The following is an interview with writer/director Robin Nyström on the award-winning fantasy web series, Tracy Buckles. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Nyström about the inspiration behind the series, the creative process in working with the cast and crew, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: For those who may be unfamiliar with your award-winning fantasy web series, Tracy Buckles, how would you describe the series’ premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Robin Nyström: TRACY BUCKLES is an award-winning fantasy web series that’s been described as a mash-up between Harry Potter and an R-rated Judd Apatow comedy. The show takes place in a world where magic and spells and wicked witches are part of everyday life.
Across six fast-paced episodes, we get to know our kick-ass protagonist Tracy who is struck by a despicable curse. She joins forces with a nameless drifter and a bumbling wizard in order to break free from the evil sorcery.
I was inspired to write a narrative chock-full of magic, because I’ve been a fan of the fantasy genre since I was a kid. I also wanted to tell a story with a dynamic female lead who is courageous and headstrong and impulsive.
BD: What can you share with us about your creative process in writing and directing the web series, and what have been some of your creative influences?
RN: The web series is a medium that requires serialized storytelling across short, fast-paced episodes. My creative process began by watching a ton of existing web series, so I could analyze what I really liked about them. Then, I sort of put all that aside and just asked myself what kind of story I would like to tell.
In the end, I settled on writing a raunchy fantasy comedy because that seemed like a lot of fun!
From a literary standpoint, I was inspired by the fantastical storytelling and irreverent humor found in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels.
In terms of cinematic references, I was inspired by the breakneck pacing of the films directed by Edgar Wright. I also found a lot of inspiration in the works of director Sam Raimi.
BD: What do you hope that viewers will take away from the show?
RN: At its core, the show is a story about two friends — our protagonist Tracy and the nameless drifter No One. They form an immediate friendship, because they both understand the pain of not being seen or heard. I think we’ve all felt that struggle in one way or another — the pain of not being listened to or of being misunderstood. That’s the central theme that carries the narrative of Tracy Buckles. So, I hope that people will connect with that subject matter.
BD: With six episodes included in the series, do you have plans to expand the Tracy Buckles story into future arcs or other entertainment mediums?
RN: Oh, for sure! We hope that our audience will respond to the first six episodes and demand more magical misadventures with Tracy Buckles and her friends.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
RN: At this time, I am fully committed to spreading the word about Tracy Buckles. But looking ahead, I’m also hard at work with a feature-length screenplay and a couple of short films that I’m producing in late 2019.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Tracy Buckles?
RN: You can watch all episodes on Vimeo and find out more about the show on the official Tracy Buckles website.
Here’s a 30-second trailer if you want a quick sneak peek before you dive in.
