Co-created by Haley Esposito and series co-star Brina Palencia, THE TROUBADOORS follows a group of college students who travel door-to-door, singing their hearts out on every holiday under the sun (Labor Day, Comic Book Day, Hobbit Day, Halloween, National Bosses’ Day, etc.). At the same time, they struggle to find a place to be heard as their in-school arch rivals, The Harmonics, dominate the concert circuit. The show debuted, interestingly enough, on Labor Day of 2012, with its nine episode first season streaming on Youtube. It’s a series that Esposito proudly calls “the anti-GLEE”.

The show stars Ricco Fajardo as the group’s fearless leader, Alem Zimmerman, Brina Palencia as Kayla Bates, the group’s resident geek/outcast, Sean O’Conner as Alem’s childhood friend, inventor/”experimental cook” Spencer Caper, Jonathan Brooks as Felix Brown, a once promising musician whose music career is permanently sidetracked by blindness, Tiffany Hobbs as Camille Prescott, the group’s over-anxious perfectionist, and Andrew Milbourn as Paul Tebo, a young gay man whose “frat boy” persona masks a more sensitive side. The cast also includes Martha Harms as Jane Adams, an outspoken activist/slam poet who maintains a bitter rivalry with her roommate, Claire (the co-captain of the Harmonics). Each episode contains original songs, most of which were written by Palencia (who also co-wrote, with Fajardo, the song “Hobbit Day”). In addition, series co-associate producer Chris Sabat also wrote music and lyrics for some of the songs. Also, almost all of the series’ cast play their own instruments.

Finding actors who also possessed musical talents was easier than expected, according to Esposito. “Brina Palencia had already established the character of Kayla Bates for a roast for Chris Sabat about a year prior to the show, and we decided to use that character as part of the ensemble because she was super funny. We are both lucky to have some incredibly talented friends who were already precast and didn’t have to audition. Jonathan Brooks and Martha Harms were already cast for the roles of Felix Brown and Jane Adams. Brina approached me with three hilariously talented friends that she worked with on a summer shoot earlier that year and they sent me their audition tapes. I thought all three of them were perfect for the roles – Ricco Fajardo for the role of Alem Zimmerman, Sean O’Conner for the role of Spencer Caper, and Andrew Milbourn for the role of Paul Tebo. Ricco was currently getting his MFA from SMU Meadows School of the Arts and suggested that his classmate, Tiffany Hobbs, should audition for the role of Camille Prescott. She didn’t fit the spec were had originally wrote for the role of Camille, but Tiffany blew our socks off. Before we knew it, we had a magical ensemble cast!”

Casting aside, the production process presented its own set of challenges, from filming each scene, to recording the songs heard in each episode (each of which are available to purchase on ITunes). “We did everything ourselves with a very minimal crew. Scheduling was by far the hardest part for us because of the number of cast members we had, plus getting them in the music studio on days they weren’t shooting or working on other projects. Making shows or movies isn’t as easy, breezy as it may seem. A LOT of pre-production work went into our show, and we still had hiccups. It happens but you problem solve and keep on moving. However, among all the hard work, our production process was magical. We became a family and really allowed room for playing. As a director I think it is important to really utilize your actors talents and let them discover new things while the camera is rolling. It was a production of discovery for everyone involved in my opinion,” Esposito says.

While she hopes not only to gain more viewers, and to achieve bigger distribution for her show, Esposito sums up THE TROUBADOORS as a web series unlike any other, one that, like GLEE, combines music and comedy to tell a story of overcoming the odds, and triumphing against adversity. “The overall message we would like to send about our show is that it is funny, entertaining, clever, and something worth watching. It’s a show about heart!”

