Live from the Streamys Red Carpet!

      On the red carpet.  Photo courtesy of The Bui Brothers.

Have you heard any news on the Streamy Awards lately?  I am going to leave the comments, thoughts, and apologies to others. Instead, I am going to give you all of the action from the red carpet on the night of the Streamys where I had three jobs all in a span of two and a half hours.  It was fun, chaotic, and exactly where I wanted to be that night--in the middle of all of the action!

                         

So, I had been really busy working in NYC all week, so I missed the parties of Web TV Week.  I took the last flight out of JFK to LA and landed at midnight.  I managed to grab some sleep around 2 AM only to wake up at 8 AM to start the usual red carpet beauty regime:  mani/pedi, hair, and makeup.  It takes a village to assemble my wardrobe and all of the accessories.  By the time I arrived for my official red carpet rehearsal, I was running solely on adrenaline.  Here's a rundown of how the pre-show happened:

1:30PM Arrive for rehearsal with the hosts of the live Ustream feed.  Mark Malkoff, Cyndee San Luis, and I had an opening skit to go over before the first arrivals at 2:30 PM.  We practiced our lines in the IKEA bed, which the warmest place to be.  I realized I was severely underdressed for the 58-degree weather that day.  All I could think about was my stylist, Katelin Flanegin, telling me to have the tailor shorten my dress by an inch and a quarter because she wanted to see more leg.  Ha!  Now, I wanted that fabric back to stay warm!

 The ladies in the IKEA bed after rehearsal.  Photo courtesy of The Bui Brothers.

2:15 PM iJustine joins the group to rehearse the rest of the live feed open with us.  Okay, who thinks she looks a bit like Kristin Chenoweth? (Or Sophie Tilson?  Or mememolly?)  Call me crazy, but there is definitely a resemblance in person.  Regardless, she looked gorgeous in her coral pink dress and she was game for anything.  That's my kind of gal!  Sketch rehearsed and we were ready for the red carpet to open.

 And the tables are turned.  I am not used to being on this side of the mic.  Photo courtesy of Jeff Rago.

2:30PM Remember I said I had three jobs that night?  Well, it was a race down the red carpet for me as a nominee.  One of the publicists from Rogers and Cowan escorted me to the photographers' area.  If you have never heard what it is like to be directed from every angle, check this short clip out: "Kristyn, to the right.  Don't look at them, look at me, left. Show us the front of your dress.  Over here.  No, over here."  Good luck figuring it all out because I was moving in every direction.  Then it was down the interview line....LA Weekly, Actor's Reporter, Mingle Media TV, and Slebisodes.  I tried to follow my own rules while being interviewed:  Keep it short, keep it funny, and give a good sound bite. Did I succeed?  

2:45PM I was pulled off of the red carpet as a nominee by The Web Files PA/Renaissance woman, Jennifer Bobiwash, to head back to my position on the red carpet as the host of The Web Files.  We grabbed some early interviews with the cast of Safety Geeks: SVI, Brett Register and his adorable girlfriend, Jamie Blair, and Cathy Baron.  I had a really genuine moment with Craig Frank off-camera that really captured his feelings as a nominee.  He has had a very big year and it all culminated to this moment on the red carpet.  It truly was great to see so many people we have interviewed on The Web Files be a part of the celebration.  It is also always fun to work a red carpet as a fan.  I think I scared Robin Thorsen of The Guild by grabbing her and whispering that she was my favorite on the series.  She whispered back, "You're my favorite too.".  That made laugh since I know she has no idea who I am, but she sure is quick with the quips.

 Definitely my most awkward and hysterical picture of the night. Yep, the dress was short and the descent off of the bed was challenging.  Photo courtesy of Jim Alden.

4:00PM The live stream begins!  I hop in the IKEA bed with Mark and Cyndee as we open the show with our skit with iJustine.  It all goes off without a hitch even though I had a little trouble getting off of the bed gracefully.  I run to my Web Files position, which is now my Ustream position, and I am ready for Job #3!  At this point the red carpet is a bit more crowded (It truly was my Twitter page coming to life on that red carpet!) and I sometimes jostle for my position so people will get out of our shot.  Aggressive, perhaps, but I am girl who wants a clear shot for the show and everyone being interviewed.  I open by interviewing the cast of Oz Girl and the hour flies by.  I have to pass many people over because Mark in the IKEA VIP area has already interviewed them, so I received a few quizzical looks as to why I was skipping some of the nominees. I don’t think they realized I was live streaming with my Web Files microphone flag.  Three days later, I am trying to remember all of the people I interviewed from Jeffrey Hayzlett of Kodak to Bernie Su to Elisa Donovan to the cast of Gold and Elevator to Taryn Southern and Dennis Haskins.  It was a blur. Every time I finished with one, I had to prep for another.  No time to even refresh the lip gloss or grab a sip of water.

