July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Hungry for more original programming from streaming video service Netflix? Well, the company has you covered this summer.

Today Netflix announced that the entire 13-episode first season of Orange is the New Black will debut on the streaming service July 11 in all regions (U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Latin America, Brazil, and the Nordics).

Per Netflix’s description, the show itself “follows engaged Brooklynite Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon) results in her arrest and year-long detention in a federal penitentiary. To pay her debt to society, Piper must trade her comfortable New York life with fiance Larry (Jason Biggs) for an orange prison jumpsuit and a baffling prison culture where she is forced to question everything she believes and form unexpected new alliances with a group of eccentric and outspoken inmates.”

Orange is the New Black will feature a star-studded cast, including Kate Mulgrew (aka CAPTAIN JANEWAY, son!), Natasha Lyonne, Pablo Schreiber, Danielle Brooks, Laverne Cox, and Taryn Manning. It’s produced by Weeds creator Jenji Kohan, who also wrote the first and last episode of the season. Netflix has already pulled off the apparently successful debuts of House of Cards and Hemlock Grove (and the much-anticipated new season of Arrested Development is on the way in late May).

“With ‘Orange is the New Black,’ Jenji Kohan has created a dramatic yet deeply funny world populated with unforgettable characters and no-holds-barred humor set against the backdrop of a women’s prison,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement. “Jenji is one of the most fearless voices in television and we are proud to share her uncompromising vision with Netflix members.”

Netflix recently reaffirmed its commitment to producing original content for the service last week, having outlined its view of TV’s future as well as the costs involved with producing quality content that people want to watch. The company also recently announced that it will bring a new original sci-fi show Sense8 to the service produced by the Matrix trilogy directors the Wachowskis and geek-favorite creator J. Michael Straczynski.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Those fearful of ever watching a story that contains excessive violence, cursing, nudity and other unsavory elements probably have bland taste in movies/TV shows — but they’re also in luck.

Streaming video service Vimeo has decided to roll out content ratings on all of the uploaded content on its site, the company announced today.

The company is asking creators to identify any video that contains things like naked people or bloodshed when uploading to the site. As a result, each video will gain a pretty broad label of either “All Audiences” or “Mature Content,” or an unrated rating label (“Not Yet Rated”) for videos that haven’t been assessed.

“As the home for exceptional original videos and the people who make them, we have an unflinching belief in the integrity of visual storytelling, including — in some cases — material that may make some viewers uncomfortable,” said Vimeo’s Paul Simoneschi in a company blog post about the new ratings. “But the truth is that one cannot ignore the naked, the violent, and the swearing when striving to capture the breadth of the human condition. Uncomfortable subjects, even discomfort itself, are essential components of our shared experience, and artists need the freedom to express them.”

The new ratings will allow Vimeo to begin sorting videos accordingly for each individual users. So, if you never want to see videos with unsavory themes, Vimeo will eventually be able to grant that request. The same is likely true for those that want to view videos with particularly mature themes, but avoid certain elements (illegal substances, sexual situations, etc.).

The move to add content ratings is much easier for Vimeo to accomplish when compared to YouTube, which has a much wider library of content and a diverse set of users that don’t follow any particular trend when uploading to the site. That said,  Vimeo is once again able to distinguish itself from its rivals.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has a track record for making bold decisions about his company based on the prediction of a successful outcome.

So, Netflix’s decision to ask investors to pony up more money for (among other things) new original content –  days before the release of its first big series premiere, House of Cards — definitely qualifies as one of those decisions. (I say this because there’s a possibility that people won’t like the show. Sure, early reviewers had glowing things to say about it, but they don’t always speak for the general viewing audience.)

In a letter to investors today, Hastings asked investors to finance $400 million (PDF), which the company intends to use for refinance existing notes ($225 million) and other “general corporate purposes.” But, AllThingsD‘s Peter Kafka points out that the vague-ish “purposes” for the remaining amount will go toward producing new original content, according to statements Hastings made in the Q4 2012 letter to shareholders last week.

Hastings also told shareholders during the Q4 earnings call that the company doesn’t expect to see a huge boost in subscribers attributed to House of Cards or any of its other premieres. Basically, even if the show isn’t a big hit, it shouldn’t affect its strategy for future growth. That’s also true for Netflix’s other original shows, including Arrested Development, Eli Roth’s Hemlock Grove, Jenji Kohan’s Orange is the New Black, and Ricky Gervais’ Derek.

And unlike other television shows, Netflix content isn’t beholden to audience ratings, which TV networks use to determine the programming that gets more seasons or canceled. I suspect the only way we’ll really know if one of Netflix’s original shows isn’t a hit is if the company doesn’t ask for a new season.

Netflix’s confidence comes a week after the company’s Q4 earnings exceeded expectations and pushed its stock price up significantly. Even after asking for the new investment, Netflix’s stock closed at 169.12 for the day.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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When it comes to the revolution of producing original television-style content for the web, Hulu may be the best suited to actually make money.

The company announced today that it has reached an agreement to put one of its new original programs, Kevin Smith’s Spoilers movie review show, on traditional television sets. The distribution deal will allow the show to air on Bell Media-owned Canadian cable channel Space the same time each new episode premieres on Hulu’s website in the U.S.

The show itself, which premiered back in June, features film maker and geek icon Kevin Smith interviewing stars from summer blockbusters from an average fan’s perspective. It’s part of Hulu’s push for more original shows that are on par with those from the major TV networks, like Fox, ABC, NBC, CW, and Viacom.

Not only does the Spoilers deal mark Hulu’s first major international distribution deal, but it also shows the company’s commitment to gaining additional revenue through the traditional television platform. Unlike Netflix, which wants to attract an audience to exclusive content not found anywhere else for the $7.99 per month price, Hulu’s business model actually benefits from putting its original shows on multiple platforms. The programming is set up to have commercial breaks, and Hulu also has the experience of wheeling and dealing with major networks to make these deals happen.