ON THE WEB: www.thetroubadoors.com

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

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/TheTroubadoors

TWITTER: @Troubadoors

TUMBLR: http://thetroubadoors.tumblr.com

LOCALLY GROWN stars Debra Pralle as Samantha Granger, a member of a third generation farming family who somehow manages to keep her wits about her as she deals with the parade of wacky vendors, customers, activists and musicians who populate the fictional Ballmont Farmers Market each Sunday. Yet, her family has their own unique quirks, from its no-nonsense patriarch Grandpa Edmund (played by Jeff Steitzer, best known as the voice of God in the popular Halo video game series), to his wife Gigi (Cynthia Lauren Tewes, famous for her role as Julie on THE LOVE BOAT), along with Samantha’s misguided sister Liza (Amy Walker), her overly spiritual husband Jim (Basil Harris, who also appeared in the popular indie film SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED), and their two kids: budding entrepreneur Eddie Jr. (Justin Howell) and eldest daughter Courtney (Marina Spitz).

The show also stars Russell Hodgkinson (having appeared in BIG FISH, FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, and the new movie 21 AND OVER, along with roles in TV series like GRIMM and LEVERAGE) as Wayne, a hippie and perennial Mayoral candidate. Demetrius Sager stars as Burke, the market’s resident germaphobe/busker, and Lorraine Montez (STAR TREK: PHOENIX and THE DIVINE MARIGOLDS) as its head honcho, a.k.a. ‘The Market Master’. Described as a mix between popular TV comedies PORTLANDIA, MODERN FAMILY and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (but set at a market), LOCALLY GROWN sheds light on a part of American society that has never been covered in popular entertainment – the people who run farmers’ markets, and the unique variety of people who permeate them.

Hamlin based the show on his own experiences with both aspects of the subject, along with his fond memories of his favorite local market, Pike Place Market in Seattle. During the pre-production stages, he interviewed several managers of Seattle-based farmers’ markets, along with vendors and buskers throughout the city. Through their own stories, Hamlin found what he calls ‘seeds of truth’ that had their own humorous meaning, seeds planted to form the show’s unique comedy.

LOCALLY GROWN’s pilot was filmed over one weekend last October, and Hamlin went to great lengths to visually portray the often hectic, bustling atmosphere of an actual farmers’ market with a large cast and crew that one might think would be working on a far larger budget, especially for a web series. “It was pretty intense. I mean, you usually think of a $10,000-$15,000 web series as a pretty scaled down cast and crew. As it went on, it really became an ambitious project. I was looking around and we have 40-50 cast and crew members amongst us. It was like a full production, and we actually created a market that we did all our tight shots with. We had three or four booths set up to get all the tight shots, and then the next day we actually went to a market that’s nearby where I live, and shot in the live market, shot our characters going through and caught some of the wide shots there. It’s pretty incredible the way it worked. I don’t think you can tell that we cheated it that way, but once you start shooting with a lot of people, and all these people roaming around in a live market, it added a whole other element that was quite a challenge, but (that) made it fun.”

While Hamlin hopes that LOCALLY GROWN will be a profitable web series, his ultimate goal is for the show and its website to shine a spotlight on Seattle, its people, its talented actors and musicians, and especially the farmers whose markets provide the city with fresh food – and home grown charm, through the series, and extra supplemental online content (called ‘bonus sprouts’) that will feature assorted interviews and vignettes relating to the series, one that Hamlin feels will appeal to both viewers and marketgoers alike all over the country. “I hope to really build this community, to really make this something that my friends, family and people in the Northwest can be really proud of, and that they can all be a part of, and that we can create this online community that promotes markets, promotes music and promotes vendors, because I think these are really important people in our communities, and important people across the country because there’s never been a show dedicated to (those) who don’t have as much of a voice as they should.”

ON THE WEB: www.locallygrowntv.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/locallygrowntv

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/abundantfilms

The show stars Arron Dennis as Max Turtleson, a man who lives a humdrum existence, but who also lives for his favorite night of the week - when he and his friends Miles (Cal O’Connell), Phil (Jack Hobbs), Millie (Jennifer Jordan), and Harmony (Amelia Tyler), get together for their weekly role-playing fantasy games. Soon, Max’s life changes when his best friend from school, Sam (James Rotchell) re-enters his life, a man who, unlike Max, has a steady career and love life, both of which are turned upside down, leading him back home, and leading both not only towards a search for the perfect fifth player for game night, but towards re-establishing their friendship.

