Sam Hamilton’s Greenstick follows the trials and tribulations of a group of young adults during their first summer out of high school, as they deal with the unexpected and tragic death of a close friend.
Hamilton says that the web series was inspired by the issues he faced, or were exposed to during this turbulent, exciting and often daunting “in between” face of adolescence and adulthood. Around this time a former classmate unexpectedly committed suicide, which shapes the initial storyline for season one.
Why make a web series?
Why make a Web Series: I decided to film the project as a web series due to the shorter episode length, where I was able to test out different ideas and filming techniques. The shorter episode lengths were also ideal for our extremely busy cast and crew.
Why should people watch your series?
People should watch my series because it showcases youth mental health issues in a relatable, hard-hitting way.
What do you want people to take away from your series?
I want people to be entertained, but also to raise awareness about mental health in young people. Just because someone’s smiling all the time doesn’t mean they’re OK.
How do you finance your series?
The series was self-financed and received additional funding via a POZIBLE campaign.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in production?
The biggest challenge during production was the limited availability of the volunteer cast members, but we made it work!
How do you reach your audience?
We reach our audience primarily through Facebook and other social media. The cast has also made appearances on several Melbourne radio stations.
Is it an ongoing project? If so, can you give us some clues about what comes next?
Season two kicks off in July! You get to follow the characters through the second half of their summer as they continue to mourn Eli’s death. Let’s just say there is A LOT more drama this time around!
Trivia: please tell us a quirky and/or interesting fact about yourself or team that’s unrelated to your web series.
I was almost “Taken” when travelling overseas, but I lived to tell the tell the tale (and direct this series!)
Greenstick on the web:
Website: greensticktv.tumblr.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqoUYiylgI8PjGnqhirg39PfRxGfJsDTV
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greensticktv