Hulu has also committed to selling international distribution rights for its original show A Day in the Life, as Variety notes.

The real question will be whether Hulu originals ever show up on cable TV stations in the U.S. My guess is that most cable networks aren’t going to be interested in a TV-only deal that doesn’t include distribution through its online channels. But who knows what the future holds.

Image via Hulu

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Amazon will take on Netflix, Hulu, and traditional television companies by creating its own slate of original TV shows, starting with one children’s show and three comedies. The move was expected.

Amazon’s new Studios arm intends to produce several TV shows and distribute them through its Amazon Instant Video service. This is quite similar to what Netflix has done with the show Lillyhammer and upcoming projects like David Fincher’s House of Cards, Eli Roth’s Hemlock Grove, Jenji Kohan’s Orange is the New Black, and the hugely anticipated fourth season of Arrested Development. Hulu also has original projects with the comedy Battleground, Morgan Spurlock’s A Day in the Life reality series, and the unscripted travel show Up to Speed.

Unlike Netflix’s more traditional approach of hiring a known Hollywood entity to create and produce its original programs, Amazon has decided to crowdsource its efforts and let anyone submit scripts to turn into TV shows. The first four winners, whose shows will be produced, have been awarded $10,000 in options as a start for being selected.

Amazon lists the following four shows as its first original projects. The first three are the comedies and the final one is the children’s show:

The 100 Deaths of Mort Grimley
Creator: Angel Castillo
Premise: In this animated comedy, Hell desperately needs new customers. And Mort Grimley, new to the Underworld after accidentally taking his own life, is offered a deal; get Hell’s numbers up and maybe get a transfer out (and up), or face eternity in fire and brimstone alongside the cruel mother he tried to escape.

Doomsday
Creator: Nathan Thomas
Premise: This mockumentary follows an ensemble of diverse characters as they ready themselves for the supposed end of the world — including the guru who made the doomsday prediction.

Magic Monkey Billionaire
Creator: Diana Wright
Premise: When their wealthy magician owner suddenly dies, his two animal assistants — Rabbit and Monkey — are shocked to learn that Monkey alone has been left his billions, soon unleashing the ultimate forces of good and evil as former friends turn to arch enemies.

Buck Plaidsheep
Creators: Frank Suarez (artist) and Clark Stubbs (writer)
Premise: Buck Plaidsheep chronicles the adventures of a courageous little critter named Buck. Whenever there’s a problem on Fleecy Farm, Buck races full-speed into action in one of his souped-up vehicles. And although things may not always go as planned, it’s Buck’s “never give up” attitude that makes him the sheep that always saves the day!

Let us know what you think of these options in the comments below and if they would help attract you to Amazon’s Instant Video service.

Female director photo: Joyce Michaud/Shutterstock

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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The summer season is usually when the lesser-known cable channels debut their own original programing, and this year Hulu is jumping into that game with three original shows and seven exclusives.

Perhaps the most recognizable of the bunch is a new show by cult filmmaker Kevin Smith called Spoilers, which kicks off June. The show will be a mix of group chats featuring Smith (who has made a side career of spewing hot air) and his entourage talking about film as well as some animated shorts. And despite the likely low-budget cost of doing the show, it looks like Hulu has only ordered a 10-episode trial run of the series.

The other two series — unscripted travel show Up to Speed from acclaimed director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Slackers) and self-described “bro-mantic” basketball comedy We Got Next from Kenya Barris and Danny Leiner — won’t debut until August, according to Hulu. (List and descriptions of Hulu’s original shows included below.)

Smith’s show brings Hulu’s original programming lineup to eight total, with another five said to be announced before the end of the year.

With increased competition coming from both Netflix and Amazon on the original programing front, Hulu wants to be more than just a destination that airs popular content from the big broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, Fox, CW, and the cable giant Viacom). Chief executive Jason Kilar has previously stated that the company will spend about $500 million on content for 2012, and a portion of that will go toward these new original shows.

Here are Hulu’s seven exclusive shows, which will kick off June 3:

Rev – Rev. is a contemporary sitcom about the enormous daily frustrations and moral conflicts of an inner-city vicar. Cast includes Tom Hollander (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), Olivia Colman, Steve Evets, Miles Jupp, Lucy Liemann, Simon McBurney and Ellen Thomas. Originally broadcast on BBC Two in the U.K. The series premieres on Hulu and Hulu Plus on June 3rd from BBC Worldwide Americas Digital Distribution. Six (6) episodes in season one; seven (7) episodes in season two.

The Yard – A mockumentary miniseries that originally aired on HBO Canada, “The Yard” offers a bizarre juxtaposition of two rival cliques of elementary school children, where tension develops much like the quintessential crime-family thriller. The show has comically been referred to by Canadian television critics as “‘The Wire’ and ‘The Sopranos’ with kids.” Premieres: June 7, 2012, entire series available July 12.

Derren Brown: Inside Your Mind – Derren Brown is a performer like none other in the world. He uses psychology, magic, showmanship and suggestion to achieve things that for anyone else would be impossible. In the U.K., he is multi-award winning performer and has done a variety of huge and baffling stunts including predicting the national lottery and playing Russian roulette on live TV. New episodes premiere every Saturday beginning on July 7; Entire series available on July 28

The Booth at the End (Season Two) – Xander Berkeley, best known for his roles as “George Mason” in FOX’s “24” and “Percy” in The CW’s “Nikita,” stars as an enigmatic man occupying the corner booth of a diner. He possesses the power to grant desires, contingent upon recipients performing mysterious tasks. This half-hour psychological thriller begs the question: “How far would you go to get what you want?” Directed by Adam Arkin (“Justified,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), season two premieres on Hulu and Hulu Plus in July. Five (5) episodes.

