It’s not easy getting noticed in the Internet age of shortened attention spans. A new Web series, however, has managed to generate a fair amount of buzz. Riese has capitalized on geek culture’s hard-on for the steam-punk genre. It has also attracted the on-line masses with forums, an alternate reality game, and a forthcoming iPhone application.
The sci-fi show, which premiered on November 2, follows heroine Riese as she travels through the kingdom of Eleysia, pursued by a religious cult. The show stars Christine Chatelain in the titular role, as well as Stargate alumni Sharon Taylor, Ben Cotton, and Patrick Gilmore.
We’ve had a lot of really positive feedback from both fans and others in the industry actually. It’s funny, I got a call from YouTube, I think about five hours after we launched, saying that they wanted to make us one of their official shows so that was pretty exciting,” show creator and executive producer Ryan Copple told the Straight by phone.
The show initially drew attention for its steam-punk-inspired look. While the show’s costumes and props, like aviator goggles and clockwork pieces, are a nod to the genre, Copple says that the show isn't necessarily defined by it. “Steam-punk is generally considered to be the future envisioned by Victorians,” Copple explains. “In the world we’re creating, it’s much different. There’s still the sense of anachronism, but it’s almost more of a fusion of medieval and World War One era.”
The series’ extensive backstory and original mythology is only hinted at in the nine-minute pilot episode, but it can be further explored through the show’s various multiplatform tie-ins. A new installment of the series will be released on-line every two weeks.
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http://www.straight.com/article-269618/vancouver-web-series-riese-goes-viral