A Telly Award-winning comedy, FabUless introduces us to Victor, an aspiring actor, and his two co-workers, Kate and Alejandra, as they struggle to keep their dreams alive working as brand ambassadors in Manhattan. Hilarity ensues as these three meet an array of characters while promoting some questionable products.
“FabUless came about after an agent recommended that I create my own content and get in touch with Heidi Marshall, a former casting director and currently a film/tv actor coach, on how to do it. Heidi and her husband, Johnny Sanchez, offer a course called ‘Actors As Creators’ where artists learn about what it takes to create their own work. I had thought about creating a series based on my experience as a brand ambassador, but I never followed through with it. Once I completed their course, I knew I had to make this idea a reality,” he said.
“While working as a brand ambassador, I realized there were no shows about this profession,” he said. “I couldn’t believe that this world that so many actors relied on to pay their bills had never been explored before. When the average person thinks about survival jobs for actors, the go to is serving or bartending. Most people don’t know that the person handing out a drink sample, the well-dressed product specialist at an auto show, or the person handing out giveaways on the street tends to be an actor who is hired to promote these products because of their ability to communicate effectively. As someone who has done a plethora of brand ambassador work myself, I felt that this world needed to be explored, and in a comedic way.”
He was drawn to the FabUless experience since it afforded him the opportunity to do what he loves. “FabUless didn’t feel like work to me because I was invested in what I was creating. I was having fun. There was endless material I could use from my time as a brand ambassador that made telling the story fairly easy,” he said.
Albaum continued, “I also really enjoyed getting to collaborate with my fantastic team. A special shout out to executive producer and fellow series regular Desiree Abeyta. Without her guidance throughout this process, I could not have gotten FabUless to where it is now. I could not have asked for a better creative partner on my first project. I also adore our cast and crew. They make the show what it is. The crew and I were always excited to see what our guest stars and co-stars would bring to the scenes because they absolutely nailed it. And, I won’t lie, getting to be the star of my own show was an exhilarating experience too!”
Last month, FabUless was nominated for eight Indie Series Awards. “That felt incredible,” he exclaimed. “I was with Heidi and Johnny when the nominations were announced, so I felt the whole process come full circle. They were there with me when I came up with the concept of FabUless, and now they were with me as FabUless was nominated for eight Indie Series Awards. To see FabUless embraced in this way has meant a lot, especially as a first-time creator. Being nominated among such stellar comedic web series was truly an honor.”
“FabUless won a prestigious Telly Award alongside content from Comedy Central. We received the ‘Bronze Award’,” h said.
Regarding his plans for the future, he revealed, “There will be a second season. My team and I are currently in the process of developing it, and we’re hoping that we’ll be able to begin production once we come out of COVID-19. We also have plans to bring aboard more real brands in Season 2.”
“FabUless offers brands the opportunity for product placement that promotes them in a fun and authentic way. Most of the brands in Season 1 are made up, but we do have a real brand in the fourth episode. I won’t give it away for those who haven’t seen FabUless yet. It will ‘blow’ your mind,” he exclaimed.
For Albaum, being an actor and filmmaker in the digital age feels “liberating.” “The opportunities are endless. Creators like myself are finally getting to tell our stories and find an audience for them. I don’t see many people like myself represented in television and film, and there aren’t many work place comedies or shows in general that feature a gay man as the lead. Creating my own work for the digital sphere allows me to tell my story without needing a production company or network behind me. I don’t have to wait for someone to cast me. I can cast myself and create material that is well suited for my talents. It’s very empowering,” he explained.
On his daily motivations, he responded, “Having my voice heard and contributing it to this industry and to the world. I’m an ambitious person who is motivated to succeed and make my mark. I care deeply about doing quality work. I would never want to put something out there that I wasn’t proud of. I’m motivated to touch people’s hearts with my storytelling. I also want to make sure that in FabUless I’m giving a platform to underrepresented artists to share their talents.”
“FabUless has a point of view that mostly hasn’t been presented in the media yet. And last but not least, I’m motivated to live life to the fullest and create memorable experiences that I’ll never forget,” he said.
For young and aspiring actors, he encouraged them to simply “go for it.” “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Don’t be afraid to be bold and stand out. Build a career where what makes you unique is the driving force, and be willing to do the work. You don’t have to be a success at 18 or 21.”
He continued, “Be willing to adapt and be open to your career goals changing. Be ok with the fact that what you want at 21 years old may be different to what you want at 30. 10 years ago, I received my college degree in musical theatre and moved to New York City right after graduating. 10 years later, my main focus is TV/Film and content creation, and I’m not very involved in theatre. If I hadn’t allowed myself the space to change direction, I don’t think I would be as happy as I am now. I definitely wouldn’t have created FabUless.”
When asked about his dream collaboration choices in acting, he said, “This is a hard one. In the world of comedy, I definitely want Cole Escola to play my brother (we look a lot alike), my arch nemesis, or really anything he would like to play. Other actors I would love to work with off the top of my head are Bowen Yang, Billy Porter, Tina Fey, Amy Sedaris, Leslie Jones, Leslie Jordan, Larry David, and Angelica Ross. An eclectic group to say the least.”
Albaum concluded about FabUless, “It really has something in it for everyone. It’s a series with a lot of heart and humor that I hope brings joy and laughter to viewers during these trying times.”
FabUless is available on Seeka TV, and on its YouTube channel.
To learn more about actor and showrunner Victor Albaum, check out his official website.
Read More: FabUless earned a favorable review from Digital Journal, which was described as “pleasant.”
