Black is in style
There’s this internet television show called Goodnight Burbank and it is part of Hayden Black’s dream. Black describes the show as a combination of NBC’s The Office and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Black is an immigrant from the UK and for years he wrote promos for Warner Bros, ABC and NBC, working on such TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Black wanted to do more with his life.
He decided to quit his job three years ago and give up a six-figure salary to pursue his dream of writing and acting. Black said he took some improv classes which led very quickly to the world of internet TV when someone talked to him about podcasting.
“I had never acted in my life. I’d never even been in a high school play or anything like that,” said Black. “I thought, you know, I’ll try it, and it went from there.”
Then Black started his own production company Evil Global Corporation and started work on Goodnight Burbank. He writes, produces, acts in and sometimes directs the show. Black fights hard for his dream and has had to take loans from friends to keep the show going. Recently, Babelgum – a video portal website – came on board and funded 20 episodes of a spin off, the Goodnight Burbank: Hollywood Report. The show was also shot on a Disney sound stage with a bigger budget. Black directed this series himself (previously it was in the hands of Bry Sanders).
Except for his dog Salford, Black also lives alone. But things are looking up for Black and his brand is becoming something of a success. Evil Global Corporation-produced shows have seen multi-millions of views for several of its series like Goodnight Burbank and Abigail’s X-Rated Teen Diary, a show about the struggles of a 13-year-old girl who has a (fictional) genetic condition that makes her look like a 30-something guy.
Black said that Abigail’s X-Rated Teen Diary was a real change in his acting style compared to Goodnight Burbank.
Black plays the main character on the show.
“You either go all the way or you just don’t bother at all … so I had to throw myself into this,” said Black.
Black is also getting ready to start production on his latest Internet show, The Cabonauts. That show is a sci-fi musical comedy about cab drivers in space and Black has built a green screen studio in his garage to shoot the show, and will edit it from his own editing suite. Black will also write, direct, and act in the show just like in Goodnight Burbank.
Black said he is excited about The Cabonauts and that it could be larger than any of his other shows. His number one inspiration is Douglas Adams, the writer of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Those who want to watch Goodnight Burbank: Hollywood Report can find it at www.babelgum.com or any of his other shows linked from www.evilglobal.com.
(Photo courtesy of Hayden Black)
