Indie Web Series: Firsts
There’s always a first time for everything. We’ve all heard this phrase at some point when a big situation happens in our lives on the personal or professional spectrum and how this event can inform any of our upcoming choices. The web series Firsts consistently succeeds in showcasing these first important moments through the power of storytelling and relatability in its array of seasons.
The series, which first premiered in January 2020, mainly consists of revolving their distinctive stories around romantic relationships and the first times that shape them. The most intriguing aspect is that the show presents this during different stages in life that can range from your first high school crush to LGBTQ+ coming out stories mixed in with first relationships. It also doesn’t shy away from presenting relationships that seem to be rarely depicted in the media such as the main couple in season 5 Anvi and Ayaan, who fall in love despite his disability.
Each episode’s execution proves to be effective as each season goes by. The web series contains a good balance between the editing, cinematography, and talents that make the progression of the story both intriguing and refreshing for new and revisiting audiences. The show’s mini-series film is a formula that has become effective for viewers, as it makes it for a quick and educational watch throughout the presentation of various important themes depending on the story presented.
This pertains to the show’s greatest strength in the sense that it both achieves praise and interest from different groups of audiences that see themselves reflected throughout the stories and characters presented in all five seasons. Each season is comprised of five to six episodes that last 3 to 4 minutes depending on the subject matter. This trait serves as the prime example of quality over quantity, as the creative team on each season understands well how to maintain the story and its strengths without the need to excel unnecessarily on time.
All of these qualities go hand in hand with the variety of relationship stories presented throughout each season. While some pertain to well-known stories such as first love, other seasons delve into much deeper and relatable topics that resonate with both the times and audiences that have resorted to finding comfort in the media during the past year. This is reflected specifically during seasons 2 to 5, which showcase newly found relationships such as falling in love during the quarantine, how an arranged marriage flourishes into true love and coming to terms with your sexuality during the already difficult COVID 19 times.
Another trait to add is how all of the performances shape up the show and its purpose. All talents presented throughout the different seasons execute their characters in an excellent way, to the point of presenting themselves as so relatable that audiences automatically feel an attachment to each character and how they experience their firsts in the scenarios presented. This can also be attributed to the good writing from the creative team who consistently strive to present refreshing and interesting takes on each project presented.
Each season has also been launched throughout the pandemic which has made the platform both consistent and accurate in terms of how it has adapted certain aspects of each season in order to reflect the different stages of this time. This can be appreciated in season 2, as the main characters get to know each other throughout virtual sessions, and in season 3, which reflects the decision of commitment in a relationship during trying times. This has also prompted Dice Media to become one of the main entertainment platforms in India among the digital media community.
Dice Media joined the YouTube community in April 2015. With over 190 videos, the platform presents a variety of shorts and series that have garnered a hefty community of 42,000,00 subscribers that tune in to the content presented. Dice Media serves as the premium digital video division of the company Pocket Aces, which has also provided various collaborations with over 150 brands in every season that reflect all important aspects of the storylines presented.
The company is currently considered the leading digital entertainment company in India with the simple mission of solving boredom with entertainment. Founded by Anirudh Pandita, Ashwin Suresh, and Aditi Shrivastava, Dice Media serves as one of the four channels that comprise the entertainment factors of the company. FilterCopy and Gooble, which present short stories and lifestyle media respectively, join Loco, which serves as India’s first gaming and e-sports app.
Pocket Aces also features an assortment of talents that are distributed across their different platforms or projects. They have also branched out with their channels to other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Snapchat with a hefty audience that likes to consume the company’s media in different ways. This has also contributed to collaborations with brands such as Tinder, Google, and Bacardi, among others, that tie into the story in some way, shape, or form throughout the different shows and their seasons rather than just being presented as a simple plugin.
Firsts prove to be a great watch for audiences that consistently search for forms of relatability in the media. The quick and insightful storylines prove to be a breath of fresh air from the established quirks or storylines depicted in this well-known genre, as every story seems to be written and carefully crafted in order to satisfy a specific audience in mind. Don’t miss out on all seasons of this web series that is sure to be a first for your emotions in the already complicated department of love.
