Someone asked me recently how I could imagine that people I met on the Internet were 'real' friends when we have never talked or even seen each other. They used Facebook to keep in touch with people they knew IRL, but couldn't imagine making new friends via the Internet, and likened them to imaginary friends. It was hard not to pity them.
When we first moved to Canada, some of the first new friends I made were online. They were, and are, more than virtual friends. One of those friends is celebrating her birthday today. Not with fancy-schmancy LA glitz, but with a muscle car, Rock Jocks and home-style cooking. There might even be collard greens. And to start the day right - Twinkies:
Birthday breakfast: first cappuccino I've had in six months, croissant and breakfast Twinkie. Nomz. http://t.co/vcGiEzRQmf
— Felicia Day (@feliciaday) June 28, 2013
Galiene in Action in 'Border Guardians of Ackernon'
Border Guardians of Ackernon - live Ustream Q and A today!
This week I announced the launch of a new consultancy that combines writing, video and social media and a new client. I've known Paul Best since we met at VCON last year, and I will be helping him to promote the brilliant new fantasy webseries, 'Border Guardians of Ackernon: The University'. Today there is a live Question and Answer with the cast on the Ackernon Ustream channel which will be lots of fun. Tune in at 2:30 PST and I'll see you in the chat room:
What a packed weekend!
It's hectic central here as we push to finish filming 'Mind My Brains, Darling!'. We had planned this weekend for our final shoots for some time, arranging for our two guest stars, Alan Douglas and Josephine Hoy to come up and making sure all the props were finished. We had a fantastic Saturday, are all set for today's scenes, and we're completely on schedule.
The Guild steals the limelight
On Friday I saw a tweet from Sean Becker to say that they were going to be finishing shooting this weekend, too. It's hard not to interpret this as a direct challenge to see who wraps first and WE ACCEPT THAT CHALLENGE! So, Sean, see you in the bar because we'll be finished first. Felicia Day also released a video of Behind The Scenes footage:
You might wonder why we haven't released any BTS videos fom the 'Mind My Brains, Darling!' set. There's a simple reason.
I know, I know - that headline is horrible!
But I figure that since people already get to this blog using some truly eye-popping searches, this won't make things that much worse. We can hope. Anyway, there is actual footage of Behind The Scenes of The Guild Season 5 that includes Felicia in the bathroom along with Sean Becker and a host of people all working hard. Ms Day has her own YouTube channel and that''s the place to get see these vids (and here, obviously).
Felicia Day Glamour Shots!
I mean - using a bathroom as your control room IS glamorous, you have to admit. This video is pure Hollywood...
Felicia Goes Blonde!
We know that hair colour can be a...sensitive issue. Here Felicia is encouraging more speculation, but of a different kind. Why in the world is she wearing a Katy Perry cast-off wig??
No Words...
I don't know where to even start with this one...
At least we haven't seen this yet:
[redacted picture of Sean Becker]
Sean Becker poised for "Action" on The Guild Season 5 (from @theguild Twitpic)
It's all happening!
After months of speculation and preparation the well-oiled machine that is The Guild is once more swinging into action. And once more we know we will be seeing things we have never seen before. Of course, no one knows any details about the plot for Season 5 outside the inner circle. Felicia Day is so (rightly) paranoid about spoilers getting out that she has mind-wiping ninjas on hand that preemptively strike anyone about to spill the tiniest detail. Apparently they can even work from a distance using a variety of top secret yet deadly methods.
Felicia herself is not above teasing us with tweets like the one above, but only she is allowed that privilege. So I'm not going to tell you that they are on location on Long Beach, or link to this picture taken from behind the scenes. And I'm certainly not going to tell you that...can you smell almonds....?
Erstwhile Director Sean Becker - back on form?
Today on Twitter, Sean Becker, sometime director of The Guild and other webseries comedy gold like 'The Jeff Lewis Comedy 5 Minutes Hour of Happy Endings', broke the news we were all waiting for today. THE GUILD SEASON 5 STARTS SHOOTING NEXT WEEK!