McKeller developed the series, innocently enough, after a cast gaming session during filming of I AM TIM. “One night some of the cast were playing a board game (Zombies I believe) and I had the idea of creating a show based around the social aspect of a gaming group. We shot a pilot in a night, I released it online a few months later and it proved successful, finding 3000 views in the first couple of weeks. After that we launched an IndieGoGo campaign to raise the funds needed to purchase lighting, sound kit and other filmmaking things. To date we’ve shot 8/10 episodes, (and) are gearing up to start the marketing campaign right now.”

Fans of I AM TIM will spot some very familiar faces in the cast of NIGHTS AT THE ROUND TABLE, and McKeller’s familiarity with each of them benefitted the show’s production immensely. “Most of the actors had worked on I Am Tim, who in turn found me through the audition and casting for that show a few years ago. Amelia saw the first season of Tim and got in touch to offer her services as an actor. The crew all come from the extensive pool of filmmakers who live in the city. About a year ago someone organized us enough to establish links between the dozens of little companies that work in the city, and as such crewing became a total breeze!”

Along with its unique brand of humor, the cast and crew’s professionalism and experience is another factor that sets the show apart from many other web series, something that makes a huge difference artistically, McKeller says. “A lot of shows stumble on a silly thing, like the sound mix or the grading. We’ve had experienced hands at every step, from the writing and development, to the talented cast, to the hours of post production to make sure that it goes out as polished as possible.” Despite some stressful moments, from the hot weather, to filming in the living room of his house with as many as 15 people, the overall production experience, was, as McKeller succinctly describes it, “lovely.”

Although I AM TIM has had a “REALLY small but loyal audience” as McKeller describes it, he hopes to aim for a larger, yet more specific audience for NIGHTS AT THE ROUND TABLE. “Nights has a specific audience, and we’re going after them. The idea is to get an audience there before the first episode launches. A group of hungry gamer comedy, romcom fans who are waiting for the episode to launch. From there, we’d like to see loads of views, people talking about the show and interacting with the social networks. A lot of work has gone into the show, and we’d really like to see that work appreciated by as many people as possible.”

ON THE WEB: www.redshirtfilms.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/nightswebseries

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/RedShirtJamie

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

I think I found my new calling in life. I’m going to travel the country, visiting every single NFL stadium, and focus all my attention on the consumption of BBQ. That is exactly what Mike and John Trupiano did last season – and they documented it. First I just need to outline a plan to do it.

• Step One: Get an RV

This one is pretty straight forward, but be sure you don’t forget to stock it with people, gas and food! Also, make sure it looks this awesome.

• Step Two: Dedicate your life to tailgating

The football season is 17 weeks, and in the case of Tailgate 32 you can add in an extra week for the Super Bowl. Driving around the country, hitting every single stadium in the process, and doing it all in one season is not something one can do as a hobby. Don’t forget to lineup at 8pm the night before, just to make sure you get the best spot possible to park your RV.

• Step Three: Find an amazing crew

Mike and John didn’t travel alone. They managed to convince a few people to tag along and hold the camera, edit the videos together and make sure the production did not completely collapse in on itself. Director of Photography Dustin Supencheck, shooting on the Canon 5D mark III managed to capture some of the most amazing images I’ve seen taken with the camera. The show looks so good I would watch it for the visuals alone. I was particularly impressed with the look of certain shots taken at night, or indoors under low light. There were a couple of particular sequences that stood out, as they were obviously shot inside dark bars seemingly using only available light yet they still looked good – though I didn’t get around to watching them full screen, 1080p on the big tv. The technical aspect of shooting a show like this seemed difficult, but the TG32 team made it look easy.

