It's no surprise that YouTube, Vimeo, and the like, alongside the (relative) affordability of DSLR cameras, have given rise to high-quality, low-budget digital content. Meanwhile, the ever-evolving and spinning TV landscape has meant that networks are now putting big bucks toward Web series, and film festivals are adding digital series competitions to their rosters.
In Austin, Texas alone, there are several talented writers and filmmakers who have created hilarious, charming, and imaginative Web series that deserve a devoted following. So for this week's #webserieswednesday, here are three from Austin worth a look.
“Juani Begood”
Juanita Butler’s background was in writing, specifically poetry. However, she soon discovered, “I was a really bad poet.” But rather than descending into that dark and stormy night of the soul, Butler decided to try her hand at screenwriting, and in turn created the Web series “Juani Begood.” “It’s all based on my experiences,” says Butler. “I pay attention to the things that make me uncomfortable and write about them.” They range from “My Beauty Routine,” a spoof of YouTube’s cloying makeup stars, to “Love Is a Battlefield,” which can only be described as Nora Ephron meets “Platoon.” “The film has given me the courage to do things I normally wouldn’t, like networking...it empowers me to go where the most interesting and uncomfortable places are and explore them.” So what’s up next for “Juani Begood”? “We shot two more episodes that are being edited, and I have so many scripts. I’m applying for a City of Austin grant to produce the others.”
“Did You Meet Any Boys?”
“Did You Meet Any Boys?” is the question Shenee Howard’s mother asks after seeing Howard’s birthday party photos on Facebook. It’s also the title of Howard’s Web series, about a twentysomething entrepreneur who can make startups work but can’t seem to do the same with her love life. Meanwhile, it feels like everyone else around her is pairing up. Written by and starring Howard, “Did You Meet Any Boys?” was co-produced and shot by Errich Petersen, who met Howard in an improv class. “I’m an actor and was looking to branch out into something different,” says Petersen. “When I found out Shenee was a writer, I told her I’d love to work with her on a project. A year later she’d written two episodes of ‘Did You Meet Any Boys?’ which we turned into six.” The entire series was filmed over three days in June 2014, and the cast included acting and improv friends, as well as actors found through casting notices. “We had a budget of about $200,” says Petersen, “and that was for food and set decorations. There was a tiny crew, and the actors worked for free. A lot of actors here just want the experience.” So what’s coming up? According to Petersen, “We’d like to submit to festivals, but there’s nothing concrete yet. We’re doing some soul searching on what to do next.” Stay tuned for a sixth episode, due to be released soon.
“Unfortunate Girl”
Tiffany Wambach’s “Unfortunate Girl” is about “a girl who is troubled by a series of unfortunate events, but they actually end up saving her.” Though written by Wambach, the series isn’t strictly autobiographical—once actor Christina Parrish was cast, Wambach says, “I saw she was nothing like me, and I love that it ended up changing so much.” Wambach studied theater and filmmaking but didn’t delve into the arts (“there was a job, kids”) until she took a year off to pursue her dream. By then she’d begun writing “Unfortunate Girl” and hired a cast and crew, though in true indie fashion, Wambach admits, “I did everything but run the camera.” And the series was funded by Wambach: “I paid for food and costumes.” Wambach has returned to work, and stars Parrish and Rob Gagnon are in-demand actor-comedians in the Austin area, so there are no new “Unfortunate Girl” episodes coming up—unfortunately. But Wambach has passed the filmmaking gene on to her daughter. “She’s doing a Web series for kids by kids called ‘Guinea Pigs.’ ” Seems it’s already time for the next generation of Austin filmmakers.
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