Check out Episode 1 of "Get A Clue"! I'm so proud! :-)
If you want to learn more about the show, visit www.getaclue.tv
Monday, September 29, 2008
"Get A Clue" Launch!
We launched "Get A Clue" last Monday, which is why I haven't blogged since then. I needed to mentally recover after the epic event of launching the premiere episode of "Get A Clue". You might think we had a party, celebrated with champagne, ordered high end prostitutes, etc. -- and you would sort of be right:
This is Peter at about 5pm on Sunday. After we had tried and failed to upload the first episode 6 times. Our editing team had improperly compressed the episode files to a GIANT size. So it would take 2 hours for Episode 1 to upload. And then it would say "Error. Upload Failed". Because the internet hated us.
How many computers does it take to launch "Get A Clue"? As you can see, our launch party is very very glamorous!
But oh now, we're happy again for a moment! I'm not sure what I was happy about. I think the upload to YouTube finally worked. Our website, however, was still not working. Because the internet hates us. Still.
4am. I was still busy working. Peter is so lazy.
So as you can see, it was a non stop party of sex and drugs and glamor. Because that's why we decided to write a web series in the first place. The glamor. ;-)
This is Peter at about 5pm on Sunday. After we had tried and failed to upload the first episode 6 times. Our editing team had improperly compressed the episode files to a GIANT size. So it would take 2 hours for Episode 1 to upload. And then it would say "Error. Upload Failed". Because the internet hated us.
How many computers does it take to launch "Get A Clue"? As you can see, our launch party is very very glamorous!
But oh now, we're happy again for a moment! I'm not sure what I was happy about. I think the upload to YouTube finally worked. Our website, however, was still not working. Because the internet hates us. Still.
4am. I was still busy working. Peter is so lazy.
So as you can see, it was a non stop party of sex and drugs and glamor. Because that's why we decided to write a web series in the first place. The glamor. ;-)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Carpel Tunnel
My right hand hurts. Why? Because when it's not busy teaching 2 year olds how to tap dance (my glamorous day job), it's firmly attached to my mouse. Clicking and commenting on viral video after video after video.
When we started thinking about marketing "Get A Clue", Peter & I decided to get some solid advice from people who know things. Things about the interweb & web series. We talked to the great guys over at Big Fantastic (Prom Queen, Sorority Forever), who told us to get busy and start telling everyone we know about the show. I e-mailed the writers/producers of the fabulous web series "We Need Girlfriends" (which was picked up by CBS a few months ago), and they were so kind to send me back a reply answering all of my many many questions. They told me to harass people -- just keep sending out e-mail after e-mail begging people to watch the show & get as many online friends as you can. Then I talked to a a friend of a friend who works over at Funny or Die. She told me to get active in the communities that we wanted "Get A Clue" to thrive on. Friend people, watch videos, comment on videos, etc. "Become an internet junkie," she said.
And so I have. On behalf of "Get A Clue" I'm constantly on Funny or Die, YouTube, & MySpaceTV commenting on videos & requesting friends like it's my job. Which I kind of wish it was. Well, I wish I was getting paid for it but I'd never want to actually have a job like this. I didn't think it was possible, but I've completely overdosed on web content. If I see one more Sarah Palin spoof or wacky cat video or overly tricked out MySpace profile I am going to kill myself. But my last words will still be (typed of course), "Get a clue & subscribe to us!" (dying gasp)
When we started thinking about marketing "Get A Clue", Peter & I decided to get some solid advice from people who know things. Things about the interweb & web series. We talked to the great guys over at Big Fantastic (Prom Queen, Sorority Forever), who told us to get busy and start telling everyone we know about the show. I e-mailed the writers/producers of the fabulous web series "We Need Girlfriends" (which was picked up by CBS a few months ago), and they were so kind to send me back a reply answering all of my many many questions. They told me to harass people -- just keep sending out e-mail after e-mail begging people to watch the show & get as many online friends as you can. Then I talked to a a friend of a friend who works over at Funny or Die. She told me to get active in the communities that we wanted "Get A Clue" to thrive on. Friend people, watch videos, comment on videos, etc. "Become an internet junkie," she said.
