By Paul S. White

In their zeal to add original programming to their current slate, Netflix has added another series to its development pipeline, and this time it is a genre entry. As I noted in the previous Development Report column, the rental service’s activity in developing new series would likely result in testing the genre waters, though it would be limited by budget restrictions. The series that Netflix has announced is Hemlock Grove based on the novel by Brian McGreevy due out next year. Noted horror director Eli Roth will adapt and executive produce the property and direct the pilot and possibly more episodes (and author McGreevy will be writing several episodes). The series will center on the mystery surrounding the grisly death of a girl whose body is found in the woods near Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania. Whether it will incorporate supernatural elements is uncertain at this point, but this one definitely looks like it will not rely heavily on special effects. Netflix likely will budget all of its original programming at a level similar to the second-tier cable networks and will look for properties like this that can be produced economically. The series has a thirteen episode commitment, and it is uncertain at this point if that will be open ended or if this will be a Harper’s Island type production that will wrap up after its thirteenth episode.

This is now the fourth original production that Netflix has announced, with perhaps more to come. The rental service has definitely decided that they want to make a mark in this arena and they have a unique setup that allows them to produce programming that does not have to fit within FCC guidelines. For this reason, Netflix can opt for creating series with more mature elements along the lines of what the premium cable channels are putting out right now like HBO’s True Blood and Game of Thrones. They can also target niche audiences and produce series that might have a hard time finding sufficient viewership on the broadcast or cable channels. But ultimately any programming will have to prove profitable to remain viable for the rental service, which will likely be measured by increased subscriptions and DVD sales after the fact.

This, however, sets up a situation that could be beneficial to genre series produced by Netflix. Any original series that the rental service streams will not be dependent on immediate ratings returns as are shows on the broadcast and cable networks. Netflix will of course keep a close eye on the online viewing numbers, but if the first few episodes do not score high, that will not result in immediate cancellation. Assuming they produce an entire initial run of around thirteen episodes, they should still let the full series play out, even if it does start off weak. This gives genre programming something that the broadcast and cable networks rarely offer: a chance to build up an audience. Fans often claim that it takes time for a genre show to find its audience, and a service like Netflix may finally offer the format where that can play out.

Sci fi fans will have to temper their expectations for now, though, and remain content with less ambitious properties such as Hemlock Grove. The chances of Netflix trying to pick up a series that relies much more heavily on special effects seems currently unlikely. The rental service will wait and gauge the performance of the productions it currently has on its slate before trying to reach for a bigger budget series.

For this reason, the recent rumblings about Netflix possibly bringing back Firefly will likely not lead to a revival of that beloved series in the near future. Geeks of Doom recently reported that Marc Bernardin, writer for comic books Push and Highwaymen as well as TV series Alphas, suggested that Firefly could land at Netflix (and the cable service did announce recently that they will revive the non-genre cult series Arrested Development). In response to this, series star Nathan Fillion sent out a tweet that suggested he liked the idea. Those ripples could be enough to ignite a fan campaign to lobby Netflix to bring the show back, as Firefly has a very devoted following. But the chances of anything moving forward at this point seem slim in a large part because of the cost involved with producing a series of that magnitude.

Still, Netflix could possibly make a move in that direction in the coming years if they deem their current venture into original programming a success. Landing a well-known and beloved property like Firefly could provide a significant coup for the rental service and bring increased awareness to them as an alternative for original programming (Star Trek: TNG provided a similar boon for the syndication market back in the late 80′s). Another well-respected franchise that could tempt them would be Farscape as Rockne S. O’Bannon has been attempting to revive that property. It would be expensive to produce, but it would also be a high-profile addition to their slate of original programming. But any move in this direction is surely several years away. Netflix definitely wants to establish themselves as option for original programming, but they will almost certainly approach it slow and economically at first; similar to many of the cable networks who have thrown in their hats to the scripted series arena.

Find Firefly and Farscape on Blu-ray and DVD at Amazon.com:

Tracking television and movie projects in development and how these are tracking with the current trends in the genre.