However, the happy news was quickly under threat by the very same Mr Becker, who literally threatened Agent Ruiz and The Guild itself something almost-certainly unpleasant:
UPDATE: There is still time to send your questions in to the cast and crew ready for the party tomorrow - send them to Knightsoftheguild@gmail.com
Saturday February 5th at 6:00 PM PST - BE THERE!
How time flies! It only seems like a few weeks ago since the Kenny hosted the KOTG 1st Anniversary party at his new house. What a blast that was as Kenny and Jenni served up a delicious show full of fun, laughter and tons of special guests - live from the KOTG studio! Streaming it live via Ustream meant that everyone could take part and Guildies from all over the globe joined in the fun.
Celebrate this great podcast!
KOTG give Guild fans so much. They are the #1 resource for ALL the news on The Guild and a sure way to cope with Guild Deficiency Syndrome. With on-set interviews, the special guests they have on each show and reports from Cons, book signings and more, even the most obsessive fans will find out more about how The Guild is made and the people behind it by listening. So I hope you will be raising a glass to Kenny and Jenni tomorrow because they deserve it. WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
And don't forget that you can keep up with KOTG all over the 'Net:
Special Guests Galore
Kenny has posted all the details for the live streaming on WatchTheGuild.com forums. There will be whole host of cast and crew attending including Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, Vince Caso, Teal Sherer and Sean Becker. And speaking of Sean Becker, looked what popped up in a search that I don't have set up:
Frontpage of the new seanbecker.com (not shown: a wiener)
What is this all about?? I've requested further information from Sean but so far he has refused to answer, so we can only SPECULATE IN A SCIENTIFIC MANNER.
Urkel + 2(chicken sammich) + wiener + hollow boasting* = THE BECKPOCALYPSE!
*Sean has put "Best. In Town" at the bottom of the page. And the page title is "Director and other stuff". So Sean is boasting that he is the best "Director and other stuff" in town. Do you think Felicia is going to take that kind of smack talking lying down? She's fired him once, what will she do to him this time? WE'LL FIND OUT TOMORROW LIVE ON USTREAM!!
Back to the lists...
I have some wonderful seasonal diversions and gift suggestions that might have passed you by and I'm going to try something new - the 'Something to watch/Something to buy/Something to listen to/Something to support' list. If it works out I may do more - so let me know. YOU'RE WELCOME!
Something to Watch
Sean Becker. Jeff Lewis. Assorted Guildies and associates. Mix, lace with profanity and serve shaken, not stirred, over a humorous bed of NSFW. That is the The Jeff Lewis 5-Minute Comedy Hour.
Here's the latest (shot on location) - Episode VI: Hawaii
Something to Buy:
"Songs The Brother's Warner Taught Me" - this album from the indomitable Megan Lynch (@may_gun) is a Christmas Gift winner on many levels (warning, new list ahead):
So many memories from a youth spent glued to the TV watching Loonie Tunes
A wide range of styles and moods all brought together in one delicious album
A unique collection of songs, many of which have no other recent recordings
Supporting a truly independent and hugely talented artist
Something to listen to:
I'm going to cheat on the list straight away and recommend 2 shows. I don't always get time to listen to longer podcasts so they are stacking up at a rate of knots. This week I listened to:
New Mediacracy Episode 18
Zadi Diaz, Steve Woolf and Chris McCaleb are joined by Barrett Garese, Brett Register, Craig Frank and Jamie Blair and chat about what web video entertainment is/should be/could be/isn't. Fascinating debate from this all-too-infrequent podcast.
Indie Intertube Episode 48
This weekly podcast is broadcast live (usually on a Wednesday) and has an active online forum. Destini and Shadhavar are great hosts with an encyclopedic knowledge of the webseries community: the people, the shows and the gossip :) Last week covered lots of webseries including Pretty, Diary of a Single Mom and Hard Drive 13. Plus they usually devote the second half to call-ins and this episode includes Joe Wilson (Vampire Mob). You can tune in this week for more updates and guests.