Pramface – Jamie and Laura are two young, free and single teenagers who, after hooking up at a party, soon find they have a very big complication on their hands. Laura is pregnant. So even though they barely know each other, they now have one thing in common – and it’s getting bigger. “Pramface” brings humor and heart to a tricky subject, following these two unexpected parents-to-be as they try, and frequently fail, to negotiate family, sex and what happens once nine months is up… The series premieres on Hulu and Hulu Plus on July 19th from BBC Worldwide Americas Digital Distribution. Six (6) episodes. New episodes premiere every Thursday beginning on July 19; Entire series available on August 23

The Promise – The serial drama examines the origins of the Middle East conflict in events that took place under British rule sixty years ago. The bold and honest series cuts between the life of Erin, an 18-year old Londoner in present day Israel and Gaza, and that of her military grandfather who was part of the British peace-keeping force in Palestine at the end of the second World War. The series premieres on Hulu and Hulu Plus on August 11th. Four (4) episodes.

Little Mosque – Little Mosque is a light-hearted and comedic fish-out-of-water tale about a small Muslim community that rents the parish hall of a small town church to use as a mosque. It will premiere on Hulu and Hulu Plus this summer. 91 episodes.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Lately, Google has been keen on dropping significant money to attract original programming for YouTube and to promote those programs across its network. Now, Google is reportedly investing in content producers themselves.

Ultra-popular content producer Machinima may see a $30 million round of funding led by Google, according to a report from AllThingsD. Machinima primarily focuses on making videos about video games and players, and it has done extremely well on YouTube. Its YouTube channel brings in over a billion video views per month (1.5 billion in March 2012) and is easily one of the most popular on the site.

If true, it would mark the first time Google has actually taken an active role in funding a company to get its original content. Over the last year, Google has been attempting to push YouTube as an entertainment destination similar to what you’d expect from cable TV or streaming sites such as Hulu. With the kind of programming YouTube is seeking (news/culture/non-scripted regular shows or clips), however, it would make plenty of sense for Google to financially push its most popular partners to step up their games.

That said, AllThingsD’s report indicates that other channel partners might be put off by a Machinima investment. Google is said to already be playing favorites with Machinima, and dropping money into the content company will only further that sentiment. Still, the funding is allegedly coming from Google itself and not its investment arm, Google Ventures.

We’re reaching out to both Google and Machinima for more details, and we’ll update the post with any new information.

Red vs. Blue image via Machinima

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Google is launching a new $200 million promotional campaign to push its original YouTube channels across the rest of its properties, the company announced yesterday.

The purpose of the campaign is to help brand YouTube as an entertainment property on par with other major media companies.

The new promotional campaign supports YouTube’s current strategy for boosting the amount of premium original videos available on its site — and making it more than just a place to watch funny cat videos and viral content. YouTube committed $100 million on channel partnerships back in October 2011 to ensure that this strategy succeeds. YouTube channel partners previously debuted a number of original shows, including news programs from Reuters, a new indie film fest channel in partnership with Ridley Scott, original sports programming from Bleacher Report.

Google made the announcement at an event for advertisers last night, which included performances by Jay-Z, Flo Rida, Neon Trees, and others as well as lots appearances by many YouTube channel partners.

It’s nice to see that Google is getting behind its push to get more original programming on YouTube. However, success is unfortunately going to come down to the channel partners. If they can’t create enough big hits, no amount of promotional money in the world will make people tune in.

Via AdAge; Photo via Korosirego /Flickr

Not satisfied with its already extensive library of old TV shows via its Prime streaming video service, Amazon is now planning to develop its own lineup of original children’s shows and sitcoms, the company announced today.

Amazon is the latest company to embark on a mission for premium original TV content, which is quickly becoming a necessity for grabbing and holding on to a large subscriber base. For instance, streaming service competitor Hulu’s current lineup of original programing includes scripted comedy Battleground, Morgan Spurlock’s A Day in the Life reality series, and unscripted travel show Up to Speed from  director Richard Linklater as well as four other shows slated for early 2013. Netflix is also producing its own lineup of exclusive original shows, including Lillyhammer, Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards, Eli Roth’s Hemlock Grove, and the highly anticipated fourth season of cult-sitcom Arrested Development.

Needless to say, Amazon has its work cut out for itself.

However, Amazon has been preparing for an original programming push for a while through its content development division, Amazon Studios, which launched in November 2010. The division, which currently has 15 movie projects in development, is seeking proposals for new comedy and children’s programs. Amazon will choose one proposal per month for development, and those that get approved for a full series will snag a pretty decent deal that includes a $55,000 check, a cut of merchandising sales, royalties, and bonuses.

Unlike Amazon Studios’ movie developments, the TV shows will get distributed exclusively through its Prime streaming video service. And as AllThingsD’s Peter Kafka points out, the TV shows will feature production quality and story telling that’s on par with cable or satellite TV programming.

Amazon’s push for original TV programing isn’t entirely based on staying competitive with Hulu and Netflix. The company’s Prime Streaming service is actually just one of the perks offered to customers that sign up for Amazon’s $79 per year Prime Membership. The streaming video service, along with the forthcoming original programming, is part of the company’s strategy to boost Prime memberships, which ends up driving more business to its online retail store.

Adventure Time image courtesy of Cartoon Network

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Creators wishing to distribute their video content online for consumption by the masses have plenty of services to choose from, but the same isn’t always true for getting compensated for the work. Fortunately, web video site Dailymotion thinks its found a winning solution through a new partnership announced today with crowd-funded micropayments service Flattr.

“Not only is this a great way to compensate video creators, but it [Flattr] will help democratize the way content is being monetized,” Dailymotion U.S. Managing Director Roland Hamilton told VentureBeat.

