Creating a Web Series 101

by Rebecca Norris
(get more web series advice from Rebecca on ScriptMag.com)
Writers On !e Web" #eve$oping Web Series %deas& 'art 1
So youve decided to write and produce your own web series now what? Its time to start
brainstorming and developing your series characters and premise. But before you do, read
on
WR%%N( )S ) 'RO#*C+R
Developing a concept for a web series is no different than coming up with a ! pilot idea.
"ou need compelling characters that people will #eep coming bac# to watch, and conflicts
that can $drive% the series as long as you need it to go, whether its a few webisodes or
several seasons of the show.
"ou do want to remember one crucial difference between creating your web series and
creating a television show& youre going to be filming your web series yourself. 'hich means,
whatever you write has to be filmable on your budget. 'hich, lets assume right now, is
pretty darn low.
here are many, many considerations youll deal with in the process of producing your series,
and well go into detail on those in later articles. (owever, theres one consideration we need
to dive into today before anything else& locations.
If you live in )os *ngeles or +ew "or# ,ity, finding locations will li#ely be the most challenging
aspect of producing your own wor#. -articularly in )os *ngeles, filming is not a novelty and
the pervasive thin#ing is that a film crew on your property . damage and destruction.
Businesses are used to being approached about filming and are sophisticated about the
process. /any locations will re0uire a location fee, insurance, and permits. his can add up
to big buc#s, especially if youre financing your production out of your own poc#et.
If you live in another part of the country where filming is not a regular, everyday occurrence,
you may have a much easier time finding locations. -eople may be e1cited about the
prospect of having a film crew around and go out of their way to help you.
2or this reason, I would advise filming wherever filmma#ing is +3 an everyday occurrence
to increase your chances of securing great locations on a low budget.
2or e1ample, when I started filmma#ing, I did a 456hour film contest in ,hicago where we
had to write, shoot, and edit a short film over /emorial Day wee#end. 3ur film 7that we had
to shoot in one day8 had a scene that re0uired a nail salon location. I pic#ed up the phone,
called the local nail salon that I fre0uented, and e1plained our situation and that wed need to
come over to shoot our scene right now. hey said they werent busy and opened their doors
and let us shoot there for free without a problem.
Im not saying it always goes li#e this. But your chances increase the farther out you go.
his doesnt mean you need to leave the state if you live in ).*. or +ew "or#, but consider
driving outside of your comfort 9one to get the best deal.
I would also strongly encourage you to ma#e a list of every location you or anyone you #now
can get for free. his is how you will #eep your costs low so your series is filmable.
Does your uncle own a restaurant? Does your mother wor# in an office? Does your best
friend manage a coffee shop? Is your sister a doctor with her own practice? Do you have an
apartment or house? Do your friends and family have apartments or houses?
'ho do you #now, that li#es and trusts you, who will let you shoot at their residence or
business for free?
I was in a film class a couple of years bac#, developing the short film that would eventually
become the genesis of my web series, Split. I had no money at all but I was determined to
ma#e my short film. I lived in a large apartment comple1 that had several amenities for the
residents, including a conference room that no one ever used, and a large par#ing structure
that remained mostly empty.
I went to the leasing agents in my building, e1plained I was a film student, and as#ed if I
could film my short using these locations. hey said, $Sure, those are for resident use, you
can use them for whatever you want.% B*/: hey signed a location agreement and before
you #now it, I had two great free locations.
(;+ I developed my script.
I thought, what could happen in a conference room and a par#ing lot? I wrote for only
those two locations so I #new I could film the movie, which was important because I had to
film it that ne1t wee#.
his is #ey to low6budget producing. I call it $writing with your producer hat on.% Its one of
the many hats youll <uggle as a web content creator, and definitely the most important one.
Because running out of money . no web series. *nd no location . no web series. Dont let
that be an option.
Be creative and do your very best to spend +3 money on locations and use your resources
that you already have.
It also helps considerably to write a script that ta#es place in relatively modern day so you
have easy access to wardrobe and props that you can find around the house 7or your friends
houses, or at =oodwill8. It doesnt help to have a free location if you decide to ma#e a >ane
*usten6themed series and have to rent thousands of dollars worth of period costumes, props,
and set pieces.
