WASHPO | Washington native’s Web soap opera ‘Anacostia’ has loyal fan base

Yeah! I L-O-V-E how the word is spreading about 'Anacostia: The Web Series'! Since I first started covering this series in 2010  a lot has happened both in front and behind the camera.  It is so nice seeing a local guy with an East of the River dream get the attention he so richly deserves. Stay tuned for a Season 3 marathon on CHotR.

Go Anthony Anderson!

Go HERE for the full Washington Post article.

Excerpt:

Since its debut in 2009, “Anacostia” has attracted a loyal fan base, picked up a couple of awards and snared a former daytime soap star for a recurring role in the upcoming season. Anderson said the show is downloaded in 96 countries and gets 8,000 to 10,000 viewers per episode. Its Facebook page has nearly 5,000 fans. 

“Anacostia” is part of a growing body of scripted dramas created primarily for online consumption, allowing independent writers, directors and actors to bypass television and network gatekeepers. Another popular D.C. Web drama is “Orange Juice in Bishop’s Garden,” which is based on local filmmaker Otessa Ghadar’s experiences as a teen in the 1990s. 

The cast members of “Anacostia” do not get paid, and Anderson financed the first season entirely out of his own pocket, which resulted in his truck being temporarily repossessed. Anderson said the first season cost $10,000, which he financed by tapping his 401 (k) account. When his truck was repossessed, members of the cast pooled money to help him get it back. He eventually persuaded local businesses to sign on as sponsors last season and this season, but that money went into improving the quality of the production. Anderson earns a living contracting with the Federal Aviation Administration as a document program coordinator. 

Keeping the cast together, Anderson says, is “like running for president. You have to do a bunch of campaigning, let them know why they should support you, why they should stay with you . . . [that] it’s not going to happen overnight, but someday it will pay off.” 

On the set during a recent shoot, four actors, a videographer, a sound person and Anderson crowded into the tiny reception area of Anacostia River Realty, one of the show’s sponsors, to shoot scenes. Anderson wore the focused face of a big-budget film director, calling out “Action!” and “Cut!” Almost every member of the cast and crew has a day job, so the vast majority of shooting is done on the weekends. It takes six to eight weeks to film 10 episodes; each runs 15 to 30 minutes.

To submit an article or to inquire about advertising send an email to Advoc8te@congressheightsontherise.com.