09.01.09
GUILD SEASON 3 PREMIERES!
I’m embedding the new episode “Expansion Time” here if you haven’t seen it! Last season it wasn’t embeddable so it’s cool to be able to spread it around this season, thank you MSN and Sprint! 
Also, it’s now available on Zune and Xbox for all, so download away. Starting next week the eps will be rolling out weekly on all platforms, FYI.
Soo what can I tell you about this episode here? It was….challenging. This and the next episode were shot at the VERY END of a very very hard shooting schedule. Strange to film the first episodes last, but we had to due to actor availability. Add to that shooting in Fountain Valley, far outside of LA area, and exterior shots in 108 degree heat, and you have circumstances that were pretty stressful on everyone, but thankfully it doesn’t show.
This season we shot ALL episodes at once, essentially treating the season like a movie (and at 103 pages, it indeed WAS a movie. BAD Felicia!). We shot 13 or 14 days I believe, almost an episode a day, and the page count was MUCH higher than we’d done before. This adds up to very long hours and challenged crew, because we’re understaffed as it is due to budget. Oh, and add like 14 actors to the mix. And extras. And lots of props. UGH. I am totally amazed that these episodes are as great as they are, and credit goes to director Sean Becker and my co-producer Kim Evey and our line producer Christian Agypt, (as well as an awesome crew.) Everyone really wanted this season to be great, so attitudes stayed amazingly upbeat, even through tough times.
First episodes are always the toughest, because you’re starting from zero and, especially in web video, need to recap a lot and launch into a cliffhanger leaving everyone excited for the next installment. It’s a lot to cram into 7 pages. I had the idea of starting in front of a game store while I was writing season 2. The first two seasons start off VERY gamer-centric, and I felt that maybe the entry points to the seasons set a high bar for non-gamers, so I wanted to try something different. I didn’t realize it fully when I was writing it, but finding an actual commercial property to shoot on, having little money for huge location fees was one of the biggest things we had to overcome for the season. At one point we were going to find an abandoned building and fake it and hope no one caught us shooting, but stretching that to two days didn’t seem doable in the LA area. Thank goodness we were able to contact GameStop and get permission to shoot there. Honestly I don’t know what we would have done otherwise.
My favorite bits in this episode are of course, the big reveal of the Rival Guild (more on that next week), and Vork’s tent. I just thought it was a hilarious idea that he would have pitched a tent there 2 days early when the line is only like 15 people long. The production designer, Tyler Robinson, made me laugh the WHOLE shoot because of some of the props he used in shots, most of which never even made it into the show! In Vork’s tent, there are fake birds in cages, a child’s potty (that plays music when you sit on it) and a slow cooker with his “found-object stew” that was made up of: Burger bits, cheerios, marshmallows, pretzels, Cheetos, hot dog bits and, a kid you not, a mouse trap. We tried to get a shot of the mouse trap in, but it didn’t make the cut, haha.
Anyway, hope you enjoy, next week is a LONG episode, but excited for you to see it!
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I watched it at midnight and you can’t tell how stressful any of it was! You all did a great job =) I can’t wait to see the next one!
So glad you guys are still going strong!
Great job, this was a really awesome episode!
Great episode and a really interesting blog entry too. Fantastic work, Felicia & Co. – can’t wait to see the rest of the season.
Excellent start to the season! I would not have picked Wheaton out of the line up.
Now get the heck out of LA! I didn’t realize what your tweet was about until I saw the morning news.
While it was the same episode that was shown at Comic-Con, it was better the second time around, especially when you get another chance to see how the group was recovering from the party…and seeing the Big Bads for this season. I will admit, I was thisclose to buying an Axis of Anarchy shirt, mainly after seeing Sean Becker wearing one. However, I got a Vork shirt because I sort of relate to him. I’ll probably wear it to the State Fair Saturday to see if anyone recognizes it.
Anyway, a great start to season three, and let the RPGs begin next week.
Great episode, great job.
Thank you for this. I can’t waite for the other episodes it’s like animes or something like that. Every minute I must waite is to long
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greetings from Germany by Michael Anthony and good night
Such a great way to kick off the 3rd season, outside of a Gamestop and the intro of The Guild. I’ve been referring to them as the anti-Guild, despite knowing the name. Really looking forward to seeing how this plays out with another guild in the mix, ESPECIALLY with Wheaton in the mix.
You and everyone else do such an amazing job. I’ve always wanted to see Kim in a Guild ep (yes I know technically she was, as the therapist on the phone). Seeing her as a bag lady felt kinda like I was tricked by the genie.:)
I’m still amazed you can do work of this caliber, then make a music video (kickass btw), then be the fairy in The Legend of Neil, then still find time to be on TV shows, THEN do things like comic-cons, THEN have tweet, blog, respond to fans and THEN have time to play games like WoW. Do you have a pipeline of direct access to every caffeinated snack and beverage made?