*lso, remember, if youre planning on writing more than one season of your show, you have
to be able to recreate these locations, costumes, props, and set pieces, so its best to #eep it
to what you can use over and over again for no or low cost.
(+N+R)%N( %#+)S
So now that youve made a list of free and cheap locations you have access to, its time to
start developing your idea.
I suggest you thin# about what you truly #now about and start from there. hat seems
obvious, but sometimes writers dive into a sub<ect they #now nothing about and find
themselves stuc#. 'eb series thrive when they appeal to niche mar#ets 7thin# about he
=uild as a prime e1ample, appealing to gaming gee#s in particular8. So, whats your niche?
'hat are you passionate about? 'hat are your hobbies? Do you have a particularly
interesting <ob?
/aybe you adore your #oo#y bowling team, or youre an avid tri6athlete maybe you wor# as
a veterinary assistant and deal with bar#ing dogs and their cra9y owners all day or maybe
you drive a cab and have some insane stories to tell. 'hatever it is, ma#e a list of what
e1cites you that would inspire you to spend wee#s or months of your life writing about. 'rite
about something that has inherent drama and conflict in it that can spur many stories. 7his
is why police, medical, and law procedurals are so popular?endless wells of drama and
conflict can come out of these recurring situations.8
#+,+-O'%N( C.)R)C+RS )N# CON/-%CS
Before you sit down to come up with your main characters and plot, I would strongly urge
you to read this boo#& 'riting the -ilot by 'illiam @ab#in .
)ast year, I was sitting at a panel discussion with ! writers held at Aniversal, and the sub<ect
of /r. @ab#ins boo# came up. he guy sitting ne1t to me taps my shoulder, and with
e1treme intensity says, $"ou /AS read this.% (e had his copy with him, and held it out to
me li#e it was plated in gold.
'riting the -ilot is ine1pensive, short 7only BC pages8, and is the best boo# I have ever come
across about ! writing 7than# you, creepy dude sitting ne1t to me, for the
recommendation:8. 'ith concrete e1amples from recent shows, /r. @ab#in clearly e1plains
how to create a lasting franchise premise with enduring conflicts and compelling characters
that drive your series and #eep viewers coming bac# for more.
I learned a couple of important lessons from the boo#& he most important thing to
remember when developing your series is that it is a series. Sometimes when developing !
pilot ideas, writers get hung up on the first episode and forget that there needs to be enough
<uice for episode 5, DC, 5E, FG, 45, and DCC. he conflicts that are created between the
characters, and the characters themselves, need to be compelling enough to be able to churn
out stories for years if you want the web series to last that long. ;ven if youre doing a web
mini6series with only H episodes at DC minutes each, lets say, the pilot episode needs to have
enough gas in the tan# to power FC more minutes of content, which is actually a lot harder
than it sounds.
he conflicts between the characters cant be easily resolvedI they need to be ongoing. If
theres a simple fi1 and you can solve their problems easily and tie everything up with a
ribbon, theres no drama, and no show.
a#e the *B, primetime soap @evenge for e1ample. *manda ,lar#e has a 0uest. (er father,
as part of a massive conspiracy, was framed for the downing of a <et that in actuality, his
employer, ,onrad =rayson was responsible for. Shes made it her mission in life to get bac#
at every single person that did her father wrong, namely ,onrad, by moving bac# to her
childhood home and pretending to be ;mily horne, a wealthy heiress. She even manages to
become engaged to the =raysons son. herefore, she can get close enough to the =rayson
family to infiltrate their private and public lives and plot their destruction.
heres inherent conflicts present from the pilot episode on that cannot be resolved.
*mandas in love with her childhood best friend, >ac#, but has to put on the ruse of being in
love with Daniel =rayson so that she can e1act her revenge on his family?her lifes mission.
So on a daily basis she has to wrestle between true love and her lifes purpose theres a
conflict: She also has to constantly put on the act of being ;mily horne, although she
desperately <ust wants to be herself. "et if she reveals her true self, her life will be ruined.
