Hollywood Studio Launches Controversial Web Series

Robin Hood meets All In The Family

Cynthia Webster Zeloscillator Wizard and Studio Mogul

Cynthia Webster
Zeroscillator Wizard and Studio Mogul

Everything about ThiaMedia Studios is, well, different. It’s a Hollywood Studio, only it’s in nearby Glendale. The Security Guard is a dog who barks to announce your arrival. The Studio Mogul is a woman, Cynthia Webster, who spent over 30 years as a cinematographer, director, and producer named Brett Webster. And then there’s the electronic wizard side of Cynthia Webster, who manufactures and designs zeroscillators in her spare time. The strangest thing of all is why there’s no reality show camped out in the studio shooting the daily drama of Cynthia and her enterprises.

The latest to come out of ThiaMedia Studios is a comedy called 99 Percent Gang. The story is about a band of misfits who attempt to transfer wealth from the one percent rich to the 99 percent poor folks. They do this by robbing one billionaire at a time. Click here to see the first episode.

Charles Pelletier, left

Series director Charles Pelletier has assembled a dynamic group of actors who are pushing the limits of his television story-telling. Although it is a comedy, the story breaks out of the normal restraints of mainstream television by posing some sharp political and social questions. Like if the economic situation gets really bad, and the government is incapable of rectifying the huge wealth disparity, is it ok to just go after the uber rich, and steal their wealth for redistribution? This is probably not something that’s going to be on NBC anytime soon, but addresses kind of a larger issue that has played out from other filmmakers: that of justice coming from the bottom of society. Whether it’s the Clint Eastwood type character, or the lone vigilante against the mob, or the Japanese Blind Swordsman Zatoichi, this theme is a reflection of the angst of the masses. In today’s society it is really in your face. The bankers steal billions, yet not one goes to jail. A black kid steals a cigarette and is gunned down by the cops. Sometimes the people do take note. This series explores those feelings of injustice that many have, only with a dark comedic outlook rather than gunfights and violence.

ThiaMedia Studios itself is a story of a struggling enterprise, fighting to survive against all odds. The well equipped studio is set up to film commercials, music videos and feature films. Cynthia Webster and her vivacious and energetic partner Louise Liebi keep the studio well stocked with lighting, cameras and room to construct sets. Their Glendale location is close to the area of Los Feliz – Hyperian Valley, where many of the original Hollywood movie studios began a century ago. The area of Glendale has become the home of other major studios, but congratulations to ThiaMedia Studios for having the guts to tackle difficult social-economic issues that other “big studios” are afraid to touch.