Something to Support:
Ok, cheating again as there are two causes you should know about, and you can vote daily for both:
Knights of The Guild - Podcast Awards: Entertainment category
Kenny. Jenni. Guildies. News. Views. Interviews...this show has everything if you are even remotely interested in The Guild, so vote for them because they are awesome.
Browncoats: Redemption - Mashable Awards: Most Creative Social Good Campaign
There was a write up of the award today, and if you don't know about Browncoats: Redemption, the fan-made film set in the Firefly/Serenity 'Verse that is raising money for charity, then get over to their site and order your copy today! Mine has pride of place :)
Caution: Hubby at work!
So then, what's been going on with you? Seems like a long time since I wrote anything here but even I was shocked to see it was nearly 2 weeks! I'll be out of the Blogger's Loose Association with No Set Agenda at this rate. So - what have I been doing, I hear you ask? The answer is Pretty Cool Stuff. And because it is traditional for me to mark periods of not blogging with a megalistpost, here's a quick rundown:
Building Sets & Polishing Scripts for 'Mind My Brains, Darling!': new posts up on HigletFilms.com about our progress. And don't forget that you still have 23 days left to help us raise the last $239 we need to reach our goal on Indiegogo.com. A huge thank you to all the generous people who have donated so far - you rock!
Follow ups from VCON: We made some great new contacts at VCON and we're hoping to be able to share some more of this in the coming weeks. And I'll be publishing an interview with Alyssa Ciccarelli from Riese the Series on PinkRaygun soon. Riese is a Steampunk webseries that was launched in 2009. It has been picked up by Syfy.com and will be airing every Tuesday and Thursday on http://www.syfy.com/riese/
Fighting GDS with Legend of Neil and Jeff Lewis 5 Min Comedy Hour: Guild Deficiency Syndrome can be temporarily relieved by ingesting quantities of these two shows, although 'ingesting' might not be the word to use given the last 'Jeff Lewis...' ep. And next week is the LAST EVER episode of Legend of Neil, which is a whole other type of syndrome waiting to happen. Will our suffering never end? Yes, because 'Knights of The Guild' podcast is still running with new shows and competitions! Guaranteed to cheer up the most down-in-the-mouth Guildie :)
IAWTV opens its doors to....everyone!: After months of debates, it seems the IAWTV has decided to allow anyone with an interest in webseries to register as a member. You might have missed this because it is not on the public IAWTV website or Twitter stream because there are issues in updating these sites. But Jack Ferry has done an admirable job of spreading the word, and it was this article by him that really got the ball rolling. Liz Shannon Miller wrote about the change on NewTeeVee.com and Tubefilter also reported on the changes. I think the challenges for the IAWTV are large but not insurmountable, and it will be interesting to see what happens. I think this a massive step in the right direction.
Castle - must-watch TV!: Ah, there are only 2 things I'm watching on TV atm and Castle is one of them. Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic and all deliver a dependable dollop of pure enjoyment.
Caprica - also must-watch TV!: From the ridiculous to the sublime? Possibly. All I know is that I love this show immensely and hope it is renewed for another season or five.
The Guild Season 4 over already?! Say it ain't so!
Episode 12, "Guild Hall" is out and..well, watch it and see for yourself:
It was a great ending to a fantastic season, and congratulations to the whole team! Because of my VCON duties with "Mind My Brains, Darling!" I didn't get chance to post the Episode 11 review before the finale came out, so there is a bumper review on PinkRaygun.com this week covering Episodes 11 and 12.
Jeff Lewis and Sean Becker - back next week!
Although The Guild has finished you can still see new Jeff Lewis next week as his new show "The Jeff Lewis 5-Minute Comedy Hour" starts then. Here's the new promo (NSFW):
Sean Becker is the Director/Editor and we'll be seeing a whole new side to Jeff, so make sure to tune in Next Tuesday (Oct 12th) for the first episode.