Flattr is the genius idea of Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde and Linus Olsson that allows for virtually any thing on the web to receive crowdfunding by clicking a “Flattr button” associated with a particular project, piece of content, software, or service. Flattr works by having users set up an account that they can add monthly donations to, which ranges from a few bucks to several hundred dollars. Flattr users then use the web as normal, clicking Flattr buttons whenever they find something worthwhile. At the end of the month, the total donation in a person’s account is divided up equally based on how many times you clicked the Flattr button. The funds are then distributed accordingly.

“Most people create content and hope they will make a living on it, but get little or no money,” Olsson told VentureBeat. “Flattr may not be a main source of income, but maybe it’s enough to buy a new camera or microphone… or even just some beers for their fans.” He added that those small improvements can be just as important for creators.

As part of the partnership, video creators that belong to Dailymotion’s Motionmakers’ program – the site’s premium content hub for users to upload their own HD content – can now embed a Flattr button on their channel page as well as on each individual video page. The Flattr button is only accessible via the website, but Dailymotion said its working on adding functionality for mobile devices, Xbox Live apps, and embedded videos in the future. Flattr will split its regular 10 percent transaction fee for Flattr donations with Dailymotion.

I’ve been intrigued by Flattr since its beta launched in 2010. Flattr adapts the concept of clicking Facebook’s “Like” button (or Digg’s digg button, Twitter’s retweet, StumbleUpon’s stumble, Reddit’s upvote arrow, etc.) and turns it into something that matters every day. Most social news aggregators offer a reward in the form of increased visibility through popularity. Honestly, I can see how most people would become apathetic to clicking buttons every day, especially after the promotional benefits are exhausted. With Flattr, you actually have a reason to continue clicking because it’s putting money into the pockets of people who create stuff you care about.

Flattr’s Olsson told me that the micropayment service is primarily used to fund people working on open-source software and news blogs, but the partnership with Dailymotion could help push crowd-funded video content the forefront for Flattr donations. Dailymotion brings in 114 million unique visitors per month that generate over 1.5 billion video views, according to a recent comScore report.

The new Flattr integration may provide some creators with an incentive to host their content through Dailymotion rather than other video sites. YouTube, which is arguably the biggest home for video creators, only offers advertising partnerships to generate money on videos hosted on its site. If you don’t get a massive number of video views every month, you’re probably not even going to see a paycheck — even if a small number of people are extremely enthusiastic about your videos and willing to pony up obscene amounts of cash to see more of it *ahemFirefly*. At least with Dailymotion, you can now set up a tip cup next to a person’s monitor to compensate for the lack of major advertising potential.

Screenshot via Dailymotion

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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We’ve known for a while now that AOL has aspirations of transforming its media empire into a fully fledged TV network built for the web. It announced a new live streaming video channel for the HuffingtonPost web publication back in February, but now it’s web video channel plans appear to be much more expansive.

Yesterday the company launched a new video site called AOL On Network, which will bring all of the company’s video offerings (HuffingtonPost, TechCrunch, Engadget, AOL.com, and others) under one umbrella. The video content will play across 14 content channels, including food, business, entertainment, style, tech, travel, and health. The AOL On Network will reach an audience of 57 million US consumers on a variety of internet-connected devices, according to a comScore report of video viewing behavior for March 2012.

The site itself is based on technology from AOL’s $65 million purchase of video syndication startup 5min. Through AOL On’s video hub, users will be able to surface the most relevant videos in real time from a library of over 320,000 high-quality, short-form videos created by over 1,000 third-party publishers as well as AOL.

I know what most people are probably thinking — that there’s no way AOL is going to produce enough compelling content to rival the efforts of Hulu, YouTube, Revision3, and others. But the company has announced six entirely original programs produced by some high-profile names in the entertainment world (full list of shows pasted below). It’s also signing up celebrities like Heidi Klum and Adrian Grenier to curate video content throughout the day for people to watch. Compelled to tune in yet?

The new site promises not to be a YouTube clone, with curious singing kitties doing humorous things or brutal gang brawls that end in epic lightsaber battles. Those two examples may seem extremely entertaining (because they are), but it’s not the kind of thing AOL is striving for.

What AOL  wants is ongoing ad revenue of Star-Wars-opening-box-office-weekend proportions. Online video ad spending is expected to reach $7 billion by 2015, according to an eMarketer report released in February. AOL wants a large chunk of that video ad growth, and as one of the top 10 most popular destinations for video content on the web, the company has a decent chance of achieving those goals.

But, the biggest factor in that success is in delivering video content that people actually want to see — meaning people don’t mind sitting through a few commercials or pre-roll ads during a video.

Below is a description of the six original programs that will appear on the AOL On Network. Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Via the AOL On press release:

• Digital Justice– Live today on AOL On Tech and HuffPost Crime, Digital Justice is a weekly reality show that follows digital forensic investigators as they solve cyber crimes. The series deep dives into fascinating crime prevention units that are using the latest digital technology.
• Fetching–Written by Sex and the City’s Amy Harris, Fetching is set against the backdrop of New York City and stars Liza – a young woman who quit her job as a lawyer and ended her engagement in the same week-in hopes of pursuing her dreams of opening her own business, a doggy daycare store called “Fetching.”
• Little Women Big Cars– Debuting on May 7, the web series is centered around four soccer moms struggling to balance their busy schedules, family lives and sanity.
• Next Door Hero– Anew, unscripted series that features everyday Americans with extraordinary stories. This new series will put an action-filled spotlight on America’s bravest everyday heroes.
• Nina Garcia– Whether you’re embarking on a new relationship, just starting a new career or have a new baby, two things just happened: you found a new life and you lost your groove. The swag, thrill and the mojo of your look is totally gone and there’s only one woman who can help you get it back: Nina Garcia.
• Tiger Beat Entertainment–A deeper, more thoughtful lifestyle and entertainment show for and by teens and young adults covering a wide variety of pop culture and lifestyle categories with a genuine point of view.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Arrested Development fans have another reason to love Netflix. Actually, they have about 10 reasons, to be exact.

Netflix first won fans over back in November when it announced it was producing 10 new Arrested Development episodes for its streaming video service. Ultimately, it was a smart move for the streaming video company; the show, which ran for three seasons before prematurely getting yanked by the suits at Fox, has a strong cult following.

Today, Netflix has confirmed the entire 10-episode fourth season will premiere on the same day, at the same time. This is a luxury that’s usually never afforded to new TV shows. Traditional networks typically make fans wait months (or years) to snag a whole season of commercial-free episodes, and that privilege costs far more than Netflix’s $8 monthly subscription fee.

“They [Netflix] understand how I consume television: in marathon sessions on my couch while shunning social contact and showers,” remarked one VentureBeat staffer who will remain nameless (but not necessarily odorless).

As Netflix has pointed out in the past, it’s not like a traditional TV network, and it doesn’t intend to follow traditional TV rules. The company’s first original series, Lilyhammer, was also released as a full season on the same day.

The new Arrested Development episodes are scheduled to come online in 2013, but they will only be available to U.S. customers. We’re confident that Netflix will eventually reach an agreement to offer the new season in Canada, Ireland, and the U.K. as well.

Via  Vulture

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Netflix has inked a deal with horror director Eli Roth to create Hemlock Grove, an original series about “murder, mystery, and monsters,” the company announced today.

Hemlock Grove will join other original content being created by Netflix to help them maintain and attract customers in its growing war with HBO and cable companies. Other content being produced includes David Fincher’s House of Cards, Steve Van Zant’s Lilyhammer, and Jenji Kohan’s Orange is the New Black.

The series is based on Brian McGreevy’s horror novel of the same name. Set in an old Pennsylvania steel town, Hemlock Grove begins with the murder of a young girl and a search to find who (or what) killed her. As the killer is not found and frustrations mount, two young men begin to search for answers themselves and uncover many disturbing facts.

Roth, who will direct the first episode and executive produce the series, is best known for directing films Cabin Fever and Hostel and starring as the maniacal Donny Donowitz in Inglourious Basterds. This will be his first foray into television; albeit with Netflix as the backer, it’s a bit unconentional.

“Netflix as a platform is the perfect hybrid of cinema, television, and social networking, with the creative freedom to go as dark as the story needs,” Roth told the Hollywood Reporter.

Hemlock Grove will star Famke Janssen from the X-Men trilogy and Bill Skarsgard and debut exclusively on Netflix in 2013.

Eli Roth photo: Inglorious Basterds homepage

Contemplating expanding your business to Asia? Sign up for a free VB webinar this Thursday 3/22 at 1pm PT. You’ll benefit from actionable tips and lessons learned as VB Executive Editor Dylan Tweney moderates a lively discussion with a group of Silicon Valley CEOs about their experience in using Singapore as a hub for Asian expansion. There will also be an attendee Q&A portion directly following the session. For full details, go here.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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The latest original program to hit YouTube is a new live comedy show from entertainment studio My Damn Channel, the companies announced today.

The new live comedy show, My Damn Channel Live,  is a first for YouTube. It’s also part of the video site’s strategy for boosting the amount of premium original videos available on its site — and making it more than just a place to watch funny cat videos and viral content. YouTube committed $100 million on channel partnerships back in October 2011 to ensure that this strategy succeeds. YouTube channel partners previously debuted a number of original shows, including news programs from Reuters and original sports programming from Bleacher Report.

The new live show will be hosted by actress/comedian Beth Hoyt and air Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. ET. The show’s length will be consistent with the attention spans of the internet age — running 10 minutes each, except for a half-hour show on Wednesday. The entertainment studio said it’s attempting to bring the late-night talk show element to its audience, featuring interviews, celebrity guests and funny skits. The new live show will also air clips from over 30 original web comedy shows under the My Damn Channel banner.

The new show will premiere next week, expanding My Damn Channel’s presence on YouTube, which began back in 2007.

Screenshot of Beth Hoyt via My Damn Channel/YouTube; Source via THR

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Every time I watch hit web series EpicMealTime, I’m amazed at the sheer insanity that goes into the high-calorie meals that are made. Strips of bacon are typically used more than staple cooking ingredients like salt and pepper, and the meal usually exceeds  a week’s worth of the USDA’s daily nutritional recommendations.

The YouTube (and Revision3) cooking show, hosted weekly by Harley Morenstein and a group of friends, consists of making epic meals that usually involve copious amounts of fatty and delicious meats. For example, the show once made a dish called the TurBaconEpic — a quail inside a cornish hen, inside a chicken, inside a duck, inside a turkey… inside a pig. It was covered in bacon, painted with a Dr. Pepper glaze, and garnished with Wendy’s Baconator burgers.

But just when you think this concept couldn’t get more insane, they announce a Japanese version of the show on YouTube. (I know, my mind is blown, too.) NextTime Productions is teaming up with 100-year-old Japanese production company Yoshimoto Kogyo for EpicMealTime Japan, which is due out later this year.

“The Japanese appetite for all things culinary fits in perfectly with what EpicMealTime is doing,” said Nerdist CEO Peter Levin, who represented Yoshimoto Kogyo in the deal. The Japanese version will essentially fit around the same concept of making “epic meals” while traveling throughout the country. Yoshimoto Kogyo has also signed on to produce additional original programing for NextTime Productions in the Japanese and international markets.

