Web series

A web series is a series of scripted videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program can be called an episode or webisode, however the latter term is falling into disuse.

History

Main article: Web television

The Spot, or thespot.com, was the first episodic online story, and the first website to integrate photos, videos and what later became known as blogs into the story line. Created by Scott Zakarin in 1995, The Spot was likened to "Melrose Place-on-the-Web" and featured a rotating cast of attractive actors playing trendy and hip twenty somethings who rented rooms in a fabled southern California beach house called “The Spot”, in Santa Monica, California. The site earned the title of Infoseek’s “Cool Site of the Year,” an award which later became the Webby. [1] [2]

Also in 1995, Bullseye Art was one of the first web publishers to create animated webisodes. The first few webisodic content to come out of Bullseye Art included Porkchops, Internet the Animated Series and Rat Chicken. In 1998 Bullseye Art had a hit with Miss Muffy and the Muf Mob, which lead to a development deal with MTV. Bullseye Art also created Space Dog which gained popularity on Atom Films. The original Bullseye Art content can be seen currently on the Magic Butter web network.

In 2003 Microsoft launched MSN Video, which featured the original web series Weird TV 2000 (from the creators of the syndicated television series, Weird TV). Weird TV 2000 featured dozens of shorts, comedy sketches and mini-documentaries produced exclusively for MSN Video.

From 2003 to 2006, several independent web series began to achieve popularity, most notably Red Vs. Blue (created by Rooster Teeth). The series was distributed independently using online portals YouTube and Revver, as well as the Rooster Teeth website. The series acquired over 100 million views during its first run. Sam Has 7 Friends, which ran in the summer and fall of 2006, was nominated for an Daytime Emmy Award, and was temporarily removed from the Internet when it was acquired by Michael Eisner.[3]

In 2008 Bravo launched its first weekly web series called "The Malan Show". It followed New York fashion designer Malan Breton through the process of making it in America as an independent fashion designer.[4][5][6]

In 2013, Netflix earned the first Primetime Emmy Award nominations for original online only web television for the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Three of its web series, House of Cards, Arrested Development and Hemlock Grove, earned nominations.[7]

Web television series have continued to gain in popularity and notoriety over the subsequent years. Some of the most notable web television series include lonelygirl15, MySpace Road Tour, Prom Queen, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Urban Wolf, Squad 85, The Guild, I Kissed A Vampire, Anyone But Me, Spellfury, The Legend of Neil, Red State Update, Dorm Life, Speedie Date, Fred Figglehorn, The Annoying Orange, Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy, Burning Love, Husbands, Kam Kardashian, Video Game High School, and many more. In 2009, web television series received their first awards show, the Streamys.

Production and distribution

The rise in the popularity of the Internet and improvements in streaming video technology mean that producing and distributing a web series is relatively cheap by traditional standards and allows producers to reach a potentially global audience who can access the shows 24 hours a day.

The emerging potential for success in web video has caught the eye of some of the top entertainment executives in America, including former Disney executive and current head of the Tornante Company, Michael Eisner. Eisner's Vuguru subdivision of Tornante partnered with Canadian media conglomerate Rogers Media on October 26, 2009, securing plans to produce upwards of 30 new web shows a year. Rogers Media will help fund and distribute Vuguru's upcoming productions, thereby solidifying a direct connection between old and new media.[8]

Web series can be distributed directly from the producers' websites or online video sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Koldcast or Blip.[9]

Awards

The Webby Awards, established in 1995, recognize top web series in comedy, drama, and reality categories. In 2009, the International Academy of Web Television was founded with the mission to organize and support the community of web television creators, actors, producers and executives.[10] It administered the selection of winners for the Streamy Awards, (which awards web television and web series content,) in 2009 and 2010. Due to poor reception and execution from the 2010 Streamy Awards, the IAWTV decided to halt its production of the award ceremony.[11] The IAWTV followed this decision by forming their own award presentation. Tubefilter later joined Dick Clark productions to produce the 3rd Streamy Awards.[12]

Events and festivals

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gentile, Gary (March 28, 2007). "Ads Turning Up in 'LonelyGirl15'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  2. ↑ http://www.harvesttideproductions.com/web-series/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Lieberman, David (2007-03-11). "Eisner to take on the Internet". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  4. ↑ The Malan Show Bravo TV Index
  5. ↑ Malan Breton Collection. "themalanshow". Malanbreton.com. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  6. ↑ http://www.bravotv.com/project-runway/blogs/where-are-they-now/malan-breton?page=0,1
  7. ↑ Stelter, Brian (2013-07-18). "Netflix Does Well in 2013 Primetime Emmy Nominations". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
  8. ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (2009-10-26). "Eisner cuts deal for Web shows". Variety.
  9. ↑ "WEBSERIES by Diego Lopez". ISSUU. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  10. ↑ About the IAWTV
  11. ↑ Joe Wilson (2012-12-17). "Televisual | On Giving the Streamys (and the IAWTV) a Chance". Tvisual.org. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  12. ↑ 3rd Streamy Awards
  13. ↑ "Welcome To LAWEBFEST 2013". Lawebfest.com. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  14. ↑ "Web Series Festival". HollyWeb Festival. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  15. ↑ "Melbourne WebFest". Melbourne WebFest. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  16. ↑ http://www.chicagocomedyfilmfestival.com
  17. ↑ "London WebFest".
  18. ↑ "Vancouver Web Fest".
  19. ↑ Roma Web Fest. "Roma Web Fest" (in Italian). Romawebfest.it. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  20. ↑ IWCC. "IWCC-CIWC".
  21. ↑ The Web Show Show. "The Web Show Show".
  22. ↑ Miami Web Fest. "Miami Web Fest".
  23. ↑ http://austinwebfestival.com/
  24. ↑ antinori luciana. "Rome Web Awards" (in Italian). Romewebawards.com. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  25. ↑ "SF Web Fest". SF Web Fest. Retrieved 2015-03-05.