Abnormal Fixation Kickstarter: Get Your Art Seen in An Episode!

Well, we made a grand beginning on Kickstarter yesterday! (And my most humble and sincere thanks to all our backers thus far).

But, apparently, this is a marathon, not a sprint!

So let's see if we can keep up momentum on Day 2! (How do people do this for 29 days...?)

Anyway, today I want to shine a light on some fun rewar tiers if you kick in, particularly if you want to see your own artistic endeavors included in the finished product (an episode of the web series)

Santa's Helper!  One of the lead characters in our show, Elvis Bragg (played by moi!) is obsessed with Santa Claus and Christmas, and has his own Christmas Collectibles room. The room -- and Elvis's passion about Christmas -- play an important part in the show and the firs season arc! For those who contribute at this reward tier on the Kickstarter, they can see their own Santa/Christmas art featured in the episode, with credits for their work (and their store, if they have one), during the episode end credits.

Dr. Carol Carroll Art Lover -- This reward tier is for artists who want to draw, sketch, or paint our characters (Season, Elvis, Mark, Alyssa, Bleeder, The Professor, the Woodpyre Mill Phantom, Tiyanak) and see thatwork featured in an episode, hanging in Dr. Carol Carroll's office! Again, the artwork would be featured in the show, and then credited at the end, along with an artist's store or gallery information.

So, if you want to see your work in Abnormal Fixation, we'd love to have you join our team!

Kickstarter Launch! Help us Fund Abnormal Fixation Season Two!

Today, we are launching a Kickstarter campaign to help fund a second season of Abnormal Fixation, our award-winning, indie web-series.  

And yes, I am humbly asking for your help to make it successful. We need you!

In a creative career that has spanned roughly three decades, I have never before had my hand out to ask for money, (and yeah, I probably picked a bad time to start, given all trade-warring now going on...)

But there seems to be an opportunity here to take a low-budget, independent creation that is a proven commodity, that people like (180,000 views on our season finale!) and take it to the next level, with new locations, improved equipment, special effects, and so on.

I learned while making Abnormal Fixation last summer that location rentals, location insurance, and catering eat up most of the small indie film budget, and our Kickstarter tells the story of how I raised the money the first time around. 

Long story short, I sold on E-bay a veritable life-time of my sci-fi toys and collectibles. 

This isn't a sob-story. The fact is, I'm 55, and you can't take your toys with you. At least the last time I checked. 

And I have seen too many posts on Facebook about men my age passing away suddenly, leaving behind a sea of collectibles for the surviving spouse and children to somehow sell or otherwise dispose of.

So, it was a good trade in my thinking, selling collectibles (and hopefully sparing my family that indignity...) AND raising money to create a story that I really cared about and wanted to make. 

I wouldn't choose differently today if I had the chance. Bringing Elvis Bragg, Season, Alyssa, Mark Missouri, Bleeder, The Professor and Dr. Carol Carroll to life has been one of the great joys of my career.  

But, alas, even E-Bay has its limits.

To make season two of Abnormal Fixation visually and tonally different from Season 1, we need to take chances, go to new frontiers, and show a different world. 

For me, that's what this Kickstarter to raise $15,000 dollars is really about -- just enough funding to create a worthy successor to our first season, and to mix things up a bit, and keep it fresh and interesting for both those of us who create it, and I hope, the audience that enjoyed the first season.

Are we good for it?

To answer that question, you have to look at the record, I suppose. In one year's time, Abnormal Fixation has:

*won over 26 awards at Film Festivals, and received more than a dozen nominations.

*produced and released six half-hour episodes to critical acclaim.

*had over 500,000 views on YouTube.

*Been released on an app for streaming on Roku and Amazon.

Frankly, if you had told me ANY of those things would happen when I first imagined the low-budget web series, I would have said "I wish."

But now, I want to build on this success, and "wish" for a bit more.

So, again, I'm not in the habit of having my hand out. 

But...if you are a fan, if you like my work, if you enjoyed Abnormal Fixation Round One, or are just curious what we will make next, please think about contributing to our Kickstarter.

I appreciate your help, and would love to welcome you to the AF team!

Abnormal Fixation Episode 6: "Zeigarnik"

 Here is the conclusion of episode 1 of Abnormal Fixation: "Zeigarnik!"   Please enjoy (but also like and subscribe, and leave a comment, please!)

Sci-Fi Pulse Reviews Abnormal Fixation's Season Finale!

Our web series lands its FINAL episode of Season One, tomorrow, and Sci-Fi Pulse is here with a great review!

Raissa Devereux writes:

"Abnormal Fixation, Episode 6....was everything the season finale needed to be. Plot points were addressed lovingly and thoughtfully, while leaving room for a second season of storytelling...The entire cast was excellent. That said, the finale belonged to two actors.  For his part, Trumbull McCoy completely sold Bleeder’s tragicomic triumph. McCoy’s parallel scene partner, Muir, lead the ensemble with the confidence and tenderness the story required.

I can't wait for the audience to see how it all wraps up, TOMORROW!

Abnormal Fixation Season Finale This Thursday!

 Don't miss "Zeigarnik," our AF season finale, dropping this Thursday!  

Abnormal Fixation Now Streaming (and live-streaming) on Amazon and Roku!

There are more ways to officially get "fixated."

I am very proud to announce today that our award-winning comedy horror web series, Abnormal Fixation, is now available to stream on BOTH Amazon, and Roku!  

Get the app! Watch the livestream!

Check us out on Amazon!

Check us out on The Roku Channel.

The Story So Far on Abnormal Fixation - Don't Miss the Season Finale Next Week (3/5/25)

Just to bring everyone up to date on the storyline of Abnormal Fixation, and the goings on of Season, Elvis, Mark and the rest.

