--Round-Up of Recent Interactive TV-Related News from MySpace
News Corp.-owned social networking company, MySpace, contacted [itvt] Monday to let us know that it is teaming with its corporate stablemate, Fox, on a user-generated video contest to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the satirical animated series, "The Simpsons." Riffing on the iconic couch gag that concludes the opening credits of the series, the contest invites viewers to create live-action videos of their own original couch gags and upload them to a "The Simpsons" MySpace page. A winner will then be selected (on June 22nd) by a judging panel that includes the producers of "The Simpsons," and the winner and a guest will receive a trip to Los Angeles to attend the party for the show's 21st season premiere, as well as a home entertainment system and a custom "The Simpsons" drawing. In addition, MySpace users will choose a "fan favorite" winner by rating entries in a video gallery on the "The Simpsons" MySpace page. The deadline for submissions--which must be no longer than 45 seconds--is May 18th. Entrants can utilize audio files of the show's theme music that are available on MySpace.
In other recent interactive TV-related news from MySpace:
--Last week, the company launched an original, interactive broadband video game show, called "BFF." The show is produced by Meryl Poster, former co-president of production at Miramax Films, former fashion executive, David Rubin, and City Lights media; is sponsored by Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals; and is hosted by "Last Comic Standing" finalist, Amy Schumer. Each episode features a pair of best friends, who are challenged to answer questions about each other in several rounds. They are then awarded prizes based on the number of questions they answered correctly. MySpace users can apply to be featured on the show by submitting video entries on a "BFF" MySpace page. The page also features an application that allows MySpace users to create their own "BFF" quizzes by selecting questions from a list of categories; they can then send their quizzes to their friends. "MySpace users have been waiting for a snackable and social property like 'BFF,'" Cristian Cussen, director of content and marketing for MySpace video, said in a prepared statement. "It encourages users to not only play along, but also create their own versions of the game We're very excited that our platform continues to bring brands and traditional media veterans together."
--The company has been designated as the exclusive US distributor of "Section 8," an interactive, short-form Web series that is the result of a partnership between Paramount Digital Entertainment and Gaumont (note: international distribution for the series, as well as product integration and brand partnerships, will be handled by Endemol). The supernatural-themed series features a series of characters who each face a "moment of jeopardy" that leaves only one survivor. According to "Section 8's" producers, viewers will be invited to guess the solution to the series' "cryptic back-story" using "customized interactive experiences situated in and around the series." The series will also eventually be redistributed as a full-length feature, the producers say. MySpace will provide a special area for the series that will feature character descriptions, episode discussions and behind-the-scenes content; and MySpace users will be able to embed each episode in their profile pages. According to its producers, "Section 8" will create opportunities for brands to become "deeply integrated" into its story and will leverage "the interactive quality of mobile and online entertainment" to enable viewers to "participate in a compelling exploration of the content through customized marketing experiences."
