The Friday Five

That was a quick week!  I'm now trying to cobble together my life and dust off my suitcases again for a whirlwind month.  I'm hoping Detroit is as warm as possible because after the December summer we have had here in LA, I am spoiled.  Here's a quick Friday Five to round out the week:

Zadi Diaz and me on set in NYC in the 90's...

On the set of The Web Files in 2010.

1.  Cleaning:  I spent much of the month home and digging through old boxes and organizing my home.  I'm not done yet, but it's a great start and I found some hilarious "vintage" photos that I will post from time to time.  I found the above photographs and I recognized someone who is my contemporary out here in LA, but this photo was from an old Pathmark industrial from my time in NYC.  Could it be possible that I worked with her in the 90's?  Yep, it is.  It's Zadi Diaz from Epic Fu.  I interviewed her and her husband/collaborator, Steve Woolf back in 2010.  We were both nominated for a 2010 Streamy Award and she won! The best part about the photo and the video I recently had digitized is that I remember this day on set. (By the way, we were playing rogue cashiers at Pathmark:  she stole a chicken, I stole steaks, and yes, my hair is really that color.)  Here's a look back at our interview in 2010:  Epic Fu on The Web Files.

2.  Press:  Jenna of Smarter.com featured Red Carpet Closet for all of the formal dresses and gowns I wore last year.  She highlighted my favorite dress of 2011 which was created by Chagoury Couture. Thanks for the shout out, Jenna.  To see the article, click here. To visit Jenna's personal blog, Seven Style Notes, click here.



3.  iVillage:  This is a fun compilation video from all of the entertainment correspondents over at iVillage that asks your favorite celebs about their best holiday memories.  I handled the Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Lea Michele interviews.  I know I am a little late in posting this and you probably don't want to even think about the holiday season right now. Just think of it as preparation for Holidays 2012?

4.  Driving with Gass:  Don't forget that I do my Monday night entertainment segment each week at 6:35PM PT/9:35PM ET. Now that we are in full awards season swing, there will be a lot to talk about this month. It's so easy to listen in at KWSS.org.  Click on the "Listen Live" tab and you can join us right from your laptop.  For those of you on Twitter, I also do an interactive chat during and after the show using the hash tag #RadioBurtt.

5. Team KB:  Team KB grew by one member yesterday, so everyone please welcome Melanie Marquez of M4PR.  She will be handling all of my media throughout awards season and beyond.  This will also bring more video, events, and exciting content to Red Carpet Closet.  If you need me for any event, show, press quote, etc, contact Melanie here.  My team keeps me together more than you know, so you will probably hear a lot of praise for Mel, Carolina, Roni, Annie, and Maria these next few months.

Have a great weekend, everyone!  I will be coming to you live from NAIAS Detroit on Monday.

What's Happening With The Web Files?

So, what is happening with The Web Files?  That is the famous question I get asked at every Web TV gathering.  Well, there have been a few false starts and there were two strong possibilities that fell through this fall.  So, the show remains in a holding pattern.  The Web Files team worked so hard for a year producing a weekly show from July 2009-July 2010 and now it is on hiatus.  My dream is to bring the show back for 2011 and to pair it with an appropriate entertainment site.  Also on my wish list is for the show format to be a short, snappy weekly segment, more along the lines of The Web Files Buzz which I think were some of our most effective shows in 2010.  Of course, there are always challenges with selling this concept; from finding the right representation to pitching it to the right people.  Since many of you are a part of this big web community, I am always open to suggestions or hearing your ideas either in the comments section below or feel free to contact me.  Let's get The Web Files back covering the red carpet and hitting the latest web series sets again in 2011!

To keep the momentum going, I was thrilled to find out that The Web Files was nominated for a second year in a row for the Clicker Awards.  It is such an honor to be in the Best Web Non-Fiction category alongside A Comicbook Orange, Epic Fu, and Coin-Op TV.  If you have a moment, please head here and click on the tab next to The Web Files.  You don't need to register, it's just the click of the mouse and as Clicker touts on their site, "Vote Early, Vote Often." Thank you again for your support, it is always appreciated.

Best Web Non-FictionClicker Awards: The Best TV Shows, Movies and Music of 2010

In the meantime, I am going to leave you with a little gift, The Web Files sizzle reel.  It is a fun compilation of the first year of The Web Files and it really showcases what the show is all about.  If you work in Web TV, you will see a lot of familiar faces and fun moments.  Even if you don't work in the community, I promise a famous face or two.  So, enjoy and feel free to pass this link around, maybe it will get in the hands of the right person to find a good home for The Web Files:



Editor for The Web Files sizzle reel:  Natalie Baker
Graphic for The Web Files:  Mike Ledin

Web TV Week: Epic Fu

It's Day 3 of Web TV Week!  Yes, I am featuring the competition, fellow nominee for Best Web Series Host, Zadi Diaz along with her co-creator/husband, Steve Woolf of Epic Fu.  Why?  Because I really, really like Zadi and I admire the work she and Steve have created over the last four years with Epic Fu.  It's pretty simple.  They are putting out quality content and I love their story and journey with their show.  So, go back and visit with The Web Files as we feature Epic Fu, the 2009 Streamy Award winner for Best Hosted Web Series:

Episode: Epic Fu

Behind the Scenes Blog: Epic Fu

Behind the Scenes of Epic Fu

I was really looking forward to shooting this episode because Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf were the winners of last year's Streamy Award for "Best Hosted Web Series".  Their journey to the top has been an interesting ride and one that web series creators need to pay attention to.  While they have had amazing success with production deals at Next New Networks and Revision3, they were not immune to the economic downturn.  They currently find themselves on their own as they grow Epic Fu as a brand.  The independence allows them the freedom to try new ideas and allow the interactivity of the show rise to a new level.  While they are continuing their focus on film and music, watch as they grow over the next year or so.  Their longevity in the web space is something that I admire and Epic Fu is one of the shows that has set a high standard in the Hosted Web Series world.  