By Paul S. White

Video/DVD service Netflix had already made the move toward developing original productions, but now they have also decided to get into the business of saving cancelled shows. They just announced that they will produce new episodes of FOX’s cancelled Arrested Development which, while not a genre series, will definitely draw the attention of sci fi fans when a show they are following might be endangered by poor ratings performance. This now makes Netflix yet one more venue that fans will target for “Save My Show” campaigns, and it would not surprise me if the devoted followers of genre favorites like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Legend of the Seeker, or even Jericho might not try to convince Netflix to bring back one or more of those programs. Arrested Development went off the air back in 2006, making it appear that older shows might still be viable for a revival. I would say the chances of any of the three shows mentioned above or any other sci fi series getting a new life on Netflix is very slim, but that won’t dissuade the dedicated fans trying to bring their shows back.

Of course Netflix’s move into original programming also establishes them as a potential outlet for new science fiction and fantasy programming as well. But I would think any series they produced would be restricted by budget limitations similar to one of the smaller cable networks, and they would likely shy away from special effects heavy productions. They have also yet to air any of their original programming currently in production, so it is uncertain at this point whether this experiment will lead to a steady stream of ongoing original productions. If it does, though, expect some genre offerings to emerge at some point in the future.

Syfy just announced that they will pick up the supernatural comedy Ghost Ghirls with Jack Black attached as executive producer. This series will spoof shows like The Ghost Whisperer and Medium, which seems like an odd move seeing as both of those are off the air now. Still, those shows had long runs (5 seasons for the former and 7 seasons for the latter), and Syfy’s own Being Human probably draws a similar, female-heavy audience. Ghost Ghirls also fits nicely into the “Sci Fi Lite” trend that we have seen from the network over the last few years. This trend has delivered shows typically grounded in the modern world and delivers more character-based, less special effects heavy stories in order to keep production costs down.

NBC announced that they have picked up the pilot for the revival of The Munsters helmed by Bryan Fuller. And while some may think this is a waste of Fuller’s talent (particularly our own Johnny Jay), it could prove a strategic career move for the writer/producer. While Fuller is respected for his talents and the quirky sensibilities, he has had little success with the shows he has created or co-created. Fantasy/supernatural shows such as Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, and Pushing Daisies have received praise from critics and devoted cult followings, but none of these three have survived to even thirty episodes. The Munsters revival follows the trend of bringing branded product to a new audience and if done well, which seems likely with Fuller attached, could give him his first major success on his own. However, if he adds too much of his trademark quirkiness to the project (which is what his fans want, but not necessarily the network execs), it could fail to attract a larger audience and become yet another cult show.  I expect that NBC will try to reign in Fuller to some degree on the production, but still hope that he can put his unique stamp on the show.

Another NBC pilot pickup, Beautiful People, looks like it will stick with the trend of sci fi shows that rely less on special effects and stay grounded in or close to the modern world. This series takes place “10 minutes in the future” where “humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like us but are treated like second-class citizens.” And AMC looks to ride the wave of The Walking Dead’s popularity and has picked up a second genre series to pilot. The UFO-based series titled Thunderstuck will have Battlestar Galactica’s David Eick attached as executive producer and will involve the fallout from alien visitations around the world. This one looks to have some similarities to The X-Files and also sticks to the trend of modern day, Earth-based genre shows.  (And oddly enough, both of these shows moving into production share titles with rock songs: Marylin Manson’s “The Beautiful People” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstuck”.)

By Paul S. White

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Stars

Way back in the early 70’s, an interesting made for TV movie showed up on the small screen called Gargoyles. It appeared to be a pilot for a television series or planned to run across multiple movies, though apparently it did not pull high enough ratings to warrant a continuation. However, it made an impression on many of those who did catch it during that decade and would work its way into their psyche, leaving a lasting impression. This film also gave make-up artist and effects guru Stan Winston (Aliens, Predator, Terminator) an early chance to show his skills which he did with the memorable creatures he brought to life (he won an Emmy for his work on the film) on a limited television budget. Gargoyles enjoyed a DVD reissue just this past week, so it’s worth revisiting the film and recognizing it for the cult classic that it is.

