Bryan
Yeah, I’ve basically come up with the concepts, or the themes that I want to include in the different stories. And basically what I want to include in the season – what the episodes are going to be like – they’re all going to be like short films that can stand on their own that just expand on the characters of Corey and Nelson (the two guys that were in the bed store). And they’re both kind of quirky and neurotic in their own way. And funny.
So it’s based on themes that could be universal; it doesn’t have to necessarily do with a gay couple. But also things that are unique to a gay couple that’s getting married – now with this option option of gay people able to be married, which is great.
Søren
Right right, sure.
Bryan
And then sets of things that come along with that. But so it’s all going to be shorts, and I’m co-writing them with everyone. That’s how it’s been working so far. I’ve been basically collaborating with them.
Søren
Oh, okay. So your fingerprints are on them.
Bryan
Yeah, exactly. I haven’t been comfortable enough to completely give up an episode yet to somebody. Maybe next season I’ll be able to do that. It’s a learning process for me, too, you know? I want to get better at the craft of writing and short form, and directing, as well. But it all comes with this incredibly talented crew and cast who bring it up to this level that I could never have dreamed of. It’s good. It’s good stuff.
Søren
That’s great. So how does the original short fit into The Webseries? Is it going to be the pilot, or…?
Bryan
Well, originally we weren’t going to be releasing it until later. But with the Kickstarter, we realized that if there are people out there who haven’t seen the film, how are they going to feel that this is going to be a project that’s worth giving to?
Søren
Absolutely.
Bryan
So we decided to release it, and now it’s out there for people to see. So I guess that is kind of the pilot. Although like I said, all of them can exist on their own. They don’t have to be seen in any specific order. We’re going to see how that goes, if that’s something people will respond well to, or if they’re going to need this continuity or arc throughout the season.
But I think now, with the advent of webseries, the democratization of the medium with crowdfunding sources gives us a lot of freedom of thinking differently and outside the box in terms of how we present stories. So that’s pretty exciting.
Søren
So there isn’t a continuity to the episodes? Do they ever refer to each other? Or is it all really self-contained?
Bryan
Yeah, I mean there are characters that come in and out throughout it. And there’s a basic storyline going on. But it’s not like you have to watch Episode 1 to understand Episode 3. You can enjoy them all on their own.
Søren
Is your plan for release to release them all at once, or are you going to stagger it?
Bryan
That’s a good question. I’m going to ask around and see how people feel about all of that. I know there are a lot of people who like that anticipation thing and having something come out every Thursday, or whatever. But I guess the new way the Orange is the New Black –
Søren
The Netflix model.
Bryan
Yeah.
Søren
They binge-watch all at once, crazy.
Bryan
What do you think about that?
Søren
Well, the problem with that is you finish the season, and all you want is more. But because it wasn’t staggered, now it’s like a very short burst of awesome and then you have to wait a year –
Bryan
(Laughs.) Exactly.
Søren
– for the next one. So there’s a tradeoff, I think.
Bryan
Definitely, yeah. The biggest challenge is the availability of the cast. The two main actors are from New York, and people are coming from all over. We already shot the first two episodes because we had funding from the awards money and screening fees from the festivals.
So we have the first two in the can, haven’t edited them yet. But the challenge is just getting everyone together. It could be stretched out over a few months.
