Another wave of media is on the brink of taking over Comic-Con: the Web Series. During this past weekend’s Comic-Con, amidst the Trons, True Bloods, and Walking Dead chatter, you could hear the defiant chant of the Web Series community, who have arrived at the ‘Con and are here to stay. Let’s take a look at the proof:
1. The Guild:
The Guild panel played to 1600 eager fans, where Felicia Day and company revealed “Game On,” the latest Bollywood-inspired Guild music video.
2. The Totally Rad Show:
The guys from The Totally Rad Show, Alex Albrecht, Dan Trachtenberg, and Jeff Cannata performed their third annual live show at Comic-Con where they talked about all the announcements and cool things to be seen in the Convention Center.
3. The Legend of Neil:
The Legend of Neil premiered their third season to a loving crowd.
4. Celebrate the Web:
Probably most interesting, and a clear sign of things to come, was a special off-site event called Celebrate the Web. The event, run by Taryn O’Neil, Jenni Powell, and Stephanie Thorpe, was a celebration of all things Web Series. They screened trailers for upcoming series and had themed panels (fantasy, horror, and sci-fi) where creators and actors gave insight into what it takes to create and promote a genre-based Web Series and described the reactions that fans have had thus far.
This was the event that really shined light onto this incoming wave of change. For one, the event was held in a hotel a couple of blocks away from the Convention Center; it lasted from 3pm until 8pm and by the end it was still packed with hundreds of fans eager to hear about where the Web Series community is headed next. The attendees were equally as passionate and dedicated as anyone back at the Convention Center’s Hall H (reserved for movies) or Ballroom 20 (reserved for TV shows) – we’re talking panel members, moderators, and fans alike. In the after-panels mixer the room was buzzing with the success of the event.
So what are we seeing here? The Web Series industry is becoming a serious business with a dedicated audience willing to travel down to San Diego for the chance to meet the creators and stars. Fans have embraced this medium in the same way that they’ve embraced Movies and TV Shows at the ‘con. There’s been talk of pushing this year’s most sought after TV show (True Blood) out of Ballroom 20 and into the much larger Hall H due to its huge appeal, and that seems to indicate that it’s only a matter a time before a Web Series with a draw as big as The Guild makes the leap into Ballroom 20. It’s clear that in the future, San Diego’s Comic-Con will not only be about Comics, Movies, TV, and Videogames, but about Web Series, as well. Some of us already know this, but the masses will know very soon.