HigletFilms at VCON 35!
We attended VCON 35 in Vancouver last weekend to promote our new webseries, "Mind My Brains, Darling!" and had a wonderful time. I've written about it on HigletFilms.com. Our fundraising on Indiegogo is going well. and a huge thank you to everyone who has donated and spread the word. We haven't quite reached our total yet but there is still time. We released the second teaser last week, and here it is:
Where were you on Saturday?
Both Dragon*Con and PAX have been on this weekend and it's been hard to choose between which one I wished I was at more! The Guild were at Dragon*Con, with Sean Becker leading the charge (while Felicia Day was attending to other duties) and their panels and signings have been as well-attended and received as ever. Another reason for wanting to be in Atlanta, though, was the fact that after two years of planning, plotting, and a metric butt-tonne of hard work - Browncoats: Redemption had its world premiere!
Only available online for a LIMITED TIME!
The panel for the premiere had queues out the door, such was the interest in the film. I wasn't in Atlanta but I still watched the premiere because they put it online at the same time as it was aired at the panel. it is available to watch online for a very limited time on Facebook and the website. I've embedded below but it'll only work until 7:00 PM EDT TODAY.
Reactions have been very positive both at the panel itself and online - with Twitter all abuzz. Great news because this fan-made film has a great dual purpose. Not only does it give fans a new taste of the Serenity/Firefly 'Verse, it is set to raise a lot of money for some very deserving charities. All the proceeds will be split between these charities - which is where YOU can get involved.
DVD copies of the film are available to order now at the BrowncoatsMovie.com shop (where you can also pick up a cool teeshirt or two). I've already ordered my copy. I've been following Browncoats: Redemption for a long time and I'm very proud of the whole team for what they have done. Making a feature film in two years is a massive acheivement! The story takes you along and they have stayed true to the 'Verse that Joss Whedon created. It is a very enjoyable romp and I recommend it. Now go buy the DVD!
Laura Matthews and the crew of 'Redemption'
If you want to read all the interviews I've done with Michael Dougherty, the co-producer (and writer) of Browncoats: Redemption about the process of making the film, they are here:
How do you top 'Date My Avatar'?
...by going to Bollywood! The epic new music video from The Guild, 'Game On', mixes a toe-tapping Bhangra beat with 'Gamer Pride' lyrics and features amazing costumes, dance moves and AN ELEPHANT! You will be able to buy it from iTunes and Amazon tomorrow, but you can see for yourself how awesome it is now:
Lyrics and credits are on WatchTheGuild.com and Felicia Day has also blogged about it, explaining why she really didn't want to do this video and how happy she is with the result. I reviewed it on PinkRaygun last week and Knights of The Guild have a suitably epic microcast from Behind the Scenes. 'Microcast Episode #19: Quest for Bollywood' features interviews with Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh, Kim Evey, Sean Becker - and so many more! Highly recommended.
Legend of Neil - Season 3 premieres!
'Quitters Never Continue' picks up from the end of Season 2 and quickly fills us in on all that has happened to Neil since we last saw his woe-begone face. Things are on the up-and-up for Neil and he is safe in the bosom of his family. The joy never stops. But corn dogs and family bosoms aren't good enough for Neil, and he is still banging on about how he got trapped in that game and...some people just never know when to quit, do they? Lucky for us he is soon back where he was meant to be. Naked and sparring with a cranky old man.
There is the usual NSFW-ness, cracking dialogue and some new, vaguely familiar faces...Enjoy!
Season 3, Episode 2 will be out on August 10th (they are following a bi-weekly release schedule).
The Webventures of Justin & Alden - finale now up!
So then, what did we learn?
If you haven't seen the finale of Webventures then get watching now!
Mild Spoilers Ahead!
