JustArts emailed with the president of Brandeis Television, Ethan Mermelstein '12, to find out more about the show and the creative process that goes into producing a web series. Mermelstein let us in on the hectic schedule, the breakdown of roles on set and how everything seems to come together in the end.

JustArts: What is ‘The Hall' about?

Ethan Mermelstein: The Hall takes place in a small liberal arts university in the midst of a financial crisis. In a desperate attempt to generate revenue, the dean of the school decides to find a group of semi-consenting incoming freshman [sic], and create a reality TV show based on their lives in college. Essentially, The Hall is a show within a show. It's mainly about the tension between the students' interest in academics and reasonable privacy concerns and the dean's drive to make an exciting reality TV show. We plan to release the first three episodes every Wednesday, starting this Wednesday, Feb. 15 at thehalltv.tumblr.com.

JA: What are your roles in the creation of the series?

EM: So far, I've written, directed and produced each episode. I also play the role of the dean. In an early version of the show, I played all the characters, but focus groups said it wasn't believable, due to the whole hair thing. Because I'm often tied up in the creative end of things, I rely on a great team to help get the episodes out. Jerry Genser '12 acts as a co-producer/production manager, making sure everything goes smoothly on set. Myles Tyrer-Vasell '12 is the head director of photography and has edited some episodes. Sam Bender '14 is the co-director of photography, and Hanna Wellish '12 is the other primary editor.

JA: What is it like to direct? Had you ever done this before?

EM: The night before we shot our first episode, I was sure things were on the verge of falling apart. I had never done anything on this scale. Golden Globe winner Nikki Blonsky would be flying in from New York the next day to guest star, and I was terrified that we weren't ready. The shoot ended up going more smoothly than I could have hoped for. The atmosphere on set is very collaborative. I've been lucky to have a team that fully understands the tone of the project. Because everyone is on the same page, I feel comfortable deviating from the script through in-character improvisation. I usually make sure we have coverage of scenes that closely follow what is written in the script, and then shoot one or two takes that are completely improvised. The last episode we shot, I left the last scene largely unscripted, and improvised the ending with the cast of 12 actors. This type of approach gives freshness and spontaneity that fits the documentary-style tone of the show. It also makes the editor of the episode want to slice my throat and watch me bleed out slowly.

JA: Describe the typical cycle of creation for each episode.

EM: I usually set a shooting date regardless of whether I've finished the script, to force myself to finish writing and keep the whole process moving forward. Ideally we'll be able to leave ourselves a week or two for pre-production (booking spaces, casting actors, building/buying set pieces if necessary). The night before shooting, I'll have a breakdown of the mental or emotional variety and rethink my entire life's purpose. [Genser, Tyrer-Vasell] and I usually get up at 6 a.m. the morning of the shoot to set up whatever location we'll be working with.

JA: What do you think the Internet has done for aspiring filmmakers and for your web series?

EM: Paradoxically, the Internet allows for a little bit of sloppiness in some regards and demands a higher standard of content in others. When I watch something online, I tend to overlook lower production values when the content is more engaging and original. The lack of censorship online also provides a perfect platform for a show like The Hall that has the potential to alienate large audiences with its vile dialogue.

JA: What else is BTV up to these days?

EM: To name a few of our major projects from this semester: [Tyrer-Vasell] just finished up shooting on an unofficial music video. ... Aaron Berke '12 is casting for an original short film, The Note, a mystery/suspense film told in two timelines about a family and the secrets of their past. Rohan Narayanan '15 and Ethan Roseman '15 are working on a semi-improvised sketch comedy show that challenges social norms called Taking it Too Far.

 

Editor's Note: Aaron Berke '12 is a senior writer for the Justice.