Do angels exist, and if so, do you believe in them?

Many have asked those questions over the centuries, and millions of people throughout the world have answered them with a resounding yes. Perhaps the primary reason for that is the incredible stories of people who have experienced miracles of all kinds.

Those stories have inspired others throughout the world and have brought greater awareness of the spiritual power of angels. Yet, there’s also a darker side to the spiritual world; one of horrifying demons and monsters who seek to haunt and destroy the lives of all who roam the earth. That story is told in the new fantasy web series WE ARE ANGELS, created by Aaron Garcia and streaming its first season (described by Garcia as an “introductory” season, i.e. a prequel) of 15 episodes via its official web site, Youtube and Vimeo pages. The series debuted March 25th with four episodes on those platforms.

WE ARE ANGELS focuses on the never-ending battle between angels and demons, and how that battle impacts the lives of all those they affect.

The series’ revolving ensemble cast features Courtney Gains as the malevolent demon Parro, who, as he has done for thousands of years, is out to both haunt every human he meets – and to ultimately destroy the world. Opposing him is the angel Miranda (Lisa Brenner), a kind, caring woman who sends the best angels to watch over all those who summon them and who are in most need of help.

One of those people is Agatha (Ashli Dowling), whose life has been turned upside down by drug addiction, and who also holds a deep secret from her past. Agatha is watched not only by the angels sent to help her, but also by the demons who seek to destroy her and her life. What she doesn’t know, though, is that she could very well be the difference between mankind’s survival and extinction. Each episode will feature other diverse characters seeking to overcome their own personal adversity, guided by a different series of angels who will try to help them accomplish that task.

Garcia was inspired to create WE ARE ANGELS by the unlimited potential that web series provided him as a filmmaker and storyteller. As he explains, though, two of the most important moments in the show’s development came as a result of a related past project and his own personal faith.

“I did a short film years ago about two angels that came to Earth for only a day, and they had to find a particular human they were suppose to help. But one of those angels just wanted to enjoy life for one day. I was raised Catholic so when I was young I often wondered what happens when prayers don’t come true?  Maybe the angel lost their way to you. So I just developed that into a larger world.”

For Garcia, the biggest inspiration for him to create WE ARE ANGELS came from a much more personal source: “I would say my mom (inspired me to create the show). She raised me Catholic and taught me what good is. I know my beliefs have changed from time to time, but those core beliefs have always stayed because of her. She recently passed away last summer so I’ve dedicated the whole series to her.”

While the first season of WE ARE ANGELS has 15 episodes, it’s only the beginning of what Garcia hopes will be a series that will both entertain and touch the lives of its viewers through its characters and dramatic storytelling. Yet, he encountered a major problem when it came time to bring the series from script to screen; one that would ultimately give him the opportunity to grow his audience.

“I wrote the first season but wasn’t able to produce it money wise. So I decided to produce something I could afford. I decided to tell a prologue story so you can get to know some of the characters and story lines before hand. I felt like I needed to get an audience interested in it by just showing them what it was,” he says.

The process of showing audiences just what WE ARE ANGELS had to offer was long and hectic, but ultimately rewarding for Garcia, his cast and crew. “I’ve been filming for close to 3 years on weekends and when actors’ schedules were available. We didn’t have much crew. Most times it was just me and the actor, and the sound guy when we needed sound. We had over 60 actors in the project. Just took a while to get schedules to line up sometimes. Since I didn’t have a lot of money, I spent it on time. I didn’t have a fixed schedule on anything so I just wanted to do things right. So I would take extra time to get the best light, or best performance, whatever was needed to feel like we were happy with the result.”

As a result of that hard work, each episode of WE ARE ANGELS is the total combination of writing, acting and direction mixed with impressive visual effects to help tell the incredible story of a world filled with angels and demons. It’s visual artistry was recently honored at the HollyWeb web series festival as the show took home the award for best cinematography.

“Ours is a mix of different influences. A mix of drama, fantasy, experimental filmmaking, surreal imagery. Someone compared it to Wim Wenders making a web series, or a cross between J.J. Abrams and Terrence Malick. I tried to use every aspect of filmmaking to tell the story. The lighting, the sound, the music, the acting, dialogue, all of it is used to help tell the story. I think there’s an underlined hope that holds the story together. I feel like this story is more an experience that can go with you beyond just watching it like a TV show,” Garcia says.

WE ARE ANGELS will appeal to audiences who love great fantasy and horror storytelling, as well as those who enjoy and appreciate positive portrayals of female characters in modern entertainment. Yet, Garcia adds, it’s a series that will also touch the lives of people who are looking for a sense of optimism in today’s uncertain world.

“I think this show can cross over to different audiences. It has strong female characters, the fantasy aspect of angels, the demon episodes are very scary and suspenseful, and I think everyone can relate to life and death. I also think the idea of hope during bad times seems to resonate with people.” WE ARE ANGELS is a show that promises to be much more than just another web series. As Garcia puts it: “I feel like this show is more of an experience. Just let go and enjoy the ride.”

(Note: The show is currently closed-captioned.)

ON THE WEB: www.weareangels.com

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/weareangelsseries

VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/user5903217

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Are-Angels/146384838723957

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/WeAreAngels1

The first episode of WE ARE ANGELS can be viewed here: