Here's The Remnants from writer/director John August…this one cost $25,000 to produce.
And here's Fusion, from writer/producer Richard Manning….this one cost less than $10,000 to produce.
Both are slickly produced and well-written. But are they the future of television? It seems to me like the majority of scripted, drama web pilots have a sci-fi slant. Is that a requirement of web shows simply because they are viewed on a computer screen?
Every "webisode" and web drama I've seen all look like re-purposed TV shows rather than story-telling & film-making that takes advantage of the unique qualities and resources of the medium they are using. Why are we sticking so rigidly to the TV formats and techniques in this new medium?
What do you think? Would you click on new episodes of these shows every week? Would you pay to subscribe to them?
UPDATE: You can also catch the FUSION pilot here.
I agree that the makers of most of the popular web-only or web-based series aren’t using the medium to its fullest potential; they’re basically taking TV or filmmaking skills and using the web as a distribution method, rather than as its own production source.
That said, I enjoyed REMNANTS quite a bit and yep, I would and will click on future episodes. That said, it fits directly into my sweet spot of dark(ish) sci-fi comedy, so count that as a very biased vote.
I’m gearing up to do a webisode/feature later this year that’s set up like an old fashioned cliff hanger, but with 5-7 minute segments. I’m talking *major* cliff hangers. Story is 24-like thriller.
If this one works, next up is a cliff hanger horror story that will appear to be shot on web cams & security cams.
– Bill