What if the world did end? How would you survive? How would your life change? The new comedy web series DARK AGE, which debuted on Feb. 2nd, with a ten episode first season written and produced by Justin Bondi and Andrew Ludington (who also stars), and directed by Kent Meloy, seeks to answer those questions. The series follows five friends who occupy a fortified compound known as “The Castle” as they attempt to make their way through the unpredictable atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic world.
In addition to Ludington (who plays the role of dim-witted Virgil), the show also stars Michael Ward as doomsday prepper Arthur, plus Dawn Alden as Arthur’s ex-wife Ruth, Kathrynne Wolf as “The Cat”, and Betsy Driver Williams as Georgia Ann, a newly pregnant woman, with her own ideas on the possibilities of life after the apocalypse. Recurring cast members include David Williams as Pastor Randy, a maniacal cult leader from whose clutches Georgia Ann escaped, and Timothy Ortmann as the clever and resourceful neighbor, Bob.
DARK AGE was developed after Bondi and Ludington, both veteran screenwriters, felt frustrated after their feature-length screenplays, all of which were done on spec, were never produced. “The wild west creative nature of the web became really interesting to us. Plus writing in a small, ten minute episode format was out of our comfort zone and seemed like a challenge. So we decided that if we came up with an idea we liked, we’d write a web series and see how it worked out. The idea of a post-apocalyptic comedy just seemed bizarre and rich enough for a solid web series, so we decided to go for it. We wrote all ten episodes in a little less than a year and then decided to shoot it all at once,” Bondi says.
The series was filmed over 12 days last summer in the sweltering heat of rural Michigan, and both creators viewed the production process as if it were a feature film. Back then, the hype surrounding the Mayan calendar’s prophecy of the end of the world, plus major media attention given to “doomsday preppers”, inspired both men to create the show, a comedy that portrays what it would be like if the world did end. “The human condition would evolve from this apocalyptic dramatic event to just everyday life. We thought that could make for some interesting, funny stuff. Though I think the end product is more of a dark ‘dramedy’ than a full out comedy,” says Bondi.
DARK AGE, and the world of web series, may finally give Bondi and Ludington the success they’ve dreamed of. “Andrew and I both have loved film and theater our whole lives. We met in college and were into both writing and acting. We’re always thinking of new story ideas and brainstorming them to see if they take us anywhere interesting. We’re very excited to be at the ground floor of something – the web series format – that still hasn’t been defined. That’s inspirational all by itself.”
ON THE WEB: www.darkage.tv
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Age/288812614548039
TWITTER: @Dark_Age_Series
Episode 1: Civil Defense from Red0Hat Entertainment on Vimeo.