Starting a Gothic webseries.

Maybe it's just me, but Gothic stories are pretty popular with the Internet crowd. Last fall, doing research for my thesis, I stumbled upon Carmilla the Series, and instantly got hooked. Then this past spring I discovered The Autobiography of Jane Eyre and Frankenstein M.D., both of which I promptly binge-watched (as much as I could between classes).

This got me interested in creating my own Gothic webseries. The novel I'm thinking of adapting is a fairly obscure one compared to the other examples here: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, by Scottish author James Hogg. Basically it's about a Deal with the Devil except you don't know if it's real or imagined.

Now this poses some interesting problems. First off, it's much Darker and Edgier than the abovementioned Gothic shows/novels, at least in my opinion. Secondly, there's all the usual questions about Setting Update, Gender Flipping the characters if any, and other related changes—most importantly, it's composed of at least two opposing views.

Finally, I'm hoping to make it with the production values of Carmilla or Frankenstein M.D., which don't have huge budgets themselves but probably cost more than Jane Eyre (nothing wrong with that; I like all three shows, but in this case I slightly prefer the more professional). Problem is, I'm a recent college graduate, not based in the US or Canada, and without a steady job, so I'd still need a production crew and a social media team. If I'm lucky, I hope to start it within the next five years, but I need to start as early as now.

Thoughts or suggestions are really appreciated, thanks!

edited 14th Jul '15 8:24:30 AM by mirisu92

As someone currently writing scripts for an upcoming Gilded Age-themed web-series, I’d be interested in seeing the development of your project.

Ooh! What's it about? Your idea reminds me of Another Period, the new TV show from Comedy Central about a Fiction 500 family set in 1902 New England. Basically the Gilded Age version of the Kardashians. Your show sounds really interesting in its own right—would like to see it sometime myself.

Now, as to my proposed series:

Setting Update and Gender Flip were the first two things I thought of changing. The original Private Memoirs novel's set in 1680s—1710s Scotland. I'm thinking of moving it to present-day (2010s) Boston or New York (or maybe still in Scotland). Then the Gender Flip: the book's about two brothers, one of whom has a mysterious friend who may or may not be: a) the Devil; b) an Imaginary Friend; c) a Not-So-Imaginary Friend; or d) all of the above (and more). The webseries would turn them into sisters and the mysterious friend would also be a girl—and there'd be some romance involved.

(Yeah, partly this may seem like I'm bandwagoning on the success of Carmilla, but in actual fact I wanted to make the Private Memoirs series a tribute to that vampire show. Maybe even set it in the same universe, who knows?)

edited 12th Jul '15 7:43:28 PM by mirisu92

The “mysterious friend” idea sounds intriguing. Anyone know if there’s a Channel Awesome Messageboard-type of site for original projects as opposed to reviews? It sounds like both of us need to find some kind of support group like that. At least somewhere where we can achieve some kind of promotion (especially since I’m half-way through a promotional video, and I’m worried about it landing in the proverbial Dead Letter Office with a dull thud).

My project is a two-character comedy-drama entitled Confirmed Bachelors, about two men who live together in 1880s San Francisco. Currently I have the first draft of three episodes in more-or-less states of completion. Those will make you laugh. The episode I’m currently working on getting written will make you cry.

I just saw that promo video you put up about Confirmed Bachelors. Interesting concept—are they supposed to be Fish out of Temporal Water, or was that just the promo?

And—hah, what was I thinking jumping to Another Period as the point of comparison? Of course, just because it's in 1880s America doesn't mean it's automatically a Gilded Age soap-opera. And is it just me but do you play both of the characters? I saw two names in the credits but I can't tell if they're the character names or actor names—at any rate they sound more like 19th-century names to me.

As for message boards … why, I haven't even heard of Channel Awesome before. Do they cater to webseries productions or just shows in general? You're right; it'd be a good idea to go find an online forum for web video productions. Who knows but that even relatively "big" names like the team behind The Lizzie Bennet Diaries might be active on such things.

I have a feeling that trying to contact the makers of LBD or Carmilla, etc., might help, but that might be easier said than done. It'd be nice to go over the plans of an Internet-series project with a wider group of ideas people. Kind of like a preemptive focus group.

edited 25th Sep '15 12:15:21 AM by mirisu92

Thanks for watching! They’re only Fish out of Temporal Water for the promo mini-sodes. And yes, they’re both played by me. I do hope to have another actor in the Oliver part eventually. More promotional mini-sodes to ensue, I’m currently working on two with both Charlie and Oliver offering little reminiscences on each of their past lives.

Reaction to the promo video has been disappointing. This would be so much easier if I were making something based on a comic book. Superheroes vs. zombies or somesuch.

edited 25th Sep '15 7:22:20 PM by Bananaquit

I feel you. It's not the easiest thing in the world when you're striking out on your own.

It would really help to get like-minded people, but those are kind of rare sometimes. I wonder what it'd take to get other people on this thread for suggestions.

edited 28th Sep '15 7:25:48 AM by mirisu92