And so I have. On behalf of "Get A Clue" I'm constantly on Funny or Die, YouTube, & MySpaceTV commenting on videos & requesting friends like it's my job. Which I kind of wish it was. Well, I wish I was getting paid for it but I'd never want to actually have a job like this. I didn't think it was possible, but I've completely overdosed on web content. If I see one more Sarah Palin spoof or wacky cat video or overly tricked out MySpace profile I am going to kill myself. But my last words will still be (typed of course), "Get a clue & subscribe to us!" (dying gasp)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thank you IMDB Help Desk
I tried submitting "Get A Clue" to IMDb & this is the message that I got back last night:
"This is a specific message about your recent new title submission to IMDb as
indicated in the subject.
NOTE FROM IMDb TITLE EDITORS:
-----------------------------
Online-only requires significant national mainstream press coverage or very
substantial, independently verifiable viewership."
This wasn't a surprising e-mail. I kind of expected it. But I will say this: there are titles and credits on IMDb that I know to be student films from back in my college days. Maybe these student films went to a few film festivals & became short films, I don't know. I'm not saying that those titles don't deserve to be on IMDb. But "Get A Clue" is, essentially, a 30 minute film broken up into 3 minute increments. It was an original screenplay, shot with an experienced crew & professional actors. Basically, if we put all the "Get A Clue" episodes together & released it as a short film we would have more chance of getting it on IMDb.
Food for thought in this ever changing world of online media...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Jack Stone's Bio!
You can thank Peter Berube for this one...;-)
Jack Stone was born on the couch of his mother’s one bedroom apartment in downtown Los Angeles. Jack’s father, a known member of the Irish mafia, was Daniel “Dynamite” Stone. After years of shady living, Dynamite Stone’s criminal ways finally caught up with him and he was arrested for racketeering by the LAPD’s star detective, John Eugene Rockette. Jack was forced to move in with his girlfriend Erin Cohen, a successful tradeshow spokes-model.
The two split a year later when Erin left Jack after a long, lengthy, & very obvious affair. Jack vowed on that day to never let anything go unnoticed. He looked back on the amazing John Eugene Rockette’s capturing of his family with great fondness. He knew the only way he would never be left in the dark again was to become the world’s best detective. After all, his incredible insight into the criminal world would give him an unrivaled edge in the detective world.
Jack enrolled in the Los Angeles Detective Academy to pursue his new dream. However, despite Jack’s incredible detective sense, he was released from the program due to poor classroom grades. Jack blames his hard partying roommate, now known as LAPD’s Detective Fluffkins, for ruining his chance of becoming a detective.
Failing out of the Detective Academy was a hard cross for Jack to bear. He took various low level jobs, always spending his paychecks on alcohol. Things seemed to change when Jack met Lindy Langley, a spritely young girl with inheritance money and a dream. Jack joined Lindy and formed the “Get A Clue Detective Agency”. This may finally be his chance to be a great detective, but Jack’s not counting on it.
Jack Stone was born on the couch of his mother’s one bedroom apartment in downtown Los Angeles. Jack’s father, a known member of the Irish mafia, was Daniel “Dynamite” Stone. After years of shady living, Dynamite Stone’s criminal ways finally caught up with him and he was arrested for racketeering by the LAPD’s star detective, John Eugene Rockette. Jack was forced to move in with his girlfriend Erin Cohen, a successful tradeshow spokes-model.
The two split a year later when Erin left Jack after a long, lengthy, & very obvious affair. Jack vowed on that day to never let anything go unnoticed. He looked back on the amazing John Eugene Rockette’s capturing of his family with great fondness. He knew the only way he would never be left in the dark again was to become the world’s best detective. After all, his incredible insight into the criminal world would give him an unrivaled edge in the detective world.
Jack enrolled in the Los Angeles Detective Academy to pursue his new dream. However, despite Jack’s incredible detective sense, he was released from the program due to poor classroom grades. Jack blames his hard partying roommate, now known as LAPD’s Detective Fluffkins, for ruining his chance of becoming a detective.
Failing out of the Detective Academy was a hard cross for Jack to bear. He took various low level jobs, always spending his paychecks on alcohol. Things seemed to change when Jack met Lindy Langley, a spritely young girl with inheritance money and a dream. Jack joined Lindy and formed the “Get A Clue Detective Agency”. This may finally be his chance to be a great detective, but Jack’s not counting on it.
Lindy Langley's Bio
Peter & I wrote elaborate bios for our characters, thinking that we would use them on the website. But alas, we had to shorten everyone's bios on www.getaclue.tv. But little Lindy is my baby, so I thought I'd share her extended bio with you guys!
