Ahead of Melbourne WebFest 2014 we are profiling all the series in the Official Selection as well as the “Second Look” series.
Kid’s Town, a family friendly show about small town civics, power struggles, friendship and young love — the cornerstones of any childhood.
12-year-old Brian Russell is the new kid in town, again. Navigating the unwritten rules of the school yard Brian finds himself tangled in the strings of small town politics as he clashes with the Mayor’s son, befriends the local paper owners youngest, and falls for the librarian’s pretty daughter.
The web series was inspired by Tomas Street’s youth, mixed with his perspective on the families around him. This merged with Jeff Knoll’s career in politics and passion for film. Voila, Kid’s Town. What started as a Craig’s List ad has now turned into a family friendly series seen around the world.
Filming locations:
Oakville, Ontario – Canada
Why should people watch your series?
For a unique perspective on family, kid stereotypes and drama – or if you just want to enjoy a fun adventure.
What do you want people to take away from your series?
That being a kid is fun, because every day is the best day.
How do you finance your series?
Independent financing.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in production?
Scheduling. Our show has a lot of kids in a lot of fun locations, getting to use those locations for multiple episodes in one day of shooting was a challenge both on the page, and on location – some scenes were re-written to accommodate certain scheduling needs.
How do you reach your audience?
Social media, public screenings and events.
Is it an ongoing project? If so, can you give us some clues about what comes next?
We’re in talks with a major Canadian Broadcaster about TV distribution of the first season, along with production of a second season. Currently the show is available through numerous pay per view sites.
Why make a web series?
Independent television is a great way to show off capabilities and highlight potential. Kid’s Town has sparked a lot of next steps for its cast and crew.
Trivia:
Tomas once went on tour with the group the “Black Eyed Peas” as their videographer across Canada.
Kid’s Town On The Web:
Website: www.kidstown.tv
Facebook: facebook.com/kidstowntv
Twitter: @kidstowntv
@kidstownwriter
@kidstowndir
Keep up to date with Melbourne Web Fest on twitter: @MelbWebFest
La Trobe University is a festival sponsor of Melbourne WebFest.
