Ahead of Melbourne WebFest 2014 we are profiling all the series in the Official Selection as well as the “Second Look” series. 

There are some things in the shadows that are best left forgotten…
Famed pulp horror writer, Jack Pickman, returns to his childhood home after the mysterious death of his estranged father. Reeling from this news, Jack begins his investigation and discovers evidence insisting that his father’s last case may have been to blame for his untimely death.
The series was inspired by the collected works of H.P. Lovecraft and the early silent films of Hollywood.

Filming locations: Springfield, Missouri, USA

Why should people watch your series?
SHADOW BOUND offers a departure from other horror web series as it demands a less passive viewing from its audience with a disturbing story unveiled entirely in stark imagery and haunting score. As the silent greats of old, all of the dialogue is to be read on title cards and much of the horror is fuelled from what is lurking in the shadows in the background as well as what is being illuminated in the foreground. By reaching back to the past, SHADOW BOUND strives to innovate what people are doing in web series horror today. Watch it again and again, and find something new in the shadows.
What do you want people to take away from your series?
It is our hope that our audiences find a thrilling tale of terror that affects them on a visceral level, unlike anything they have experienced before by drawing them further into a suspension of disbelief and spurring a heightened connection to the story by use of the silent film format. Much of the “problem” with modern horror today is that the stories allow us too great of a passive viewing experience. By having to watch the screen closely to discover what lurks in its black and white frames and by having to read the dialogue, the audience is drawn further into SHADOW BOUND’s experience. And if we achieved our goal… they will not emerge from the shadows unscathed.

How do you finance your series?
SHADOW BOUND was financed through crowd funding and producer contributions. It was our goal to create a product that looks and feels like a multi-million dollar production for only a few thousand dollars.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in production?
The period of the story takes place in 1931 and we needed the series to reflect that entirely. This not only includes the things you see like costumes, hair styles, and locations (e.g., absence of modern cars, electronics, signs), but also in the type of acting of that period, the grain of the film, use of title cards, score, cinematography, and more.

How do you reach your audience?
We reach our audience through traditional means (e.g., posters, printed media, e-mail blasts, online advertising) as well as social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, blogs), conventions, festivals, public screenings, and online film/web series reviewers.

Is it an ongoing project? If so, can you give us some clues about what comes next?
The five episodes of the first season of SHADOW BOUND is a closed story that has a finite end with its season finale. However, season two is currently being developed which will contain completely different story elements and shooting techniques in a whole new time period and sub-genre. We are following a model similar to that of American Horror Story and True Detective where every season follows different characters and a different plot portrayed by much of the same actors… and of course having ties to the mythic city of Veritas. The second season of SHADOW BOUND is top secret for the time being but we are very excited with where it is headed and are plotting how to undertake the monumental task of producing something of its scale. It will be fun to say the least.

Trivia: please tell us a quirky and/or interesting fact about yourself or team that’s unrelated to your web series.
The majority of the production team and cast of SHADOW BOUND are theatrical artists who had worked on and off stage together for many years before moving into filmmaking. As an actor, series creator and star, Nathan Shelton, is more known for his stage and screen comedic performances. The same can be said of series producer, Kevin Keppy, who also produces monthly staged parodies of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Batman in Springfield, MO.

Why make a web series?
With the web series format we were able to tell a large story in a more accessible way. For production purposes it was a godsend as we could wrap episodes and not have to film an entire feature in a month. We had the freedom to tweak and edit as needed as we went along. We also were excited because there is nothing like SHADOW BOUND on the web currently. We wanted to reach people with our own unique brand of horror and give audiences “highbrow” suspense/horror that could really challenge them as viewers and make them active participants in the story that they were viewing in their homes. It was an exciting experiment and we feel we were very successful. We learned so much on this first production and will be wiser going in to our next season.
DVDs are available now on the SHADOW BOUND website. The series will be making the horror/sci-fi/fantasy/film/television conference circuits within the coming year. More information on the upcoming SHADOW BOUND Season 2 will be available soon on the website and Facebook!

See you in the shadows…

SHADOW BOUND on the web:

Website: http://shadowboundseries.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shadowboundseries
Twitter: @ShadowBoundWeb

Keep up to date with Melbourne Web Fest on twitter: @MelbWebFest

La Trobe University is a festival sponsor of Melbourne WebFest.