Interviewing Taryn Southern.  Photo Courtesy of Jeff Rago.

                  

5:00PM I got the word that we were officially done and we finished right on time.  The red carpet was a complete adrenaline rush, but incredibly fun.  The best compliment I received that night came from Michael Tapp, who said, “- You looked like you were hosting your own party on the red carpet.”  That is exactly what I wanted to hear, so thank you!  Finally, I ran around looking for my date who was stuck outside the red carpet line without a ticket or a place to go.   With my date in hand, I headed into the theatre as a nominee. 

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards.  The Web Files saluted the winners of the Craft Awards in last week’s episode.  Be sure to check out all of the red carpet action at the Orpheum Theatre later this week in our next episode.  


P.S.  Like all good red carpet reporters, I went to In-N-Out after the show and ate a delicious cheeseburger:  

Many thanks to Mathieas McNaughton for giving me the opportunity to write this article for Web Series Today where it was originally posted.  Be sure to visit his site for the latest in web series news. (and tell him KB sent you!)

Behind the Scenes of A Good Knight's Quest

Not sure what is going on here! Me and the boys of A Good Knight's Quest....Craig Frank, Brett Register, and Charlie Bodin.

What a fun KNIGHT this was! Oh, I am punny today. Seriously, the red carpet was a blast and I enjoyed hearing about everyone's geeky hobbies. One thing I found interesting was that many of the women mentioned their computers and their use of the internet as geeky. I actually find that quite normal.....or maybe I am a huge geek and I am just in denial. The end of the episode features a terrific montage put together by Sandra and Perry Payne highlighting Brady Brim-DeForest's fencing skills (I was impaled), Michael Tohl's nunchucks, and the engineering brain power of Ariel Lazarus. Needless to say, I learned a lot about my fellow web series peers that night.

It was also a fun night because the Streamy nominations had been announced earlier in the day. Many of the nominees were in attendance, so it was nice to personally congratulate everyone. There was an electricity in the air, so I know that is going to be carried over to the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards on April 11th and also the Craft Awards on April 7th.

Me, Shira Lazar, and The Web Files makeup artist, Melissa Anchondo.........

Now, if you watched this episode, you know we renamed it The Craig Frank Show. Craig and Brett Register are turning out to be quite the prolific web series producers, actors, and creators. Craig has made an appearance in at least three Web Files episodes, so he may just take over the show by the end of 2010. It is exciting to see what Brett and Craig are up to as they have become quite the comedy team whether it is The Crew, Craig and the Werewolf, or A Good Knight's Quest. Their series, this time around, came as a result of a win at The Escapist's 2009 Film Festival which helped fund the 24 episodes of the series. So you can see while they are creating web series at an impressive rate, they are also taking advantage of the tools out there to take them to the next level.

Me, Paula Rhodes, Angie Cole, Cathy Baron, and Jessica Rose...........

While many of you know Craig and Brett, don't forget about the 5'2" and Under Club! These ladies are "small, but mighty" and they are forces to be reckoned with. Mark my words, you will be hearing more from Producer/Actress Paula Rhodes, Cathy Baron, and Angie Cole (She arrived late, so we missed her on the red carpet. We'll get her next time.) I was lucky enough to join them for a photo on the red carpet. I miss the cutoff by an inch, so I made Jessica Rose balance out the tiny ones. It's rare that I ever feel tall, so I appreciate the petite ladies for making me look long-legged that night.

Finally, the talented Cathy Baron allowed me to borrow some of her creations from her jewelry line, CB Designs. I wore a couple of amazing rings and a bracelet designed with a Steampunk inspiration. Here's a great clip from the red carpet featuring some of Cathy's designs. Go visit her site, you are going to love it....and tell her KB sent you!

If you haven't seen our A Good Knight's Quest episode, what are you waiting for? Head on over to check it out: A Good Knight's Quest.

Photos 1, 2, and 4 courtesy of Mark Burmeister.

How to do LA in less than 7 Days

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know that my time in LA was limited this week.  After a two week trip to Chicago, I had a Dallas and Minneapolis journey looming over me.  While I was home for a hot minute, I crammed in as much as possible.  Here are a few stops along the way:                                                

The red carpet premiere of a new web series, The Resolve.  Look for the footage in today's Web Files Buzz episode:  

                                                  

Then a two-day jaunt to San Diego for a fitness informercial shoot with my co-host, Jennifer Galardi.  I cannot disclose the product, but I am sure you will see me on a TV screen near you soon.

                       

Then a fantastic on-set visit with the cast and crew of Olga Kay's Circus.  This will also be a part of The Web Files Buzz.  The set was unbelievable!