Lindy Langley thinks that she was born in California , but she’s not sure because all records of her birth were lost when her parents, Logan & Lily, were killed by a hippopotamus while on an African safari when Lindy was only 2 years old. Lindy had no other family, so she was immediately send to the Holy Sisters Orphanage, where she lived until she was 20 years old.
Life at the Holy Sisters Orphanage was happy but sheltered – the only television shows that the nuns ever allowed Lindy to watch were reruns of “I Love Lucy” and “Leave it to Beaver”. The orphans also weren’t allowed to eat sweets, listen to rock music, or read “dirty” books. Despite her hardships, Lindy was a happy go lucky child who loved to sneak into the orphanage kitchen and eat handfuls of sugar directly from the box.
When Lindy was 20 years old, she discovered an old newspaper clipping about her parents’ death – although the official report had listed the cause of death as “hippopotamus impalement”, no hippopotamus teeth sized holes were found anywhere on the bodies. Sensing that there was more to the story of her parents’ death, Lindy made it her life goal to discover exactly what had happened on that ill-fated safari.
For a few years, Lindy had no luck with her investigation. When she met Jack Stone, though, she knew that she had found a partner who could teach her everything that she needed to know about being a detective! Together Jack & Lindy formed the “Get A Clue Detective Agency”. Lindy hopes that someday soon she will learn enough about being a detective to solve all of life’s really big mysteries.
Lindy Langley thinks that she was born in California , but she’s not sure because all records of her birth were lost when her parents, Logan & Lily, were killed by a hippopotamus while on an African safari when Lindy was only 2 years old. Lindy had no other family, so she was immediately send to the Holy Sisters Orphanage, where she lived until she was 20 years old.
Life at the Holy Sisters Orphanage was happy but sheltered – the only television shows that the nuns ever allowed Lindy to watch were reruns of “I Love Lucy” and “Leave it to Beaver”. The orphans also weren’t allowed to eat sweets, listen to rock music, or read “dirty” books. Despite her hardships, Lindy was a happy go lucky child who loved to sneak into the orphanage kitchen and eat handfuls of sugar directly from the box.
When Lindy was 20 years old, she discovered an old newspaper clipping about her parents’ death – although the official report had listed the cause of death as “hippopotamus impalement”, no hippopotamus teeth sized holes were found anywhere on the bodies. Sensing that there was more to the story of her parents’ death, Lindy made it her life goal to discover exactly what had happened on that ill-fated safari.
For a few years, Lindy had no luck with her investigation. When she met Jack Stone, though, she knew that she had found a partner who could teach her everything that she needed to know about being a detective! Together Jack & Lindy formed the “Get A Clue Detective Agency”. Lindy hopes that someday soon she will learn enough about being a detective to solve all of life’s really big mysteries.
YouTube Insight
So Peter & I discovered a function in YouTube that allows you to check out the demographics of who is watching your videos. It was very informative. For instance:
- 74% of the people watching our "Get A Clue" teasers are female. I guess chicks like comedy/mystery web series teasers better than dudes do. Either that or our female friends on the mailing list are way nicer than our male friends. Thanks guys. THANKS.
- Most of our viewers live in Connecticut & California -- where Peter & I are from. Sooooooooooooo...that is good.
- Someone watched us in the Philippines! I like to imagine that he (no wait, SHE) is very very VERY excited about "Get A Clue". As she should be!
So here's to the Philippines -- which I had to look up how to spell! And here's to figuring out how on earth we can get more people to watch our show. Dun dun dun...
- 74% of the people watching our "Get A Clue" teasers are female. I guess chicks like comedy/mystery web series teasers better than dudes do. Either that or our female friends on the mailing list are way nicer than our male friends. Thanks guys. THANKS.
- Most of our viewers live in Connecticut & California -- where Peter & I are from. Sooooooooooooo...that is good.
- Someone watched us in the Philippines! I like to imagine that he (no wait, SHE) is very very VERY excited about "Get A Clue". As she should be!
So here's to the Philippines -- which I had to look up how to spell! And here's to figuring out how on earth we can get more people to watch our show. Dun dun dun...
Friday, September 12, 2008
Ego Check
I know, I know. Two posts in one day. It's a good thing I have a magical job that allows me to work only 12 hours a week. That way I have an ample amount of time to spend on my acting, writing, & producing jobs that currently make me little to no money. But someday, right? SOMEDAY!
So we've shot "Get A Clue". And we're currently editing it. I'm really enjoying the editing process. It's the first time that I've been in the editing room for something that I've written & acted in. And I'll tell you something. It definitely knocks your ego down a few thousand pegs.
