Why you should support Divine: The Series
Indie horror is a lifestyle. It's what happens when writers and artists, filmmakers and visual effects technicians get together to produce content with only their bootstraps and their wits to get them through the day. It's messy, it's dangerous, it's not exactly profitable in the broader definition of the word, but people get into indie horror out of the need to create something shocking and new, scary and fun, and maybe — just maybe — a little thought-provoking in the process. It's like the mob, but prone to less violence and more nerdy outbursts over licensed merchandise. But, at the end of the day, it's worth pursuing, because it's people making what they love in celebration of horror film and writing.
Every once in a while I like to highlight a particular movie or show that I feel is a prime example of good indie horror in action. That's why I want to talk about Divine: The Series.
What it is
"Divine: The Series" is storytelling for the smartphone generation. It's got the DNA of graphic novels, action-adventure filmmaking, dark supernatural intrigue and cutting edge special effects all combined to create something new and exciting for the web. We want to push the frontiers of online entertainment and tell stories that you can watch in bite-sized chunks, and that you can watch in any order that you like, but at the same time when you watch more episodes, the answers to mysteries about the characters and their world will be unlocked.
What it is about
Coping with his loss of faith, a young priest has his world turned upside-down when he witnesses the resurrection of an immortal being named Divine. Given sanctuary by the church, Divine leads a never-ending crusade to show lost souls they have the power to choose their destiny between good and evil. With guidance from the priest's mentor and Divine's street-smart sidekick, the Father must now confront his own demons and the dark forces that challenge Divine.
Telling you anymore would spoil the surprises that await you.
Why you should care
"Divine" is a creation of Maple Blood Productions, a group of Vancouver-based filmmakers whose past credits include numerous major theatrical movies and television shows. We're producers, directors, special effects technicians, stunt people, writers and actors that wanted to take on the challenge of creating a brand new idea and deliver it for a worldwide audience that's online. Our team wants to push the envelope for what a web series can be, both in terms of quality of storytelling as well as in the concept of creating something that's designed to thrive in an online format.
We believe that the time is here for online web series. The old way of creating television and movie content will still be around for years to come, but we believe that now a new form of visual storytelling can be created, one that exists online. We've assembled the best cast and crew for "Divine" and we're going to find a way to make an online series work from both a commercial as well as a creative point-of-view. If the established system hasn't figured out a way to make this work yet, it's up to us—both ourselves as the creators and you as the audience — to do it.
The show itself is a labor of love for the crew and creative staff, produced entirely by volunteers, and it shows. Although it's only a few episodes in, I think Divine is off to a good start. The showrunners have established a steady presence in the growing online fandom, trying to promote the show and recruit viewers on a grassroots level, which I can really appreciate. While the non-linear format takes a little getting used to, the characters (especially Deacon Jim and Father Andrew, I find, regardless of my likely highly-biased attachment to Misha Collins as Father Christopher) are engaging, and the topics discussed (including a heartfelt scene regarding the Catholic church's view of homosexuality and the death of a gay man seeking Father Andrew's counsel) are interesting. As the story progresses and the mysteries unfold I hope more and more people get involved, because it is worth watching.
Sound good? I hope so. So get off your ass and support some good indie horror today.