                                          

While I was there, the tables were turned on me as Woody Tondorf of Elevator interviewed me about our visit.  Dueling microphones, but mine was bigger!

Then off to interview Taryn Southern for an upcoming episode.  I thought I had a busy schedule, but this talented producer/writer/actress/host has some exciting projects coming your way!

I have no idea what is happening in this picture, but I love the action of it all.  On the red carpet with the cast and creator of A Good Knight's Quest......Craig Frank, Brett Register, and Charlie Bodin. This episode is coming your way next week.  (Photo courtesy of Mark Burmeister)
                                             

Well, that's all I've got.  Phew.  I wish every week in LA was that much fun.  Don't worry, LA, I will be back for a fun filled 3 days mid-month.  Yep, 3 days.

Weekend Web Watch Exclusive: Fashions at the Compulsions Premiere

Every premiere, red carpet, and launch party in LA has a look and a style to it and this party was no different. The theme of the night? Dark, black, a hint of color here and there, hot shoes, and a fedora or two. Come join me as we take a look at the fashions of the night in The Web Files Weekend Web Watch Exclusive:

Producer Robert Grand offered up some great advice to young filmmakers at the Compulsions premiere.

I told you he was tall! (Andrew Clemons)

Yep, we match! (Janna Bossier)

The Fedora Mafia in the house! Aaron Kaiser and Bernie Su.

The prolific web series actress, Taryn O'Neill, of After Judgment, HTSAAAR, The Crew, and Compulsions. Did I miss anything?

Craig Frank is on The Web Files.....a LOT!

As promised, our exclusive video of the fashions of the night!

If you missed our full Compulsions coverage, you can find it all here: Compulsions Premiere.

For the shout outs to Bernie on his big night, go here: Congratulations, Bernie!

Our original interview with Bernie Su and Producer, Michael Tohl: The Web Files, Episode 16.

And the best birthday present of all! (Thanks, Sandy and Perry!): KB's Birthday!

That's a wrap on Compulsions coverage. I hope you had as much fun as we did! Up later this week, a look at This Week in YouTube with Shira Lazar and Lon Harris.

Behind the Scenes of Compulsions

This interview was a long time in planning and it finally all came together on a Sunday in September, just days before I took off for a month long jaunt to Dallas. It, of course, managed to be another one of those super hot days that always make our makeup artist, Melissa Anchondo's, job that much harder. Sandra Payne, The Web Files' EP, managed to come up with another genius location for the shoot. Compulsions is a gritty, edgy drama, so Sandra found a spot in Studio City in former office supply store. Yes, an office supply store. Amazing, right? Honestly, it looked like a place where bodies long-forgotten might be hidden, but it used to be filled with retro and art deco office furniture along Ventura Boulevard.

This episode featured Show Creator Bernie Su, Producer Michael Tohl, and actors Craig Frank, Seth Caskey, Annemarie Pazmino, and Janna Bossier. It is always interesting to interview people you are friendly with because I am never sure how the show will turn out. Sometimes the familiarity can breed a weak interview, but Bernie had a strong vision for Compulsions and that was communicated well throughout the interview.
I had the opportunity to see the first two episodes and I must say, I am impressed. All of the buzz around the show is well-deserved. Fans of The Crew will be surprised to see Craig Frank's dark performance, but be prepared for some stomach curdling moments. This show is not for the faint of heart judging from the first two episodes. I begged Bernie for a few more episodes, but no luck. He left me hanging, so I will just have to wait until the debut in December like everyone else.
We also interviewed the cast including The Web Files' first repeat guest, Craig Frank. We will have more with the cast after the show debuts, so stayed tuned. I want to save a few surprises until then, but I will say AnneMarie has turned out to be one of my favorite new Twitter pals. As a fan of The WB.com's Sorority Forever, I was thrilled to not only meet her, but we discovered we are the perfect Oreo cookie pals--she eats the chocolate cookie and I eat the sugary, cream filling. Annemarie, I owe you a pack....do you want the regular kind or the Double Stuffed?
Finally, I get a lot of questions about the hats I wear during the show. I am a fan of hats, but I only own three or four. The hat I wear in the intro to The Web Files belongs to my boyfriend who is a huge Indiana Jones fan. The hat was made by the original hat designer, so I was lucky he let me have it for the day. Trust me, that hat is as well cared for as our pets at home. Since I didn't wear a hat in this episode, Bernie picked up the slack with one of his signature hats. If you ever meet Bernie at one of the Tubefilter functions, you will know him by his hat and the camera hanging from his neck.

So, look for more from The Web Files and Compulsions in December and find out why the NY Times marked Bernie's show as a "must see" on a list of hot fall Web TV series. If you missed our interview, check it out here: Compulsions.