Two years are a long time in the world of web series! Martha Byrne (ex-Lily/Rose, As The World Turns) was brave enough to dabble in 2009, producing, writing and starring in one of the few online dramas at the time, Gotham. She was also one of the first soap stars to try her hand at a web series. Since then, Gotham was nominated for an Emmy; Prospect Park has voiced interest in moving full-length soaps All My Children and One Life to Live online; and web dramas have proven they can reach millions of views. So, in honor of DCTV’s 1 Year Anniversary, Creative Director Daryn Strauss checked in with web drama pioneer Martha Byrne about soaps moving to the web, the future of Gotham, and what the heck she’s playing in Pretty!
DARYN: I remember meeting you maybe two years ago. We were speaking at a Writers Guild East panel about our web shows, and I was very excited to meet you because I had watched you on As The World Turns. How much do you feel the web television landscape has changed since then?
MARTHA: I think the landscape is the same, but the players have changed and grown. A few years ago doing a webseries was considered just another You Tube indulgence. Now the mainstream players have come on board to play. As predicted. I remember pitching potential corporate sponsors investment opportunities and the response was always one of concern. Since there was no way to track how their investment turns into dollars from the web, they were a bit gun shy. I always felt that someone in the mainstream needed to give these shows the stamp of approval and the financial floodgates would open.
DARYN: Now, of course I can’t let you off the hook on this one! What are your thoughts about all of this recent interest in bringing soaps to the web?
MARTHA: It’s very encouraging to finally hear someone recognize the value in these shows. As a leader, if you feel your product is not worth investing in, eventually you will succeed in the mission of failure. It’s interesting. The fans are so upset with the shows being canceled, I sense their distrust of those trying to keep the shows alive. They want answers and they deserve them. I believe the fans saved OLTL and AMC and in this day and age of disposable TV, that is quite an accomplishment. Why isn’t that the cover story of Entertainment Weekly? This is a major win for the people. It’s inspired. Prospect Park’s investment in these shows and the web life preserver is unprecedented. When we were doing Gotham, I felt that one day someone would invest in serial drama on the web and make it successful. It would be fantastic if Prospect Park sets the stage for other soaps to be reenergized and most importantly, survive.
DARYN: A lot of soap actors have jumped into web series, but you were one of the pioneers. And Gotham was nominated for an Emmy this year. Has all of this recent interest in online video motivated you to produce another season?
MARTHA: At this point we aren’t doing another season. The investment on my part was worth it for what we did, but at this point I don’t want to put any more money into the show. It was great to get an Emmy nomination. The cast and crew were incredible and I plan on working with them more in the future on other projects.
DARYN: I was at the Indie Soap Awards, which you hosted, and you were so hilarious. Everyone in the audience with me was saying, “get her in a comedy!!!” So I was very excited to hear that you’re doing a guest appearance on the brilliant and demented Pretty. Have you seen scripts yet? What can you tell us? Can you tell us who you will work with?
MARTHA: I can’t tell you how excited I am to work on Pretty. I can’t say much about the part. Steve [Silverman, creator] is very protective of the story! But I will say it’s a character that requires some bad wardrobe and horrific posture. I love the story and the scripts are so entertaining.
DARYN: Well, I’m happy to give you temporarily to Steve Silverman because I adore his wicked little mind, but I want you back here so I can get you in something! I know you had a couple of other web-related projects in the works. Any updates on them?
MARTHA: I would love that!!! Thanks! I’m working with the creators of Empire on a project that is in the beginning stages. It’s been a pleasure working with Greg and Brian and putting our brains together. I’m shooting something in the Adirondacks at the end of Sept as part of an event I’m doing there with Ellen Dolan (www.adirondackaffair.com). I will be writing and collaborating with Alex Roalsvig on that project. Alex and I wrote the original hour pilot for Gotham when I was pitching it for TV in 2007. I also have another web project that’s in the beginning stages of development that’s really exciting. I will be shooting it in LA in January. I’ll share more about that project soon. It’s going to be a great year filled with a lot of creativity. Someone once told me if you’re a creative person you must use that creativity or it will destroy you from the inside out. I’ve been fortunate enough to have outlets to use that part of my life.
Watch Gotham HERE.
Great interview!
I am happy to see that Martha paid tribute to Prospect Park. I’d like to know what she thinks Prospect Park can do to help ensure, not only that soaps survive, but that they thrive on the web. What does she think about first-run online and repeats on cable? And how can we (fans, actors, supporters) best persuade other production companies to follow suit. Yes, I’m talking about Procter & Gamble Productions!