There are lines/scenes that you thought would make people pee their pants. And then they can't even make you chuckle. They just don't work the way you imagined them in your head. And the best part is, it's YOUR fault because you're starring in it! So you can't even blame an actor's bad line read.
Then there is the whole aspect of watching yourself onscreen over & over again. From different angles. Sometimes unflattering angles. My character in "Get A Clue" is named Lindy Langley. She's sweet, naive, silly, idiotic, & totally self-UNaware. Oh, and she's CONSTANTLY eating & has no real sense of sexuality. My initial idea for Lindy was that she grew up in an orphanage (because her parents were killed by a rhino while on a safari). While living in the orphanage she wasn't allowed to watch any TV except for "I Love Lucy" & "Leave It To Beaver" so she grew up with a warped, 1950s take on life. I love Lindy Langley. I seriously do. But BOY OH BOY do I look unattractive when I play her. Or more specifically, when we freeze frame on me during one of my many "Lindy eats something" scenes.
The verdict: acting in your own writing projects is both a joy & a curse. Today it's a joy. :-)
So we've shot "Get A Clue". And we're currently editing it. I'm really enjoying the editing process. It's the first time that I've been in the editing room for something that I've written & acted in. And I'll tell you something. It definitely knocks your ego down a few thousand pegs.
There are lines/scenes that you thought would make people pee their pants. And then they can't even make you chuckle. They just don't work the way you imagined them in your head. And the best part is, it's YOUR fault because you're starring in it! So you can't even blame an actor's bad line read.
Then there is the whole aspect of watching yourself onscreen over & over again. From different angles. Sometimes unflattering angles. My character in "Get A Clue" is named Lindy Langley. She's sweet, naive, silly, idiotic, & totally self-UNaware. Oh, and she's CONSTANTLY eating & has no real sense of sexuality. My initial idea for Lindy was that she grew up in an orphanage (because her parents were killed by a rhino while on a safari). While living in the orphanage she wasn't allowed to watch any TV except for "I Love Lucy" & "Leave It To Beaver" so she grew up with a warped, 1950s take on life. I love Lindy Langley. I seriously do. But BOY OH BOY do I look unattractive when I play her. Or more specifically, when we freeze frame on me during one of my many "Lindy eats something" scenes.
The verdict: acting in your own writing projects is both a joy & a curse. Today it's a joy. :-)
Post Production
Well, it's been a loooooooooooooong time since I took to the blogosphere to tell you about "Get A Clue", a new comedy web series. And I apologize for that. It turns out that executive producing a web series leaves you little to no time to blog about executive producing a web series. Who knew?
You can check out more pics at our website www.getaclue.tv.
Thanks for reading & thanks for supporting web content!
Anyway, we shot the first 10 episodes of "Get A Clue". In 6 days. In Pasadena, CA. Primarily in my childhood home. We faced many, many hurdles & adventures:
1. Animals, animals, animals. The first 10 episodes of "Get A Clue" included (and I'm not exagerrating) 1 dog, 2 rabbits, 3 goldfish, & 2 lobsters. Our mindset while writing honestly must have been: 'If one animal is funny, then 8 animals will be like a comedy explosion!' I have since learned my lesson. That being said, the first 10 episodes are indeed a comedy explosion.
2. Pasadena is friggin hot during the summertime. I mean, seriously very very very hot. When we were scouting locations we decided to make an upstairs storage room into our main detective agency office. We didn't realize, of course, that this room had no connection to central air & was made of all windows. It was, essentially, a green house filled with 10 sweating bodies instead of fragrant flowers. When you watch the show you will see a thin-to-thick sheen of sweat on our faces during every office scene. It's very attractive. ;-)
3. When you shoot in people's homes, they end up hating you. Because no matter what they think they know about shooting films, they never truly know how disruptive it is. Shooting much of the footage in my parents' home made things even more interesting. We had to halt shooting early one night because my Dad pulled out the ultimate Dad trump card of guilt: "I work really hard all week long..." When a Dad launches into martyr-speak, you know it's time to give him some space.
There were many, many other problems, but you know what? I can't seem to remember them right now. In the end, we had an amazing cast & crew that came together under low budget circumstances to create some really funny shit. For the full cast & crew list you can visit www.getaclue.tv & check out the "About the Show" section.
In the meantime, here are some behind the scenes photos for you:
You can check out more pics at our website www.getaclue.tv.
Thanks for reading & thanks for supporting web content!
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