Let’s take a trip back to November 5, 2007.
“Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)” is the #1 song on the Billboard charts, Netflix’s DVD delivery service is approaching its peak, and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has just announced that 12,000 television and film screenwriters will go on strike after negotiations with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fell through. The 2007-08 writers’ strike ultimately lasted 100 days, ushering in sweeping changes in the media landscape.
Many of those changes took place online. One of the WGA’s major grievances concerned new media royalties. Writers sought steadier income from digital distribution of their work, and they ended up with a bigger piece of that pie once the strike was settled.
The then-new industry of online video presented a problem for traditional media screenwriters, but it also offered a solution. As the strike forced TV programs into extended reruns, showrunners went online...
“Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)” is the #1 song on the Billboard charts, Netflix’s DVD delivery service is approaching its peak, and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has just announced that 12,000 television and film screenwriters will go on strike after negotiations with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fell through. The 2007-08 writers’ strike ultimately lasted 100 days, ushering in sweeping changes in the media landscape.
Many of those changes took place online. One of the WGA’s major grievances concerned new media royalties. Writers sought steadier income from digital distribution of their work, and they ended up with a bigger piece of that pie once the strike was settled.
The then-new industry of online video presented a problem for traditional media screenwriters, but it also offered a solution. As the strike forced TV programs into extended reruns, showrunners went online...
- 5/2/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
As we learned from one of Community’s best ever episodes, Ken Burns’ heralded documentary films are also ripe targets for parody. Now, Machinima is taking aim at Burns’ signature filmmaking style with a series called Real Fake History, a mockumentary that pretends pop culture stories are historical events.
Each episode of Real Fake History dives into a different pop culture franchise. Across ten installments, the series will visit everything from Starship Troopers to Game of Thrones to Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. The first episode, however, treads upon the familiar nerd territory of Star Wars by examining the Battle of Endor. Narrator Phil Morris (Seinfeld’s Jackie Chiles) leads the way, The Guild co-star Jeff Lewis provides the most comedic punch, and, as you might expect, the camera slowly pans across every single image it encounters. It’s pretty fun stuff, though the commenters seem more interesting in explaining how,...
Each episode of Real Fake History dives into a different pop culture franchise. Across ten installments, the series will visit everything from Starship Troopers to Game of Thrones to Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. The first episode, however, treads upon the familiar nerd territory of Star Wars by examining the Battle of Endor. Narrator Phil Morris (Seinfeld’s Jackie Chiles) leads the way, The Guild co-star Jeff Lewis provides the most comedic punch, and, as you might expect, the camera slowly pans across every single image it encounters. It’s pretty fun stuff, though the commenters seem more interesting in explaining how,...
- 6/30/2015
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Digital star and producer Sandeep Parikh has a new web series out that’s sure to give you some comedic insight on just exactly what policemen do when there’s nothing to do. Parikh and comedian Mel Cowan star as two cops who are just trying to pass the time during their routine, unexciting shift in Code Five.
Created by Parikh and writer Ed Brubaker, Code Five introduces viewers to Triggs (played by Cowan) and Sam (Parikh), who are on what the series’ description calls “the longest stakeout ever.” In the debut episode, Sam asks Triggs to listen to his “bustin’ in” speech to see if it’s threatening enough for a cop. Triggs meticulously picks apart Sam’s inflection during the crucial last bit of the speech, and then the two try to come up with better (but very unimpressive) alternatives.
Parikh has lots of previous experience with comedic web series.
Created by Parikh and writer Ed Brubaker, Code Five introduces viewers to Triggs (played by Cowan) and Sam (Parikh), who are on what the series’ description calls “the longest stakeout ever.” In the debut episode, Sam asks Triggs to listen to his “bustin’ in” speech to see if it’s threatening enough for a cop. Triggs meticulously picks apart Sam’s inflection during the crucial last bit of the speech, and then the two try to come up with better (but very unimpressive) alternatives.
Parikh has lots of previous experience with comedic web series.
- 1/27/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
From Thursday, July 18th to Sunday, July 21st, the world's most fervent nerds will descend on the San Diego Convention Center for the 44th annual Comic-Con. Among many other presenters, the online video community will be out in full force over the four days. Here are some events to check out: Thursday Cartoon Network: Annoying Orange 12:45-1:45 Room 6De The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange has been, without a doubt, the most successful TV program based on a web series, and its creator and stars are ready to do a happy dance. Literally. At this panel, there will be a musical number and a 'Toby Turner dance', along with many other fruit-related tidbits from Dane Boedingheimer, iJustine, and others. Ghost Ghirls: A Behind-the-Scenes Paranormal Experience with Jack Black 1-2 Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront Jack Black's Yahoo web series, Ghost Ghirls, has been in production for seven months,...
- 7/17/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Benny and Rafi Fine are getting emo. The duo behind React and MyMusic have launched Emo Dad, an animated web series centered around a sad dad and hosted on their main Fine Brothers channel. Just like in MyMusic, the Fine Bros' most successful narrative web series, Emo Dad derives comedy by mocking particular musical stereotypes. Instead of centering on a judgmental, scarf-totting hipster, Emo Dad follows the life of a 47 year old emo kid (man?), complete with studded bracelets, black clothing, guyliner, and a generally negative (yet poetic) outlook of the harsh realities of life. It's safe to say no one understands his pain. Emo Dad is animated by Two Animators!, who previous collaborated with the Fine Bros on their Charlie Brown parody. The titular dad is voiced Scott Chernoff, who played Ganon in The Legend of Neil, while the more appropriately-aged emo son and his friend are voiced by Rafi and Benny Fine,...
- 3/6/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Do you miss The Legend of Neil as much as we do? The multiple Streamy Award-nominated Zelda spoof was one of the first web series to achieve mainstream popularity, but we haven't seen anything from our favorite autoerotic-asphyxiating gamer since October 2010's season finale. That is, until recently. Series creator (and The Guild cast member) Sandeep Parikh and star Tony Janning have released a video on the show's website announcing a DVD complete with the whole series, many special features, and several bundle deals. Though the deadline for bundles was yesterday, I'm sure that Janning and Parikh would figure out a way to take whatever money you're willing to throw at them
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 9/17/2012
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Video games brought into live action—with the help of a little well placed VFX— have been an ongoing theme in online video for year, some even making a multi-season hit web series (The Legend of Neil) around it. Some are taking advantage of the trend to make a name for themselves. Little Rock, Arkansas-filmmaker Andrew McMurry is just 18 years old but already partnered up with YouTube’s mega-network Machinima with his growing channel of more than 36,000 subscribers and over 3.5 million views. McMurry’s first breakout with the Real Life series was a minute-long Real Life Super Marios Brothers (watch it below) that playfully took the live actor, McMurry’s brother Seth, through a magically appearing landscape of pipes, koopas and bricks. It notched a respectable 750,000 views on YouTube. Rather than a beat for beat copy of the Nintendo hit, there’s a twist—one of the mystery boxes deploys...
- 11/14/2011
- by Marc Hustvedt
- Tubefilter.com
They took the Seinfeld way out. Finish while you’re on top. And that they did. Today the series finale (above) of Atom’s long-running hit comedy The Legend of Neil hits the internet after a special screening in downtown Los Angeles last night. We knew this day was coming, and even counting down to it doesn’t make it any easier. This one goes way back for us at Tubefilter. For me, this is the end of an era in web series. Not that no one will ever center a comedy of 80’s pop references around a video game again—no it will happen—but this kind of all star team doesn’t exactly come around every day. Let’s not drop into full board comps to the gold medal winning 1992 Dream Team, but here’s a web series that has Felicia Day on its roster but equally touted...
- 10/27/2010
- by Marc Hustvedt
- Tubefilter.com
The Legend Of Neil: Atom.com's gaming spoof starring Tony Janning also satirizes male geeks.
Explosive late-night comedy -- and a shot at TV.
Only in a Web series would inebriation and The Legend of Zelda be a match made in heaven. But ever since a gas-station attendant woke up hungover inside the classic Nintendo game nearly two years ago, The Legend of Neil has been one of Atom.com's most successful franchises.
The campy live-action series, now in its third and final season, highlights Atom's evolution over the past decade from user-generated indie film shorts to professionally produced comedy series. In 2006, MTV Networks acquired Atom for $200 million, to serve in part as an idea incubator for its cable nets. Recent hit series 5-On, for example, became Comedy Central's Ugly Americans, and Atom has its own popular (for 2:30 a.m.) weekly showcase on the channel. "One of...
