Creative Corner Part 3: Joanna Gaskell Interview
This blog is brought to you by GeekGirlCon Twitter administrator, Kristine Hassell
Joanna Gaskell
If you’ve joined us today, I’ve been speaking with Joanna Gaskell of Standard Action. Take a look at the first and second parts of the interview.
Q. I have really enjoyed watching SA grow as a web series and undoubtedly you are beyond excited to have Season three funded! Do you have any words of advice for anyone aspiring to do their own web series?
Keep it simple. Focus on what you know you can do. Stretch yourself, but only a little at a time.
Keep your crew as small as you can get away with.
Don’t be afraid to try. If you make something, you didn’t fail. Next time will be better, guaranteed.
It’s not going to be perfect; it’s not even going to be the way you pictured it in your head. Filming is juggling a collection of random variables ‒ you can’t control everything all the time; don’t try.
Write to your budget. Public locations, fancy costumes, and visual effects cost a lot in money and time.
Make something you want to watch. If you don’t like it, why should anyone else?
Making a web series is HARD. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Don’t beat yourself up if things crumble. They will; it’s up to you whether you decide to rebuild.
If it stops being fun, STOP. Ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. Re-evaluate.
Be flexible. Be ready to toss aside your favorite scene in pre-production, your favorite line on set, and your favorite shot in the editing room. Be married to nothing.
YouTube is a cruel place. There will always be someone to poke holes in your dream. If someone hates your stuff enough to tell you so, you made an impact, and that’s why we’re all here, right?
Trust your gut. If it says something is wrong, something is wrong.
Everything costs more than you think.
Feed your people well, even if you can’t pay them. Food is key.
Try not to compete with other webseries. We can share audiences. There’s no way you can possibly create enough content for the internet to watch. We’re all in this together.
Q. That was definitely some excellent advice! Take notes, dear reader, Joanna knows from experience! Okay, let me wrap this up with one of my favorite questions to pose. We here at GeekGirlCon love sharing our geekdoms. What have you been geeking over lately?
I’m totally geeking out over the Pathfinder RPG, for sure. I’m loving the storytelling in their world and their adventure paths, so well done. With all the board games I’m reviewing, I’m also going a bit nuts over the massive amount of great games out there; I never seem to have time to play them all, but I’m definitely a fan these days of Eclipse, Game of Thrones: the Board Game, and Arkham Horror. Can’t go wrong with Lovecraft. Speaking of Game of Thrones? OMG. I very recently devoured all of the George R.R. Martin books.
Saga artwork
Q. I have been hooked on GoT also! Anything else tickling your geek fancy?
I’ve also recently developed a renewed appreciation for the graphic novel medium, probably because I’ve been working with Woody over at Thunder Frog Comics on our SA webcomic. I’m going back and reading all of my old Transmetropolitan trades, and I was recently introduced to the Saga series by a friend of mine, Ian Boothby, who writes for the Simpsons comics. Great stuff.
Q. Thanks for name-checking Saga! You’ve reminded me to check out that series. Fiona Staples is so talented and her art is gorgeous stuff.
Well, I’ve kept you long enough. Thank you, Joanna for taking the time out to chat. I look forward to seeing the third season of SA when it airs and definitely at your next convention appearance!
Most definitely! Thanks for this, Kristine!
