Like many online creators, Tina Cesa Ward and Susan Miller, co-creators of the web favorite Anyone But Me, have found themselves wearing multiple hats on their series. DCTV asked Tina Cesa Ward to talk a bit about her experience as a hyphenate.
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I work on a little web series called ANYONE BUT ME. I am the Executive Producer, Writer, Director and Editor of the show. Those are a lot of hats to wear. One thing I should point out is that I’m not the only writer or executive producer. Thankfully, Susan Miller helps share those duties with me. I’m not sure if I’d ever really want to be the only writer on a show with such a range of characters and circumstances as ANYONE BUT ME. Two heads are certainly better than one.
It’s become commonplace for web series makers to take on more than one position on their series. The question is, is it really a good idea? Sure, you need to have the energy to fill all of those positions but more importantly, you need to have the skill. I see many web series that could be really great if they would only bring on other talent to fill specific roles. And that’s not saying they’re not talented, but that they aren’t able to excel in the role they’re amazing at because their time is split between too many jobs. The one thing they are best at gets compromised. You have to know your strengths and own up to your weaknesses.
Of course I have to mention that people tend to take on multiple roles due to budgeting issues. That was the issue when it came to me editing ABM in the first season. We had a lovely editor that worked on episodes throughout our first season, which helped to give me a chance to take a breath before diving back into writing and then another production. But our shooting schedule changed in season 2 and shooting more episodes at once allowed me to be more involved with editing.
I enjoy editing and feel it’s a necessary craft to have learned to better my work as a director. I went into post production instead of taking on production assistant work when I first started in the business and worked as an editor professionally for a spell. Still, one day, I hope to hand over that role to someone else. Someone that I know has more of a passion for it and because of that passion will really help to make the story I’m telling that much stronger.
As a director, I’ve always been a bit old school. I believe in the singular vision and believe that the director needs to know the technicalities of creating a motion picture, much like a conductor and the instruments of his/her orchestra. But like the conductor, we don’t need to run around and play all the instruments. Sure, sometimes it’s necessary, but the day when you can hand the cello over to the cellist, so you’re just left with the baton, the better your orchestra will sound.
TINA CESA WARD
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Ruling out a subscription model for their much anticipated Season 3, Anyone But Me has asked the fans to participate in bringing the third season to their screens. The show broke ground by launching the first-ever Web-a-Thon at the end of July, with three days of behind the scenes videos and auctions. As of today, they have raised almost $25,000, which is an indication of how well-loved, courageous and relevant the show is, and how much people do want to step up and help a show when the creators, cast and crew put the work in to make it as good as it can be. Donations start at just $5 with 5% going to the Ali Forney Center for Homeless Gay and Lesbian Youth. For more information on how to donate to the show, please click here.
Click on the DCTV listing to watch the first season of Anyone But Me here.
Great article, Tina!!!! And yes, I am one of those people that wear many hats. There are so many pros and cons to wearing the multiple hats. I have lived and learned, that’s for sure!