A café with a view

Maggie’s Buns will take a star turn this fall on the Internet when ‘Blue Fiddles,’ a web-based dramatic comedy and the brainchild of a Portland actress and writer, takes flight

By Christian Gaston

The Forest Grove News-Times, Aug 19, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

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So when Fluter called the businesses in his hometown to see if they wanted to chip in to help the filming effort, everyone said “sure.”

But even though the project’s budget is (hopefully) under $1,000, the set looks astonishingly professional.

Outside Maggie’s during a shoot in July, the coffee shop looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, with bright lighting illuminating the colorful decor. The 19-person cast (including Forest Grove resident Mark Franklin) was complemented by a five-person crew, shooting on digital video.

The format has revolutionized independent film making, allowing low-budget film geeks to turn out video that looks as crisp and lush as a feature film. But the delivery method is the real innovation: the show will premiere in five to eight-minute “webisodes.”

“It’s kind of the new frontier,” said Alisyn Shaw, Botto’s co-conspirator. “You don’t have to have Netflix or cable (to watch the show).”

Instead, viewers can check out the show on YouTube, MySpace and Facebook. And hopefully sponsors will follow.

Botto and company are hoping to wrap the show by November and debut it at a Portland theater.

“People read the script and get really excited about it,” Botto said.

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