The opening narration of the movie explains that gargoyles descended from a race of beings cast out from Heaven along with Lucifer when he defied God. They have lived on the Earth for many millennia and they reappear about every five to six hundred years to battle with humans for supremacy of the planet. The movie proper starts with paleontologist and occult expert Dr. Mercer Boley (Cornel Wilde) and his daughter Diana (Jennifer Salt) heading into the desert to meet a man named Uncle Willie who runs a roadside curios museum and who claims to have unearthed an important discovery. Once there, Boley at first thinks Willie is trying to scam him until the old man shows him the complete skeleton of some sort of monstrous, horned, beaked creature. Boley is still skeptical, but Willie begins to tell him legends that the Native Americans have of Gargoyles. These tales go late into the night but stop when strange sounds erupt from outside the shed they are in, and a subsequent attack leads to the roof collapsing on Willie and the building going up in flames. Boley and his daughter flee, but not before the professor grabs the skull of the creature Willie had shown them. A gargoyle pursues them and nearly destroys their car, but they eventually escape and take refuge in a nearby motel. The next day, they return to Uncle Willie’s place with the sheriff (though Boley does not tell them about the gargoyles), and they find dirt-bikers there (with the leader of the group played by a young Scott Glenn) whom the sheriff arrests, assuming them responsible for the attack. That evening, the gargoyles descend upon the motel, trying to reclaim the skull, and as they flee with the bone in their possession one gets hit by a truck and dies. Boley then plans on taking the body back to the university in Los Angeles so he can study it. As Boley and his daughter try to leave, another attack comes and the gargoyles take Diana. She is taken to the leader of the gargoyles who wants her to teach him of the ways of man so that he can properly prepare his species for the ensuing conflict. Meanwhile, Boley goes to the sheriff and convinces him to put together a search party to save Diana from the gargoyles.

Made back in 1972 on a television budget in an era without CGI, Gargoyles is definitely a cheesy affair. The acting is wooden at best (except for Bernie Casey’s portrayal of the lead gargoyle), the dialogue is stilted, and the motivations for the characters often seem driven more by the scriptwriter’s desire to move the action along to the next scene than how you would expect people to actually behave in those situations. But all that aside, Gargoyles manages to rise above its limitations and strike a primal nerve in the viewer (similar to what made Quatermass and the Pit, aka Five Million Years to Earth so effective). Part of that is the striking and brilliant gargoyle faces that Stan Winston created for the film (even if the rest of the costumes look like rubber suits with at times very visible zippers). Part of it is the menacing performance by Bernie Casey as the lead gargoyle (you may remember him as U.N. Jefferson from Revenge of the Nerds and he also stopped by Star Trek: DS9 and Babylon 5 for a few guest roles). (And I should note that Vic Perrin, ex-Outer Limits narrator, supplies the voice of the lead gargoyle.) And part of it is the modern day manifestation of a battle between humans and an ancient demonic foe that has lurked perennially in our subconscious because of its recurrence in our cultural legends and lore. These factors push Gargoyles into more than just throwaway TV fodder (like the cheapies that hit Syfy each Saturday these days) helping it to offset its production limitations and making it into a must-watch cult movie.

When I re-watched the movie prior to doing this review, I decided to see if my seven year old son would have an interest watching as I was about that age when I first saw it. This is a boy who has grown up on over-produced, CGI-saturated films like Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, and the Transformers films (though admittedly he used to love the old Godzilla movies when he was younger), so I was curious to see how he would react to this relic from a bygone era. And I have to say that I have never seen him so engaged in a movie. He was transfixed almost right from the beginning and stayed glued to the set till the end, constantly asking questions about the gargoyles and what’s going to happen next (I didn’t give him any spoilers, though). The movie is not frighteningly scary, though it’s definitely very creepy, and as I said above, strikes a subconscious nerve. And my son showed in bed with my wife and I about 1:30 in the morning after watching the film, so it still manages to work its way into the psyche of its viewers, both young and old.

As I mentioned, I’m pretty sure this was intended to act as a pilot for a TV series or they at least wanted to do a few follow up movies seeing as it ends by setting up an ongoing story. Apparently it did not pull strong enough ratings, though, and/or it would have been too expensive to produce the show (because of the gargoyle makeup) on a weekly 70’s TV show budget. But with all of the rehashes and remakes going around these days on television and at the movies, this one just might be ripe for a revisit (as long as they don’t overdo the special effects and lose track of the underlying primordial creepiness that made it effective). In any case, it’s definitely one that all Science Fiction and Fantasy fans should check out. Understand that it’s a cheesy production, but don’t let that hold you back. It rises above that and delivers a memorable genre film that will stick in your psyche for years to come.

As far as the new DVD release, it does not appear to have anything in the way of special features that the release of a few years ago did not have (which was next to nothing). That one just went out of print and they apparently decided to do a DVD reissue (though no Blu-ray yet) with no new frills. If you have the previous DVD release, I can’t see a reason to buy the new one (though Amazon reviewers do speak highly of the video transfer on the new release). But if you don’t have it, this is a gem that belongs in every genre collection.

Buy Gargoyles and Other 70′s TV Cult Classics on DVD from Amazon.com:

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.

By Paul S. White

Rating: 3 ½ out of 5 Stars

First Time Dead 1, edited by TW Brown, is an anthology of zombie stories from new authors put out recently by May December publications. And for Zombie fans, this is definitely worth checking out as it just may have a story from the next big name for the genre (in this or in Book 2) because many of these authors show promise even if the stories here do not fully live up to their potential.

The anthology mostly consists of zombie-pocalypse tales with many of the familiar trappings of that sub-genre though each author gives their own little twist to the format. Sometimes the twists work, sometimes they seem to miss the mark, but that’s not the main problem with this anthology. What I found most frustrating is that more than a few of these stories fall short of delivering a well-rounded tale. They tend to have a good set up and the writing is often solid and at times first rate but the stories seem to end without much of a satisfying resolution. It too often feels like these are just a segment from a larger story that we only got a glimpse of. And perhaps that is what happened here because each author only had limited space. But the book has more than a few stories I would have preferred the authors had wrapped up better in the space allotted to them.

Still, I found myself enjoying almost every story that I read even if I felt a little cheated at the end of several of them. What impressed me the most, though, is the quality of the writing. Some of the authors had some lapses and some could have used a bit more editing, but for new authors, this book gives us some pretty good examples of genre writing. That’s why I feel that almost every one of these contributors shows promise and that several should consider expanding their tales perhaps to book length. And the writing is the biggest strength of this anthology and almost overcomes its other shortfalls.

Here are several of tales that made the strongest impressions on me:

“Everything I Know About Zombies I Learned from Star Trek” by Sam Christopher is my favorite, but I have to confess to being biased because this was written by one of our Axiom’s Edge staff members and I had read the story before it saw publication here. It’s a great tale and I still insist he needs to turn this into an ongoing story.

“The Overpass” by John Lemut demonstrated some of the strongest writing in the collection, but it felt more like a chapter or two from a novel.  One that I would definitely like to read, though.

“Twisted Words” by Andrew Stockton eschews the zombie-pocalypse angle, and delivers more of a gothic supernatural tale. Seems like a story from the old EC comics or the Thriller of Night Gallery TV shows and was quite enjoyable.

“Things Worse Than Death” by Bryan Vogt was well written and shows the dangers of a panic-stricken mob while it also offered some good, grim humor.

“Just Another Day” by Chantal Boudreau could have been great, but it needed to be shortened. Once the audience catches on to the big reveal, she should have ended the story right there.

“Inland” by Martin Milhomme was another one that I really liked and felt the writing was strong, but the story needed more substance to it.

Despite some of my misgivings mentioned above, I highly recommend this volume to zombie fans. As I mentioned, the writing is mostly strong and I believe that many of these authors have a future writing in this particular sub-genre if not beyond. You can buy the print editions of Book 1 and 2 from Amazon.com or you can buy the Kindle editions at Smashwords.com (see the links below).

First Time Dead 1: Print Edition

First Time Dead 1: eBook Edition from Smashwords

First Time Dead 2: Print Edition

First Time Dead 2: eBook Edition from Smashwords

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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The family-oriented The Jensen Project mostly succeeds in what it sets out to do.

NBC Television Movie

By Paul S. White

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

The Jensen Project which aired last night on NBC is part of an initiative from sponsors Walmart and P&G to provide quality family-friendly viewing in Prime Time which they previously tried out with the Indiana Jones-like Secrets of the Mountain this last Spring. The Jensen Project gives us a spy fi film that focuses on the secret community of the title which comprises geniuses from around the world who work on various projects to better humanity. One of the scientists, the son of the man who started the project, goes rogue and steels dangerous nano-technology that could threaten the world and a former member of the project who had helped create this technology, though her work had been disgraced, is called in with her family to assist with the crisis.

The Jensen Project aims at delivering an action/adventure with broad appeal geared at bringing more families together in front of the TV set, and ultimately delivers an inoffensive film that mostly accomplishes what it sets out to do. Fortunately, it avoids the super-smart, cute kid angle, giving us a couple of super-smart nerdy-but-attractive teenagers instead who jump into the middle of the action to save the day, but who still mesh well with and fall short of overshadowing the rest of the cast, ultimately giving us an ensemble piece. It helps that the movie sets a sense of urgency early on that it keeps this going at a fast pace through to the end. It also helps that it mostly avoids teen angst melodrama as well as the frenetic, quasi-farce angle of Nickelodeon shows like iCarly. Though I would say that it could use an infusion of Sponge Bob-style subversiveness.