For Yoshimoto Kogyo, this isn’t the first time it’s partnered with American companies to do original web content. The company is the producer of the Japanese version of Saturday Night Live and a shareholder in Nerdist Industries, which recently launched a premium YouTube channel. Additionally, Yoshimoto Kogyo is helping to produce the recently announced Course of the Force, a 120-mile relay run where a chain of joggers will carry a lightsaber like an Olympic torch to their final destination.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Hulu is staying silent about the initial viewership of its first scripted original series Battleground, which premiered its pilot episode on Monday.

But the company has a plan to measure viewership in a new way, one that could make a huge difference to the survival of shows that have a dedicated following but don’t necessarily command a particular time slot.

Unlike traditional TV programs, Battleground’s success won’t be determined by evaluating the viewership during a predetermined time. When people watch a show isn’t nearly as important as the fact that they’re watching the show, whenever that happens, a Hulu spokesperson told VentureBeat.

Battleground is a half-hour dramedy (drama plus comedy minus the annoying laugh track) about a campaign staff that’s trying to win a Wisconsin senatorial election for an underdog candidate. The show has some top-notch talent behind it like creator/actor JD Walsh and producer/director Marc Webb, whose film credits include 500 Days of Summer and The Amazing Spider-Man movie. It’s also one of the first high-profile series that’s focused entirely on web viewership.

Normally, the premiere episode of a show with this level of hype would be followed by Nielsen TV ratings along with a breakdown of the audience demographics. But because Battleground is distributed as streaming video instead of television sets, it doesn’t have a standard rating system. And while Hulu definitely collected plenty of data about the show, the company isn’t planning to reveal the details — as is its policy for all shows that stream on its service.

Hulu said it plans on measuring the success of its original programs by the level of activity surrounding it, which includes total viewing audience, comments and discussion, social media interactions, and more. This is good for a number of reasons.

A more honest and accurate form of “rating”

The current Nielsen rating system for TV programming is inadequate because it’s based on of a sample of the population measured by a single company. And while ratings in most casts serve as a determination of quality, TV ratings are little more than an indication of programs that get the most number of eyeballs. Whether those people actually like the show isn’t as easily gauged. Hulu, however, only needs to look at the activity of a particular show over a much longer time frame.

It’s pretty simple if you think about it. If people are watching and talking about a show, it’s likely to get more episodes. The audience can also see a more honest representation of what people actually want to watch because others are constantly buzzing about it. If a show doesn’t have any buzz (after a reasonable amount of time), then its likely that no one will care if it’s gone.

New shows are less likely to get killed off prematurely

Based on traditional TV ratings, plenty of good shows were canceled by networks prematurely because they couldn’t draw a large enough audience to bring in advertising revenue during a designated time slot. Even in situations where the network wants to take more of a chance on a show that’s off to a weak start, it’s far more difficult to justify programs that don’t bring in enough ad revenue.

For instance, Firefly was taken off the air by Fox for this reason, despite becoming a cult classic post-cancellation. With Hulu, original shows are likely to get at least a full season to prove itself because the company is far more strategic about their strategy. Hulu isn’t trying to find decent shows that will fill its prime time schedule alongside some really great shows. It’s also worth noting that Hulu’s streaming service allows it to take advantage of shows that are more valuable as an entire season.

More creative and unique shows

When I flip on the television, my cable service rarely provides me with anything new or interesting. Again, this is due to the current TV rating system, which rewards shows that appeal to the highest number of people across all demographics and time slots. The selection of content is mostly stuff everyone is OK with watching when choosing between lots of bad programming.

This is why there’s an abundance of CSI Spinoffs and reality TV shows. When there is a decently entertaining/interesting prime time show on, network executives are behind the scenes imposing changes to boost ratings. I’m not saying these shows still aren’t able to produce quality content from talented people, but creativity is usually hindered on the basis of business.

Since traditional ratings aren’t crucial to the survival of the program, Hulu executive producers are likely to interfere on the basis of quality rather than ratings. In a Hulu blog post published Tuesday, Battleground creator JD Walsh explained his own experiences of “getting ‘network notes’ or revisions or other things that usually doom or plague great shows,” saying that:

“We did get notes, but they were always an attempt — not to satisfy a demographic or a fad or a meme — but instead the notes were to make the show smarter or funnier or more interesting with its storytelling. The show is better because of the relationship we have with (Hulu’s) Charlotte (Koh) and Andy (Forssell). The show will live or die on my point of view on TV or what the tone of the show is. That’s a testament to the trust that Hulu gives its creators to make the show that they believe in.”

Final word

Hulu is breaking new ground in the way of premium original programming, which it obviously realizes. Ultimately, the company’s success will be based on whether it’s able to produce quality content that’s on par with top TV network programming. Since Hulu is owned by three of the largest broadcast TV networks (NBC, ABC and Fox), it’s even likely that this model could create a new standard for how shows are produced and monetized.

For fans of quirky, quality TV shows, that’s very good news indeed.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

With the influx of smart TVs, set-top boxes, and connect-mobile devices, many people are discovering a new world of independently produced web video content. And for Internet TV network Revision3, this trend has translated into record growth that puts it on par with some cable TV networks.

If you’ve ever perused the free content channels available on pretty much any internet-connected video device, it’s very likely that you’ve seen Revision3′s familiar logo. The network is available across a plethora of digital platforms (e.g. Roku, Boxee, Zune, Tivo, Yahoo’s Connected TV Platform, Google TV, iOS, Android, and an HTML5-optimized video player).

The company produces a variety of original web programming about technology, comedy, pop culture, video games, music, and more. Some of its most popular shows include Diggnation, Tekzilla, Destructoid, and my personal favorite, the Totally Rad Show. While the shows are mainly produced in Revision3′s studio, videos get distributed to a variety of different channels (YouTube, Facebook, AOL, Yahoo, iTunes, etc.) and generate revenue from a mix of advertising and in-show sponsorships.

