A New Age of Entertainment
By Jerri Acosta
Webisode is a word of art made up of web and episode . These are short, maximum fifteen-minute TV episodes on the Internet. For the advertising world Webisodes are the hope of the future . They have great potential as more and more companies use these formats for branded entertainment.
Webisodes seem to be the perfect answer to the changing tastes of the young and restless looking for quality content. It’s an age in which the rules of entertainment are changing as fast as the dwindling attention spans of the viewers. Call it new-age entertainment or the future of the world of make-believe, the tentacles of web series are growing sharper and wider. The digital converts might swear by Netflix and its bounties such as House Of Cards and Tudor but the next big thing is that we are succumbing to the charm of web series. Stars are being born, new followers are avidly following their favorites and entertainment buffs are offering guide maps on which series to follow.
Welcome to yet another facet of digital platform, which most deem is a democratic one. What’s more? Censors can’t intervene and the only rule that applies is quality content. The absence of censorship makes it the perfect launch vehicle for creativity. Creative artists are essentially storytellers and want to tell stories their own way. Putting it simply Webisodes are so today. Viewers invest in stories and characters. For them, entertainment is not time pass but value for time and money.
Between the viewers’ discerning choice and makers’ self-regulating responsibility lays a big canvass ready to be painted in many hues of experimentation.
Yet another word that can be ascribed to explain it’s viral connect with viewers is its relatability. Catching the pulse of today, exposed to the very best from around the world, can’t be achieved in a jiffy. Makers are keenly aware that they are here to fill in a void, not offer recycled fare.
Branded Entertainment with Webisodes
Companies such as Microsoft, Sony Ericcson or Intel and Toshiba , with their social film project The Beauty Inside, use Webisode for branded entertainment, creating an emotional bond between the audience and their products. Additionally these formats offer further advantages:
- Brand Awareness
With good Webisodes companies can gain the sympathy of their target group, which has a positive effect on unsupported and supported awareness.
- Product placement
Like cinema films, Internet series offer the possibility of product placement, only that the entire story around the product to be advertised can be built.
- Range
Thanks to social media channels, webseries can be distributed within a very short time without great effort, and above all cost-effectively.
- Involvement
Through interactive storytelling , the engagement of users increases. For example, viewers can interact with the protagonists, co-determine the plot of the series or even become part of the cast.
- Independence
Companies with their own Webisodes are independent of the broadcasting times of the TV stations and save the cost of media services.
Conclusion
Not only Hollywood wants to reach an audience of millions with Webisodes. More and more companies are using these Internet series specifically to address a broad target group. Decisive for the success of a web series are the reputation of the actors, and the number of episodes. Therefore, the goals must be clearly defined and typical mistakes in the content marketing strategy avoided. But the most important thing about Webisodes is that entertainment is the priority.
I Want My YouTube
The networks are not the only place you can watch some quality shows.
Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu might be dominating the streaming wars, but never discount the original streaming site: YouTube. Over the years, tons of budding creators have used the video-sharing platform as a hub to post their passion projects. Here a few standouts.
The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl
The seeds for HBO’s hit comedy Insecure were planted with this snappy web series more than half a decade ago. HBO’s product is, of course, flashier and more fleshed out now, but if you dig into Mis-Adventures you’ll see how creator Issa Rae got her start, developed her voice, and laid the blueprint for one of TV’s more innovative shows.
Do You Want to See a Dead Body?
What started as a small Funny or Die saga has graduated into a full-fledged comedy series. Rob Huebel stars as a schlubbier version of himself who ambushes self-aware celebrities — including John Cho, Judy Greer, Craig Robinson, and Adam Scott — farts around with them before, yeah… showing them dead bodies! As the title hints, shit gets dark. It’s kind of like watching an “Epic Fail” compilation with good actors.
The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo
OK, a couple things: Yes, the episodes are very long for a web series (usually around 20 minutes), and much of the show revolves around dating in L.A. and making it as an actor. But it’s stacked with under-appreciated talent, it’s often educational and relatable, and it’s always hysterical.
Baman Piderman
Picture Teddy from Bob’s Burgers. Now throw him in a janky Batman costume and give him his own spinoff. Baman Piderman is kind of like that — but still even sillier than you’re thinking. Don’t be deceived by a quick glance at its looks and jokes, though, because everything is done for a reason. “Something I think is really fun is complexity within simplicity,” the husband-wife duo behind the toon has said. Hit play when you need a pick-me-up. At its core, it’s a delightfully goofy show about friendship, and it won’t disappoint.
City Girl
From Super Deluxe: “Actress Sarah Ramos found an embarrassing romantic comedy she wrote when she was 12…and she actually made it.” In other words, it’s every bit as random, abrupt, and hilarious as Fox’s similarly conceived Axe Cop. The biggest, and best, difference? City Girl is live-action, which makes it all the more ridiculous.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
The idea of a live-action Mortal Kombat web series might sound laughably bad — in league with something like a Dragon Ball Z or Pokémon disaster. Good news? This oldie, adapted from the popular video game series, is no joke. The fight choreography and production value — save for a few expectedly wonky special effects — will consistently leave you feeling pleasantly surprised. Fans already in the know, keep praying the reboot is on its way.
Neurotica
Put down Fifty Shades. Comedienne Jenny Jaffe stars here as Ivy, a dominatrix who’s forced to confront her OCD when a rival dungeon moves into her upstate New York town and threatens to steal her business. A hilariously inventive story? A positive message? Spankings? Yep, Neurotica really has it all.
Two Sentence Horror Stories
Fans of Channel Zero will love Vera Miao’s horror anthology, essentially a more bite-size version of the former. As the title implies, 2SHS encourages its directors to take the first sentence of a viral internet scare — e.g., “‘I love you,’ I whispered, hugging Mom close” — and reimagine it as a socially conscious short film before sucker-punching you with a twist.
Eighty-Sixed
Co-written by Larry David’s daughter, Cazzie David, Eighty-Sixed has fittingly been called Curb Your Enthusiasm for millennials. It’s a cheap comparison, but it works. Like it’s HBO forefather, Eighty-Sixed is cringe worthy, relatable, and fun to watch — in that sadistic sort of way; just add in more social media predicaments.
Her Story
This six-part drama, co-created by Jen Richards and Laura Zak, centers on two trans women struggling to date in L.A. In some ways, Her Story is kind of like Caleb Gallo’s more serious older sibling. It never gets as outright jokey, but you’re still in for a sensitive, thoughtful, and enlightening watch.
Special Thanks to Thrillist for contributing to this article
