As unbelievably simple as the idea of talking to everyone in a quiet interview setting where they are working is, it is actually the elephant in the room in that no other video show is really getting the creators on this level since Sunny Gault did her Viral Videos show for Veoh a few years ago and I dont mean the executive/ corporate/ rich mucky mucks like Beet.tv: bless all their hearts if I ever get on there too, but this is a video document of “up from the ground” foot soldiers who are pioneering the form.

These interviews will become a valuable asset as time goes on and the genre matures if for no other reason than this is a snapshot of this important time. Imagine a real sit down collection of the radio pioneers in the 1920’s and 1930’s not the eventual company stars but the real firsts we don’t know about now, or TV in the 1940’s and 1950’s, who cares if they happened to get the one who went on to be the big mainstream breakout, though it would be a nice bonus, I’d take Ernie Kovacs interviewed then like The Web Files does any day.

Dave Beeler and I enjoyed talking with them about Safety Geeks and Invention with Brian Forbes and being treated as if we mattered without any publicist, financiers, brand managers and the like pushing and scheduling “press” for us with them.

No, they came because they liked our shows and they liked us and had a real curious nature instead of an assignment handed down from the promo media machine. The fact that Safety Geeks: SVI and Invention with Brian Forbes got Sandra and Kristyn’s attention is a testament to the fact that at least for now they level the field by selecting not who has the most resources and loudest PR machine but who Sandra wants to explore and present to an audience.

It is SO hard to get any press now, let alone good press for non-corporate web series, you only get so far when you don’t have dozens of invisible hands, money and companies ensuring it. We know. You get so far then your calls, emails and request go ignored by the big boys in TV, web and print media because they only want the shows THEY as companies have a financial stake in getting covered. It’s not evil, its just smart business to completely shape what the audience is told to care about, namely the shows on the web your production/marketing/distribution company is producing.

Press that isn’t about letting the subject have a chance to present themselves as we did is mostly about maintaining and making “names” and name brands, so that “name” can be the name that is the reason the next thing gets made with…that name. From gossip to editorials thats what’s happening. If they do that for us we would be grateful and if they don’t so be it, we know what’s going on here.

The Web Files is doing just that, seeking us out and asking what we do in a gracious, professional, no “gotcha!” journalistic way that is frankly refreshing. Their interviews are not morning radio mentality nor do they fancy themselves Cahier du Cinema for the web they are an appreciative audience giving us chance to talk about what we love to do whether it made us rich or not.

The lack of editorializing on The Web Files behalf actually lets the artists be judged by the viewer who may or may not be a fan without the pre-filtering of an editorial opinion of what is good for the audience or indeed what is “good” or “worthy” from the show. I applaud The Web Files generosity towards their subjects and the incredible service of documenting this moment in time without holding it to a singular personal criteria.