Revision3 recently shared its 2011 growth report with VentureBeat, and it shows that internet television networks are finally starting to break into the mainstream: The network’s total viewership across all video programs in 2011 reached nearly 800 million, while annual revenue was up 53 percent compared to the same period last year.

Revision3 also reported an increase in the size of its advertising/sponsorship deals, up 80 percent from a year ago. Not only that, but the network managed to gain advertising dollars from some of companies such as Ford, Doritos, Electronic Arts, Verizon, Sony, T-Mobile, Citrix, Gamestop, HTC, About.Me, and Samsung.

Most of Revision3′s programming appeals to the coveted 18- to 34-year-old male demographic, which Revision3 CEO Jim Louderback refers to as “the lost boys”.

“They don’t watch TV anymore, and most of their time is spent on the internet consuming web video,” said Louderback, who attributed part of the network’s higher viewership to its new lineup of popular YouTube shows, such as the Philip DeFranco Show, Film State, and Epic Meal Time.

As for the higher revenue, Louderback said ad clients are finally starting to shift from “testing the waters” with advertising on non-traditional programs to really making a large monetary commitment. “They’re starting to trust us because we can prove what kind of a return to expect,” he added.

Louderback said the company is already seeing record growth in 2012. Earlier this month, the network provided extensive live coverage of the Consumer Electronic Show, which included over 200 videos from various Revision3 shows. Over the course of a week, the CES videos delivered over nine million views.

“I don’t see doing live shows as something that’ll increase the audience overall. But if we can provide unique access to something in real-time, then it can work very well like it did with our CES coverage,” Louderback said, adding that Revision3 will do more live videos in 2012 when it makes sense.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Netflix is fulfilling its original series dream this February with a new show called Lilyhammer, to stream in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

The company has talked about bringing original content to its streaming service for awhile now. Reed Hastings, Netflix’s chief executive officer has said that the company may bring back retired or canceled series as a part of its original content strategy. This recently came true when Netflix announced it will be streaming new shows from Arrested Development, an early 2000′s show originally aired on Fox, which quickly gained a cult following.

The company usually operates by making partnerships with content creators to distribute their shows and movies. This is a time consuming and often expensive process as there is no blanket agreement for these types of deals. Each content producer may ask for various specifications in their contracts and a lot of negotiating takes place. Producing your own content cuts out the middle man, however, it introduces a new need for artistic minds, actors, producers and the rest of Hollywood’s cogs and gears.

Lilyhammer, which will be released in eight available episodes, details the life of Frank Tagliano, a New York city mobster. He enters the witness protect program and is shipped off to Norway. The show stars Steven Van Zandt, whose career outside of music took him to HBO’s popular series The Sopranos, where he played mobster Silvio Dante. Van Zandt is also the show’s executive producer.

“We’re proud to introduce this terrific Original Series exclusively to our members,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos in a statement. “If you love the first episode, there is no need to wait until next week, or to set a DVR, to catch the next one.”

The series will be available on February 6, 2012. Check out the trailer below:

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

As promised, YouTube is rolling out content from Disney and is starting with movie rentals through the website today, according to a company blog post.

Children are becoming increasingly interested in playing, imagining and being entertained by the internet over traditional forms of family play. According to a survey performed by Nielsen, 44 percent of kids aged 6-12 want an iPad for Christmas, closely followed by an iPod touch. Where families once gathered around the glowing fire, now we’re gathering around the glowing screen and YouTube is keeping us there with nostalgic Disney classics and new titles for rent.

Along with its user-driven content, YouTube has sported television shows and movies and become a TV station of its own. To continue this, the company announced a partnership with Disney earlier this month, to bring original content to the website. The deals helps glue together two companies in need, YouTube filling Disney’s need to connect with new audiences in the digital age, and YouTube’s need for original content that makes it competitive with the Hulu’s of the internet.

Currently available Disney movies include the original Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh and Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides, as well as Pixar creations Cars, and Cars 2. YouTube plans to release more movies in the coming weeks. Also in the pipeline are “extras” such as cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes looks.

You can rent and watch the movies at youtube.com/movies.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Although Yahoo is in turmoil after the ouster of CEO Carol Bartz, the company is still continuing to release digital products and trying to innovate. The company on Tuesday launched a new video site called Yahoo Screen that it will use to launch eight new original web shows and polish its overall video offerings.

Original online video is heating up, as web companies realize the advertising possibilities of homemade, branded content. Yahoo’s news follows AOL’s announcement yesterday that it would also expand its video products by launching more than 15 new original web series. Google is also expected to throw its hat into original video creation ring, after a report yesterday that it has set aside $100 million for YouTube programming. Yahoo, Google and AOL likely see original video series as a major opportunity to reach a new generation of web consumers who have embraced Netflix and Hulu and cut the cord on cable TV.

The new Yahoo Screen will replace Yahoo Video as the site’s primary video destination. Yahoo says the eight new original programs will be aimed primarily at women and feature actresses like Judy Greer and Niecy Nash, as well as documentarian Morgan Spurlock.

On top of that, the Yahoo Screen site will show licensed content from established content providers such as Fox News and Discovery. It also will license clips directly from Hulu, which is slightly peculiar since Yahoo was supposedly one of the top bidders for Hulu. Perhaps after Bartz’ exit, the company is no longer interested in picking up Hulu, and decided it would be easier to simply mimick Hulu’s strategies with its own site. Yahoo Screen even looks a lot like Hulu.

Yahoo’s push into video could also benefit the company’s just-announced partnership with ABC News. ABC News programming and content will find its way onto Yahoo Screen and help provide a variety of content that could keep users coming back.

Have you watched anything Yahoo Screen? Do you think it will help Yahoo?

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

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Not to be outdone by Google, AOL on Monday announced it will launch 15 new original web video series produced by or starring celebrities including Jennifer Lopez and Heidi Klum.