• Step Four: Spend six months planning

Mike and John took on the project as a full time job six months before departing on their quest. The amount of preparation really shows. Consider the scheduling first off. 17 weeks, 32 stadiums spanning the entire width of the continent, and with most games played on Sundays. Perhaps the best parts of the show involve the planning that was done for all the days that didn’t involve football. The group took the opportunity to head out into the everglades searching for alligators, climb a rock wall intoxicated at the New Belgium brewery, eat “Armageddon” flavored Buffalo wings in Buffalo (and not throw up, but maybe cry a little) among other things.

• Step Five: Buy A LOT of beer

There is one universal, sure fire way to lure out a cast of crazy football fans – bring a lot of beer. We aren’t talking kegs, or 36 packs, we are talking no place to sit on the RV because there is beer everywhere. The people that came out to the tailgates were the real reason to watch the show. Between Blackbeard and his, black beard, in Tampa Bay and Pinto with his 20 year old gallon of milk inside the back of his rusting-in-a-field-for-the-last-twenty-years Pinto, we are treated to a whole slew of characters you can only find hanging out in front of a football stadium.

• Step Six: Profit?

Like most series Tailgate 32 has found it difficult to turn their unique offering into some meaningful traction on their youtube channel. It certainly isn’t without a lack of trying. Their RV is covered with references to their show. They even started out their journey by visiting ESPN radio in New York city and going on the Dave Rothenberg radio show. Each episode features dozens of people, businesses and one gigantic sports organization. You might think that everyone who is in the show would watch, and if they had I would expect the view counts to be higher. It does raise an interesting question to me, which has a lot to do with the demographics of YouTube and ‘new media’ in general. Perhaps their audience just isn’t on YouTube, or maybe their videos are being bogged down by tons of other NFL content.

The show feels like it belongs on TV, but it lacks the full engagement of a half hour or hour show. The ten or so minutes dedicated to each city feel at times rushed, and not given the room to tell a story in the way one could in 22 or 44 minutes. Im sure the footage exists to stretch it out if needed. I know the rule of thumb is to create short content on the web, but real fans of your show always want more. Quality productions online should serve their hardcore fans first, and find other ways to bring in new ones. Of course getting the show on tv itself would go a long way towards paying the bills and sorting out my mild issues with the formating, but due to the massive power of the NFL any potential deals would require their direct approval.

What originally was just meant to be a fun trip to every football stadium in the country, became a four hour travelogue depicting what will probably go down as one of the coolest and most memorable segments in the lives of the group. While Snobby Robot has not covered too many (any?) non-scripted series TG32 shares a common thread with the rest of them. They are all great examples of determined, adventurous, creative people setting out and doing something most people would be afraid of.

You can find Tailgate 32 at their official site http://tailgate32.com

From there they set out to crack some of the oddest unsolved cases out there, while falling in (and often failing at) love, and getting in deeper with the mob. The cast also includes Judith Scarpone as the girls’ first client, Mrs. Myronious, who suspects her husband (Judd Laurance) of being unfaithful – or at least of not saying he loves her. The series debuted last May, and was featured on the “Hotlist” of popular web series by the WGA’s (Writers Guild of America) web site last October. The show’s five episode first season is now streaming on Youtube, Blip.TV, and Boomtrain, and a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the show’s second season is also in the works.

Taylor and Erholm became close friends while performing in a play directed by Paulin, and their series was in development for some time. Says Taylor: “For years Jennifer and I had talked about writing something but it took a long time to come up with an idea that we were really excited about. One night about three years ago, over dinner, wine, and bong hits, it finally came to us. We scribbled down ideas of story lines into a spiral notebook that night and it has pretty much been our whole life ever since. It’s like a job that doesn’t pay (yet!)” Both women set out to create a web series with a unique TV-like storytelling style, and despite running the risk of losing viewers accustomed to the quick lengths of most web series, Taylor stuck to her approach. “We wanted to make a show that felt more like a TV show than a web series, something really character driven that had layered plot lines and themes that would be explored throughout the entire series as opposed to stuff that would just be wrapped up in one episode,” she says.

