Ahead of Melbourne WebFest 2014 we are profiling all the series in the Official Selection as well as the “Second Look” series.
Canadian Eric Blair is roped in by the CIA to spy on the arms dealer husband of the Russian ex-girlfriend he still carries a torch for. Now Eric has to risk his life, without the intensive training and high tech gadgets afforded to most spies, because if he doesn’t, it is Nadja’s life who will be in danger.
The series was inspired by TV series Chuck with creators wanting to “do the spy who isn’t a spy trope, but not play if for slapstick, as is usually done”.
Filming locations:
Toronto, Canada and Prague, Czech Republic
Why should people watch your series?
Because there are another 2 years before another bond film comes out, Chuck has ended and our story has more interesting characters, guns, horrible espionage and action than any normal relationship should have.
What do you want people to take away from your series?
It’s about rising to the occasion. Doing what you think is right and saying to hell with the consequences. It’s about following your heart, even when your head says no. If we all did that a little more often, I think we’d all be in better shape.
How do you finance your series?
Our first season was funded primarily by the IPF (Independent Production Fund, a Canadian arts equity investment body) which meant we were actually able to pay people a little something and film in Prague. So that funding, along with location and equipment deferrals, and begging.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in production?
Even with funding, it was a very ambitious amount of material. We shot a lot of pages per day. Sometimes upwards of 10. It was tough trying to get it all in and deciding what to let go of when we couldn’t.
How do you reach your audience?
Apart from the usual Facebook and Twitter postings, we’re on a site called JTS.tv that, in addition to ensuring we make some return on the show, does a lot of promotion as well. We also attend comic-cons and festivals to help spread the word. And of course web festivals like this one! We also have some in world bonus content in the form of out Tumblr page and our www.iamtheasset.com “C.I.A.” website.
Is it an ongoing project? If so, can you give us some clues about what comes next?
We hope to get a second season. We have our application in with the IPF. As for what happens next anything we could tell you would be a spoiler so… Rest assured though, the stakes will be raised in our second season, and we plan to ramp up the action.
Trivia: please tell us a quirky and/or interesting fact about yourself or team that’s unrelated to your web series.
Several of the cast and crew of Asset get together for board game nights, because we’re all a little geeky.
Why make a web series?
This is the future of the industry. Most content is already viewable on the web we’re just starting there rather than making you wait for it before we started showing it somewhere else.
Is there anything in particular you’d like us to add about you or your series?
We have guest stars/ cameos from several other Toronto Web Series Community people, such as Hannah Spear (Versus Valerie), Jonathan Robbins (Out with Dad), Steve Kasan (Out of Time), and Mike Donis (Pete Winning and the Pirates). Jonathan and Mike were also the series’ co-directors, and Jonathan wrote a couple of episodes. Asset is very much a product of the Toronto Web Series Community, not of any individual.
Asset On The Web:
Main Website: www.assettheseries.com
Website: www.iamtheasset.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AssetTheSeries
Twitter:
@assettheseries
@matthewcarvery
@charlietron3000
@vicsulliva
@thejrobbins
@mikedonis
Keep up to date with Melbourne Web Fest on twitter: @MelbWebFest
La Trobe University is a festival sponsor of Melbourne WebFest.