Keep up the great work.
Wonderful as always! A LONG episode next week, be still my beating heart! Hope all your lungs (including dog and cat lungs) are coping with all the smoke and that nobodies house has been in danger.
Thanks so much for all the work for making some crazy gals and guys happy! This episode is a really good start into the next The Guild “expansion”
It’s already off to a great start! Are you planning on showing season 3 at the Dragon*Con screening? I’m SOOOO excited about meeting you there!!
Howdy!
This was a great start to the 3rd season….great work by all! I look forward to the ones to come. I love the mix of real life and insane quirkiness that your characters bring to the show.
Thank you for the behind the scenes write up as well. It really is great to get a look at the show from your eyes.
I am off to go re-watch the 2nd season again
Can’t wait to see ya in my hometown at DragonCon!
You are so smart for releasing The Guild on patch day. For serious.
Also, that reveal was great!
[...] Felicia Day herself says so in her blog: This season we shot ALL episodes at once, essentially treating the season like a movie (and at 103 [...]
Thank God it´s on!!! I was having both Felicia and The Guild “nostalgie”. I needed my fix on the show.
Keep it up. You are it!
It was an honor getting to intern with the production this summer! I’m really looking forward to seeing all the completed episodes!
-Dave
I wrote my thoughts about the episode on the community already (http://bit.ly/2BDMBV) so I’ll keep it short here. =P
When I watched it at Comic Con I was way too excited to actually pay attention to the episode, hehe, so I was anxious to re-watch it!
I thought it was a great way to start the Season. The recap didn’t even feel like a recap, cause you didn’t just tell what happened, but you also showed us a bit of the consequences of that (Vork avoiding Clara, Bladezz working, Tink avoiding Bladezz and so on…). And then the big revel, which was awesome, of course!
But my favorite parts has to be Zaboo and Riley, and Kim as the lady hired by Tink! =)
Anyway, we couldn’t even noticed how tired you guys were and how hard it was… we’d never know. =P
Amazing job as always!
I can’t wait for more!
I only discovered The Guild recently – the day your music video was released – because of a friend who thought I may find it amusing. After further research I learned of “The Guild” series and spent the next few days watching everything related to it. I must say it is very impressive work all of you have done!
It’s very nice to see you’re all in your third season now, and things keep getting better. I am liking where this season is going so far, too, and am excited to see what all of you have put together. So.. thanks for sharing it all with us! Your work is amazing and I’ll definitely be sticking around for a long time to come.
I was sooooo excited to see this on the MSN homepage this morning! It was awesome and I loved Vork’s tent!
And oh yeah its all about the hair! I think I’ve changed my WOW main’s hair like 12 times…
And I vow to use the phrase “Dumb Human’s” at least once a day from now on. Can’t wait until next week!
OMG, The Guild make me miss WOW so much, i guess ill have to go back to the game XD . Hey, Felicia, why dont you play WOW again, just once in a while, even without a guild, imagine how easy would be for you to find a group? If you need somebody to run your alt into Blackrock Depths over and over, ppl would fight to help you out, i would at least, lol.
Awesome new episode =P I can’t wait for the next one.
Hugs from a brazilian fan
YAY for more of The Guild! I was starting to go into withdrawal. Of course, now I have to wait a WHOLE WEEK for the next installment… it’s only been a few months since I discovered the show and it was so nice to be able to watch Seasons 1 and 2 at my own pace (i.e., gorging on several eps a day until I’d seen them all, and then repeating the process). Anyway, congrats & keep up the good work! I hope we’ll have many more seasons to come.
I am so FLIPPIN’ excited to have a reason to live on Tuesdays again.
Oh my, what’s going to happen next?!
Those guys looked rough. I hope Codex doesn’t let them cut in line like that. He’s been camped out for 2 DAYS!
Wow — you wrote a movie! It has started strong.
Hooray, The Guild is back (dang Wil, cutting in line!)! This made my day so much more awesome! Great start to everyone. I can’t wait to see more. In the meantime, I suppose I’ll go change my hair…
You made Will Wheaton evil?! zOMG that is a stroke of genius. Nerd badass was thought to be possible only in para-consistent worlds … till now!
I have been a fan since your BTVS days. Amazing what you have made with The Guild. I tried to download some episodes through X Box but was disapointed to see that my access was restricted (I live in Panama, Central America)……something about international content and the region I live in. It would be great to be able to to download such a mastepiece……..keep up the good work.
LOL seeing you get practically molested by Zaboo (lucky bastid) and stupid tall hot girl, um, Riley was pretty good . Where did Vork get that tent, Dr Who? And my favorite –“Dumb Humans” that was awesome.