MOP AND LUCKY has proved to be rewarding for both actresses in many ways, though just producing their own web series came with its own set of challenges. Yet, thanks to Paulin and co-star McGee (who produced a feature film prior to joining the series’ cast), the seemingly difficult task of filming was made a lot easier despite all the headaches that come with shooting a low-budget web series. “The only reason we were able to even get through our crazy six day shoot was because Scott Paulin, our director, had directed network television for years,” Taylor says. “In fact this was his first time doing a low budget gorilla style shoot. He had directed shows like Melrose Place and Northern Exposure, shows with big budgets, so he really knew how to get the shots he needed and move us along quickly, and trouble shoot. I didn’t realize until we got into post just what an amazing job he had done.”

Like many actors and actresses who make web series, Taylor and Erholm created MOP AND LUCKY as their own personal vehicle for their talents, without having to wait for their next job. It’s a series that tells the story of how two best friends can somehow manage to solve some of the most bizarre mysteries (and to help their clients), while trying to figure out their own complicated lives, Taylor says. “Mop and Lucky are lost and clueless in many ways in their own personal lives, but they have to solve seemingly unsolvable mysteries in the lives of their clients (for instance, Mrs. Myronious wanting to find out if her husband really loves her). In the process of fumbling their way through solving cases they end up learning more about themselves. So it’s about putting one foot in front of the other, even when life (or clues if you will) aren’t making sense, and how eventually mysteries in life have a way of being solved.”

ON THE WEB: www.mopandlucky.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheMopandLuckyFiles

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/MopAndLucky

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/smallbutmightyprods/videos?view=0&flow=grid

Blip.TV: http://blip.tv/TheMopandLuckyFiles

BOOMTRAIN: http://boomtrain.com/shows/the-mop-and-lucky-files

Fifteen episodes have aired so far on the show’s Youtube page, with another fifteen set to be produced. Each episode, roughly over 30 seconds, brings viewers a quick, unexpected – and funny – surprise (though not as humorous for the on-camera participants), as that special, intimate moment is instantly ruined, in one way or another. The show features a revolving cast of actors, many with large followings on social media, including Drew Seeley (ANOTHER CINDERELLA STORY, LOVESTRUCK – THE MUSICAL), Randy Wayne (TO SAVE A LIFE, TRUE BLOOD, THE LYING GAME) and Emrhys Cooper (star of the Broadway hit MAMMA MIA!), among others.

Zamolo and Paffrath were inspired to create BONER KILLERS after hearing their male friends’ hilarious stories of their own sexual misadventures, not to mention having experienced their own moments of awkwardness. “I carry around a Hello Kitty water bottle at the gym, (and) guys are always checking me out at the gym, and I’m wearing my spandex, and I pull out this water bottle that’s like (something) a five year old should be carrying. I just laughed at myself when I saw it, and I said, ‘that’s kind of funny’,” says Paffrath. “We’ve been looking for something to do together, and we just latched onto it, and it spiraled out of control, and we just did it,” she recalls. “Then all the guys started talking about things (girls) have done,” Zamolo says.

With each episode running less than thirty seconds, not only does the joke come quickly, but it also made for an efficient production process, with as many as nine episodes being shot in one day, according to the creators. “We are pretty clear on our vision on what we want, so it’s easy to go in and edit, and once that gets approved, we basically just finish the episode. We come up with a funny name like ‘Bigfoot Feet’ (to describe each episode),” Zamolo says. “Before that, we just (wrote) every idea we could think of, and we picked the fifteen that were the strongest and easiest to film. We started assigning them to actors who were game. There’s a couple of episodes that are more edgy and have gross-out humor. We shoot in a day, we sit in the edit, we watch, we give notes, and they’re complete, so we’ve had all fifteen ready since January,” Paffrath says, and both women set out to create a show that will appeal to both young male and female audiences alike, with realistic – and raunchy – humor, taken straight from real life.

