I just finished watching the third act in this very interesting side project by Joss Whedon. Originally conceived during downtime from the writer’s strike, this musical is an experiment in distribution (Internet) and delivering quality without serious expense.
In essence it’s a throw away side project, a “what if” made real. What surprised me was the emotional impact at the end of the 3rd act. The characters are really fleshed out for only three 15 minute episodes and they just draw you in. So when everything falls into place in the last episode, you don’t notice the hidden emotional “punch” till its smacked you upside the head.
This not only made me appreciate the show more, but made me reflect on the power of the short story. It’s not a format that is financially viable for most writers yet when used properly can have as much of an impact as a novel. Sometimes even more impact because the points made are sharper, more raw and less encumbered by prose. You can see it plainly in the furious discussions between fans of this series.
I’ve had a hard time getting underway with my writing goal and in conceiving of novel-esque ideas. But after seeing a short story executed so well, I think I may have to dip back in those waters.
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