I don't want to give the ending away. It would take too much time since the conclusion is immensely fast-moving and, like sponsors Trident gum, layered. I suggest you watch it at least twice because you're bound to miss things otherwise. Of course Felicia Day is magnificent and she gets the prize (or she will eventually, one would think), but she isn't (dare I say it?) the star of show. Justin and Alden, or rather their (groan) "Manlationship", are/is the star. And don't forget to watch right up to the end because the last shot is priceless.
The healing power of cheese
As cheesy and contrived as the whole conceit is, it completely works for me. I said before that it was pitched perfect(ly) and the conclusion never wallows or grates. It just...works. And, more than that, it has helped me come to terms with the Streamys 2010. It has exorcised some of the bad mojo because Justin and Alden embody the spirit of what I wanted the Streamys to be about: having a dream, making it happen and hot vampires. Er, no...Friendship, journeys well travelled and bromance. Er...getting all your acquaintances together and putting on a show? Well, something like that, anyway.
Question time - Who IS Wilson Cleveland?
Wilson is a veteran of webseries creation and is the person behind the people behind "Webventures". Or something like that. What does that mean? I have no idea. And so I will be interviewing Mr Cleveland later today about his roles, what it was like to work with folk such as Sandeep Parikh, Tony Janning, Sean Becker and Taryn Southern, and what the future of branded webseries might be.
Give me your questions!
Sometimes, dear readers, you have to earn your keep. I can't be expected to think of everything, all the time! Mr Cleveland is expecting some intelligent questions and I have a deadline. So, rack your brains and send me your questions so it looks like I know what I'm talking about. Come on - I've not asked you to vote for anything in ages, so really you - owe me! Please?
The Webventures of Justin & Alden: now on your intertubes!
What would YOU do to get famous? This is an interesting question and one that Justin and Alden are working through at the moment in their wacky Webventures. Episode three is now out and our hapless duo find themselves mixed up with some bad - and hot - company (with guest appearances by Scott Chernoff, Adam Leiphart, Jessica Rose, Douglas Sarine and Taryn Southern):
Sticking it to the basics Webventures is multi-layered, not unlike the Trident Gum so artfully placed within each episode. On one level it is a buddy movie with the familiar standards of the less-than-smart slacker and his even-less-smarterer friend who are fighting against 'The Man' to achieve a dubious goal (where 'fighting' equals 'driving around in apparent circles', 'The Man' is their obscurity and the dubious goal is fame. And Felicia Day.).
Webventures is also a road trip where the guys live and love and learn. Just, you know, with not much of any of those things actually happening.
On another, slightly more elevated level, it is a stark indictment of the paucity of ambition in today's youth, where the only motivation to do anything is driven by a desire to achieve that most ignoble of goals - FAME! They want to live forever. They want to learn how to fly. Fame! Remember....What were we talking about again? Oh yes. Pie.
And the last layer is the same as the first. Like pie. It's a snappily-written comedy that manages to knit together most of the stars of the webseries firmament into a mostly-believable* narrative where product-placement literally provides cohesion. Where we go back to the future to when soap operas were a legitimate form of entertainment (and advertising), and George Washington roamed the earth.
What have we learned? Webseries can be funny, knowing, informative and pay the rent. And former Presidents might try to jack the gas out of your ride.** You can tri-denting their reputation but once you've chewed it over you'll gob-solutely admire their tongue-in-cheek humour and won't want to burst their bubble.***
And now for something completely different.... Don't forget that Goodnight Princess Act 1 and Act 2 are now up on YouTube. The final Act 3 will be out next Monday and you can find out more here. We've had some really positive feedback so far - so yay for trying something new!
* My suspension of disbelief might be calibrated differently to yours ** I'm trying not to hold Sean Becker responsible for Kenny's recent troubles, but I think we all know who the culprit was. *** You can blame Hubby for these. Sandeep and Tony have now legitimised his obsession with puns and now he Just. Won't. Stop.
The Webventures of Justin and Alden, a new comedy with an impressive pedigree
A new webseries with some old friends
'The Webventures of Justin and Alden' occupy that sweet spot between knowing humour and self-deprecating shenanigans. And well it might, since it has been touched all over by the hands of some webcomedy masters. Written by Tony Janning and Sandeep Parikh (who collaborate so well on Legend of Neil) and directed by Sean Becker (you remember that guy?), it stars Justin Tyler and Alden Ford. As Tubefilter's Marc Hustvedt wrote last week, it also has a support cast to die for including Felicia Day and her ninjas. Nuff said - give it a try!
New to YouTube: The Guild Season 3: Ep 8 - +10 to Bravery
Another breath-taking episode from Season 3 is now up on YouTube. It has some brilliant action and lines in it, and you can read my review up on PinkRaygun.com.
Something....else?
Tomorrow I'll be posting Episode 1 of 'Goodnight Princess', a new mini-series. This is an internet play in three acts and marks new territory for me....More about it tomorrow!
Felicia Day accepts her 2010 Streamy Award for Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series for The Guild
EDIT: I've added some important updates at the end
A star-filled night
I was excited about last night's Streamy Awards and was preparing to get some great pictures from the event. In the post I did yesterday I never imagined what was going to unfold before my eyes last night. I did manage to get some screen shots, and I hope you enjoy this slideshow from my Flickr stream:
The Elephant dung in the room
For more than two years I've been following web series, seeing how this new form is developing and growing. It inspires me. Inspiration was one of the things sorely lacking in last night's show. Many, many people have expressed their feelings about the Streamys on Twitter, chat rooms and blogs. Not everyone was disappointed and Lights.Camera.Drama. found some good points. EndofShow.com sums up many of the thoughts I have about it, as does b!X in his article. Felicia Day's tweet after the show was confirmation that the people in the auditorium were as aghast as the online audience.
Sean Becker receives his 2010 Streamy Award for Best Directing in a Comedy Web Series for The Guild
The Good
There were some.
Sean Becker's speech. When I interviewed Sean he said he didn't remember a thing about his Emmys speech because he hadn't prepared and was so nervous. This time he had done his homework and had some notes. It was funny because he omitted all the jokes he had written and still managed to be funnier than many of the other people who stood at that podium. His thankyous were awesome and moving (he thanked his mum and dad, which brought a tear to me eye). He even mentioned @egspoony's birthday and all the Guildies. A class act.
Autotune The News did a very good segment (the second part was let down by bad sound but they were excellent) and their acceptance speech/song was brilliantly conceived and performed.
Felicia Day's acceptance speech was a real highlight. It came late in the show and rather than complain she thanked people for their hard work at the show and brought some much-needed reflections on what the night was supposed to be about. And she dedicated it to all the geeky girls out there - she won that award for us and that's why we love her.
And the host, Paul Scheer, did his best in the face of what must have been a difficult night.
Felicia Day bathed in light at the 2010 Streamy Awards
The Bad
Technical fails happen - anyone who has ever tried to do a presentation using any sort of mechanical device knows that. Much more worrying was that the organisers seemed to have forgotten what web entertainment is about. Rather than porn and sexist/homophobic/OMFG it's about punchy, bite-sized, pithy, amazing revelations. The best of the web is a short, sharp, shock not an overblown wet raspberry. Even without the technical problems the 'show' was far too long. And it shouldn't have been a show, but a ceremony.
The Ugly
Scatological has a place but I don't want to have to listen to so many bad taste and mean-spirited diatribes and unfunny segments. Truly I was cringing in places and had to mute the sound for my own sanity. I was in The Guild Chat and people were angry about the tone and length of so many of the sections. When James Gunn is light relief from swearing and lewdness then something is very wrong.
The Future
What happens now? Hopefully plans are already underway for next year's awards because I don't want The Streamys to stop. Web entertainment needs a dedicated award ceremony that honours and lauds the truly great and innovative. Web entertainment just went through it's awkward teenage stage live online but good things can come from this. I don't know the organisers but I've spoken to them online in the past and I know that they are working hard and breaking ground. I really appreciate the work that everyone involved in the Streamys does - I really do. The are dealing with many pressure and it can't be easy.
