Nine Entertainment Co has secured a content deal with Disney's Maker Studios to feature five original series on its AVOD player 9Now.
The millennial skewed shows (see below) are part of its Short Not Sweet package, and represent the first digital-only content deal for the 9Now platform.
Maker Studios produces online short form video and its network includes more than 50,000 independent creators and influencers from more than 100 countries, attracting over 11 billion views per month on YouTube alone.
“We firmly believe our relationship with Maker Studios will add new audiences to the 9Now platform, which already has more than 1.7m subscribers, and we are really excited to be an exclusive home for the premiere of Jobsworth, starring Joe Weller,” Nine general manager of product and digital operations Niamh Collins says.
Nick Higgins, general manager of Maker Studios Australia and New Zealand, adds: “We continue to look for distribution platforms that value our voice in short form and look forward to exposing these original shows to new audiences.”
The five original series non 9Now include:
Jobsworth: 20-year-old YouTube sensation Joe Weller looks to find his dream job, bargaining with potential bosses for a day of experience in his dream job in return for a day in the worst job they can find. With more than six million followers across social platforms, Joe has built a global audience with comedy sketches, vlogs, music videos and more. (This show is only available on 9Now)
Now Boarding: Skateboarders and social media stars Chris Chann, Micky Papa and Jason Park embark on their first European adventure. Visiting Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Venice and other cities, they link up with locals to skate conic spots, sample signature dishes, check out the nightlight and explore how skateboarding can break down barriers and connect cultures. The series is a collaboration between Maker Studios and Sweatpants Media.
Wreck Room: YouTube star Nikki Limo hosts game night in her parents’ living room – playing games from growing up like “Never Have I Ever” and “Spin the Bottle.” The series is a collaboration between Maker Studios and Matador Content, producers of the hit Spike TV series Lip Sync Battle.
Pretty Vacant: Two shallow, narcissistic and reprehensible best friends find themselves in relatable but elevated situations as they search for love. Starring creators Avital Ash and Danielle Rene, along with Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights), Derek Phillips (Friday Night Lights), and Simon Kassianides (The Big C), with digital stars AlphaCat and Shameless Maya, the series is directed by Heath Cullens (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and is a collaboration between Maker Studios and Steel Wool Entertainment.
Hope & Randy: A quirky, irreverent, romantic comedy about the sweet and awkward sexual explorations of a pair of 24-year-olds in their first serious relationship. The series originally premiered on linear television as part of truTV’s “Late Night Snack” in the US and is produced by Two Trick Pony in association with Maker Studios.
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