A web-series eh?

I think that's the biggest response I get when I'm telling people that I'm trying to make a kick-ass web-series unlike anything out there. Not everybody gets it, but there's no denying that digital web-based media is the wave of the future. Web-series like Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca3Y8Ws3plI) and Mortal Kombat:Legacy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s6UiEuCYXA) are just small steps towards the future. It's not as easy for people to sit down and dedicate the time to watch TV and movies as much as they used to. Everything moves so quickly that entertaining yourself in short time spans is the norm. Look at YouTube, look at shows like Robot Chicken. 45 minutes is a lot of time when you don't have a lot, and 2 and a half hours is even longer. 10 minutes is a good length of time to sit down and tell a part of a story. Web series have been on the rise for years, but when you have Joel Silver producing a web-series , you know it's the right time for them to explode. I want a piece of that.

A web-series is a new venture for me. It's a bit of a risk considering the costs associated with producing something like "Citizen" to Hollywood standards. Without risks there aren't any chances of reward. I'm fortunate to have film professionals on board that believe in my concept and artistic abilities. The pressure is definitely on to make this series a success, and hopefully reward these talented people for all of the time and energy they've donated to making successful products with me.
We have a fantastic pilot episode that is going to blow people away, I have no doubt about that. Some of our stunts are top-notch, and what were going to do with them cinematically will be a step beyond what viewers could ever have expected from us. Once we shoot the pilot episode, we are hoping to apply for grants, and raise funds from fans to continue to shoot. The concept is definitely marketable, and I have no doubt people are going to be very interested in the series once they see the pilot.

So why not a TV show? 42 minutes is a LOT of time and money to invest with no financial backing or producers on board. It's a huge risk. Our concept could easily be turned into a TV show if someone picks up the idea. If I can't hook viewers within the 10 minute pilot episode, then I definitely wouldn't hook them with a 42 minute pilot episode. Shooting in smaller blocks allows us to release episodes on a smaller time-line compared to full TV length episodes and budget. Fingers crossed the first episode will knock all your socks off and we will continue to develop the scripts and finish off the 8 episode season.

Finally, thanks for taking the time to check out this blog. I'm hoping to update it every couple days and go through various elements of "Citizen", the crowd-funding campaign, and problems and issues I will be dealing with as we near our shoot in late August. Hopefully we can get our crew on-board as well and get thoughts and ideas from various team members. Please Tweet, Share, and Facebook this blog and our on-going campaign. Let's spread the word.

For more information and to check out our campaign, please visit http://www.savethecitizens.com