So I have a list I'd like them to think about before next year:
Firstly remember it's THE STREAMYS not anything else. Dare to be different and give us what we want - punchy, edgy and short!
It shouldn't have to be censored but if you know there are going to be adult-related themes then have some sort of warning at the outset. And don't bleep stuff when that's no way near as bad as the live action you know is going to happen.
No dance routines unless they are from a web series that are receiving or presenting an award. And even then less than three minutes. Same for bands.
Stay classy. The popup idea was very funny but the material was coarse in the extreme and it didn't need to be. I felt sorry for the audience. And me. Other parts were equally as bad.
Don't diss your audience - the ones sitting in the auditorium OR the ones online. Really. It does not go down well and cheapens everyone.
Be clear about funding, sponsors and money. We want you to make money and fund the Streamys. Advertisements are fine if it pays the bills. Other things make us nervous.
Be inspiring - big up the creators and yourselves. You are amazing - show us how. Make us believe that we don't have to live in LA or have connections or money or be young or beautiful to create great online entertainment.
Let us see the organisers - you made the show and we'd like to see you so we can show our appreciation!
Show us you've listened to what people say about this year's ceremony. Not the rants but the fair criticism. It won't be easy but the passion you see shows that people care. It will make it all the sweeter when the same people praise you next year.
Be proud of what you do!
Do you have any other comments or thoughts you would like to pass on about the Streamys? Comment here or contact Jenni Powell. This is important. Web entertainment is alive and kicking - take part!
The full list of the winners is on Tubefilter. Please go and check out some great web series. EDIT: IMPORTANT UPDATES
Felicia Day accepts (one of) her Streamy Award in 2009
They say you always remember your first time...
...and I certainly remember the First Streamys. It was a dark and stormy nig....er, no, that's not quite right. It was a highly exciting night. No one was sure of what to expect. Who would be there? Who would win? Who would scream the loudest if the live stream didn't work?
Sandeep Parikh and Felicia Day kick off the action in 2009
Breathlessly waiting
Like many people gathered on Twitter and WatchTheGuild chat room, I anxiously waited for the live feed to finally start. After a couple of small hiccups we were thrust right into the heart of the Streamys. Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh set the ball in motion and the awards came thick and fast. For a great summary read this article from Tubefilter. It was an uplifting evening.
Jane Espenson (we are not worthy) tells us that BSG is like chopped liver in her 2009 Streamys acceptance speech
So many winners, a few surprises and lots of hard work rewarded. It's a bit of a blur but I managed to remember enough about it to cobble together a blog post. So what will we see this year?
Joss Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen accept the Dr Horrible Streamy in 2009
Vanity Fair gives us a taste Surprisingly (to me, anyway), the only place I've seen any real hint of what's going to happen on the night has been in this article. No real spoilers except that Keanu Reeves will be there....and no word if NPH will sneak along just for the heck of it (we can hope).
Neil Patrick Harris thrills at the Streamys 2009 with tales of Nathan Fillion's junk
Submit to a night of web history There will be winners and losers but we can all share in the experience of seeing the future of web entertainment blossoming before our very eyes. The red carpet pre-show starts at 3:30 PST and the ceremony itself starts at 5:30 PST. Make sure you are locked onto http://www.streamys.org/ to be a part of history and I'll see you there (and on Twitter)! I'll be adding pictures from the ceremony on my Flickr account as quickly as they will upload.
The Guild looked fabulous last year but....
Who hopes that The Guild will show up in their Avatar costumes?!?
Every time you rate, comment and share a video you like on YouTube an angel gets wings - and that is a true story. So when you've watched all these videos don't forget to share the love and do your bit for non-flying angels!
The Guild Season 3, Ep 5: Application'd Another cracking episode from The Guild Season 3 this week with the tension ramping up for everyone!
