Kevin Smith Debuts Pilot Episode of Hollyweed
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]F[/dropcap]ormer CULTURE cover Kevin Smith teamed up with Rivit TV to launch the pilot episode of Hollyweed on July 11. Rivit TV produces pilots available to stream for free, and viewers then have 45 days to vote on whether each show is worth paying for episodes.
If Hollyweed gets enough votes, Rivit TV will “greenlight” the show for Season 1. Viewers vote whether the show is worth paying for streams of episodes, ranging from $1.99 to $5.99. There is no charge if the show isn’t “greenlit.” In this case, show backers will not be charged unless Hollyweed meets its first season funding goal of $5,305,264 on or before Aug. 26.
The 30-minute show follows Smith and Chappelle’s Show’s Donnell Rawlings as they tackle many aspects of running a dispensary in Los Angeles and a cultivation operation as part of “their quest for profits and the perfect bud.” It’s an in-depth look at the business side of the California cannabis industry. Smith recruited friends Jason Mewes, Ralph Garman, Adam Brody and Frankie Shaw to co-star in the show.
Filming began over two years ago. “Two years ago we shot a pilot for a show called ‘Hollyweed’ and tried to take it out the traditional way but had no luck,” Smith stated. “Cut to now, and we get to bring it back to life. Thanks to the good folks at Rivit TV, we raised it from the dead, it’s crazy. Rivit TV was smart enough to take this show and leave it up to my fans.”
Cannabis has played an important role in Smith’s life over the years. “If you think about the brain as a series of folders that you keep creating,” Smith told CULTURE in 2013, “weed for me is like a program that puts them all in order alphabetically and allows you to prioritize what is important. That is how I’ve been able to spin so many plates the last few years.” Hopefully the new series will be voted in and receive a long-term slot on RivitTV.