Explosive late-night comedy -- and a shot at TV.
Only in a Web series would inebriation and The Legend of Zelda be a match made in heaven. But ever since a gas-station attendant woke up hungover inside the classic Nintendo game nearly two years ago, The Legend of Neil has been one of Atom.com's most successful franchises.
The campy live-action series, now in its third and final season, highlights Atom's evolution over the past decade from user-generated indie film shorts to professionally produced comedy series. In 2006, MTV Networks acquired Atom for $200 million, to serve in part as an idea incubator for its cable nets. Recent hit series 5-On, for example, became Comedy Central's Ugly Americans, and Atom has its own popular (for 2:30 a.m.) weekly showcase on the channel. "One of...
- 8/12/2010
- by Vanessa Juarez
- Fast Company
Sure why not, in the midst of all the pomp around TV upfront season with networks announcing their fall lineups, web TV network Atom.com unveiled its shiny new slate of comedy web series today. There’s a lot to digest here, so we’ll start with just the news. As we reported earlier Atom’s flagship comedy The Legend of Neil returns for its 7-episode third season this summer and Nytvf-winning series Johnny B. Homeless has a 9-episode pickup starting June 15. The slate actually begins today, with the premiere of M'Larky from creator Dan Fogler who stars as detective Black in a cop show well past its prime. Josh Warren stars as Detective John M’Larky, who with “his maniacal colleagues who go undercover in their pursuit of booze, broads and Colombian drug runners.” Also set to appear in the series are Gilbert Gottfried, Jeffrey Ross and Tony Hawk.
- 5/19/2010
- by Marc Hustvedt
- Tubefilter.com
Lots of chatter this week about live web series, but who says scripted series can't have a little live streaming fun too? The Legend of Neil dropped its season 2 finale (above) yesterday and followed it up with a live chat last night on UStream with the cast that drew over 10,000 total viewers. First watch the episode to see if the show's involuntary protagonist Neil/Link (Tony Janning) will ever get princess Zelda (Angie Hill) out of the hands of the evil Lord Gannon and his lackey Wizrobe. Highlights from the live chat, which featured Janning and co-creator Sandeep Parikh and cast members Felicia Day, Angie Hill, Mike Rose and Eric Acosta will be posted on Atom later today. Legend of Neil is clearly the online network's biggest original series hit so far—check out the tagline under the Atom.com logo (right). The Comedy Central owned site is doing their part to market the series,...
- 10/21/2009
- by Marc Hustvedt
- Tubefilter.com
Online musicals are all the rage, and we probably have the Whedon clan to thank for that. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog gets a lot of credit for pushing web video forward, and you can't help but notice its inspiration in The Legend of Neil's new season with the release of Episode 3 (above) today on Atom.com. (Warning, the video is potentially Nsfw, well, depending on where you work.) Neil creators Sandeep Parikh and Tony Janning, who stars as Neil in the series, gave a preview of the episode last month at a live screening. In what be the raunchiest appearance on screen to date by Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog), Day returns as the fairy finding herself is a spot of trouble with Ganon (Scott Chernoff). And as if it needed more of a Whedon/Dr. Horrible connection, we learned that Maurissa Tancharoen sings the voice...
- 8/24/2009
- by Marc Hustvedt
- Tubefilter.com
Atom hosted a special preview screening Tuesday night of the first three episodes of The Legend of Neil season 2, revealing what had been rumored earlier this summer—the season does indeed contain a 9-minute musical episode. We're talking a colorful set of original songs that make a not so subtle nod to the web's musical gold standard, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Creators Sandeep Parikh (The Guild) and Tony Janning opened the evening with Neil star Janning acting out the show's ignominious opening. Janning returns as underachieving everyman Neil, who faces a new set of life turds this time around. Good thing for his quantum space bending game console, as he's right back as Link inside the world of Zelda once again. Also returning is Felicia Day who brings back her role as the pint-sized Fairy. Following the screening, there was a brief Q&A with Parikh and the cast members Janning,...
- 7/22/2009
- by Marc Hustvedt
- Tubefilter.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.