series, and you can read the full interview at this link.

TFAW.com: We’ve seen stills from the production of The Walking Dead television series on AMC, and they look pretty rad, how’s production coming along?

Kirkman: Great. They start filming episode four in a few days . . . so they’re trucking along and all I can really say is that everyone has been a dream to work with. Frank [Darabont] is doing amazing work, Gale [Anne Hurd] is just awesome at what she does and AMC has been a real treat to work with. This show is something unlike anything that’s ever been on television before. I think people are just going to flip out when they see what we’ve done here.

TFAW.com: You’re also writing an episode of the show, is that right?

Kirkman: Yeah, the episode they’re about to start filming, episode four, actually. It was a pretty cool experience, I got the chance to work in an actual writer’s room with series writers Chic Eglee, Jack LoGiudice and Adam Fierro and it’s been a real treat getting to learn the process and see how it all works. I also got direct guidance from Frank Darabont himself, which is really just priceless. He’s such a talented screenwriter, his advice should be written on stone tablets and have religions based on it.

TFAW.com: What went through your head when you heard that AMC was interested in the series?

Kirkman: AMC is such an amazing network. They’ve had two major successes in Mad Men and Breaking Bad and they’ve expanded at a very slow, deliberate rate . . . it’s pretty unusual. I was thrilled they were interested in The Walking Dead, and now that I know a lot of the other things they’re developing for other new shows, I think the network is just going to continue to get better and better. I couldn’t be happier to be a part of their network.

Read the Full Interview