Web series
Short video series released on the Internet / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A web series (also known as webseries, short-form series, and web show) is a series of short scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet (i.e. World Wide Web),[1][2] which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single instance of a web series program can be called an episode or a webisode. The scale of a web series is small and a typical episode can be anywhere from three to fifteen minutes in length.[3][4][5] Web series are distributed online on video sharing websites and apps, such as YouTube and Vimeo,[4][3] and can be watched on devices such as desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and Internet-connected television sets. They can also be released on social media platforms.[6] Because of the nature of the Internet, a web series may be interactive.[7] Web series are classified as new media.
Web series are different from streaming television series, as the latter is purposed to be watched on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hotstar.[8][9][lower-alpha 1] Although the designing of a web series can be similar to that of a television series their development and production does not entail the same financial investment required for a television series.[4][3][lower-alpha 2] The popularity of some web series, however, have led to them being optioned for television.[4][15][16]
As of 2021,[update] a number of awards have been established to celebrate excellence in web series, like the Streamys, Webbys, IAWTV, and Indie Series Awards, although the Streamys and IAWTV also cover programs on streaming platforms. Most major award ceremonies have also created web series and digital media award categories, including the Emmy Awards[17][5][18] and the Canadian Screen Awards. There are also several web series festivals, most notably in Los Angeles and Vancouver.[19][20]