(owever, as she #eeps the charade going, shes miserable and tormented. So shes always
stuc# between a roc# and a hard place.
@evenge is fun to watch because instead of watching cops arrest criminals, or doctors save
lives, or lawyers fight for <ustice, were tuning in to watch ;mily e1act revenge on people,
while struggling with that decision all the while. ;very wee# she gets even with someone,
and were waiting to see when is she going to ta#e the =raysons down? 'hen will Daniel
find out shes a fraud? 'hen will she confess her love for >ac#? 'hen will they #iss again?:
'e shall see.
-ut your characters between a roc# and a hard place and leave them there. Dont ma#e it
easy for them to get out.
Writers On !e Web" #eve$oping Web Series %deas& 'art 0 1
%nterview wit! Writers of 2Re3+$ection4
oday Im sharing my interview with writerJdirector -aul Karpen#o and writer ;van
/c+amara, who are putting these notions into practice with their brand6new web series, @e6
;lection.
-aul recently moved to ).*. from ,hicago, where he directed a number of short films. ;van,
who also now lives in ).*., has been writing novels and screenplays for the past ten years and
earned a /asters in ,reative 'riting from the Aniversity of /issouri6Kansas ,ity. *fter -aul
created the concept for @e6;lection, a political sci6fi web series, he teamed up with ;van to
develop and write the G6episode series. he pilot was shot in early >uly, and is now in post6
production.
@e6;lection is about an election night stuc# in a time loop. >amie, a mid6level campaign
staffer is stuc# watching her candidate lose again and again. *fter months of looping time,
shes resigned herself to the dull monotony of an ever6repeating, predictable e1istence. In the
first episode, though, something happens and the final election count is different from what
>amie is used to. Something changed or maybe >amie changed something ? and maybe
winning the race is the tic#et out. ,an she figure out the mystery behind her predicament and
brea# the cycle?
Rebecca" W!at inspired t!is story5 .ow did yo6 come 6p wit! t!e idea5
'a6$& I was thin#ing for a while that I wanted to do a web series, and I didnt really have
any ideas. I was on a plane, and I <ust #ind of sat for an hour or two and <ust wrote down
everything that Im interested in, literally, li#e& %things that interest me.% *nd from out of that
came& how people learn things, how #nowledge is created, how e1perience is built, what
ma#es an e1perienced person more able to do something than a less e1perienced person
what part of that is intelligence, what part of that is practice ma#es perfect a lot of that
#ind of stuff, and out of that, I got this idea of distilling the process of learning to a literal
repetition of the same event.
*nd so from repeating the same day, we can follow these characters, especially our main
character, >amie, who has been repeating the same day, and its #ind of an allegory for your
day to day life. "ou have this #ernel of an idea or something spar#s your interest, and for
>amie, its the fact that at the end of the day the needle moves somehow, and she gets this
idea that maybe they can win the election.
(ow do you go about that, what are the things you latch onto? In our story, it turns out she
can bring people into the loop, more people can repeat the day with her. *nd so thats
analogous to having influence and convincing people of things, and thats why the political
space was interesting, its all about convincing people of things and getting things done.
Rebecca" #o eit!er of yo6 !ave a po$itica$ bac7gro6nd5
'a6$ and +van& +o.
Rebecca" .ow did yo6 researc! to ma7e s6re t!at t!e po$itica$ environment
yo68re writing abo6t comes across as gen6ine5
'a6$& /y girlfriend has a friend who wor#ed on political campaigns and for communication
directors and has a lot of e1perience on how this wor#s. She shared some documents with
us so we could learn how these people tal# to each other.
+van& *nd what I got from that material was the language. *s a writer, you want to identify
what is going to ma#e your dialogue authentic. he #ey is that it doesnt need to be DCCL
authentic, its not as though its a documentary, it is fiction. So the goal is, how can you
introduce plausibility and authenticity, while achieving the goal of telling the story? 'hen we
finished the outline, we also ran that past our friend as well, for an authenticity test, in order
to ma#e sure we werent going off the rails as far as what was realistic or plausible. 3ne thing
we always struggle with as writers is the universal ruth& what is >amies overall ob<ective,
what are each of these characters ob<ectives, thats going to ma#e them a better person or a
changed person by the end of the story?
