Los Angeles, May 5 — WebSerials.com and New Renaissance Pictures, groundbreaking creators of original online entertainment, announce the premiere of a new web series "Catalyst." The limited series is a highly-anticipated prequel to the successful drama "The Black Dawn," which is currently halfway through its 24-week run on WebSerials.com.

Premiering in January 2008, "The Black Dawn" tells the story of thirteen college students who who have mysteriously survived a deadly virus that has fallen over Los Angeles. Banding together, these survivors must find out what has happened...and why. As the characters within "The Black Dawn" have worked to unravel the mystery, WebSerials.com has also produced an unprecedented amount of integrated content for the series. More than 50 in-character video blogs, web sites, and other and related videos have provided audiences with backstories, clues, and behind-the-scenes information throughout the series.

Now comes "Catalyst"—an exciting prequel series that takes place just before the mysterious virus struck. The four episode serial will reveal untold secrets about what and who was responsible for the deadly attack.

"We've been laying the groundwork for this story from the beginning," explains Joshua Sikora, executive producer of "The Black Dawn" and the director of the new series. "The story focuses on a character named Dr. Steven Wilkins—someone we introduced in the integrated content the very first week of the show." Dr. Wilkins (played by Skip Pipo) died from the virus like everyone else, but he has become of particular interest in recent weeks, when one of the characters finds a list in Wilkins' office that includes the name of each of the survivors. The meaning behind that list and much more will be revealed in the new series.

"The new show isn't just about solving mysteries though," Sikora explains. "This is a really good entry point for new viewers. You don't have to have seen any of the rest of the show—'Catalyst' is a stand-alone story that sets up 'The Black Dawn' in a surprising and compelling way. If you haven't had a chance to check out the web series, this is a great place to start."

The groundbreaking integrated content will continue next month with an all-new online comic that will pick up the story where "Catalyst" leaves off. "With all of this integrated content, we're ultimately creating an online world for audiences to explore," explains Sikora, "We wanted to combine the interactivity of the web with the dramatic power of film—not in a gimmicky way, but in way that truly gives the audience the power to engage the story in their own way, at their own pace." Each distinct part of the world—the web series, the video blogs, the comic—tell self-contained stories, so audiences can choose where they want to start and watch as many of the stories as they're interested in.

"Catalyst" stars Skip Pipo, Laurel Vail, Parnell Damone, and Jesse GrothOlson. It's produced and directed by Joshua Sikora, based on the web series "The Black Dawn" directed by William Hellmuth. "Catalyst" premieres May 5 on WebSerials.com and will also be available on YouTube, Blip.tv, and Vuze.

---

About WebSerials.com
WebSerials.com is a leading provider of serialized web entertainment. Creators of the hit web series "Project X" and "Cataclysmo" and the new groundbreaking online experience "The Black Dawn," WebSerials.com has entertained millions of viewers with its acclaimed and award-winning content since its launch in 2007.

About New Renaissance Pictures
Dedicated to creating and distributing film and new media in creative and unique ways, New Renaissance Pictures is positioned at the center of the latest technological revolutions. Our goal is to move beyond the conventional or traditional, to find cutting-edge ways to utilize new technology for low-budget film production and effective mass media distribution. Learn more at www.newrenaissanceonline.com