Dang It To Heck! is an animated sketch comedy series created by comedian Rob Hunter and illustrator/animator Chris Edser and is produced in Melbourne.
It’s three episodes comprise of an eclectic array of oddball sketches, the series combines Hunter’s offbeat writing with Edser’s unique illustration style to create a distinct world in which characters commonly find themselves in extremely unpleasant situations.
As a content creator, where do you go to find information about other film makers and web series?
Working in creative circles means we are both consistently exposed to new content. Otherwise, most things tend to turn up on Facebook or YouTube eventually.
Why should people watch your series?
It’s funny, different and has a distinctly unique design and style. Plus the sketches are very short, so even if people hate them, they haven’t wasted much time.
How do you reach your audience?
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been our most commonly used resources but we are still looking for new and effective ways to better reach an audience. Forcing people to watch the show by strapping them down and holding their eyes open like in ‘A Clockwork Orange’ has also been discussed as a viable option.
Why did you decide a web series was the best format for an animated sketch comedy?
Creating a web series allowed us the freedom to do what we wanted to do in a way that suited our own schedules. (Not having a feasible alternative was also a contributing factor.)
How do you finance your series?
So far we have financed it ourselves, working in our free time with friends and colleagues who have generously offered their skills.
How long have you been making web series for?
This series has been in intermittent production for 18 months. Rob has another web series called ‘Late O’clock’ that has been in production since 2010.
How many people worked on this project?
Seven. One writer, one animator, one sound engineer and four voice actors.
Have you achieved the goals you set for this series?
No. We aim to create a lot more sketches and for them to be seen by a much wider audience who haven’t felt obliged to watch because they are our family or friends.
What’s your background as a content creator? And how did you approach this project differently to previous projects? (If applicable)
With a background in TV writing and stand-up comedy, Rob has been creating various forms of television, online and live content for 10 years. He has used this animated project as an opportunity to write and produce sketches that might not otherwise have been possible to make in a live action format. Having the freedom to set sketches in any scenario without worrying about cameras, props and locations is very liberating from a writer’s perspective.
A full-time artist, Chris has a background in design, illustration, animation and sculpture, with an eclectic array of clients ranging from Nike and Comedy Central to novelty cult band The Beards. In his spare time he enjoys working on his own quirky projects, one example being a series of basketball themed animated gifs that caught the attention of The Chicago Bulls, leading to further opportunities to create content for the NBA team.
Often employed to work on projects with specific requirements based on client instructions, ‘Dang It To Heck!’ has been a chance for Chris to create and animate characters from his own imagination.
Dang it to Heck on web:
Watch Dang it to Heck
Dang it to Heck on Facebook: Rob Hunter | Chris Edser
Dang it to Heck on Twitter: Rob Hunter | Chris Edser
Dang it to Heck on Instagram: Rob Hunter | Chris Edser