The actors are competent in their roles, with Justin Kelly and Alyssa Diaz standing out the most as the teen leads. The film is also peppered with other familiar faces that you will likely recognize from past TV series like Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement) and sci fi vet LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation). Unfortunately, Burton does not get the chance to shine as he is relegated to a mostly supporting role, though you sense that he could easily dominate the show.

The Jensen Project does have a bit of the expository awkwardness you expect from a pilot episode of a series and this one definitely sets the stage for continuation. The concept shows some promise as a series that could appeal to the whole family, though it seems like it would be more at home on a network like ABC Family (having a similar feel to that network’s Kyle XY) than one of the broadcast channels. Whether it gets a chance to continue is in question, though, seeing as NBC relegated it to a Friday night slot during the Summer and it averaged less than 4 million viewers across its two hours last night. Still, should this one manage to find a home in a family targeted time slot, it could grow into a potentially respectable show for the audience it targets.

Win The Jensen Project DVD/Soundtrack

Only the early estimates are available at this point, but based on that it looks like Iron Man 2 will have the fifth highest grossing opening in Box Office history. Predictions on the movie’s fortunes in the domestic market were already optimistic last week and were bolstered by the $100 million early opening it had in the foreign markets a week ago, and the current estimates have the movie on track for a $133.6 million debut in the states. This brings the movie’s total tally to almost $330 million worldwide when you include its foreign receipts from this past weekend. That’s a much higher tally than the $85 million that Wolverine had a year ago, which kicked off last Summer’s blockbuster season, and gives Iron Man 2 a significant head start for honors as the top grossing film for the current Summer season. In second place at the Box Office, Nightmare on Elm Street took a significant drop from its opening weekend (72%) and pulled in only around $9.2 million as theater goers apparently preferred superheroes to slasher icons. Still, that movie has already eclipsed its $35 million budget with a total tally of $48.5 million after two weeks and it has not even had its worldwide release yet. How to Train Your Dragon pulled in another $6.8 million in the Number 3 slot this past weekend, but that one will likely start to slip off the radar quickly as the Summer blockbusters squeeze it out of the theaters in the coming weeks (along with Clash of the Titans currently at the Number 7 spot). The Losers sunk down to Number 9 in its third week of release and has still yet to recoup its modest $25 million budget over that time, though it has not had its worldwide release yet.

Note that all of these numbers are estimates as of Monday morning and will change slightly when the final tally comes in. You can see the full Box Office results from the weekend at Box Office Mojo.

Click Here to See Our Summer 2010 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movie Preview

Buy the Iron Man 2 Soundtrack by AC/DC along with the first Iron Man Movie from Amazon.com:

Critics may not have thought highly of the reboot of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise that opened this past weekend, but the movie’s target audience could care less as they flocked to the theaters to see the new Freddy Krueger. The movie soared to the top spot on the Box Office charts as it pulled in an estimated $32.2 million in receipts for its debut, nearly recouping its $35 million budget in one weekend. And the competition was not even close as the Number 2 movie, How to Train Your Dragon, only pulled in $10.8 million in its sixth week and new release Furry Vengeance only managed to grab about $6.5 million in its debut which only earned it the Number 5 slot on the Box Office charts. Freddy will have some serious competition this coming weekend, though, as the Summer Blockbuster season kicks off with the debut of Iron Man 2. That $32 million draw will look like peanuts as the superhero sequel will easily pull in three to four times that amount in its domestic debut (it has already grossed over $100 million in its foreign release this past weekend). Still, Nightmare will not get completely squashed by the Summer releases yet and should end up making a decent profit which will assure that more sequels will follow soon. In other action from this last weekend, The Losers dropped down to the Number 6 slot with $6 million in receipts and Clash of the Titans slipped to the Number 7 slot with also right about $6 million in ticket sales. And Alice in Wonderland finally dropped out of the Top 10 after nine weeks and may end up falling short of the $1 billion mark as it currently stands at right about $880 million in worldwide receipts.

Note that all of these numbers are estimates as of Monday morning and will change slightly when the final tally comes in. You can see the full Box Office results from the weekend at Box Office Mojo.

Click Here to See Our Summer 2010 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movie Preview