There's a full review of the episode on Pink Raygun.com (which contains spoilers) and there's a listing of the all my Season 3 reviews here which I hope you will enjoy.
Rate, Comment, Share! Every time you rate, comment and share a video you like on YouTube it an angel gets wings - and that is a true story. So when you've watched all these videos don't forget to share the love and do your bit for non-flying angels!
Two Hot Girls - REVEALED! Kim Evey and Julie Wittner show us more than usual in the shower! How I love these girls....
Could be mildly NSFW, but depends on where you work :) And the Bonus Extra videos are hilarious, too! If you are a member of the WatchTheGuild community site then they have their own group - come and join us!
I am a Browncoat #5 Browncoat: Redemption is a fanmade film that is released this year. To help get the signal out they have been asking for videos from fans....here is the latest one!
Last, but not least - Greg and Payman chat and roul(ette) Like me you might have heard about something called chat roulette and decided it wasn't for you. I did ask about it on Friendfeed and the answer came back "You'll see lots of penises." o_O It was only a matter of time, then, before Mediocre Films stuck their noses (and goodness knows what else) into the seamy underbelly of this new web sensation so they could bring us this (NSFW - REALLY NOT!!!!) video:
The more you know....Thanks for the PSA, Greg and Payman!
Remember how cute The Guild looked at the end of S2?
Friday is Guild day!
Season 3, Episode 2 is now up on YouTube:
Season 3 puts The Guild through the wringer with ups, downs, thrills, spills and even some kilt-based action (go @wilw!). In fact, I was watching the S3 DVD bonus features today and I had never noticed the bit where Wil Wheaton is gesturing wildly in the background in the 'Axis of Anarchy' feature. Talk about swinging sporrans....
Anyhoo! Make sure to watch, rate and comment on YouTube. Even if you did that on MSN and watchtheguild.com because every time you do, it helps to show that The Guild has lots of fans that really love the show *cough* Season 4 deal *cough*. My reviews of all of Season 3 are up on PinkRaygun.com so check them out, too (full list with links under 'Shameless Plug', here).
Seasons 1 and 2 are also available on Netflix so if you have Netflix check them out (and rate, comment, etc).
Friendbuddies: vote now, vote often!
Friendbuddies: Who wouldn't want to see Sean and Payman on TV?
I'm not sure how many times you can vote or when the contest finishes but I do know that Sean Becker and Payman Benz, the brains (!) behind Awkward Pictures (and Friendbuddies) deserve a chance to be on TV. And you can make that happen. Simply go to the atom.com showdown page, click on Friendbuddies to watch the video and then vote. No registration or anything else to do - easy! They have picked up some % points this week but are still not winning, so please remember to vote. A lot.
The fake Sean Becker. He needs help (obviously. I mean - look at him!).
Webvideo - I LOVE it! I spend far too long watching videos on the Intertubes. Far. Too. Long. A while ago I was stalking researching a certain Mr Sean Becker for a series of articles. He had become the first person I had seen being fired live on twitter and I wanted to find out what made him tick. One of the videos I found was Friendbuddies - and I loved. Not only does it have Payman Benz (all hail Unicow) in it looking gorgeous as ever, Greg Benson (from Mediocre Films) also makes a completely non-douchey appearance, too!
Competition time FriendBuddies is now competing against some other video for a chance to appear on TV in the atom.com showdown. Imagine! Payman on your TV! On Comedy Central! This has to happen. Watch FriendBuddies then vote every day so they win. It's been literally months since we had to vote for something (Oh wait - except for the Streamys). This video is awesome and deserves to win.
Don't let Sean down! Sean has had his share of knocks over the last year. Being sacked (in the 'losing you job' sense - I have no idea whether he has been sacked in football), his crippling drinking problem, and being held captive by Felicia Day have all taken their toll. Help a guy out. Vote for FriendBuddies on the Atom site now - no registration and it's a quicker than tweeting. No one wants Sean to turn feral again.
From 'Sean Becker: my life after being fired', his not-coming-soon blockbuster biography