In addition, BONER KILLERS is also an interactive series, where viewers can contribute ideas for future shows, allowing Zamolo and Paffrath to maintain a steady flow of possibilities for each episode. “It sets itself up to keep going. It’s like an endless supply of material. We do get responses from people. It always starts with a couple, it’s always going good, and then you get that twist. You never know what’s going to come, if it’s going to be disgusting, or it’s going to be subtle,” Paffrath says. “You never see the girl react embarrassed, ever. She’s not mortified, or embarrassed at all. Of course, the guy notices, and maybe he’s freaking out, but you never see the aftermath.” Both creators say that BONER KILLERS provides viewers with a chance to laugh at not only the most awkward moments of sex, but to laugh at themselves as well. “It’s about being able to laugh at yourself, laugh at your mistakes, and not take anything too seriously.”

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BonerKillers

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/BottleBlonds

YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/BottleBlonds

GUIDES stars Wilson as the group’s leader, Cree. The cast also includes her cohorts, Dray (Alvin Lam) and MaKenna (Jenn Nangle), as well as their nemeses, Zyra (Patricia Fructuoso) and Koric (Eric Naroyan). The show debuted last November, with ten episodes set for its first season. Seven have already aired, with three more airing every Monday in June. An IndieGoGo campaign for the show’s second season will launch soon.

GUIDES was developed in the midst of last year’s hype surrounding the Mayan apocalypse, and was inspired by not only astrology, but by Wilson’s interest in the theory and study of ancient aliens. After Wilson created Nangle’s character, the two met to discuss the series. Says Nangle: “Jenn (Wilson) and I were sitting in Starbucks one day talking about my character and about the series, and a guy sitting next to us asked if we were a part of the government. We filmed a little video about this story.” (See link below). Unlike many shows that involve aliens, Wilson feels that GUIDES stands apart from all the others because of its positive portrayal of otherworldly beings. “We do not set up aliens as the ‘other force’ out there to destroy humanity. Essentially, our aliens are here (and have been here since the beginning) to ASSIST humanity to be the best they can be, not to conquer them, or to destroy the earth. Now, sure, we have a faction of aliens who do not believe that humans deserve to transmute due to humanity’s own destructive nature, but that adds to our drama!”

Finding the show’s diverse cast was easier than expected, recalls Nangle. “We cast many of our friends or people we have worked with before as different characters in our series! Jenn (Wilson) was really big in having an ethnic cast. However, the parts Zyra (Fructuoso) and Hector Madera (a supposedly human ex-jock turned activist, played by Napoleon Tavale) were auditioned.” The show’s production process was also a lot of fun, Nangle says. “We were really fortunate to get all our locations for free, so we block shot each scene in each location, kind of like a mini feature. I had a lot of fun filming. I played dress up in a lot of my scenes and MaKenna was just a blast to play! Bubble, fun, goofy! Lots of laughs, and a lot of the parts we improved (off the script) made it into the series!”

Both Nangle and Wilson hope that GUIDES will not only appeal to sci-fi fans, but will also entertain viewers through a unique mix of comedy and fantasy, as a group of aliens set out to make the world, and those who live in it, better. Says Nangle: “Anyone and everyone can find this show enjoyable. There is something for everyone whether it is some funny jokes, our really interesting special effects, or thinking one of our aliens is cute!” Wilson also hopes to make GUIDES a sustainable project, one that will make money, and will also attract more viewers. Yet, she says, the show is all about being the best person you can be, even if it takes a little otherworldly intervention. “I would say that the overall message is (to) ask for help to be your best self; it is there and wants to be given. Oh, and laughter is always the best medicine.”

ON THE WEB: www.guideswebseries.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/GUIDES.WebSeries

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/GUIDESWebseries/featured

TWITTER: @GUIDESwebseries

VIMEO (for a behind-the-scenes look at GUIDES):

https://vimeo.com/channels/416474/52753646

3Some is a seemingly unique, hybrid stage play / web series telling the tale of one woman and her rather complex relationships with two men. The web series serves as a sort of sequel to the play, and makes for a very interesting dynamic for discussion, both from a marketing perspective, and as a different brand of storytelling.

