Hey friends and supporters, the day you thought would never come -- or, the day that was supposed to come at 10 AM today but got delayed -- is finally here!

After a last-minute tech problem (which I spent the last 19 hours troubleshooting), the first episode of The Baristas has launched!

Thanks for all your kind words, your support, and your initial belief in the idea. It's been an uphill climb at times, but the end result has been worth it. This is a show that I'm happy and excited to share with everyone, and I hope you feel the same way. (In fact, I hope you DO share it with everyone you know, because views are the magic ingredient that help a show like ours get the attention of advertisers. So please, DO spread the word!)

The you can watch the episode on Blip TV (where we currently get a tiny tiny portion of the ad revenue served), or on YouTube, where we don't currently have an ad deal in place, but which, paradoxically, plays much more smoothly than the Blip player does. (Go figure.)

If you like the show (and I hope you do), here are a few ways you can help spread the word:

* "Like" the video on YouTube, Blip, iTunes, or wherever you happen to be watching it. (The more likes a video gets, the more popular it is in search results.)

* Share the videos on Facebook. (Incidentally, the show has a Facebook fan page.)

* Mention the show on Twitter. (Our Twitter handle is @TheBaristasTV)

* Review the show on iTunes. (Search "the baristas" in the iTunes store; our show is currently the top result. You can subscribe to it there, too, and then you can download the full-size episodes every week for free.)

* If you have a blog, embed the video in a post (or just link to it).

* Tell your friends, family, coworkers, lovers and debtors about the show. Word of mouth is what keeps us moving.

Also, feel free to leave comments on the show. Let us know what you like, and what you'd like to see more of. We'll have a new episode every Monday (by 10 AM, barring any *new* tech problems I might encounter this week), and we like knowing that you like what we're doing.

Finally, this should be the last major update I'll be sending out through Kickstarter. I'm well aware that some of you may have only supported the show because you know me, or you know one of our cast members, or you just had a morbid curiosity, and in those cases you might prefer NOT to be inundated with more updates now that the show is live.

However, if you DO want updates, you can opt in to our official The Baristas Email List. You can do this either by using the little "Sign Up for Our Email Newsletter" widget in the righthand column of our website or by using the form on our Facebook fan page.

Once again, thanks for all your help and support. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I enjoy making it. And please, tell everyone you know that it's awesome, because it is.

And now I'll finally have time to send out those swag packages...

Best wishes,

Justin Kownacki
http://thebaristas.com/
http://justinkownacki.com/
http://twitter.com/justinkownacki

Hey folks;

The past few months have been busy busy busy on our end! We've been writing, scheduling, filming and editing the first 7 episodes of The Baristas. Check out the show promo at the end of this message to pique your curiosity for our series launch on January 31st!

Also, some updates about websites, swag and such:

* The Baristas website will be undergoing a drastic overhaul in the next week, with a redesign, cast pages, and an ongoing "series summary" page, so viewers can catch up with the story even if they miss a few episodes. (But, of course, why would you?)

* The Baristas is also on Facebook, where we post behind-the-scenes photos and news articles about our extremely talented cast. "Like" us there and help spread the word!

* Three new characters will be joining The Baristas Twitter feed prior to January 31st, and more will be added as they're introduced on the show. If you want a different look at the characters (and their often contentious relationships), be sure to bookmark their tweets. (And follow the official Baristas Twitter account for show updates!)

* The last of the swag is in the works, and once the pens and pins arrive safely in my entertainment laboratory (AKA once I pry my hyperactive dog off the UPS guy's leg), your thank-you packages of Baristas swag will be mailed out. (I'll send you a little email alert once they've hit the mail chute, so you can be on the lookout.)

* Also, the four of you whose donations earned you the perk of having an off-camera character named after you will be pleased to know that your names will be immortalized (comedically) in episodes 3 (Blynn), 4 (Wilbur), 5 (Emily) and 8 (Eileen).

And lastly...

SPREAD THE WORD!

We're really proud of how The Baristas is coming together, and we think it's a show that a LOT of people will enjoy -- but they need to find out about it first! So...

>> Tell your friends!

>> Blog about it, tweet about it, share it on Facebook!

>> The cast, crew and creators of the show are happy to be interviewed on blogs, podcasts, radio and print (and we're also quite photogenic)!

>> Wear your Baristas t-shirts in crowded places, like the airport or the gym!

>> Boldly sign checks with your Baristas pen!

>> Tag nearby abandoned buildings in upscale parts of town with the Baristas logo!

The only limit to the ways YOU can help the Baristas are your own imagination and the vagaries of federal law -- so be creative!

We'll see you all on January 31st when we launch our first episode. In the meantime, remember: we can't spell "The Baristas" without "rib hats."

