In this week’s “Indie Soap Beat” feature, we take a look at the latest happening from around the world of independent soap opera production.

VENICE - THE SERIES
VENICE creators/producers Hope Royaltey and Kim Turrisi discussed the show in a wonderful interview at mindschmootz.net.
Turrisi: “Each webisode will feature different actors. So you’re going to get to focus on them. It’s not going to be the entire cast in a webisode. It will be very focused.”

Royaltey: “We shot ourselves out of a cannon and we’re getting this together at at really fast rate, so we’re trying to do it in a way and still have fun. And we’re not trying to bite off more than we can chew for season one.”

Meanwhile, catch producer/star Crystal Chappell on CNN’s CONNECT THE WORLD this week.

Continue reading…

FAMILY DINNER
The trailer for Episode #3 has been released. The full episode will premiere on September 21.

EYE OF THE STORM
Episode #26 of J.R. Benight’s radio soap is now online. Listen below.
Part 1:

Part 2:

FANTASY OVER REALITY
FANTASY OVER REALITY is a web-friendly sitcom that revolves around a group of guys (and a few choice girls including Y&R’s Vail Bloom) in their fantasy football league. The next episode was scheduled for Sept. 13 but has been delayed. On the show’s official Twitter page, producers tweeted: “Episode 2 is in the can, but we have been asked not to release it yet as we have an interested distributor. Fingers are crossed!”

EMPIRE
The first season finale of Greg Turner and Brian Hewson’s new indie web soap, EMPIRE, is now online.

WORKSHOP
The sixth episode of WORKSHOP, a new comedic web series that was created by Nate Golon and Kimberly Legg which stars former PASSIONS actor Phillip Jeanmarie, is now online. Watch it below.

RELATIONSHIPS
RELATIONSHIPS delves into the lives of the residents of fictional Parkside USA, where everything seems so idyllic but intrigue, rivalry, jealousy and much, much more lies just below the surface. The show is multi-platform and will be available on conventional TV with exclusive clips inline and an interactive website with a community feel. Watch the trailer here. Look for more details as the show prepares to launch in early 2010.