While plays are not really considered the most profitable avenue in the arts, there is certainly a much greater expectation of cost in the minds of theatre goers – certainly more so than in the minds of web series watchers. The series gives greater value to fans of the play and provides audiences with that cinematic feel not found on the stage.

There is a sort of symbiotic relationship going on here. Using two mediums to tell one story lets the creators focus on what each does best, and in turn put out a better product. Of course the combination is not completely without issue. The issues are not all that different from those faced in more traditional mediums, like sequels to films. The major issue is that I – and most people on the internet – have not seen the stage play, and with the play being a few thousand miles and an ocean away it was unlikely that I was going to be able to catch it. This is where the brilliance of the relationship may shine through. Being so far away without the power of the internet and the web series version of the play I, and many others, would never have heard of the play. Now the stage play is published, and available for other theatre companies to perform all over the world.

A major goal seems to have been making the two stories self contained. Knowing that most people will not have had the opportunity to see their play the creators opted to tell most of the play’s story through flashbacks in the series. This works for the purpose of the web series – although it does occasionally feel odd because such a large portion of the show is a flashback. For fans of the play it could be a little frustrating seeing the same bits of story rehashed, but it also could be interesting to see the contents of the play told cinematically.

As a lover of visual storytelling I really appreciated the different stylistic choices that went into differentiating the flashbacks from the current time period. They are rather simple, essentially first person perspectives, and a slight glow, but it stands out distinctly from the rest of the show. Fun fact: flashbacks were directed by the play’s director Paul Linghorn. The editing and music composition was also exceptional. I was particularly taken by the song near the end of the first episode, and was surprised to learn that it was written and performed by Battlestar Galactica’s Jamie Bamber and his wife Kerry Norton. So many talented people everywhere.

Ultimately the web version has taken on a life of its own. Creator Lisa Gifford sees the two as separate entities, with the characters in the web version evolving far beyond her expectations from the play. Her writing going forward, for the time being, is with the characters in the series, and how where they go from here. A second season is having a table read in the coming weeks and hopes to shoot by year’s end.

Now I need to talk about more than just the interesting play / series dynamic because there were some absolutely wonderfully written characters in here. While 3some is a comedy, at its heart it’s a very honest story about the complexities of modern relationships. Far too often stories make characters out to be the good guy or the bad guy. While that style has its place, it rarely rings true. In 3some the characters are real, their actions aren’t based on ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ they’re based on insecurity, jealousy, temptation, regret, weakness, and alcohol.

There was a point in the series where I realized I empathized with every character in the show. They may have all hated each other at the time, and they may have all deserved it. It just felt so authentic.

You can find 3some online at http://watch3some.co.uk

Back for its 2nd Season, The Inn goes further down the rabbit hole as Steve Silverman, creator of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning Pretty, continues to surprise audiences with his Hitchcockian influenced series, The Inn, launching now!  Two-time Emmy winner and creator of Venice The Series, Crystal Chappell, returns in the lead role of Jane, a woman on the run, with more than one secret to hide. Adding to the mystery is the addition of internet sensation Mark Gantt (The Bannen Way)  a man who may or may not hold the key to the truth of Jane’s past.

Besides Chappell and Gantt, The Inn features Emmy nominee and daytime soap queen Denise Alexander and Chuck Sloan, Ray Proscia, Kyle David Pierce and Stuart Allan.  Due to the amount of fan buzz building around the series, the show was recently accepted in the first ever Hot as Hell Web Series Fan Festival this summer in Palm Springs, California.

ON THE WEB: http://www.theinnseries.com

JTS: (New episodes commercial free): http://www.jts.tv/previews/the-inn/

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/theinnseries

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/theinntheseries

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GuOovvUnpbQ