YouTube Enlists Big-Name Help to Redefine Channels

CULVER CITY, Calif. (AP) YouTube is enlisting Hollywood's help to reach a generation of viewers more familiar with smartphones than TV remotes.The online video giant is aiming to create 25 hours of programming per day with the help of some of the top names in traditional TV. The Google-owned site is spreading its wealth among producers, directors, and other filmmakers, using a $100 million pot of seed money it committed last fall. The fund represents YouTube's largest spending on original content so far.YouTube believes it is laying groundwork for the future. While the number of traditional TV watchers has leveled off in recent years, more and more people are watching video on mobile phones, tablets and computers, especially the 18- to 34-year-old age demographic that advertisers covet.The idea is to create 96 additional YouTube channels, which are essentially artists' home pages, where viewers can see existing video clips and click "subscribe" to be notified when new content goes up.Well-funded videos by a select roster of stars are likely to be more watchable than the average YouTube fare of cute cats and webcam monologues. YouTube is betting that a solid stream of good content will attract more revenue from advertisers, bring viewers back frequently and bolster its parent company's fledgling Web-connected-TV platform, Google TV.The cash has enticed some of TV's biggest stars, including "Fast Five" director Justin Lin, who directs episodes of "Community," ''CSI" creator Anthony Zuiker and Nancy Tellem, the former president of CBS entertainment.Zuiker is teaming up on a horror series for YouTube after observing his own family's behavior. His three pre-teen sons spend more time on phones, iPads and computers than watching TV these days."We want to jointly take the risk with YouTube and roll the dice on the future," Zuiker says. "The old regime is going to falter because everybody thinks the TV is the only device that really counts, and that's just not the case."For producers, it's a chance to create shows that are completely free of meddling from major studios. They can also stay relevant with a younger crowd whose viewing is moving increasingly online.Several new channels such as the extreme sports-focused Network A and Spanish-language Tutele have launched already. YouTube hopes to have them all up and running by this summer."This was really about galvanizing the ecosystem at large," says Alex Carloss, global head of original programming for YouTube. "We see the portfolio (of funded channels) really representing the best of TV meeting the best of the Web."YouTube isn't the only Web video service that has started to pay for original content. Netflix Inc. recently launched the original series "Lilyhammer," while Hulu premiered "Battleground." But YouTube videos tend to be under 10 minutes, instead of fitting into traditional half-hour or hour-long TV slots. And aside from a few guidelines, ultimate control is given over to the artist, including what is uploaded and when new episodes appear.YouTubers also get away with far edgier stuff than the middle finger that rapper M.I.A. flashed during the Super Bowl halftime show.Although YouTube's entire investment is less than half of what some studios spend on one blockbuster movie, about a third of the new channels were awarded to scrappy YouTube veterans who already know how to make it big online while keeping production costs low.YouTube expects to recoup what it spends on the grants by sharing ad revenue the new videos generate.At Maker Studios, which received money for three new channels, the funds have turbo-charged an already teeming operation that has about 160 full-time staff spread across several buildings crammed with props and computers in the west Los Angeles suburb of Culver City.On a recent visit, two scenes were being shot in an alley. One was for a parody of a Christmas movie trailer. The other was for a new series about a crime-fighting van called "Si, Es I, Pepe."Maker cranks out about 300 YouTube videos each month at a bare-bones cost of about $1,000 each.The studio's videos generate a whopping 500 million views each month, thanks largely to established hits that include Ray William Johnson's roundup of crazy videos and such viral giants as "Epic Rap Battles of History."Advertisers pay up to $10 per thousand views for video ads that precede the featured content, according to TubeMogul, a major buyer of YouTube ads for the nation's biggest advertisers including Proctor & Gamble Co. and News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox movie studio.Established YouTube partners share roughly half of their revenue with the site. So if Maker videos generate $1 or $2 in ad revenue per thousand views, it would just be scraping by.Maker co-founder Danny Zappin, who quit film school to buy a high-end camera to start a career on YouTube, says it's a "tricky balance" to keep the studio's share of ad revenue higher than the cost of video-making. The undisclosed amount it got from YouTube, on top of the $4 million venture capital it received about a year ago, lets Maker put up more videos without waiting for the views and cash to roll in."It gives us resources and runway that we wouldn't otherwise have," Zappin said.For other less-established players in online video, the money has given them an added reason to get involved.Former CBS executive Tellem teamed up with TV entrepreneur Brian Bedol