Rebecca" W!at made yo6 decide& rat!er t!an writing a traditiona$ , pi$ot& to
write for new media5
'a6$& I <ust wanted to get something done. I dont consider myself a writer, I consider
myself a filmma#er, and what interests me is to create content, thats what drives me, whats
engaging for me. I wanted to come up with an idea thats basic at its core, and filmable. his
is a small campaign, ta#es place in one office, every day is the same, the set design doesnt
need to change much. he goal was always to film something, to have a pro<ect that is
realistically filmable.
+van& 'e chose this medium not only because we want to film something and ma#e a
product?we want to get eyeballs on it. 'e want people to see our wor#. )i#e many other
artists, were pursuing multiple avenues to get our wor# viewed. his is a good avenue,
probably one of the best avenues, to do so. * five6minute webisode is not something that is
necessarily easy to put together, but the constraints we developed made it easier. he goal is
that we want people to e1perience our wor#.
So rather than trying to convince someone, or try to get a distributor to see our film, or ta#e
a chance on us, were <ust sayingMlets put something together that has a visual. *s a writer,
thats something Im learning. I can write a script, and thats one thing. But ta#ing that script
and having a visual for it is an important aspect of any writers portfolio. If you dont ta#e
that ne1t step, your stuff may always stay on paper.
In my ne1t article, well be e1ploring theme and as#ing yourself the central 0uestion& what
the hec# is my series actually about?
Writers On !e Web" !eme& and )s7ing t!e Centra$ 96estion 1
W!at t!e .ec7 is My Web Series )bo6t5
;very screenwriter #nows 7or should #now8 about Bla#e Snyders ama9ing boo# on
screenwriting, Save he ,at. In ,hapter E, he tal#s about stating the theme of the movie.
Bla#e writes, $Somewhere in the first five minutes of a well6structured screenplay, someone
7usually not the main character8 will pose a 0uestion, or ma#e a statement 7usually to the
main character8 that is the theme of the movie. $Be careful what you wish for,% this person
will say, or $-ride goeth before a fall% or $2amily is more important than money.% It wont be
this obvious, it will be conversational, an off6hand remar# that the main character doesnt
0uite get at the moment M but will have far6reaching and meaningful impact later.
his is the movies thematic premise.%
.+M+
3#ay, so that pertains to movies. 'hat does theme have to do with ! or web series?
;verything.
he longest6lasting and most compelling series are those that have a strong theme.
Its imperative before you start writing to as# yourself, what themes am I e1ploring? )ove?
(ate? Bigotry? -aranoia? Se1uality? =reed? >ustice? 2reedom? 3vercoming illness?
'illpower? Self6sabotage? he e1istence of the paranormal? 2alling from grace? 2amily
dynamics? @elationship struggles?
'hat is my series about?
7his is also highlighted in my favorite ! writing boo# of all time, which I mentioned in an
earlier article& 'riting the -ilot by 'illiam @ab#in.8
)S:%N( .+ C+NR)- 9*+S%ON
If you cant answer the 0uestion $'hat is my series about?% at least somewhat succinctly,
then youre probably in trouble.
he pilot in a series generally poses a $central 0uestion% to the viewer. he series itself
attempts to answer it. he series that generally last the longest dont answer this 0uestion
until the end, or near the end.
;1amples 7these are my thoughts on what the central 0uestion and answer could be8&
)$$y Mc;ea$&
N& 'ill *lly ever find lasting love?
*& She will in the end, but it will be from a daughter she didnt #now she had.
!e <3/i$es&
N& 'ill /ulder ever find his sister, prove to the world the e1istence of aliens, and get together
with Scully?
*& +o, but he comes to peace with itI sort ofI and yes, eventually, in the end.
/riends&
N& 'hen the hell are @oss and @achel finally going to get together for good?
*& In the very end, after DC years of waiting.
#ownton )bbey&
N& *re the problems of the rich much different than the problems of the poor?
*& +o, but many of problems of the rich in the show can be solved by throwing money at
them, e1erting power, influence, or calling in a favor. *lso, the rich people in the show dont
need to worry about being cast out on the street ever. But they are certainly not immune
from heartacheI money doesnt buy everything.
