So, what’s the big deal about The Guild? – Webisode Clack Interviews

In the world of webseries, success and popularity can be hard to find. Sure, a webseries may have a certain following, but its success may not go any farther than those dedicated fans. That’s great for the folks who write, cast, direct, and produce the series. Yet, deep down, I’m sure they’re looking for a status bump that will propel their hard work to a new, and more diverse, audience.

That’s why The Guild is a rarity in today’s ever growing world of webisodes. With a cast of honed, comedic actors, as well as corporate sponsorship, the show has surpassed expectations and become one of the most popular series on the web. With the start of their third season (which began with an August 25th release on Xbox Live, and continues on September 1 on MSN and Zune), a new music video, and the addition of Wil Wheaton to the cast, The Guild continues to grow. So, the obvious question is: why is The Guild so big?

“I think that the content isn’t anything people can get from mainstream media, and it resonates with people, especially online users,” answered Felicia Day, creator and star of The Guild. “I think the interaction with fans through social networking gives a sense of KNOWING me and the show that makes it personal, and really, we’ve had so many fans actually participate in making the show.”

That participation includes funding the show’s initial season (in 2007) via PayPal donations, which led to a ten-episode run (now averaging around 900,000 hits per episode on YouTube). That popularity, as well as word of mouth, led Microsoft to sponsor the second season of the show while allowing Day to keep the rights to the program. Not bad for a little web series about gamers, huh?

Well, it’s not actually about the stereotypical gamers you see at the conventions or on television series that have never seen a gamer before. Felica and her gang portray gamers as people like you and me (well, probably not YOU, sir). Except, possibly, they have an issue socializing with each other and the outside world, as most of their interaction is done in a fantasy world where they portray imaginary characters with extraordinary powers. In short, The Guild is not about the game, but about the people behind it.

“I suppose it just appeals to a pretty general audience,” said Vincent Caso, who plays Bladezz in the series. “In my own experience, everyone from the hardened gamer to the middle-aged plumber have enjoyed it. So it definitely has something most people can relate to or find entertaining.” That “something” includes plenty of gamer lingo, plenty of humor, and some actual romance. “The writing is hilarious not only to gamers but non-gamers as well (like me!),” said Robin Thorsen, who plays Clara on the show. “You don’t have to play the game to get the humor.”

The credit for the humor, as well as the writing, goes to Day herself. All of the cast members interviewed agree that Guild wouldn’t be the little webisode that could without her guidance. “The journey of the show is really inspirational for people,” said Kim Evey, the show’s co-producer, “Felicia bucked the system.  She was able to get funding for the show without giving up the rights, and that is huge. It’s really unheard of. It’s what happen for artists in all disciplines but rarely does.” According to Evey, this is why the show is beginning to get the press it is.

Which is great, because it looks like the third season may be the one that turns the little webseries into a ginormous one that could change the way folks look at these types of programs. In addition to a panel at Comic-Con, Day and her gang have worked a number of avenues to make sure this is the best season to date. This includes the recent release of a music video — “Do You Want to Date my Avatar” — which, according to Evey, outsold Beyonce, Michael Jackson, and Taylor Swift on iTunes. In addition, they were able to get uber-geek, and former Star Trek: TNG star, Wil Wheaton to join the cast.

This brought up the next most obvious question: Why Wil? Sandeep Parikh, who plays the love struck Zaboo, had one answer. “I knew Wil was sleeping with me to get on the show and, well, I f*^%ed him anyway.  He’s a beautiful man.” However, a better one came from Mr. Wheaton himself. “Because he’s awesome, and we wanted to know if the rumors of him smelling of lilacs and honey were true.”

All right, seriously now. One of the reasons Will said “yes” to the proposal to join The Guild was that he had known and performed with many of these folks for years at the ACME Comedy Theater, so he knew he’d be working with people he had fun with. In addition, Wil loves the way that the show is produced and distributed. “Felicia and Kim have been doing things with The Guild for two full seasons (and now a third) that established media companies are just starting to do.” For the next season, Wil portrays Fawkes, the head of a rival Guild to Felicia’s. According to Wheaton, “I get to do things as Fawkes that I would never do in my own life, and I loved every second of it.” Wil wouldn’t give out any specifics about those things because “spoilers make baby Jesus cry.”

So, what else can we look forward to in this new season? Felicia put if very succinctly, “Hilarity. I’m not leaking any more than that.” I guess you’ll have to tune in now to find out, won’t you?

Clacked by Richard Keller
on Aug 28, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT