Web Series 101: Panel & Screening

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Called by some as the "new independent film movement", Web Series are, in many ways, at the forefront of transmedia production.

Come see how Canadian pioneers in the web series space talk about how transmedia tactics are integrated with their web series and what transmedia practitioners can learn from web series' best practices.

Our Web Series 101 meetup featuring a screening and panel with Elize Morgan (Pretty in Geek (http://www.prettyingeek.tv/), The Gate (http://thegateseries.com/)), Jonathan Robbins (Clutch (http://clutchtheseries.com/)), Regan Latimer (B.J. Fletcher (http://bjfletcherprivateeye.com/)), Ashton Catherwood (Microwave Porn (http://www.youtube.com/user/cancelproof)), and Jay Ferguson (Guidestones (http://guidestones.org/)) on August 21, 7-9 pm.

Who should come: creatives interested in creating screen content such as video, film, web, mobile, etc. and those interested in employing social networks to maximize reach, develop niche audiences, understand online distribution portals, etc.

Co-hosted by The Canadian Studies Program, University College, University of Toronto.

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Ticket price at the door is $5 CASH except FREE to U of T students with VALID ID. MUST BE 18 OR OVER TO ATTEND. Suggested Rating Rated R.

Elize Morgan is a writer and producer who has worked with with broadcasters, producers and independent writers to develop key transmedia and screen-based properties. Elize's production company is Alpaca vs Llama. Elize has a secret love of terrible music that relates to her country roots, comic books, super heroes, and incredibly sparkly dice (especially the d4s) which she turned into the series Pretty in Geek. She also is related to a full-on Catholic saint, which might be why she created The Gate, where St. Peter hates his job and Jesus smokes pot. Elize is also a biker - having biked across Europe and Canada - and is a graduate of the Second City improv program and the Canadian Film Centre's TV Writing program.

Jonathan Robbins has worked on both sides of the camera in Toronto, Canada for 20 years. Early roles opposite Will Ferrell and several popular tv commercials such as the Whiskas Temptations "cat crashes through walls" spot have kept Jonathan a working actor for the better part of this time. On the production side, he has directed dance films and narrative shorts including the award-winning Your Ex-Lover is Dead which was the basis for his current web series, the multi-award winning Clutch. He has IMDB credits as cinematographer and editor on several notable pieces such as the TIFF presented comedy Family First and the Bravo!FACT short What You Eat, currently playing on the Air Canada En Route network. He's an executive producer on the new film Sex After Kids, starring Kris Holden-Reid and Kristin Booth.

Jay Ferguson is an award winning filmmaker who has contributed as a writer, director, producer and cinematographer on over 15 feature films. His work with institutions such as The National Film Board of Canada has garnered him acclaim as a cutting edge filmmaker. Besides features and documentaries, Jay also has 12 years of experience in commercial production. He has directed and shot spots for CIBC Wood Gundy, GolfTown, Nike, Spalding, The Shaw Theater Festival and BCS. Jay’s first feature film, SUBURBAN LEGEND was selected for official competition in the 1996 Montreal International Film Festival and won best director at the RPM film festival in Toronto. His second feature POSTHUMOUS was short listed for official competition at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001. Jay has also directed an assortment of music videos, cooking shows and web-series. Jay’s ongoing work with interactive online content has helped earn TV Ontario a WEBBY nomination and a SXSW interactive nomination for writing and directing segments for EMPIRE OF THE WORD. Jay co-created, co-wrote, co-produced, co-shot and directed his latest project – the online series GUIDESTONES – with iThentic Canada. Guidestones won the 2012 Banff Rockie for Best Web Series and has also been nominated at Marseille Web Fest. Jay has been asked to speak across the globe about the content and distribution innovations he stewarded through the Guidestones series.

Regan Latimer is creator and Executive Producer of Bee Charmer Productions, a company that works as an independent contractor for individual clients and organizations. She has created promotional films for The NOAH Project (Nurturing Orphans of AIDS for Humanity), and The Bharti Charitable Foundation as well as several promotional pieces and commercials for various clients including Hershey Canada, The Rose Theatre Brampton and Canadian talent, Louise Pitre. A post-production and editing specialist, other credits include Emmy award-winning trailers and promo spots for Colorado’s Rocky Mountain PBS and Denver Centre Media.

Regan created the hit web series, B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye, which has just posted its third successful season. Multi-talented in both creative and technical disciplines, Regan has served as writer and director of Fletcher – as well as video editor and sound designer – and has managed all facets of the show’s creation. Regan was also the Director/Producer of the short film Harmony Love Matches for Life Inc., an official selection at the 2008 Great Lakes Independent Film Festival.

Ashton Catherwood was born in the wilds of the Boreal forest. In his early days, he learned how to karate chop a bear, and how to beat the Sasquatch at his own game. In recent years, he has been acting, writing and producing his butt off for the betterment of humanity. He is drawn to the unique and bizarre in plotlines and characterizations, and has the ability to bring a sense of reality to the fantastical. He is happy to have found a balance between the comedic and the dramatic in his performance style. Ash lives and works out of Toronto, Canada.

To preview teasers of the web series featured this night, please visit: transmedia-101.com/web-series-101 (http://www.transmedia-101.com/web-series-101).