'arent!ood&
7his ones a bit harder to pin down. But considering everyone e1cept for Sarah 7)auren
=raham8 is pretty much happily married so far and dont we love to be matchma#ers8
N& 'ill Sarah find love?
*& Still waiting to see, since new flame (an# moved to /innesota and she turned down e16
fiance /ar#. 'ill she change her mind about /ar#, or find a someone new? 'ill she get bac#
together with deadbeat e1 Seth, whos doing his best to change his ways?
'syc!&
N& 'ill Shawn ever grow up? *nd when will the Santa Barbara -olice Department figure out
hes a fraud?
*& Still waiting to see when Shawn might grow up and fully get over his commitment issues
and childish ways. *nd we arent sure when the SB-D will figure out hes not a psychic.
Shawn <ust about admitted it to ,hief !ic# before >uliet stopped him. /aybe the new chief
ne1t season will put two and two together?
S!er$oc7 (;;C)&
N& 'hen will Sherloc# stop being such an arrogant <er# so he can find love and have a life
outside of crimesolving?
*& 'e dont #now, possibly never, but hes slowly starting to reali9e how offensive he can be
to peopleand were willing to tune in to see if hell grow and change.
hin# of yourself when you are an audience member. 'hy do you tune in to the ne1t
episode of your favorite series? 3n the most basic level, is it because you want an answer to
a 0uestion? ;ven if that 0uestion is simply& what happens ne1t?
;ven *esops 2ables, Biblical stories, and classic fairytales all have a theme. hin# about it?
whats the theme of the ortoise and the (are? $Slow and steady wins the race.% 3r he
'olf in Sheeps ,lothing? $*ppearances can be deceiving.% 'hat about )ittle @ed @iding
(ood? $Be careful who you trust,% and, probably, $Dont go into creepy forests by yourself.%
*ll good life lessons. heres a reason why these stories live on?they have themes that all
generations and all cultures can relate to.
/y favorite stating of theme Ive seen recently was in the first moment of the pilot of the *B,
drama @evenge 7yes, I #now, I tal#ed about this show in a previous article, but hey, its got a
great premise:8
In the first moment of the pilot, the screen is blac#, e1cept for this 0uote& $Before you
embar# on a <ourney of revenge, dig two graves.% 6 ,onfucius 7FCE B.,.8
'hat better stating of theme is there than that? he central 0uestion of @evenge is evident&
'ill ;milys revenge be worth it in the end? 'hen she is through, will she find peace? 3r
will she destroy her own life, along with everyone elses?
his central theme is the driving force behind each episodeand each time ;mily e1acts
revenge on someone, and each time she later finds herself miserable and alone, we as the
audience have to as# ourselves, is it worth it? 'hen is enough enough? 'ill ;mily ever be
satisfied?
It ta#es a lot of time, money, effort, and sweat e0uity to produce a web series. "ou need
strong and compelling themes to e1plore, because this is a sample of your wor#. It needs to
be the best that it can be. "ou want to show that you have a voice, a point of view, and
something to say.
So, have a good answer when someone as#s you, $'hats your web series about?%
Writers on t!e Web" Mapping =o6r #estination and ;randing a
Web Series ;efore =o6 ;egin
C.)R%N( =O*R OWN CO*RS+
/y co6producer and I went to an ama9ing new media mar#eting and producing conference
this past wee#end with superstar content creator Issa @ae and her creative team. 'e
learned so much, and it made me thin# about how important it is to have a plan for your web
series before you invest the time in writing potentially do9ens of episodes.
"ou wouldnt set out on a road trip without consulting =oogle or your =-S 7or even
something as archaic as an actual /*-, would you?8 *nd youd obviously want to have some
destination for your trip. *re you driving to San 2rancisco, San Diego,/ap or )a#e ahoe?
"oud need to map out a different course for each destination, so you dont get lost and end
up stranded in the middle of the desert, wasting time, money, and resources.
