The Horizon (web series)

The Horizon
Created by Adam Jones
Boaz Stark
Directed by Boaz Stark
Starring Indigo Felton
Patrick James
Paul Layton
Sarah Lovella
Adam George
Matthew C Clarke
Theme music composer Guy Gross (since Season 2)
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 6
No. of episodes 48
Production
Executive producer(s) Tim Duggan (1st Season)
Boaz Stark (2nd, 3rd & 4th Season)
Producer(s)

Brian Cobb (Seasons 2,3 & 4)

Adam Jones (Digital Producer - 1st Season)
Editor(s) Kel Gronow
Location(s) Sydney, Australia
Running time 6–11 minutes
Release
First shown in 2009
Original release 8 November 2009 – 18 October 2015
External links
[The Horizon Website]

The Horizon is a web series which premiered on YouTube. It is the most watched online series made out of Australia and the most watched gay web series in the world.[1]

The Horizon was created by Adam Jones and Boaz Stark. Season 1 was written in 2009 by Boaz Stark (a scriptwriter for 25 years, former writer of Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Always Greener and Packed to the Rafters).[2] Season 1 was produced by Mark Benko Ure and Christian Taylor and directed by Boaz Stark and Mark Benko Ure. Seasons 2, 3 and 4 were written and directed by Boaz Stark and produced by Brian Cobb and his company Cobbstar Productions. Brian had two short films chosen and screened at the 2012 and 2013 Cannes film festival.[3]

The Horizon is made in partnership with the Aids Council of New South Wales (ACON). The budget for the 1st series was $3,000 (Australian dollars) but went viral. Now with 3 seasons available for view at thehorizon.tv, the series has significantly higher production values and stands at over 22,000,000 views, growing by 40,000 - 60,000 views daily (July 2014). It is the most successful online series made in Australia and the most watched gay web series in the world.

Season 1 starred Patrick James, Jay Duncan, Andrew Perry and Sammy Rodriguez. Season 2 starred Patrick James, AJ Cooke, Indigo Felton, Sam David Harris, Adam George and Rebecca Sunshine. Seasons 3 and 4 starred Patrick James, Indigo Felton, Paul Layton, Adam George, Sarah Louella, Matthew C Clarke and Francis Mossman.

"Low budget productions can be a challenge – every penny counts when creating a production such as The Horizon. But it also has its advantages, such as becoming a family and having an amazing cast and crew that you learn to trust and work so well with," explained actor Alistair Cooke (who took over the role of Jake in Season 2).[4]

The third series has been promoted by DNA magazine. Current sponsors include: The Aids Council of NSW (ACON), Glyde Health, Ben Sherman, AussieBum, House of Priscilla, The Oxford Hotel, DNA magazine, General Pants Co and Marrickville Council, although The Horizon is low budget and Boaz's crew and cast work for reduced rates.[5]

Stephan Elliott, who directed Priscilla Queen of the Desert, is mentoring Stark in season three.[6]

The Horizon won 4 awards at the L.A. Webfest 2014: Outstanding Series, Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Actor - Indigo Felton and Outstanding Actor - Alistair Cooke [7]

Production

The first series was filmed on location in Sydney at the Colombian Hotel, Syl's Bed and Breakfast and Kika Tapas Bar.

Characters

Episodes

Season 1

Synopses: Jake, an 18-year-old innocent from Bega, comes to the city to meet 28-year-old AJ after months of chatting on a gay social networking website. Things turn pear-shaped when AJ is exposed as a love-rat and Jake sleeps with AJ’s housemate and ex-lover Chris in ecstasy-fuelled retaliation. Despite the debacle, Jake decides to stay in the city with the support of caustic drag queen, new friend and flatmate, Wilma Bumhurt.

It was also supported by Manhunt and www.samesame.com.au
Episode 1 - 8 - Uploaded between 8 November 2009 - 28 Dec 2009
Guest Stars - Chris (Sammy Rodriguez)
Note; Boaz was in the background in the bar in the 1st episode.

Season 2

Synopses: Jake and AJ miss each other deeply, although Jake expresses it by being wary of getting involved with other guys while AJ sleeps with as many men as humanly possible. A chance meeting on the street has AJ admitting how much he misses Jake. Both are willing to put the past behind them and start again as friends. But when they do get together again in AJ’s new apartment, within seconds they’re kissing and end up sleeping together. After sex they decide to give the relationship another chance, after AJ swears he’ll be faithful. It’s smooth sailing until two of Jake’s old school friends arrive from Bega, Micky and Millie. They’re a couple, although fun-loving Millie has no idea Micky and Jake have “fooled around” back home. Privately, Micky is struggling with his sexuality and a chance encounter in a stairwell with a stranger (AJ) leads to sex. Although, mortified he’s cheated on Jake, AJ and Micky get together again – only this time they’re caught red-handed by Jake. Micky makes his escape, leaving a deeply sorry AJ to tearfully explain how he can separate his feelings of love for Jake from any little indiscretions. But Jake is crushed and breaks off their relationship again. Meanwhile, Micky steals money from Wilma and disappears, leaving Jake and Wilma to explain all to a shell-shocked Millie.

Meanwhile, Wilma is emotionally torn after getting a voicemail message from her father, having not spoken to either of her parents in over ten years. Ardent Christians, they rejected their son when Wilma (then Dennis) came out to them as gay. Wilma was hurt, having been close to her father as a child. She has fond memories of him teaching her “Ave Maria” to perform in the church choir, which she has on video. Her parents have no idea their son is now a drag queen. Wilma tries calling her father back and gets his voicemail. The next day she gets the news that her father has died and realises he may have been calling to make peace before he died. Wilma, out of drag, goes to see her grieving mother, only to be told not to attend the funeral. Deeply wounded, Wilma stays away - but later puts on a private show in full drag at the cemetery, performing a pumped up house version of “Ave Maria” at her father’s grave with only Jake and Millie to witness it. The passionate performance goes a long way in helping them all feel better about life and love.

Co-sponsored by www.glydehealth.com (a sexual health company)
Episodes 9 - 16 - Uploaded between 19 December 2012 - 31 January 2013
Guest Stars

Season 3

Synopses: AJ embarks on an open relationship with Saxon, but both find the politics are far more complicated than they’d anticipated when Saxon chooses “trade” over AJ one night. Wounded, AJ pushes Saxon away and then refuses to accept his genuine apology. Saxon finally accuses AJ of sabotaging their relationship, as he does with everyone. Confronted by this truth, AJ forgives him and the two get back on good footing.

After being rejected by her mother for the second time, Wilma would happily never see her again - but when her drink gets spiked in a club, she passes out in an alley, hits her head and ends up in hospital. Yvonne comes to see her but has second thoughts and retreats. When Wilma has recovered, she goes (as Dennis) to see Yvonne and find out exactly what she wants. Yvonne breaks down; she isn’t sure; she’s just so lonely since her husband died. Dennis thaws in the face of Yvonne’s distress and agrees to spend some time with her – only the next time they meet, Wilma makes a point of coming in drag. Yvonne baulks but Wilma insists she accepts her on her terms.

Jake, Millie and Wilma discover Micky is working as a gay rent boy to survive and bring him back into the fold. Before long, Jake and Micky are sleeping together and Micky admits he’s always loved Jake but was too closeted to admit it. The two bond and Micky is soon lobbying to have unprotected sex. Jake suggests they both go for HIV tests first. Whilst Jake sits in the testing centre waiting area for his results, Micky is with a Peer Educator getting his HIV tests results – which have come back positive...

(Episodes 17 - 24) Uploaded between 7 November 2013 and this season each episode was sponsored by a different company. Belinda Giblin also reprises her role as Wilma's mother throughout the season.

Season 4

AJ and Saxon continue with their rocky relationship but as the series unfold Saxon's true feelings start to come out and is ultimately hurt when AJ continues to lie and betray his trust. Micky struggles to come to terms with his illness and carries on pushing Jake away until he goes too far and Jake ends up with Stevie. Micky almost cheats on Jake too when he meets up with a mysterious guy on Manhunt, an app specialized in getting gay men some action.

Wilma and her mother gradually start to repair the relationship that was broke back when Wilma was abandoned. Wilma puts in the effort with her mother by agreeing to meet out of drag and as her son Denis, however she willingly agrees to come and see Wilma's performance at the Oxford. Milly finds it difficult accepting Micky's illness knowing that they once had a relationship but she decides to set her issues aside so that she can comfront Micky.

References

  1. ↑ "Australia's most watched webseries hits Hollywood". media.smh.com.au (Sydney Morning Herald). 6 June 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  2. ↑ "The SHTICK S31-08 Seg.1 Boaz Stark TV ScriptWriter, Director, Producer". Youtube.com. 20 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "Funding needed for new season of gay web drama". gaynewsnetwork.com.au. 2 August 2012.
  4. 1 2 Bond, Nick (8 November 2012). "New eps of gay soapie on the horizon". www.starobserver.com.au.
  5. ↑ Ma, Wenlei (16 August 2013). "Short-form web drama series The Horizon strikes deal with DNA". www.adnews.com.au.
  6. ↑ "Two more seasons for ACON-sponsored online drama The Horizon". mumbrella.com.au. 17 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "The Horizon Series". melbournewebfest.com. 18-20 July. Retrieved 16 June 2014. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ↑ "Sarah Louella". www.starnow.co.uk. 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  9. ↑ Bond, Nick (8 November 2013). "Slice of Sydney gains worldwide following". www.starobserver.com.au. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "The Horizon: Introducing Francis Mossman as Stevie". vimeo.com. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  11. ↑ "Two Sleeps Until The Horizon". www.dnamagazine.com.au. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2014.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, November 23, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.