We also found out Monday that Google has put up $100 million for original programming on YouTube, with the search giant in talks with the likes of Tony Hawk, Warner Bros. and the production company behind TV comedy The Office. Both Google and AOL likely see original video series as a major opportunity to reach a new generation of web video consumers who have embraced Netflix and Hulu and cut the cord on cable TV.

New original programming on AOL will come from big companies like Michael Eisner’s Vuguru and Warner Bros. One could-be-big show on the list is AIM High, an action series starring Twilight’s Jackson Rathbone, about a high schooler who is also a secret government agent. Another is Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions and Believe Entertainment Group’s Tiger Beat Entertainment, which is based on the teen idol magazine and will target the same audience with news and lifestyle features.

“We are pleased to announce a slate of programming that shows our innovative approach to video,” said Ran Harnevo, Senior VP of AOL Video, in a statement. “It provides one of the best platforms on the Web to connect advertisers with premium content at scale. We’ve built a video ecosystem supported by our data and insights into what excites viewers, combined with a deep understanding of what they share and discuss online.”

AOL has been in trouble with its stock price as of late, but the company has had positive traction when it comes to its media properties, especially the Huffington Post. It likely hopes a slate of original video will give it another opportunity to attract strong pageviews and big advertising dollars.

A full listing of AOL’s new video series can be read below:

Women
• Little Women, Big Cars: From bake sales and soccer games to gossip and divorce, four moms navigate the comedy and drama of suburban life. Starring Ed Begley Jr., Antonio Sabato, Jr., Julie Warner and Kristy Swanson. Produced by Vuguru.
• A Supermodel Stole My Husband: A lighthearted makeover show in which a frustrated wife enlists an adored supermodel to help transform her husband. Produced by AOL Studios.
• Heidi Klum on AOL: A guide to fabulous living for everyday women, including fashion, beauty, parenting, lifestyle, fitness and nutrition. Produced by Full Picture.
• Jocks & Jills: Sports show meets The View in a fresh and funny sports talk show hosted by a rotating panel of diverse celebrity guests. Produced by Flavor Unit Productions.
• Lost in Translation: Reality series following a hip-hop DJ and famous ‘Nuyorican,’ as she attempts to learn Spanish, learn to cook, date and reclaim her Puerto Rican heritage. Produced by Flavor Unit Productions.
• Fearless Living: Based on her best-selling book On Becoming Fearless, Arianna Huffington looks at the many aspects of living a fearless life – from motherhood and parenting to beauty and health to navigating the workplace to friendship, relationships and aging gracefully. Produced by AOL Studios.

General
• The Tanning Effect: Steve Stoute, best-selling author of The Tanning of America, interviews entertainment icons and pop-culture thought leaders including Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams; the series is sponsored by State Farm. Produced by AOL Studios.
• Sessions: Original, exclusive performances with hitmakers such as Alicia Keys and Adele. Produced by AOL Studios.
• Unscripted: Celebrity co-stars interview each other with users’ burning questions. Past talent includes Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Aniston, Robert Pattinson and Adam Sandler. Produced by AOL Studios.
• You’ve Got: Everyday, everyone from Barack Obama to Kevin Bacon to Paula Abdul tells the world what ‘You’ve Got.’ Produced by AOL Studios.

Men
• AutoBlog – The List :Hosts who consider themselves true automotive aficionados must tackle crazy car challenges from ‘The List,’ created by Autoblog’s expert editors. Produced by AOL Studios.
• The Interface: Exclusive performances from breaking artists, such as Mumford and Sons, Rogue Wave, Manchester Orchestra and The National. Produced by AOL Studios.
• MMA Hour: Up close and personal with the celebrities of the MMA Fighting world. Produced by AOL Studios.
• The Engadget Show: Industry leaders and tech luminaries take the stage in front of an audience of tech enthusiasts. Produced by AOL Studios.

Teens & Young Adults
• CliffsNotes Films: Short, animated, irreverent versions of literary classics, produced by Mark Burnett, Coalition Films and AOL Studios and Executive produced by Josh Faure-Brac. Columbia Pictures’ film Anonymous (in theaters October 28th) is the exclusive sponsor of the first six episodes.
• AIM High: TV broadcast-quality action series following Nick Green as he juggles high school with being a secret government agent. Starring Jackson Rathbone from Twilight and Aimee Teegarden from Friday Night Lights. Produced by Warner Bros.

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Tickets On Sale Now

Google plans to turn its YouTube property into something more like a traditional TV network by revamping the site to feature topic-specific channels and pouring up to $100 million into the production of original content, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Sources in the know tell the WSJ that Google is hoping to make YouTube more of a destination site for couch potatoes. The company is planning for the inevitable point when most consumers have access to YouTube in their living room. The changes would also tempt users to spend more time on YouTube and convince advertisers to spend more on the video site. And of course, it would be a way for Google to combat Netflix’s dominance when it comes to feature-length videos.

If true, the news would represent a major shift for YouTube, which started out as a hotbed for personal and pirated video. After clashing with content creators like Viacom for years, and after noble attempts to deliver legal content with rentals, YouTube has now matured to the point where it can deliver high-quality original content to all of our screens.

The YouTube revamp would also be a boon to Google TV, Google’s attempt to unify traditional television and web content (which I liked, but thought needed improvement). Google has already launched YouTube Leanback (pictured above) as an optimized way to experience the site on TVs, but the addition of channels and original content certainly won’t hurt.

At the moment, it sounds like the channels will be similar to actual television channels. Google hopes that you’ll tune into the sports or entertainment channel just as you would ESPN or MTV. That means the company also needs to work on managing content better so that viewers don’t feel the need to tune out.

The WSJ says that the YouTube changes will roll out over time, starting towards the end of 2011.