An excellent start. I think you did well balancing recap and introduction with a plot line that moved along fairly well with a lot of funny one liners (not to mention a fart joke) and a great cliffhanger!
Overall, another job well done. Can hardly wait until next week!
Stay Busy
Lol nice reference to your brother there…
“Adding a fairy… from Ryan Day, the Dragonwhore… that will really cut down on the commute…”
Didn’t catch it fully, though. And did you say Dragon Whore or Dragon Horde? Cos they sound the same, and it makes more sense if you referred to your brother as a Dragon Whore, cos I know many Dragon whores myself.
So good! Loving it
Great episode! So, so glad to see The Guild back. I love that the ep celebrates Expansion Day. It made me all excited for Cataclysm, even though that’s what, a year? away.
And awesome to see @wilw trying to look menacing. Can’t wait to see more!
Oh Felicia, this is amazing, I can’t wait for the next video!
[...] Day talked about the episode in her blog: My favorite bits in this episode are the big reveal of the Rival Guild, and Vork’s tent. I just [...]
I finally got to watch today over my lunch…AWESOME first episode. The reveal of the rival guild at the end had me freakin salivating. That stank eye that Wil gave was superb!
Can’t wait for ep2
Awesome work! I love the first two seasons. Felicia! Brilliant idea on making a web cast on such a popular interest. I am really amazed that more people haven’t done things like this, or even in-game vids, like “dude wheres my mound” or “tales of the past”. I think you and your crew should be in the warcraft movie!
I’m sure Blizzard likes you all enough to get you a part!
Did you always have the picture of Vork and Zaboo in mind or was the concept of what you thought it would be different from what it turned out to be? Because if you ask me, (and I bet everyone else) it turned out perfect!
Well done! Awesome work! And keep it up!!!!
I have always tried to do a little dabble in film on Warcrack, but it’s hard when no one else is interested, (not many IRL friends play). Any tips or inspiring words ^.^?
Amazing espisode; sucks to wait. I found the show about a month ago, so at least I could watch it all at one time.
Wil Wheaton, awesome. I wouldn’t have recognized him if he wasn’t on Leverage the week before looking the same; and playing a bad guy computer genius.
Great cliffhanger – my favourite yet
It’s a great start to Season 3 and the setting, pacing and length were just right. Except that cliff hanger because that was evil! (Okay, I know – dramatic effect, leave them wanting more etc etc BUT…!) Can’t wait for next week’s episode!
And the next Ep of Legend of Neil will be out on Monday next week, too, so it’s double-funtime
This is why I love promoting the guild so much, always fresh ideas and brilliant execution. On top of that, knowing you work so hard and make it look easy. I can’t wait to see the zingers you give Wil W to deliver.
Chris
Awesome episode. Makes me want to see the next one.
Where’s the second episode?! You’ve started a serious addiction here, and I wont be responsible for wat’s gonna happen when it’s not fed…….
Yay for the reference to your Twitter followers with the butter pecan line!
Great ep
……and the girl making out w/ Zaboo is really cute <3
Hooray for Guild episodes getting us through work-weeks from hell.
This song is so catchy! I love everthing about this video! I smile every time.
I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you! Thanks for the BEST thing I have seen in AGES! “The Guild” is really and honestly one of the best things around!
Giant hugs!
Konstantyne
Dan Harr, a pro photog from Nashville shot some great photos at DragonCon. I didn’t find any of Felicia (I’ll chew him about that) but there are several from the Whedonverse such as Charisma and Julie:
http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/archives/photos/2009/dragoncon/index.htm
Posted here for lack of a better place.
Oops. Wrong. Felicia is in there.
Of course the important question is: What tartan is Wil’s kilt?
[...] Felicia Day herself says so in her blog: This season we shot ALL episodes at once, essentially treating the season like a movie (and at 103 [...]
Hello Felicia! I just wanted to drop by and show my love and support of you and your work! My buddy Kevin (who recently met you at DragonCon. JEALOUS) got my loving Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog! So catchy and fun! You were a dream in that. Not only beautiful and sweet but your singing was amazing! So, after that, I also became a huge fan! Then he told me recently about The Guild. I wasn’t familiar with it and when he explain the concept of the show I was a bit skeptical! I have since watched both seasons and I LOVE IT!!! I am not a gamer and have never been a gamer but I LOVE the show. It’s brilliant! I wish you much more success!!!
Joey
P.S. “Do you wanna date my avatar” is genius!!! YOU ROCK!!!
The Guild rocks, seriously! Ive turned a many of my friends on to the show and the are so hooked. I thought that it was just me because Im a gamer, but it is truly a unique show. Believe it or not most of my 50+ plus mature gamers love it! Ive bought the DVDs for my collection. Looking forward to the release of Season 3 on DVD and many more seasons to come.
Any guest stars lined up this season?
Best of luck!
Alex