to create Bedrocket Media Ventures, an upstart production company behind several new YouTube channels, including Network A. The funding "allowed us, or caused us, to focus on YouTube ahead of other platforms," Bedol says.Analysts believe YouTube has made a wise investment at a time ad rates for online video are rising.YouTube can be successful with just a few big hits think of Rebecca Black's "Friday" even if thousands of videos fall flat. It's similar to the hit-or-miss approach to traditional TV and movies."The investor community does not look at this as money wasted," Macquarie analyst Ben Schachter says.Since promising to share ad revenue with its most popular uploaders in 2007, YouTube has invested in original content mainly by paying for equipment and training new artists, but it was never as big as this.Backing up its new strategy, YouTube also revamped its homepage to prioritize channels and recommendations above just the most-viewed videos. The revamp allows advertisers to target popular channels or categories of content more easily.YouTube's funding plan takes a page from Apple Inc.'s playbook. When the iPhone maker launched its App Store in 2008, a $100 million seed fund created by Silicon Valley investor John Doerr spawned hundreds of thousands of new apps."Our developers are not software engineers," YouTube's vice president of global content partnerships, Robert Kyncl, told a convention in January. "Our developers are Hollywood stars, are online stars, are regular folks like you and I."If nothing else, the injection of funds will spawn content never before been seen on any screen, large or small."Fast Five" director Lin, who is teaming up with YouTube stars Ryan Higa and Kevin "KevJumba" Wu on the "YOMYOMF" channel, said his focus is not to try to find audiences with stereotypical Asian-American content. Rather, the idea is to give a platform to people who have unique voices but haven't been heard yet.He says Higa and Wu didn't follow any set rules when they jumped to popularity with a mix of oddball humor, brutal honesty and rap."They just did what they loved, and people came," Lin said. "If we're going to fail, I would rather go out with that philosophy."Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Ryan Nakashima February 21, 2012 PHOTO CREDIT AP Photo CULVER CITY, Calif. (AP) YouTube is enlisting Hollywood's help to reach a generation of viewers more familiar with smartphones than TV remotes.The online video giant is aiming to create 25 hours of programming per day with the help of some of the top names in traditional TV. The Google-owned site is spreading its wealth among producers, directors, and other filmmakers, using a $100 million pot of seed money it committed last fall. The fund represents YouTube's largest spending on original content so far.YouTube believes it is laying groundwork for the future. While the number of traditional TV watchers has leveled off in recent years, more and more people are watching video on mobile phones, tablets and computers, especially the 18- to 34-year-old age demographic that advertisers covet.The idea is to create 96 additional YouTube channels, which are essentially artists' home pages, where viewers can see existing video clips and click "subscribe" to be notified when new content goes up.Well-funded videos by a select roster of stars are likely to be more watchable than the average YouTube fare of cute cats and webcam monologues. YouTube is betting that a solid stream of good content will attract more revenue from advertisers, bring viewers back frequently and bolster its parent company's fledgling Web-connected-TV platform, Google TV.The cash has enticed some of TV's biggest stars, including "Fast Five" director Justin Lin, who directs episodes of "Community," ''CSI" creator Anthony Zuiker and Nancy Tellem, the former president of CBS entertainment.Zuiker is teaming up on a horror series for YouTube after observing his own family's behavior. His three pre-teen sons spend more time on phones, iPads and computers than watching TV these days."We want to jointly take the risk with YouTube and roll the dice on the future," Zuiker says. "The old regime is going to falter because everybody thinks the TV is the only device that really counts, and that's just not the case."For producers, it's a chance to create shows that are completely free of meddling from major studios. They can also stay relevant with a younger crowd whose viewing is moving increasingly online.Several new channels such as the extreme sports-focused Network A and Spanish-language Tutele have launched already. YouTube hopes to have them all up and running by this summer."This was really about galvanizing the ecosystem at large," says Alex Carloss, global head of original programming for YouTube. "We see the portfolio (of funded channels) really representing the best of TV meeting the best of the Web."YouTube isn't the only Web video service that has started to pay for original content. Netflix Inc. recently launched the original series "Lilyhammer," while Hulu premiered "Battleground." But YouTube videos tend to be under 10 minutes, instead of fitting into traditional half-hour or hour-long TV slots. And aside from a few guidelines, ultimate control is given over to the artist, including what is uploaded and when new episodes appear.YouTubers also get away with far edgier stuff than the middle finger that rapper M.I.A. flashed during the Super Bowl halftime show.Although