Sex. It’s something that’s both pleasurable, often messy, and at times very funny. I think it’s safe to say this familiar ground has been covered in entertainment before, but the new comedy READ THE SIGNS dares to approach the topic in a fun and distinctive way by asking the question: what happens after people “do it”? More specifically, what do they talk about after it’s all over? Described by its creator and star Luke Anthony as a “road sign guide to sex”, READ THE SIGNS is set to premiere its first season of 8 episodes in March of 2014 on its official web site and Youtube page. The series revolves around a couple whose adventures – as well as misadventures – between the sheets are just as entertaining as the comedy that ensues from them.
Anthony stars as Jack, whose marriage to his wife Alicia (played by Jennifer Linkous) is strained by his inability to “perform” in the bedroom, thus making Alicia’s goal of having a child even more unreachable. Further complicating matters is their therapist, Dr. Sandi Nassa (played by Ansuya Nathan), who while well meaning, only makes Jack and Alicia’s intimacy issues worse, no matter how she tries to help them. Rounding out the ensemble cast is Vaughn Lowery as the sex-crazed celebrity Jerry, a man who looks for action anywhere and any way he can get it – while carrying a “dirty little secret” that will change everything. The series’ IndieGoGo crowd funding campaign has successfully surpassed its goal of $4,000, raising $4,170 as of November 1st.
Inspired by the popular web series F TO 7th, as well as his own real life experiences, Anthony had additional incentive for developing READ THE SIGNS: “The idea to make a web series came out of the need to get my SAG (Screen Actors Guild) card as an actor moving to the U.S. from Australia. It turned into something more once the first episode was shot, and we realized that it was actually quite funny and kind of cool. All sorts of amazing people started to put their hand up to be involved and it grew from there. The concept came from personal experiences and the comedy and awkwardness that sometimes comes after sex. (I was) creating characters that struggle with their experiences and being put into bizarre situations,” he says.
The series’ ensemble cast is made up of both American and Australian actors, and despite its limited budget, the process of producing each episode of READ THE SIGNS was an efficient one thanks to Anthony’s talented crew both in front of and behind the camera. “It is a well organized little unit, working with professional crew and cast makes for a smooth production. We have gone through SAG so that side of things is very well organized. We have also spent a decent amount of time in preproduction so organization has been a focus to ensure smooth shoots and a smooth transition to post production,” recalls Anthony.
As a result of their hard work, the overall quality of the series is evident in each episode. “The production value of the series speaks for itself. We have an amazing DP and have spent a lot of time making sure the scripts are really well developed. The actors are incredibly talented and the original composition scored by local San Francisco band Alaskan Other is truly awesome,” he says.
Destined to score big with viewers 25-50, and especially those who know how it feels to “get it on”, READ THE SIGNS is a hilarious look at the often awkward moments that sex can provide – and how people can sometimes find themselves at a loss for words. As summed up by Anthony: “The show is providing entertainment and joy to people. It’s a funny, real look at normal people in crazy situations.”
(Note: the series is not currently closed-captioned, but Anthony says that it will be at some point.)
ON THE WEB: http://www.readthesignswebseries.com/
YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/user/readthesignsseries/videos
INDIEGOGO: http://igg.me/at/readthesigns/x/4783592
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/READTHESIGNSwebseries
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RTSwebseries