TNWU Exclusive: Red Bird Flies, Lands on Amazon Prime

“Red Bird” is a new western series, available now on Amazon Prime. “Red Bird” is an exciting new way of visual storytelling; it is “short form” viewing, meaning each episode clocks in at under five minutes. If you think a great story can’t be told in three minutes, you definitely have not seen what “Red Bird” can do.

“Red Bird” was created and written by husband and wife team Misti Boland and Jeremy Osbern. Boland directs, while Osbern is the cinematographer. “Red Bird” is one of the very first short form web series to go to Amazon Prime. The couple will be screening the series to more industry professionals at the upcoming ITVFest in Vermont in October.

“Red Bird,” tells the story of a young mother, Kitty Mae, who is hunting down and killing the men who rode into her small Kansas town one morning and killed every man and boy, including her son. The series opens with Kitty Mae having just two of Bloody Bill’s gang left to go, but she’s got a price on her head, she’s running out of time, and running out of options. Complicating things further still is an estranged husband who still loves her.

Misti Boland and Jeremy Osbern hail from Lawrence, Kansas, and based “Red Bird” on a true story. On the morning of August 21, 1863, raiders rode into Lawrence and killed every man and boy – over two hundred males – and burned the town to the ground. Misti and Jeremy, surrounded by the reminders of such tragedy – every street corner being a marker for the murdered men – delved into research. Misti became fascinated by the tales of women in the Old West – those who were equally as ruthless, violent and bloody as their male counterparts, and from this history “Red Bird” was born.

Boland also states that she is drawn to telling stories of women outside of the norm. She has made several short films, including “Candy,” about a young troubled woman and a grieving stranger; “Goodnight Jane,” a horror/thriller about a deadly slumber party; “Lena Laine,” a science fiction love story; and “Courtesan,” a tale that turns expected sexual roles on their heads.

The stellar cast includes Alexandra Goodman as Kitty Mae, Ian Stark as her estranged husband, Michael McShane as her gunslinging father, Armin Shimerman and Kitty Swink as the tailor and his wife who may hold the key to Bloody Bill’s whereabouts, and John Prosky as Bloody Bill himself. The eight-episode series was shot on location throughout Kansas and in Colorado. During the course of filming, hundreds of blanks were fired, and buckets of fake blood were drained to recreate the Lawrence massacre. The series is produced by Chris Blunk.

Fly on over to Amazon.com now and check out “Red Bird.” You’ll be amazed at how three minutes of film can play with your heart.