YouTube's entire investment is less than half of what some studios spend on one blockbuster movie, about a third of the new channels were awarded to scrappy YouTube veterans who already know how to make it big online while keeping production costs low.YouTube expects to recoup what it spends on the grants by sharing ad revenue the new videos generate.At Maker Studios, which received money for three new channels, the funds have turbo-charged an already teeming operation that has about 160 full-time staff spread across several buildings crammed with props and computers in the west Los Angeles suburb of Culver City.On a recent visit, two scenes were being shot in an alley. One was for a parody of a Christmas movie trailer. The other was for a new series about a crime-fighting van called "Si, Es I, Pepe."Maker cranks out about 300 YouTube videos each month at a bare-bones cost of about $1,000 each.The studio's videos generate a whopping 500 million views each month, thanks largely to established hits that include Ray William Johnson's roundup of crazy videos and such viral giants as "Epic Rap Battles of History."Advertisers pay up to $10 per thousand views for video ads that precede the featured content, according to TubeMogul, a major buyer of YouTube ads for the nation's biggest advertisers including Proctor & Gamble Co. and News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox movie studio.Established YouTube partners share roughly half of their revenue with the site. So if Maker videos generate $1 or $2 in ad revenue per thousand views, it would just be scraping by.Maker co-founder Danny Zappin, who quit film school to buy a high-end camera to start a career on YouTube, says it's a "tricky balance" to keep the studio's share of ad revenue higher than the cost of video-making. The undisclosed amount it got from YouTube, on top of the $4 million venture capital it received about a year ago, lets Maker put up more videos without waiting for the views and cash to roll in."It gives us resources and runway that we wouldn't otherwise have," Zappin said.For other less-established players in online video, the money has given them an added reason to get involved.Former CBS executive Tellem teamed up with TV entrepreneur Brian Bedol to create Bedrocket Media Ventures, an upstart production company behind several new YouTube channels, including Network A. The funding "allowed us, or caused us, to focus on YouTube ahead of other platforms," Bedol says.Analysts believe YouTube has made a wise investment at a time ad rates for online video are rising.YouTube can be successful with just a few big hits think of Rebecca Black's "Friday" even if thousands of videos fall flat. It's similar to the hit-or-miss approach to traditional TV and movies."The investor community does not look at this as money wasted," Macquarie analyst Ben Schachter says.Since promising to share ad revenue with its most popular uploaders in 2007, YouTube has invested in original content mainly by paying for equipment and training new artists, but it was never as big as this.Backing up its new strategy, YouTube also revamped its homepage to prioritize channels and recommendations above just the most-viewed videos. The revamp allows advertisers to target popular channels or categories of content more easily.YouTube's funding plan takes a page from Apple Inc.'s playbook. When the iPhone maker launched its App Store in 2008, a $100 million seed fund created by Silicon Valley investor John Doerr spawned hundreds of thousands of new apps."Our developers are not software engineers," YouTube's vice president of global content partnerships, Robert Kyncl, told a convention in January. "Our developers are Hollywood stars, are online stars, are regular folks like you and I."If nothing else, the injection of funds will spawn content never before been seen on any screen, large or small."Fast Five" director Lin, who is teaming up with YouTube stars Ryan Higa and Kevin "KevJumba" Wu on the "YOMYOMF" channel, said his focus is not to try to find audiences with stereotypical Asian-American content. Rather, the idea is to give a platform to people who have unique voices but haven't been heard yet.He says Higa and Wu didn't follow any set rules when they jumped to popularity with a mix of oddball humor, brutal honesty and rap."They just did what they loved, and people came," Lin said. "If we're going to fail, I would rather go out with that philosophy."Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Weinstein Co Searching To Enhance $150M: Bloomberg

The Weinstein Co entirely honours-season glory due to this year’s Best Picture Oscar leader The Artist leading the distributor’s 16 overall nominations.Nevertheless the black-and-white-colored quiet film hasn’t been a blockbuster within the box office, getting attracted in a maximum of $28 million in your area so far. So that it’s no surprise to find out that Bloomberg is verifying the indie studio is searching to enhance $150 million to assist film methods and retire debt. The sources reported inside the report mentioned that amount could change, however the loan might be backed through the organization’s library and Union Bank is leading the sale. The studio up-to-date its debt this season and it has labored its sometime ago for an advaced status, winning the most effective Picture Oscar a year ago while using King’s Speech and receiving critical praise this season while using Iron Lady and My Week With Marilyn.

