Behind the Scenes of FOX Television Studios' 15 Gigs

Well, the big day finally arrived and The Web Files was officially allowed into a studio executive's office. I was a bit nervous for this interview because it's FOX, Gabe Marano and Ilsa Berg are important studio executives, and this is a big opportunity for The Web Files to showcase all aspects of the Web TV world. Little did I know that they were a bit nervous too. I don't think twice about sitting in front of a camera and talking endlessly, but I forget that it isn't as comfortable for everyone. Ilsa and Gabe might be creating and making deals throughout the TV and digital world, but they don't often find themselves with the camera turned around and focused on them. Fortunately, they gave a fantastic interview and gave us some of the most solid advice yet.

Gabriel del Rio, publicist for Bender/Helper Impact, and I after the interview.

We utilized a conference room at FOX Television Studios' office. I felt like I was back in school with the chairs that had the swiveling desktops. Time to take the SATs again? Nope, time to dig in and find out how the studios see the digital world.

15 Gigs opened earlier this year to little fanfare. I thought it was a subtle way for FOX to ease their way into the digital world because of the high profile closures of other web studios in the past year. Even without all of the hoopla, I have to say I was shocked at Gabe and Ilsa's answers to some of my questions. I expected them to say that they are having an easier time than the independent web series creator, but the industry just isn't that easy or simple. They are hit with the same challenges as all of you....finding an audience, marketing their show, and creating content that is both interactive and compelling. While they don't seem to have the same budgetary constraints as an independent web creator, their web series have considerably smaller budgets than a cable or network show.
I was so glad we were able to bring this show to everyone because it is crucial for all of us to understand their perspective. 15 Gigs is open to new content and they gave some great ideas of what they are looking for in their portfolio, so really listen to the interview and gauge whether you have a show for them. They are also approachable and looking for new talent to develop like Jeremy Redleaf of Odd Jobs. Take your web series and enter it into one of the growing television festivals: iTVFest or NY Television Festival. The other factor that is continually being hit on is interactivity. How can your fans participate in a larger world that you create for your show? Can they interact with the cast? Are there other ways to utilize your show to create more platforms and websites? These are all great questions that Gabe and Ilsa answered for our Web Files interview, so go out there and watch Episode 19.

Finally, a huge thanks to Gabriel del Rio of Bender/Helper Impact. Not only is he one of the most organized and prepared publicists in the web world, he is also one of the kindest. Thank you for making this all a reality for us, Gabriel. We appreciate it and look forward to working with you again soon!

Behind the Scenes of Odd Jobs

Yes, here we are in the McCalla Company Janitorial Supply shop. Another colorful and unique location for our Web Files interview with Jeremy Redleaf of Odd Jobs/Odd Job Nation. Jeremy Redleaf secured the spot as our first New York web series creator. Although we were obviously not in New York, it was a treat to hear how different the web series world is in on the opposite coast. Jeremy spells out some of those significant differences in the interview. As a former New Yorker myself, I know one big difference is driving! Poor Jeremy raced back and forth past our shooting location several times before we flagged him down to the correct location. I remember those days with my Thomas Guide hoping that the location would magically drop in front of me. LA driving can be intimidating to a New Yorker.

Regardless, Jeremy offered up some great advice to web series creators in terms of monetization: start small with micro-advertising. Even with a $50 ad, you can start building on that first sponsor. It may not sound like a lot of money, but it is a great way to think outside the box since as web series creators, we are often looking for that lump sum of cash. At 25 years of age, I definitely think Jeremy has proven himself to be a creative thinker, not only with his web series, but with his entire branded plan of Odd Job Nation.

Can you imagine your site drawing more attention than your web series? His supplemental material was so good and so timely, he has CNN, Newsweek, and CNBC banging on his door for interviews. His ideas were so fleshed out that he had to remind them he had a web series. After looking over that list of media outlets, I feel honored that Jeremy took the time to talk with us over at The Web Files.

The other interesting piece to this puzzle is the NY Television Festival. Jeremy decided to enter Odd Jobs into the festival even though he only had 3 episodes in the can. It obviously was enough for the judges to award him the "15 Gigs of Fame" award. It is essentially a fantastic development deal with FOX Television Studios' new digital arm, 15 Gigs. If you want to learn more about 15 Gigs, just wait until next week when The Web Files brings you our first studio interview with Gabe Marano and Ilsa Berg. They truly believe in Jeremy's talent and they are eager to bring more of his work to the table.

Finally, the original opening had me sweeping in heels. If you notice in the interview, we changed it to a feather duster. It was easier to capture on film, but only a true shoe fashionista dusts with a broom in hand and 4 inch heels on her feet.

If you missed our interview with Jeremy Redleaf, check it out here: Jeremy Redleaf.