"PINK" An Interview with Series Creator Blake Calhoun
 |
The essentials:
Name: Blake Calhoun Blake Calhoun talks with WEG about PINK and what he'd like to see in the future for web series. |
Blake Calhoun's PINK first came to my attention two years ago when I was Googling the words "web series." It was one of the top listings under that search, so I decided to check it out. I've been a fan ever since. The series centers on Natalie Cross, a hired assassin who is in a race with her biological clock. Cross tries to balance her work life with her personal life, often with unexpected results. Each episode offers a glimpse into Cross’s past that gives us insight into what drives this natural born killer. Recently, we had a chance to interview Calhoun about PINK, where he offered further insight into this story and what he thinks about the future of web series.
WEG: What made you want to tell this story in this format?
CALHOUN: The idea was to tell a "comic book" style story in a live action way - and in only 3 minute chunks. We felt this format (ie. web series) just fit this idea well.
WEG: One aspect of the series that I really enjoy is the flashbacks to “Nate’s” childhood and adolescence. Tell us a little bit about the parallels between Nate’s back story and her present day story.
CALHOUN: We don't really see them as "flashbacks". Our idea was to tell several stories at one time in a non-linear fashion. Everything that's happening to Adult Nate can be linked to something that happened to her as either Young Nate or College Nate and the audience experiences these almost simultaneously, or that's how we try to present it. So in a sense all three stories are moving forward at the same time and they all end up connecting together. And all three stories are equally important in discovering the who, why and how of Nate's character.
WEG: Nate has a very unconventional relationship with her father. Her dad is a bit of a dichotomy in that he is a cold-hearted assassin but also a loving and attentive parent at the same time. His fate is a mystery, even to Nate. Is this perhaps why she’s never been able to let him go and has continued in his footsteps?
CALHOUN : Yes, that's part of it. But probably the main reason she continued in his footsteps is the fact that she didn't know any better - and that's what he taught her. She didn't have a mother growing up of course either. Honey was her foster-mom and tried her best, but it didn't really stick (some of the dainty parts did). Her father was the biggest influence in her life and he wanted a boy - so he taught her the things you'd teach a son (at least a son of a hired killer). The father/daughter relationship in "Pink" is really the backbone of the entire story. It's why Nate is an assassin and also why she can't find the right man.
WEG: There are certain themes that permeate the story – specifically, the theme of death being a necessity for life. For instance, Nate must agree to kill again in order to be released from prison so she can fulfill her maternal yearnings to create life. What is the message you’re trying to convey and how does this play into the overall story arc?
CALHOUN: This is probably a question better answered by the writer Mike Maden, but I can definitely comment on it. We loved the contrast between Life Taker and Life Giver. The idea of Nature versus Nurture. And how all of these ideas play off each other in a very dramatic fashion. I also particularly enjoy how they can create dark comedy moments. And this really ties into your previous question about Nate's father - this all stems from him raising her as his "son". Giving her a K-Bar knife instead of a Debbie Doll on her birthday. Showing her how to hunt while other girls were learning how to roller skate. But in the end Nate is a woman. She has built-in maternal instincts like most women do. But she also has this upbringing that goes against all that. So which side wins? Her Nature or her Nurturing? Can she be both a Life Taker and a Life Giver? Folks should watch the series to find out. :)
WEG: I love that the series features a strong female lead. Natalie Raitano does a great job of showing the vulnerabilities below the surface of this seemingly hardened and jaded woman. What is the primary driving force of this character?
CALHOUN: The driving force is really her relationship with her father - he impacts virtually every decision she makes as a child, a college student and later as an adult (and assassin). On a practical level it's also her desire to be loved and find love as a mother and potentially a wife, all the while balancing this with the fact that she kills people for a living.
WEG: PINK just completed its 3rd season, which is pretty significant considering few series make it that far. What’s the difference between producing for the web now versus 2 years ago when you first started the series? Where do you see the world of web series going into the future?
CALHOUN: Really the main difference now is there are tons and tons of shows out there. The market is really oversaturated I believe. When we first launched "Pink" there were only a handful of dramatic web series, now I hear of new ones every week. This isn't necessarily a bad thing of course - it's great that things have been democratized and really anyone is there own "studio" and there are few gatekeepers for distribution. But it does make discovering a new show even that much harder. Who knows what the future holds? I hope we can find a good way to monetize our content. If not, there won't be much of a future for web series. That's really the biggest thing. I'd personally like to see iTunes or someone like that open the doors to indie web producers so we could charge for downloads of episodes. Giving things away for "free" can only last so long.
WEG: Finally, the web series is shot very much in the style of a graphic novel. Have you considered adapting PINK into a comic book or graphic novel?
CALHOUN: As a matter of fact we have, kind of reverse engineering than you'd normally do. We've also considered expanding it into a feature film or a traditional TV pilot. A lot of possibilities to consider. But right now we're working hard to get a Season 4 produced - we hope to have news about this very soon.
Definitely keep us posted, Blake. Thank you for doing the interview for WEG!
Check out PINK online at www.pinktheseries.com or on TheWB.com, YouTube and HULU.