The Entire Pilot Report: CBS Has Greg Berlanti, Louis C.K. and Bridesmaids Stars!

Mandy Moore, Natalie Portman The autumn TV months are materializing. Systems have purchased a large number of new aircraft pilots starring familiar faces including Zachary Levi, Mindy Kaling, Mandy Moore and Sarah Silverman, and from proven producers like Josh Schwartz, J.J. Abrams, Greg Berlanti and Kevin Williamson. Also creating a comeback this season: Legendary figures including Eco-friendly Arrow, Barbara Bradshaw, A Virtual Detective and sweetness and also the Animal. To keep an eye on who's doing what, read our complete list of all of the series projects in contention and appearance back for updates on their own status. Listed here are the ABC aircraft pilots: (Get more information at CBS, CW, Fox and NBC.) DRAMA 666 Park Avenue An innocent Midwestern couple get the interview as resident managers of the Upper East Side apartment building in NY, using the owner performed by Lost's Terry O'Quinn. Unknowingly for them, the citizens have made handles the Demon to obtain their desires satisfied. David Wilcox will adapt Gabrielle Pierce's book series and executive-produce, alongside Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo. Americana This cleaning soap is placed around popular designer and the family and business. Michael Seitzman authored the pilot and can executive-produce with Grey's Anatomy's Mark Gordon. Beauty and also the Animal An illusion re-imagining from the classic Beauty and also the Animal tale, in which an embattled princess finds out an unlikely reference to amysterious animal. Jericho's Jonathan E. Steinberg will write and executive-make the pilot alongside Existence Unexpected's Gary Fleder and Mary Janet Basile. Devious Service personnel An adaptation of the Mexican cleaning soap four service personnel - one of these performed by Dania Ramirez - with ambitions and dreams that belongs to them who work with the wealthy and famous in Beverly Hillsides. Desperate Housewives' Marc Cherry and Sabrina Wind executive-produce. Gilded Lilys An upstairs-downstairs consider the opening from the first true luxury hotel built-in NY City circa 1895. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Ales (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice) executive-produce. Blythe Danner, Madeline Zima and Sarah Bolger will star. KJ Steinberg (Gossip Girl, The Nine) authored the pilot. Gotham A lady cop who, after going after a apparently unsolvable situation, finds out an enchanting world that is available within NY City. Michael Eco-friendly (Heroes) will write and executive-produce with Kings' Erwin Stoff. The Last Measure A renegade crew of the nuclear submarine, lead by Males of the Certain Age's Andre Braugher, go on the move after repel a purchase to fireplace nuclear missiles. They find sanctuary in a NATO base where they declare the world's littlest nuclear nation. The Shield's Shawn Ryan will executive-make the pilot, that they authored with Karl Gajdusek (Dead Much Like Me). Fall Reeser, Daisy Betts, and Serta Lissing will even star. Nashville A household cleaning soap set from the backdrop from the Nashville music scene that follows two music artists, one who's already a star and also the other who's increasing. Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise) and RJ Cutler will write and executive-produce. Mike Palladio will star. Penoza The widow of the assassinated criminal needs to consider her husband's role inside a crime syndicate to be able to safeguard her family. Dexter's Melissa Rosenberg will write, in line with the Nederlander format, and executive-produce alongside The Office's Howard Klein. Scruples A socialite within the '70s attempts to open a way-forward boutique in Beverly Hillsides after her husband dies. Natalie Portman, in her own first foray into TV, executive-creates the drama in line with the Judith Krantz novel. Bob Brush and Mel Harris modified the pilot. Untitled Roland Emmerich/Harold Kloser project An astrophysics grad student (Max Thieriot) in New york city discovers that he's the selected someone to destroy the forces of evil within this project from Independence Day's Roland Emmerich and 2012's Harold Kloser. Mark Gordon (Criminal Minds) and Nicholas Pepper will even