The Production of Web Series: Amateurs Vs. Professionals

Due to the novelty of the format, web series have been little studied. To address this gap, this research identifies and compares the nature, experiences, and practices of professional and amateur web series filmmakers. Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with Colombian professionals (15) and amateurs (15) covering 1) their training and experience; 2) their working practices and routines; 3) their creative processes; and 4) the financial aspects of their productions (salaries and budgets). The main findings suggest that web series production is similar for both types of filmmakers in most of these aspects and has evolved from both television practices and media industry logics. Moreover, both groups of filmmakers only innovate in terms of the technological possibilities and distribution of their web series, and their creativity is regulated and dependent on the approval of influential social and industry actors.