Here’s some non-spoilery highlights:

From Jane: Usually we talk about “earning” a plot development as big as a character death. As a writer, you try to make the death feel surprising, but, in retrospect, unavoidable or logical or necessary.

From Others: “For me, it’s not that I’m against killing off characters; I’m against killing off characters as a promotional strategy,” continued our forthright studio executive. “It seems that so many series these days use character deaths as a way to pick up viewers or bring back old viewers. I would prefer that network showrunners concentrate on making the best show they can instead of picking which character will die during sweeps. I’ve seen so many commercials and read so many magazine articles that tout the death of a character before it’s going to happen.”

Click here to read the interview

The first annual Streamy (not steamy Joss) was a star-studded event with a level of professionalism not seen for web series in the past. Whedon fans who have been following the success of Dr. Horrible won’t be surprised that it seems that main stream is starting to understand the value and importance of the web industry. To hear more of my thoughts about that check out the post I did on Social Media World.

Whedon fans will be happy to know not only did Felicia Day, Joss Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Neil Patrick Harris and Jane Espenson make off with awards, they also hit a huge nerve with the rest of their peers. My favorite was Blake Calhoun, who won best directing for a dramatic series for his show Pink, who said in his acceptance speech, “thank goodness The Guild or Dr. Horrible wasn’t in this category.” And John Stern, who accepted best guest star for Paul Rudd called the Streamys, “the first Dr. Horrible Awards.”

Maurissa, Joss, NPH, Felicia and Jane Espenson the big winners at the Streamys (photos by TheBuiBrothers.com released under Creative Commons).

So what did our Whedonverse Alumns (and Joss) win?

Best Comedy Web Series
The Guild

Best Dramatic Web Series
Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy

Audience Choice Award for Best Web Series
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

Best Directing for a Comedy Web Series
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
(Joss Whedon)

Best Writing for a Comedy Web Series<
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
(Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon

Best Writing for a Dramatic Web Series
Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy
(Jane Espenson, Seamus Kevin Fahey, Ronald D. Moore)

Best Male Actor in a Comedy Web Series
Neil Patrick Harris — (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)

Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series
Felicia Day — (The Guild)

Best Ensemble Cast in a Web Series
The Guild

and the Craft Awards (which were the night before)

Best Editing (*)
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog— (Lisa Lassek)

Best Cinematography
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog(Ryan Green)

Best Original Music
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog — (Jed Whedon)

On the red carpet I was able to talk with Sandeep (The Guild), Felicia (Dr. Horrible/The Guild), Vincent (The Guild) and many other web stars, writers and creators. From our press seats (in the balcony) I had a birds-eye view of Joss and Kai Whedon, Niel Patrick Harris, Felicia and the rest of the Guild actors, and Jane Espenson! The excitement of the theater was only slightly diminished by how freezing it was (though I’m sure under the hot lights of the stage it was extremely warm.

Some notable highlights from the acceptance speeches were as follows:

• Neil Patrick Harris NOT thanking Nathan Fillion (it seems NPH is still a bit sore about “I’m Better Than Neil” – not really)
• Felicia thanking all the casting directors and talent managers who rejected her because she was too scrawny, too nerdy-looking, etc. Because of them (and at her boyfriend’s urging) she decided to do the Guild
• Felicia breaking about 1,000 geek boy hearts when she mentioned her boyfriend.
• Neil Patrick Harris making the allegation that Nathan “pads his junk.”
• Joss thanking Felicia for being his mentor in the art of web series.
• Jane Espenson equating web series that go along with traditional television to hats and livers. Here’s to more livers.
• Jane’s dress. (Okay, technically it wasn’t part of the speech, but it was gorgeous).
• Sandeep and Felicia both thanking the fans over and over.
• Maurissa being a bit speechless.
• Jeff Lewis (Vork on the Guild) being more speechless. And noting that it’s nice to have a fandom where “someone” was noticed at a bath house in Seattle.
• Sandeep (Zaboo on the Guild) “keeping it real”.
• Joss saying he was an “outsider” into the web series world coming from the traditional media world.

I’ll have more coverage and interviews from the Streamys 2009 coming up. For now check out the 12second.tv acceptance speeches, the official photographs, a full list of winners at Tubefilter and Twitter banter.

Audience Choice Award! on 12seconds.tv
Audience Choice Award! 2 on 12seconds.tv
Best Dramatic Web Series on 12seconds.tv
Best Comedy Web Series on 12seconds.tv
Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series on 12seconds.tv
Best Ensemble Cast on 12seconds.tv

Voting for best web series, a people’s choice award, opens March 16th.

For a complete list of the nominees click here.

From Alphatone