                                  

We shot in their downtown loft which serves as the new backdrop to the show.  The first thing I noticed was Steve Woolf's artwork.  His incredible pieces line the walls and add the perfect compliment to their decor.  I don't know if he sells his work, but it's worth checking into it if you are looking for unique and significant pieces in your home.  Steve and Zadi were such a treat to interview.  They are smart, kind, and really thoughtful about their place in the web space.  The interactive aspect of their show, Mix, is a place where hardcore fans interact about the show, new music, pop culture, and even debate with Steve and Zadi.  

                              

I love that Steve took all of these behind the scenes photos because you get a great look at our crew.  They sometimes like to hide from the camera, but they are crucial to making The Web Files the show that it is.  You get some glimpses of makeup artist, Melissa Anchondo, our PA/Renaissance Woman, Jenn Bobiwash, and DP/Editor, Perry Payne.  Also joining us for the first time was stylist, Katelin Flanigan, who dressed me from head to toe for the episode. She is a great additional to the team because no one is a bigger fashionista!  So, if you see that I am dressing better in upcoming episodes, thank Katelin.  (And we will get her on set photo soon.  She's a beautiful, statuesque blonde, you will love her!)

                                  

Finally, a kind shout out to Miss Casey McKinnon for putting us in touch with Zadi and Steve.  Without suggestions, connections, and feedback, we would not have access to some of the shows we interview.  So, please keep the dialogue and comments coming.  You can always leave a comment here or visit me on Twitter .  

If you missed the episode, check it out here: Epic Fu

Later today, a new episode of The Web Files with Woody Tondorf, Ben Pace, and Genevieve Jones of Elevator. 

Behind the scenes photos courtesy of Steve Woolf.

Behind the Scenes of The Web Files Buzz, Episode 1

Yes, we brought you something different this week, the inaugural episode of The Web Files Buzz. Sandra and I have been toying with this idea for awhile, but it took some time to figure out how we wanted to execute the episode. I have received a lot of questions about this format: Is this the new format of the show? Is the old format gone? The answer is "sometimes" and "no". We will do a Buzz show every few weeks to mix it up in between our longer, more formal interviews. As the web space grows, we have to grow. Viewers want us to get in depth with their favorite shows, but we do not want to forget those shows that are up and coming. So, I think the new format serves an important purpose. We had a lot of fun shooting these shorter segments and I think delivered an action packed episode.

We kicked it off with the IAWTV "For Your Consideration" Screening of The Fall of Kaden and Blue Movies, both Koldcast TV web series. I did an in depth piece on the evening which can be read here: Fall of Kaden/Blue Movies. I haven't seen the Koldcast footage yet, but hopefully, it will be released soon. The Koldcast shoot talked more about the fantastic idea to hold a IAWTV screening and it is a format now being wisely copied by others before the Streamy ballots are due. I think it will also give web series creators, Adam Leiphart and Matt Double (Fall of Kaden) and Scott Brown (Blue Movies) even more deserved face time with the IAWTV voters.

Our second segment featured one of my favorite web series stars, Brittney Powell, of Safety Geeks: SVI. We caught her in between an appearance at the Xena convention on a Saturday afternoon. If you didn't know, Brittney has quite an impressive resumé as she played Brunnhilda on the series amongst other high profile roles. Xena has a strong female following, so while we didn't shoot inside the convention, there were a lot of women running around the lobby of the LAX Marriott trying to get a glimpse of Brittney. Popular girl! Anyway, I wanted to discuss the Safety Geeks: SVI calendar since it's a great way to think outside of the box in terms of marketing their web series. The cheeky pin-up girl theme also brings Tom Konkle and Dave Beeler along for the fun. Check out the cast's calendar at Amazon: Safety Geeks Calendar.

Finally, we rounded out the episode with a visit to Jonathan Nail on the set of his upcoming show, SOLO the Series. The set was built inside his garage and we had a chance to climb inside to take a closer look. Jonathan's show has created a lot of buzz over Twitter and I am glad we were able to see what those 140 characters were all about. He also showed me the pilot after the shoot, so get ready for a comedic, sci-fi ride sometime in 2010.

It was a day for cupcake shirts and many of you asked where you could purchase my shirt after I posted the photo on Twitter. Well, it was purchased at the Union Square Christmas fair in NY by a friend of mine. She tried to track down the designer, but we were not able to find her. However, you can find similar cupcake shirts online, just google "Make cupcakes, not war". I also took a close-up photo of my crew badge. Jonathan made me an honorary crew member of Team SOLO. Let's just hope I don't get stuck in space like he did.

Be sure to check out our first episode of The Web Files Buzz here: Episode 1. It is our fastest rising show to date, so we appreciate your views and feedback. On Wednesday, we go back to our usual format with an interview with Epic Fu creators and the 2009 Streamys winners for Best Hosted Web Series, Zadi Diaz and Steve Woolf.

Red carpet photos courtesy of Bernie Su of Compulsions.