A lot has certainly changed in the world since Ray Harrington and Derek Furtado premiered their sophomore collaborative effort, Undependent, at last year’s Rhode Island International Film Festival.
Early last week, almost exactly a year to the day of the premiere, the filmmaking comedians began their three-week reveal of the show’s six-episode slate, unleashing their latest project for mass consumption for the very first time. Even as Harrington acknowledges that it was a tough decision to release anything like this amidst the chaos that has encapsulated 2020, he is also hoping that the episodes, which roll out on YouTube every Monday and Thursday until the sixth episode drops on August 19, can offer an escape from the madness, for at least a little while.
“I feel fantastic about finally releasing the show. The whole group does,” Harrington tells Vanyaland. “We’ve had this thing that we really are proud of and people worked hard to make. To finally have it out is great. And now, not being able to do shows and missing the response of comedy, it’s wonderful to be able to share something funny, and good, and personal. If it touches anyone, if it connects on that level, even better.”
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Before COVID-19 stopped everything in its tracks, there were discussions with a TV network surrounding the show’s development for a television audience. Although frustrated at the loss of the opportunity, Harrington realized that, for a show about struggling indie filmmakers, their original intention of it being a web series uploaded to YouTube was the best fit after the pandemic put industry talk on hold, and he’s happy that he and Furtado have the chance to release it in a way that everyone can enjoy right now.
“It’s funny, [because] the show is so much about anyone in a career that people think is ‘chasing the dream,’ and those are some of the industries and careers hit hardest in all of this,” says Harrington. “So it means a lot to be able to sort of connect with them through this, if that doesn’t sound too precious. It does, right? Artists! Freelancers! Creatives! People that would cringe at the idea of being called those things! We see you!”
Get a taste of the action above and below via YouTube.