Classic Alice is a web series I have been following for a few months now. It’s wonderful and very addicting. As a bookworm, how could I not love it? I look forward to each new episode. Season 1 has just wrapped up and the Classic Alice gang is having a fundraising campaign to raise money for Season 2. I was able to catch up with Kate Hackett (Alice Rackham), Tony Noto (Andrew Prichard), and Chris O’Brien (Ewan McBay). They shared their best CA moments with me and a bit more.
Hi Kate, Tony, and Chris!! Thanks for agreeing to another Fandomania interview. So, Season 1 was amazing awesome. What do you hope from Season 2?
Chris: Definitely more Ewan. I think Ewan should have a spin-off actually.
Tony: Looking forward to expanding the world outside the bedrooms! The possibilities and options will be a lot of fun to utilize in expanding this story.
Kate: I really want books 8 & beyond to be a more mature season in all aspects: cinematic, acting, and writing. I want to maneuver into trickier areas with our audience and grow the show as they grow, so they continue to recognize the struggles they themselves face through both our story and the classics we pick.
What is your personal pick for your favorite episode of Season 1? Why?
Tony: My personal favorite is “Birnam”, when Cara comes out as gay. This episode showed us the impact these characters could have on our audience and I was blown away by the response from our viewers.
Chris: Yeah, Elise really stands out to me. It’s not an easy scene to watch and yet I want to again and again because of the performance she delivers.
Kate: That episode was super important to me as a writer too, actually. My little brother is gay and it was incredibly important that Cara was more than defined by just her sexuality, which is why it doesn’t come up until something like 36 videos into our show. Cara is a music lover, a math major, a great friend, a terrible baker, a busy lady with a great head on her shoulders… who happens to be in a relationship with a chick.
But… I don’t know if that’s my FAVORITE. I did love the camera movements, I thought that was wonderful, but I think the dance is one of my favorites. Maybe it’s just the dress.
Tony: It had pockets!
How do you feel like you’ve changed since starting the series?
Chris: I joined SAG!
Kate: You’re welcome!
Chris: I think I’ve actually grown a lot in how I think about content, specifically in terms of creators, participants, and fandom and how those different groups interact and often, in the web world, overlap. It’s an exciting time to be part of something like this, but it can also be confusing. You know, like, maybe it’s not my place to join in on that fun — in fact, maybe I’m taking away from their experience if I’m too involved in the fandom.
Tony: This whole process has been a great big learning experience for me for in regard to what it means to be producing online content and about Classic Literature. Also on how to properly pronounce words like “museum”…
Kate: I’ve seen a lot more doors opening up, but that seems kind of external. As far as how I, as a person, have changed, I’ve found that momentum begets momentum, and I love that feeling. I may have always known that but this really reinforced it.
(after a while)
OH WAIT I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING. NEVER LET BECCA PHOTOSHOP TONY’S HAIR ONTO BRENT BAILEY’S HEAD WHILE BAILEY IS KISSING YOU BECAUSE EVERYONE GOES BANANAS.
What has been the hardest and easiest thing about making Season 1?
Chris: The hardest thing was how short a time we had to shoot so much! The easiest thing was working with such an amazing, professional, yet very fun group of people. I wish we got to work together on set every day.
Kate: Hardest? The damn confessionals! I don’t think anyone knows this — ENJOY YOUR EXCLUSIVE! — but the confessionals were penned after I wrote the scripts and while I oversaw them, I didn’t write them and I was mid-shoot when they were written, so they weren’t always perfect. We actually had to reshoot some. I think the transmedia in general is both a blessing and a curse; it can save an error or it can create a problem (how do they make Pens vs Lens if Alice is being a basket case?!)
The easiest thing for me was hanging out with everyone on set. My lines were ridiculous, but I still had so much fun.
Tony: Easiest thing: kissing Kate… Hardest thing: kissing Kate.
Will we ever see Nathan?
Chris: I hope so, but I doubt it. I think it’s too funny a gag that he’s never seen or heard from, but it’s also too useful to have this silent, objective, omniscient third-person (literally) if we want to tell more complicated, emotionally intense stories.
Tony: Who is Nathan?
Kate: …
Any words to your fans? Spoilers?
Chris: I love every single one of you so much. Probably too much.
No spoilers.
Tony: YES! You guys are amazing and the best fans anyone could ask for! I have never felt so supported in a project before by such a passionate group of people. This would not be the same show without them and I can’t express in words how much you all watching and supporting the show means to us.
Kate: Tony Noto: SAP ATTACK.
No, of course I love you guys — I hope you know that! It’s so fun to see so many people excited about our little show. Spoiler, you ask for? No problem. There was never an Alice. There was never an Andrew. This is all Nathan’s dream.
The cast was really great agreeing to this interview. So, help them save an awesome show by checking out their fundraising campaign and spreading the word!
