Ben Schwartz Has Completed Independent TV Series

The actor produced a six-episode series independently to bypass traditional industry development hurdles.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Television

Bold vector editorial illustration of a vintage film canister on a workspace, representing independent television production. — Actor Ben Schwartz has completed production on an independent six-episode television series to bypass traditional development hurdles in the entertainment industry. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Ben Schwartz has finished production on a new six-episode independent television series based on his web series The Earliest Show. He chose to fund and create the project himself to present a finished product to buyers instead of a script.

Why it matters

The move aims to circumvent the development delays that hindered his past work, specifically 13 prior projects that were sold but never greenlit. By delivering a complete series, Schwartz intends to eliminate financial risk and uncertainty for potential buyers.

The new project consists of 6 episodes. This follows a history where Schwartz saw 13 of his previously sold film and television projects fail to reach a greenlight phase.

The players

Ben Schwartz

He is an actor and comedian who will perform as the voice of Sonic in the upcoming film Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

The details

Schwartz wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the series, which is currently undergoing the editing process. He opted to bypass the traditional development pipeline entirely by creating a finalized version of the show to showcase to the market.

Ben Schwartz created the original web series The Earliest Show in 2016.
An interview detailing the completion of his new project was released on October 7, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

This project represents a departure from the traditional studio development process by prioritizing a finished product over a pitch. It reflects an evolving landscape where creators seek to maintain control and reduce project attrition by funding their own production.

Viewers can expect that by bypassing standard development, the show may reach distribution faster if picked up by a network or streamer. The project signifies a shift toward seeing more creator-led content that has already cleared the production phase.

The takeaway

Creators are increasingly turning to self-funded production to gain leverage and ensure their creative visions reach completion. Implementing this model can significantly reduce the risk of a project languishing in development for years without ever being produced.