By Stephanie Jaclyn
I was inspired to write Freemales after living with a friend of mine; of course, back then, I envisaged it – as probably any writer would – as a television series. But as a fresh-out-of-uni graduate with only a string of (not too great) student films under my belt, the idea of writing enough content to create an entire series was not only wishful thinking but extremely daunting. When it became clear that a rookie director like myself would never be trusted with enough money to film a whole pilot, I decided to explore the latest revolution in screen content and entertainment: the web series. As a devout YouTube consumer and a fan of similar female driven comedy channels including The Katering Show and Just Between Us, I realised that a web series would be the best platform to showcase Freemales.
Producer, Jodie Kirkbride, and I decided early on to do the stereotypical thing that most excited new directors do – we created a Facebook page and nagged (invited) all of our family, friends, acquaintances, work colleagues, that random guy we met in a bar that one time, and everyone that we had on Facebook purely for stalking purposes to “like” it. Creating a base following for the web series was going to be crucial to get people to (1) actually watch it when released and (2) become invested in the story, its characters, and ourselves as filmmakers for when the time came to create a crowdfunding campaign and hopefully raising money for more episodes.
Filming a web series gives you the chance to create an ongoing audience, unlike most short films that get sent off to every film festival under the sun before eventually getting put online rarely to be viewed. A decent web series has the opportunity to go further if you’ve been clever throughout the filming and social media process. Filming more episodes and spending more time in production means more time that you’ll get behind the camera honing your skills as a writer/director!
I’ve learnt many things about the world of the web series throughout the process of creating Freemales. Many budding directors might think that creating a web series gives them the freedom to create whatever they like, but it’s worth keeping a few things in mind. YouTube and online videos are largely consumed on phones and tablets, and although you may really want to create a 15-minute period drama, it’s unlikely that people will click on your video, let alone watch the whole thing. Research is key in the online realm – when it comes to genre, it’s important to note that short form comedy reigns; it’s easy for viewers to digest and they’re more likely to “share” with friends.
Online videos are also mostly viewed on small devices – often when people have a spare five minutes on the train, during a lunch break or… you know, on the loo – we’ve all done it! This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have a crack at your period drama, but it’s worth researching your intended audience’s viewing habits so that you can create a solid marketing campaign that’s tailored to them. The same goes for social media. If you plan to use social media platforms to promote your series, do your homework – there are plenty of sites that provide useful information on how often to post and what times of day are best.
Overall, creating a web series is a fantastic and cost effective way for writer/directors to hone their craft, create proof of concepts for larger projects, and get their connect out into the big wide world direct to the audience. Considering the amount of online content being viewed, and the growth of Australian based streaming services like Stan, SBS On Demand and ABC IView, there has never been a better time for the next generation to take advantage of their youthful tech savvy know-how and explore the possibilities that web series have to offer.
Freemales will premiere on September 7. For more on Freemales, check out the official Facebook page.
Great work. Looking forward to the opening night