executive-produce. Gabriella Wilde and Yaya DaCosta will even star. Zero Hour A doubters magazine editor will get drawn into probably the most compelling conspiracies in history. Prison Break's Paul Scheuring authored the pilot and executive-produces with Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Serta McDermott. COMEDY American Judy A newlywed city girl (Judy Greer)moves towards the and surrounding suburbs and should juggle stepchildren, her mother-in-law (Mimi Kennedy) and her husband's ex-wife, who's even the town sheriff. Leap Year's Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont authored the pilot and can executive-produce with Greer. Counter Culture Three aging siblings run their loved ones diner together in West Texas and discover that brother or sister dynamics will always be getting when it comes to obtaining the task finished.MADtv's Stephnie Weir will write and executive-produce alongside Claudia Lonow (Accidentally purposely). How you can Accept Your Folks for that Relaxation of the Existence Scrubs' Sarah Chalke stars like a recently divorced lady who eventually ends up relocating together with her over-the-top parents Elaine and Max. Accidentally purposely creator Claudia Lonow authored the pilot based loosely by herself existence. She executive-produces with John Grazer, Ron Howard and Francie Calfo. Malibu Country Reba McEntire stars like a broke divorcee who moves her family to Malibu where she tries to revive her music career and keep her children from being corrupted through the city. Reba's Kevin Abbott will write and executive-make the pilot. Only Fools and Horses Two streetwise siblings as well as their aging grandfather concoct crazy and morally questionable get-wealthy-quick schemes within their mission being riches. Happy Being and Scrubs scribes Steven Cragg andBrian Bradley will write and executive-produce. Prairie Dogs Neil (Kal Penn), an uncool cubicle worker (or "prairie dog"), becomes the victim of id theft.As he finds out the thiefhas produced an infinitely more fulfilling, kick-ass existence together with his identity, he decides to create the charming conman his existence coach. That '70s Show's Jackie and Shaun Filgo executive-produce. Saturday Evening Live's Michaela Watson will star. The Wise One Arrested Development's Portia p Rossi stars like a brilliant and effective lady who begrudgingly eventually ends up employed by her ditzy beauty full sister (Malin Akerman), who's now a large-city mayor.Jean Wise shows their mother. Don Todd will write and executive-produce alongside Ellen DeGeneres. Untitled Serta Fogelman project A household (Lenny Venito, Jami Gertz, Isabella Cramp, Clara Mamet and Tyler Christopher Backer) moves right into a beautiful, remarkably affordable gated community in Nj simply to uncover that the neighbors are actually from another planet. Serta Fogelman (Crazy, Stupid, Love) will write and executive-produce. Simon Templeman, Toks Olagundoye, Tim Jo and Ian Patrick will even star. Untitled Kari Lizer project A higher-powered executive who centered corporate America for a long time faces the greatest challenge of her existence when she finds herself unemployed and instructed to behave as a complete-time mother to her two teens. The Brand New Adventures of Old Christine's Kari Lizer will write and executive-produce. Untitled Mandy Moore project Bride and groom Annie (Mandy Moore) and Ben obtain the chance a person can have to operate a stylish, new restaurant in Annie's home town. Regrettably, additionally, it brings her nearer to her desperate and maintenance family. Wedding Crashers co-author Bob Fisher and Notes in the Underbelly's Stacy Traub authored the pilot and can executive-produce with Last Guy Standing duo Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements. Untitled Adam Sztykiel project A raw, amusing look behind the curtain of contemporary twentysomething associations. Adam Sztykiel (Deadline) authored the pilot and co-executive-produces. Nick Kocher will co-star. Whitened Van Guy A guy (Worst Week's Kyle Bornheimer) puts his dreams on hold to be able to dominate the household renovator business from his father (The Closer's J.K. Simmons). Bobby Bowman (I'm Earl) will write and executive-produce. Which aircraft pilots seem interesting for you?

