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Our interview with music video director Jesse Selwyn continues...

What are your thoughts about the explosion of web series on the Internet?

Jesse: It's really exciting that the internet has leveled the playing field for content creators. Everyone has a fair shot.

I think the whole web entertainment world is still in its early stages and there's a lot out there right now to sort through. It seems like everyone I talk to has a different idea of what makes something successful for the web. Some say episodic, others say one-offs, some say short-form and some say long-form. It doesn't seem like anyone has found the perfect formula and, honestly, I don't think there is one. That's what's so exciting working in this space right now. As content creators in a budding medium, we get to do some experimenting, lay the foundation and build the beginning structure of what I think is the next powerhouse in entertainment, advertising and interactivity.

It's awesome that everyone gets to throw their ideas out there. I think in the next few years we'll start to see what's really going to stick and where this is all going.

 
What's one tip you'd give to future filmmakers (about the tech end or the business end.)

Jesse: I think it's a mix of continuously outputting ideas and being open to adapting and changing while keeping your focus and drive. As long as you keep creating, you're learning. You're learning new shooting tricks, ways to produce for cheap, new editing shortcuts and finding your rhythm. Get yourself into situations where you have to learn and figure out how to make it work.

It's also important to know what's current and successful and to find your niche and figure out how to put your own original spin on things. I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but I think I'm progressing because I'm open to wearing many hats and I offer services that go well beyond just directing. I'm always trying to think of ways to produce something fresh that'll stand out in the current trends. And if I can offer multiple services to a client, that's attractive to them.

I didn't necessarily plan for things to be exactly like this, but I think you have to be willing to go with the flow and try out paths that maybe you didn't think of in the beginning.

 
Who's your favorite movie or TV villain?

Jesse: Maybe a strange or perhaps standard response, but I'd really have to say Vizzini from The Princess Bride. True, he poses no real threat as a "villain" (beyond poisoning your wine with Iocane powder), but the guy coined so many memorable and hilarious lines...I think he's inspired at least 30 percent of my vocabulary. He's memorable and he's original. There's a perfect example of a movie I can watch a million times and never get sick of. "He didn't fall?! Inconceivable!"

You can learn more about Jesse and see his work at his website: www.jesseselwyn.com