Web Series Wednesday – Running With Violet

By: Katheryn Trammell

What? Running With Violet

By: She Said Films

Who? Running with Violet was created and written by Rebecca Davey and Marie-Claire Marcotte; directed by Lindsay McCay; and stars Rebecca Davey, Marie-Claire Marcotte, Jessie Vee, and Davey’s adorable daughter Violet who plays the character Violet.

Why Should I Watch? 

Because in only four short episodes, Running With Violet easily proves they are one of a few new shows that represent the future of web series production.  Even now I struggle to put into words why exactly I feel Running with Violet deserves this distinction, I blame the show’s level of cinematic scope as the reason for my mind-stilling awe.

To put it more simply this web series looks, acts and feels like a movie, but it does so organically.  By keeping a firm handle on the technical pitfalls that sometimes plague other web series creators who attempt to reach the level of storytelling Davey and Marcotte reached, Running With Violet achieves simplicity in its ability to tell a story fit for film by keeping its writing smart, its acting immersive and its cinematography beautifully focused.  I would be remiss to mention the latter is quite possibly due to both the series’ Director of Photography, Guy Godfree, and director Lindsay McCay’s ability to communicate.  You will be amazed by the kind of nuances that are considered when setting up shots that have the power to reveal something deeper about a character (the mirrored image of Miranda in the opening shot revealing her character’s necessary duplicity). It could also be the subtly that foreshadows an event that has yet to occur (filming Blair’s first interaction with Miranda from his perspective, which menacingly takes up almost the entire width of the frame). These are only possible when your Director and Director of Photography see eye-to-eye the way McCay and Godfree must have.

But the lens of camera is nothing without a story to fill its frame and so together with Davey and Marcotte the Running With Violet team have created a story that is mature in both tone and identity – a classic suitably fitted for an adaptable yet darker generation.  Imagine, if you will, a retelling of the classic film Thelma & Louise that portrays Thelma as an abused millennial housewife and Louise as the gen-X single mom whose no-bullshit attitude Thelma aspires to have.  Her aspiration soon escalates to violent imitation the moment Miranda/Thelma’s (Marcotte) husband tries to abuse her for the umpteenth time and she hits him over the head with a cast iron skillet.  But since murder should never get in the way of “Girls Weekend,” Miranda quickly makes Jolene/Louise (Davey) and her daughter Violet unknowing accessories to murder when the hatchback they take on their weekend roadtrip doubles as a hearse.

And the best part of all?  Its as if the team behind Running With Violet knew the exact brand of dark comedy necessary for ensuring a story this real and violent leaves us somewhere between shocked and laughing – a tone of comedy I haven’t seen this well-executed since the last time I watched Fargo.  So, if a modern day Thelma & Louise set in the version of Fargo the Cohen brothers depicted sounds like your cup of tea, then I highly recommend watching this groundbreaking new series.  You will not regret it.

Where Can I Watch?

Watch the first four episodes of Running With Violet  for extra content videos regarding the series production can be seen on the YouTube channel as well.

Follow Running With Violet