by Marc Hustvedt on February 4th, 2010
Streamy-winning director Blake Calhoun (Pink) has announced his latest web series project today, a sci-fi drama set in space called Continuum. The series will star Harper’s Globe and loneylgirl15 star Melanie Merkosky (left) as Reagen, a young woman who awakes on a space ship without any memory of what she is doing there. Her only companion on board is the ship’s computer, a female spin on 2001’s “Hal,” voiced by Taryn O’Neill (Compulsions, After Judgment). Also announced for the cast is Brad Hawkins (Pink) as Tipton.
Calhoun and co. are calling the project “a futuristic thriller in the noir-ish tradition of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien.” Loud Pictures, Calhoun’s production company is producing along with Alternative Fuel, a multiplatform company he co-founded with Pink producer Mike Maden. Also producing is CJP Digital Media, with Wilson Cleveland involved on distribution and marketing of the series, as it does for The Fall of Kaden, IKEA-backed Easy to Assemble and Spherion-sponsored The Temp Life.
Similar to Pink’s start, which began as a purely indie production before being picked up by Generate after its successful first season, Contiuum is starting out independently backed. Production will begin on the first ten episodes of the sci-fi project in Dallas and Los Angeles beginning February 22. Calhoun also has Exposed still in development over at Warner Bros. for its online channel TheWB.com, a project on which he is teaming up with director McG and his Wonderland Sound and Vision outfit.
by Jenni Powell on September 9th, 2009
This is the second part of our interview with Streamy-winning creator-director Blake Calhoun (Pink, 88 Hits, Exposed). Be sure to read Part 1 of the interview first, it’s that good.
Tubefilter: What can you tell us about your next web series project, Exposed? What has it been like working with McG?
Calhoun: Pink really opened a lot of doors for Mike and I. We sold the show to Generate and subsequently got to produce 25 more episodes (Seasons 2 and 3) and right now we’re in talks to do a new Season 4. We’ll hopefully have news about this soon. We also got to go around town and pitch several other ideas and sold one to Warner Bros. and TheWB.com. We’ve had the great opportunity to work with the studio along with McG’s company Wonderland Sound and Vision on this new project (McG is the Exec Producer). We’re currently finishing it up right now and will be able to speak more about it in the near future. But I think fans of Pink and our “dark-thriller” brand will enjoy the show.
Tubefilter: Anything else coming up for you?
Calhoun: I just wrapped (in June) directing my fourth feature film called Spilt Milk. It’s a wry comedy about a disgruntled grocery store manager whose life gets forever changed one fateful evening when his store gets robbed. It stars Jake Johnson from the Drunk History YouTube videos and this summer’s indie hit Paper Heart (with Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera) and also Chase Jeffery who is the lead in Exposed. The film already has distribution and will be released sometime in 2010.
by Jenni Powell on September 8th, 2009
Today marks the two-year anniversary of the premiere of Streamy Award-winning series Pink and what better way to celebrate than to hear from series creator-director Blake Calhoun? I had the pleasure of interviewing Blake via e-mail to get the lowdown on his past and future projects, his directing process, and insight for those hoping to break into the New Media industry.
Tubefilter: You were one of the early creator-directors on the web series scene with Pink in ‘07. What inspired you to go into the field?
Blake Calhoun: I had recently finished directing my third indie feature (an action/thriller called Killing Down) and was developing a new feature – a project in the vein of Boogie Nights about the early 1980s professional wrestling scene – and had hired Mike Maden to write it. We finished that script in spring 2007 and were playing the “finding money” game to make that film (btw, we’re still trying to get that project made). So in essence we were in between projects and I wanted to work on something new. I had made several short films over the years and really wasn’t interested in doing that again. Then one day I heard about this new online show called Prom Queen… and inspiration struck.
I had worked with Natalie Raitano and Sheree Wilson on my previous feature film and they both had nice TV followings from their work on V.I.P. and Walker, Texas Ranger respectively. So I thought we’d create this new “Web TV” show around them and hope to lure some of their fan base to it.
by John Manalang on May 6th, 2009
What would it be like if Don Michael Corleone’s career as an organized crime king became a complete failure? Instead of worrying about other rival mobs attempting to assassinate him, Corleone would worry more if he could even afford enough bullets to shoot back. And instead of saying that famous line his father taught him, he’d rather say, “keep your friends close…because at least you can ask them for money.”
Well thanks to Streamy Award winning director Blake Calhoun, we’d get a good idea in seeing an organized crime family become unorganized in his latest “mobumentary” web series, 88 Hits, which launched on KoldCast TV this week.
Documentary filmmaker Robert Brewer (played by David Wilk) follows the daily dysfunctions of family boss Paul Pascadelli (played by Paul Slavens), his nephew and under boss Tommy Pascadelli (played by Troy Grant), the main collector Franky Ford (played by none other than…Frank Ford) and head of gambling operations Darnell Washington (played by Oliver Tull).
by Pat Miller on January 13th, 2009
Those of you who think that your life would be much better with the addition of a few female contract killers must wait no longer: Webby-nominated dark action comedy web series Pink is back in action today with the first episode of its third season, titled “Speed Dating Kills 2.”
If you haven’t watched Pink before, now is as good a time as any to get started – just make sure to start at the beginning. Directed by Blake Calhoun and written by Mike Maden, Pink tells the story of one Natalie “Nate” Cross (Natalie Raitano), a government-employed contract killer and ex-con who still wants to enjoy a normal love life on her days off. The show also stars Matthew Tompkins and Sheree J. Wilson. We last covered Pink during the September 2008 premiere of Season 2, only a few months ago—looks like the recent partnership with Generate has been good for business.
by Tubefilter News on September 23rd, 2008
Tubefilter is gearing up for the fall season, with brand new shows about to launch left and right as more studios and independent producers catch the web television bug. But in this week’s picks we take a look at the sequels–a testament to the power of web shows to engage audiences and keep them hooked, [...]
by Drew Baldwin on September 3rd, 2008
Buzz abounds for Pink, whose highly anticipated Season Two promo “Magnum Cum Laude” launched today on YouTube and MySpaceTV. The vid, which crams highlights from Season One, features some great tracks from Mark Ronson (Stop Me) and Switches (Drama Queen), and boasts ‘Nearly 5 Million First Season Views’ and ‘2008 Webby Nominee.’ Private jets, fencing, [...]
by Paul Goebel on August 18th, 2008
Fans of the web series Pink can look forward to Season 2 of the action-packed dark comedy beginning on September 16. The show, which premiered in September of 2007, stars Natalie Raitano as Natalie “Nate” Cross, a female assassin set out to find two men – her next target, and her future husband. The opening [...]