'ell, thin# of the production of your web series as a road trip you are embar#ing on. It may
be a short one, a day trip to the beach to dip your toe in the water. But it might be a long
haul, across the entire continent, with many hills, valleys, and potholes along the way. "ou
dont want to end up in 2lorida if your goal is to be in +ew "or#. So you figure out your path
before you even begin.
)i#ewise, I want you to plot a course for your web series well in advance of production.
hin# about& where do I want this web series to ta#e me? Is my goal simply to have fun? 3r
to be creative and feel more in control of my artistic career? 3r to use this as part of my
professional portfolio as a writerJdirectorJproducerJactor? *m I trying to build an audience so
I can moneti9e my content on "ouube and maybe even sell the series? Do I want to be a
digital content creator, or is my true ultimate goal to be on the writing staff of a ! series, or
to write for film, or theater?
)ife is too short to spend a lot of valuable time on things that dont help you get to where you
truly want to go. I myself have been incredibly guilty of ta#ing on pro<ects to #eep busy,
ma#e connections, or as favors to friends, and have found myself drained and resentful over
time because the pro<ect didnt move my career forward in the direction I wanted to go.
'hen I embar#ed upon creating my web series, Split, I decided that, for once, this pro<ect
was for me. +ot to help a director friend or an actor friend, but to help me get where I want
to go. I thought about my goals. I want to be staffed on a drama 7or dramedy8 television
series. I want to be a showrunner someday of a series that I create. So Im going to ta#e
that dream and live it now. Im going to create a series and e1ecutive produce it, and build
the s#ills that I will need to reach my goal someday, rather than continue to e1ecute the
vision of others.
I decided it was time to be selfish.
'hen I sat down to write, I thought, what do I personally en<oy watching on !? 'hat
would #eep me tuning bac# in for more? 'hat would I be e1cited about writing? 'hen it
comes to !, what are my so6called guilty pleasures? I did +3 thin# about M what is hot
right now? 'hat do other people thin# I should write? 'hat do my friendsJparentsJsignificant
other thin# I should do? 'hat are other content creators doing?
Im not saying you shouldnt do your due diligence and #now what other series are out there.
But you should strive to find your own uni0ue voice and to ma#e sure that your series serves
your passion and your career goals.
M)R:+%N( )N# ;R)N#%N(
Its important while you begin to outline and write your episodes that you thin# about the
mar#eting of your series. hat is, what potential audiences are you thin#ing about as you
write? 'hat #ind of people are you hoping will respond to your message? 'hat sets your
web series apart from the pac#I what is it that will ma#e people choose you?
In an earlier article of mine, we tal#ed about theme and how your web series needs to be
about something. It needs to appeal to an audience that can relate to your story. "es, you
are writing your pro<ect for you. But at the same time you want your message to reach other
li#e6minded people.
In my web series, Split, we e1plore many different themes that can appeal to niche
audiences. @ecovering after divorce, loo#ing for wor# in a down economy, mental illness,
motherJdaughter relationships, peer pressure, and teenage se1, to name several. hese
themes all have potential audiences that we can tap into.
'hoOs your audience?
+ow is also a good time to thin# about your brand and what your graphics and artwor# will
loo# li#e. 'hat is the tone of your series? 2un, light, goofy? 3r dar#, mysterious,
foreboding? 'hat e1perience should people e1pect while watching your series? ,learly
people watching he Big Bang heory are going to have a different e1perience from those
watching Brea#ing Bad. 'hat would you li#e the audience to be
thin#ingJfeelingJe1periencing during and after watching your series? *re you imparting a
message or belief, or are you simply trying to entertain?
Ase social media to your advantage and start building an audience right away. "ou can
create a 2aceboo# and witter for your series in development, put up some basic artwor#,
and start getting the word out, so that by the time the series is ready to launch, you already
have a built6in audience who has followed you along the way.
I #now Ive given you a lot to thin# about and a lot of 0uestions to answer. (owever, its
better to answer them now when you havent yet invested much in your series, than to have
to answer them months and thousands of dollars later, when someone raises their eyebrow
and says, $I dont get it. 'hats your series about? *nd where are you going with this?%
'rod6cing a Web , Series On #emand Webinar
#own$oad =o6rs Now>