The Season Finale for our indie web series drops next Thursday, on 3/5.  Don't miss it!

 

AF Episode 5: "The Doll"

 

SciFi Pulse Reviews Abnormal Fixation Episode 5: "The Doll"

 SciFi Pulse's Raissa Devereux reviews tomorrow's episode of Abnormal Fixation, "The Doll:"

"Abnormal Fixation, Episode 5: “The Doll” paid off the world-building and character development ...John Kenneth Muir used the titular doll as one of several Chekhov’s guns. In the process, he gave viewers a master class on narrative economy, as he set up the season finale. Muir maintained the tonal tightrope walk. The payoffs were all necessarily tragic, even when the context was comic Additionally, Muir deftly juxtaposed Alyssa and Dr. Carol Carroll. Both women understood Season better than she understood herself.

As for Alyssa, I really appreciated how Muir used her as meta-commentary on film financing. I find I’m as invested in Alyssa’s creative journey as I am in the subjects of her documentary.

All the regulars were excellent. They did a great job of conveying fatigue with the ruts their characters were were in. They walked the razor thin line with viewers between sympathy and exasperation.

The standout, however, was Leslie Cossor as Dr. Carol Carroll. She combined delightful physical choices with wonderful comic timing...

Sci Fi Pulse Reviews AF Episode 4: "The Trip" (and link to episode included!)

 Sci-Fi Pulse is out with a positive review of AF's fourth episode, which premieres today! 

Writing about "The Trip," critic Raissa Devereux notes: 

"...As for the comedy, viewers got two marvelous sequences. The first centered around Elvis’ car. The second took place at a B&B. Then, there’s a third sequence that I would classify as dramedy. That involved Mark’s metaphor for his relationship with Season..

...The entire cast remained top notch throughout. For their parts, John Kenneth Muir and Alicia Martin continued as a wonderful comedic double act. Additionally, Kathryn Muir and guest Kim Breeding-Mercer were obviously having fun with their deadpan performances. The standout, however, was Chris Martin, who had to walk a razor thin line...

...Abnormal Fixation, Episode 4: “The Trip” set up the final installments of the season perfectly."

Check out Episode 4 of Abnormal Fixation, "The Trip," below!"

AF: Meet Detective Missy Styles (Kim Breeding-Mercer)

It's my pleasure and delight to see the return this week on AF (Abnormal Fixation) of Kim Breeding-Mercer, who portrayed Astrid on The House Between (2006-2009) and in the audio drama Enter The House Between (2023). 

Kim essays the role of the no-nonsense Detective Missy Styles in tomorrow's episode of Abnormal Fixation, "The Trip," and she is a marvelous straight man...er woman.

I love working with Kim, as she is a superb actor, always prepared and always ready to give a line (or a look...) a sharp twist. Just watching her dry, askance reactions to Elvis, Season and Mark in "The Trip" cracks me up every time I watch the show. Among her many talents, Kim has absolutely mastered the reaction shot!

Outside of AF, Kim is a talented author of fantasy and science fiction. She adapted The House Between first season fan favorite "Mirrored" into a novella, available here, and is serializing her own original fantasy tales at Oneirical. 

New installments of Kim's "ongoing bedtime stories" can get delivered to your inbox, every day, free, and I wholeheartedly recommend catching up with them!

See Kim in action in "The Trip," tomorrow on AF!

Three Awards at The Florence Film Awards!

 

AF Episode 3: "The Video"

 

Sci-Fi Pulse called this episode "hilarious" in its review yesterday. 

Now you can see it for yourself!  Episode 3 of Abnormal Fixation: "The Video."

Sci-Fi Pulse Reviews AF Episode 3: "The Video"

In advance of tomorrow's Abnormal Fixation episode, "The Video," Raissa Devereux at Sci-Fi Pulse has posted a review of the episode.  

She writes:

"The comedy is even more hilarious, and the tragedy is even more heartbreaking. Muir underpins the tonal extremes with incredible world-building. For the comedy, viewers get an incredible sequence tied to Alyssa’s back up plan.That isn’t all, though. We also get an ever more earnest story behind an app Elvis has used to cope with separation. For the tragedy, viewers confront the titular video. For this, Muir employs a sobering mix of history, mythology, and body horror...

...Muir and Alicia Martin absolutely sell the comedy and history between Elvis and Season. However, the grounded, harrowing turn by Pauline Mae Allera as Chesa centers the story....

...Abnormal Fixation, Episode 3: “The Video” is wonderfully layered entertainment. So far, Muir has given his audience a whole-hearted class on less is more film making."

Read the full-review here!

AF: Meet Chesa (Pauline Allera)

Tomorrow on Abnormal Fixation's third episode, "The Video," Elvis, Season, Bleeder and the team investigate a disturbing video, from a mysterious young woman named "Chesa." 

In that "dark web" video, Chesa reveals a harrowing tale, and drops an important clue involving the mystery of the Woodpyre Mill Phantom.

In real life, Chesa is played by the amazing Pauline Allera, a talented graphic artist, and storyteller, who you will be hearing much more from, I'm certain, in the future. 

I first met Pauline during the pandemic, when she was a remote student (on Zoom!) in my Public Speaking class  I learned of her amazing artwork in class, and I was so glad when she took on the role of Chesa for our indie show.

Last spring, when we started prepping AF, Pauline really did amazing character work for Chesa. She constructed a back story for the character, granting her new depth and motivation. Much of that detail now ends up on screen. It's so good. 

After intense rehearsals, Pauline shot her material for the episode first, before the rest of the cast in principal production, and she set the bar high.  When we filmed the other cast members reacting to Chesa's video, they were actually watching Pauline's footage!

I can't wait for you to see Pauline and meet Chesa tomorrow, in "The Video."