Caffeinatedly yours,

Justin Kownacki & The Baristas team

If you'd like to share this video, you can send people to its Blip TV page.

Hey folks;

We have lots of loose ends to report, so I figured I'd do so all at once.

First, as a reminder, The Baristas have a blog, a Twitter account and a Facebook page, so you can get updates about our goings-on in your social media channel of choice. Plus, the characters themselves are tweeting all day long, so feel free to bookmark them and follow along with their chicanery.

Second, we've decided on a logo. Your feedback on the two designs was great, but it was also basically 50/50, with most women preferring one design and most men preferring the other (which was a result that we found fascinating). In the end, we went with Option B, in a variety of colors, one of which can be seen here...

... and will soon be available on t-shirts, mugs and all kinds of merch. (Yes, that means I'll be asking everyone for their t-shirt sizes and mailing addresses quite soon, so start measuring yourselves now.)

Lastly, the actual reason for this update: filming for The Baristas has been scheduled to begin!

Cameras will roll starting the weekend of October 22nd, and if YOU live in the Pittsburgh area, you're invited to join us!

Our kickoff icebreaker will be held at the Affogato Cafe in Bellevue at 9 PM on Friday, Oct 22. If you'd like to be there, let us know in the comments (or tell me on Twitter) so we have an idea of how many people to plan for. (Also, Affogato only has so much square footage, so we may have to limit attendance to avoid being overwhelmed.)

And if you don't live in Pittsburgh, or you do but you can't attend the icebreaker, don't worry. You'll see plenty more behind-the-scenes updates and sneak peeks between now and the show's launch in 2011.

As always, thanks for your support, and remember: we can't spell "The Baristas" without "hair stash."

Caffeinatedly yours,

Justin Kownacki
http://justinkownacki.com/
http://twitter.com/justinkownacki
http://thebaristas.com/

... actor Will McMahon!

Will's competition was tough, but he garnered the most votes from our Kickstarter supporters. However, several of the actors and actresses in this talent pool received similarly strong support, so don't be surprised to see a few of them cast in other roles by the time The Baristas comes to your laptop in 2011.

Thanks to everyone who voted, and we look forward to dazzling you with Will's comic mania in the coming weeks. (In the meantime, don't forget to keep up with the baristas on their Twitter feed!)

Caffeinatedly yours,

Justin Kownacki
http://justinkownacki.com/
http://twitter.com/justinkownacki
http://thebaristas.com/

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this happen! We couldn't have done it without you.

And what did we "do," exactly? We raised $3660 to help produce and launch The Baristas, a web sitcom that's guaranteed to make you laugh awkwardly in public. (At least, that's our intention; your own propriety and sense of decorum may still prevail.)

NOW WHAT HAPPENS?

A few things.

First, over the next 2 weeks Amazon and Kickstarter will be sorting through your donations to The Baristas. (This is the part where your credit cards will actually be charged, as opposed to the part when you first pledged that cash but it stayed in your account until the project ended. Please update your personal ledgers accordingly.)

As for the show itself:

* The Baristas website is being temporarily converted to a blog format, so you can keep up with our changes, announcements, etc., while we begin production on the series. (From time to time, we'll also post periodic updates here on our official Kickstarter project page.)

* Scripts for the first 13 episodes will be completed, and shooting days in October and November will be scheduled among the core cast.

* The characters will be on Twitter every day, where you can follow the off-camera lead-up to the actual episodes. In fact, Dierdre and Sam will be hiring some new cafe help by 3 o'clock today, so be on the lookout for a new face or two in the Baristas tweetstream this week.

* Those of you who pledged at least $25 will be contacted shortly with instructions on how to vote for the actor YOU want us to cast as the last new barista. (And if you pledged $20 or less, you'll just have to wait and see which of these 12 aspiring actors your peers want to see more of.)

* Plus, we'll finally make a decision about our logo.

And, of course, swag.

From postcards to t-shirts, they'll all be in the works in the coming weeks. We'll be in touch to gather any relevant information (mailing info, sizes, etc.) as each swag item is designed and birthed into the world. Those of you who've pledged $50 or more will also be receiving a DVD of the show's first 13 episodes, although we'll obviously have to produce those episodes first. (One step at a time, folks.)

Lastly, for those of you who wonder what it's like behind the scenes of a Kickstarter project, I'll be posting a summary of my experience called 10 Tips for a Successful Kickstarter Project on my blog next week.

Meanwhile: Questions? Comments? Digital high fives? I'm on Twitter (and so is the show itself, although it's been quiet so far), so drop me a line and we'll exchange a virtual hug of goodwill.

Once again, thanks for everything. And remember: we can't spell The Baristas without "bath siesta."

Caffeinatedly yours,

Justin Kownacki
http://justinkownacki.com/
http://twitter.com/justinkownacki
http://thebaristas.com/