Web series

A web series is a collection of short videos released on the Internet, often in episodic form. These videos are usually between 3 and 15 minutes long, though some can be up to 20 minutes. They first appeared in the mid-1990s and became more popular in the early 2000s.

Web series are shared on video-sharing websites and apps such as YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok. People can watch them on smartphones, tablets, desktops, laptops, and Smart TVs. Because they are online, web series can sometimes be interactive.

Unlike longer streaming television shows on services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, web series usually cost less to make. Some popular web series have even been turned into television shows. There are special events and awards just for web series, such as the Streamys and the Emmy Awards.

History

1990s

In April 1995, an episode of the show Rox was uploaded to the Internet, making it one of the first shows shared online. That same year, Scott Zakarin created The Spot, an online story mixing photos, videos, and blogs. It was compared to a popular TV show and featured young characters in a famous beach house in Santa Monica, California.

In 1999, the animated sci-fi web series WhirlGirl became the first independently made web series to be licensed by a national TV network, Showtime. It started airing both online and on TV.

2000s

As Internet speeds improved, it became easier to watch high-quality videos online. In the early 2000s, Japanese anime started showing shows called original net animation (ONA) on the Internet.

In 2000, Homestar Runner, a fun Flash-created web series, was launched by The Brothers Chaps. It took a break in 2010 but returned in 2014.

YouTube launched in 2005, changing how people shared videos. Many independent web series became popular, like the science fiction series Red vs. Blue, which got over 100 million views.

2010s

In 2010, the first episode of the animation web series Battle for Dream Island was released on YouTube. It was created by twin brothers and is known for its fun style with objects acting like people.

2020s

Awards

The Webby Awards, started in 1996 by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, and the Indie Series Awards, started in 2009 by We Love Soaps, celebrate independent comedy, drama, and reality TV made for the web. In 2009, the International Academy of Web Television was created to support digital entertainment. It helped choose winners for the Streamy Awards in 2009 and 2010. After issues with the 2010 awards, the academy stopped producing them and started the IAWTV Awards in 2012 to honor creators of short web series worldwide.