New Web Series Knocks at Death's Door

The first time Marcus died, he thought his life was destroyed. The second time, he found out what life really is.

That is the tagline for Death's Door, a 10-part sci-fi/drama web series written and directed by Ben Schaeffer. The series, which is currently airing on YouTube and Vimeo, follows a man on the brink of success in life and love who is stricken by a unique disease that causes him to routinely collapse, have cardiac arrest, and then revive minutes later. “Death’s Door has more to do with living than dying. One day I asked myself, ‘What if there was a man who died every week?’” said Schaeffer. The result was a short film script about an old man who has died and revived weekly for nearly 70 years.

“When Ben told me about Death’s Door, I immediately had so many questions. I thought the mystery and supernatural elements of the story were as compelling as the characters and their personal struggles, and I felt the story had universal appeal,” says producer Stephanie Dawson. Schaeffer expands, “How many people have this ‘condition’? How do they live their lives? How do those around them cope? As the series progresses, the world of Death’s Door opens up grander and grander.”

Schaeffer and Dawson decided to translate the short film into a web series about a younger man to introduce people to the world of Death’s Door, which includes a forthcoming short film, a short story for Carrier Pigeon art publication, and possibly a feature film.

New York based film and stage actor Jeff Berg leads the series as Marcus, a man who has just graduated from medical school and is engaged to be married to Jessica (played by Jessica Vera), when life as he knows it literally ends. New York and New Jersey actors Geoffrey Pomeroy, Elizabeth Bove, Tom Patella, Ann Marie Yoo, Jose Alvarez, Stephen Medvidick and Alexandra Rosario round out the cast of the web series.

The series was shot on a shoestring budget, using free New York City locations and friends and colleagues for crew. Regardless of the small budget, production value is a key element for the filmmakers. “We wanted to set our series apart. We’d seen existing web series, and found most were heavy on dialogue and light on acting and production value...We used an HDV camera, got a high-end apartment location, and commissioned friends for original art, music and special effects,” explains Dawson. The filmmakers worked both on set and in post production to alter the look of the HD footage. “I wanted a gritty film quality. I am not the biggest fan of HD because I feel it looks too crisp” says Schaeffer. “I believe we have achieved an interesting look that will separate us from the other series out there.”

New episodes are released Sundays at 8pm on YouTube and Vimeo.

Past episodes and behind the scenes videos are available on the youtube site, youtube.com/ddoorfilm. For more information, or to stay connected to the series, check out the facebook page, www.facebook.com/deathsdoorwebseries.