Gossip Girl

Thank you for going to NY's Upper East side where the wealthy and connected mingle at benefits and continue to deal with their always dramatic love lives, in addition to picking schools. Blair Waldorf might be the so-referred to as toast of adolescence in their world she and her pals, Kati Farkas and Isabel Coates, go to a prep school and fancy parties utilizing their wealthy parents. Blair is envied by her adversaries because she's thought to offer the perfect existence, not just because of her gorgeous boyfriend, Nate Archibald, but because she's also considering participating in her dream college, Yale. With everyone worried about college(or waiting on worrying, which everyone seems to complete), and senior year dragging along, her apparently perfect existence is interrupted by her ex-nearest friend, the attractive Serena van der Woodsen, coming back in to the city once you have began from boarding school. Serena returns into her existence, and to the eyes of Blair's boy friend. When everything Blair knows starts to interrupt apart, everyone will realize that her existence is definately not perfect. Will existence within the top East Side redeem itself from the products it's really stated to become? Or will the false facade demonstrate the wealthy have the identical problems since the much less wealthy (Jenny and Serta Humphrey), or maybe more. And basically maybe Jenny and Serta are much more happy with their simple, much less expectant lives.

The very best spinner's greenlights 'Sullivan and Son'

The very best spinner's has bought 10 cases of comedy "Sullivan and Boy," starring comedian Steve Byrne. Byrne and showrunner Make the most of Extended co-written the pilot, occur a Pittsburgh bar that Byrne's character, a classic corporate attorney, will get control. Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley are professional creating "Sullivan" with Extended, with Serta Lauria, Jodi Extended, Owen Benjamin, John Doyle Murray, Christine Ebersole, Vivian Bang and Valerie Azlynn co-starring. Show arises from Vaughn's Wild West Picture Show Prods. in colaboration with Warner Horizon TV. Ted Wass willl direct. " 'Sullivan and Son' can be a smart, funny, workplace comedy within the distinct comedy voices of Steve Byrne and Make the most of Extended," mentioned Michael Wright, professional veep and mind of programming to find the best spinner's, TNT and Turner Classic Movies. Lauria and Extended may have the oldsters of Byrne's character, Benjamin his nearest friend. Bang gets the role of his sister, Azlynn can be a former sweetheart and Murray and Ebersole (who labored together on "Saturday Evening Live" 3 decades ago) may have bar regulars. "Sullivan" is slated for just about any summer season premiere, to select buddy comedy series "Males in the officeInch with Danny Masterson, James Lesure, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch. Coming later this year to find the best spinner's will probably be "The Wedding Band," with John Austin Eco-friendly, Harold Perrineau, Peter Cambor, Derek Burns, Melora Hardin, Jenny Wade and Kathryn Fiore. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Bruce Howard dies at 86

TV writer Bruce Howard, who penned multiple episodes of comedies including "Gilligan's Island," "The Brady Bunch" and "Good Times," wrote dozens of episodes of "The Dukes of Hazzard" and picked up an Emmy nomination for his efforts on "The Red Skelton Hour," died of natural causes in Studio City, Calif., on Jan. 30. He was 86.Howard wrote 32 episodes of Skelton's show in 1962-63 and also wrote multiple episodes of shows including "McHale's Navy" and, later, "The Love Boat." He wrote one or two episodes of "The Lucy Show," "I Dream of Jeannie," "The Jeffersons," "Alice," "Too Close for Comfort," "Punky Brewster," "What's Happening" and "One Day at a Time."He was story editor on "The Dukes of Hazzard" from 1979-83.Born in Brooklyn, Howard started in showbiz as a performer, working as a standup comic with the likes of Milton Berle and Shecky Greene. He appeared in the Catskills and elsewhere around the country. He was also an actor.Howard is survived by his wife of 39 years, Gaye; three sons; and a daughter. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com