LOS ANGELES ? February 5, 2007 ? Amp'd Mobile, the pioneer of fully integrated mobile entertainment, today announced that it has inked development deals with some of Hollywood's biggest players, including Jack Black, Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, and ICEBOX, co-founded by Howard Gordon, the executive producer of "24" and "The X-Files." Amp'd also announced an extended deal with Donick Cary, co-creator of COMEDY CENTRAL's "Lil Bush: Resident of the United States," the first made-for-mobile program originally developed by Amp'd Mobile that crossed over to linear television. The new line-up of deals comes on the heels of Amp'd Mobile's recently announced first-of-its-kind deal with MTV Networks to jointly develop made-for-mobile programming that will be exclusively programmed on Amp'd. As the only carrier with an extensive in-house development studio dedicated to creating unique and original programming, Amp'd Mobile provides Hollywood's top creative minds with free reign to experiment with non-traditional content programmed to a rapidly growing young audience.
Jack Black & Channel 101
Beginning in 2007, Jack Black, with producing partners Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, will develop an exclusive series of comedy shorts for Amp'd Mobile based on the model they have popularized at their Channel 101 events. As with their monthly "Hollywood Screenings", the mobile audience will get to vote on their favorite shows and control which return and which are cancelled. In 2004, Harmon and Schrab launched Channel 101, "the unavoidable future of Entertainment" as a live event that spawned an Internet empire at channel101.com. Channel 101 has thrived as a place for comic writers, actors, and directors to collaboratively, create and showcase their talents directly to an audience while sidestepping the traditional Hollywood system.
"What we've got here is a small group of anarchist rogues partnering with a huge, profit-seeking machine, so of course there's danger of compromise -- but I'm promising right now that Channel 101 will let Amp'd Mobile stay exactly the way we found it," said Harmon, who will oversee production with Ben Cooley for Electric Dynamite.
Donick Cary
Amp'd Mobile has proven itself as a viable "incubator" for programmers eagerly looking for the next hot show. Last quarter, Amp'd Mobile and COMEDY CENTRAL announced that the original animated mobile series "Lil' Bush: Resident of the United States" would make the leap from mobile to COMEDY CENTRAL. The initial six episodes are slated to debut on television in late summer 2007. Creator, executive producer, and writer Donick Cary has also signed on with Amp'd Mobile to exclusively develop mobile original series for Amp'd over the next two years.
"I'm thrilled Amp'd is letting me create new cell phone series in 2007," Cary said. "If I can get one kid kicked out of school for watching TV in class then I've done my part."
Cary's next series in production at Amp'd include "Lil' Hollywood," a Hollywood-themed spin-off of "Lil' Bush" that will focus on the pint-sized adventures of celebrities featuring Carson Daly as Britney's Hoo Hoo; and "Mexican Crazy Show," a live action series slated to feature a well known celebrity and his "ace team" of agents that have finally landed their client the dream gig of hosting a late night talk show. The one catch: it's shot and broadcast in Mexico?and the host doesn't speak Spanish.
Given the artistic freedom Amp'd Mobile provides content developers in launching new and exciting projects that can make it to broadcast outside of conventional creative confines, Cary has actively encouraged his friends and colleagues in Hollywood to participate in developing "pet" projects at Amp'd. A short list of creative minds slated to work with Amp'd includes: • writer Dan Greaney ("The Simpsons") • writer Tony Barbieri ("Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "The Man Show") • writer Rich Goodman ("According to Jim" and "The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show") • writers Jordan Young and Elijah Aron ("Drawn Together"), and • director Seth Kearsley ("The Family Guy" and Adam Sandler's "Eight Crazy Nights").
Howard Gordon's ICEBOX
ICEBOX, co-founded by "24" and "The X Files" executive producer Howard Gordon, has struck a development deal with Amp'd Mobile to exclusively bring "Paranormal News" to Amp'd Live. "Paranormal News with April Scott" is an investigative news series that examines mysterious sightings from around the world and includes analysis from experts at NASA, government insiders, meteorologists, digital video analysts, and other top experts who specialize in studying the unexplained. ICEBOX will also develop new made-for-mobile series for Amp'd with producers Rob LaZebnik ("The Simpsons") and Jon Collier ("King of the Hill", "Monk").
"Today's youth, who represent the next generation of wireless customers, are increasingly expecting a higher level of entertainment from their devices," said Seth Cummings, senior vice president of content development and programming for Amp'd Mobile. "When we started Amp'd, we envisioned building the next-generation HBO. The traction we've established towards this goal has been phenomenal."
In addition to original series being produced by Amp'd Mobile's veteran line up of Hollywood creators, innovative youth-focused mobile programming is also under development by staff producers at Amp'd including: • Gold Diggers ? a dating show in which two "hot" girls compete to have their date spend more money on them than the other. • Iron Lunch Lady ? a comedic parody will reveal what happens when not-so-master chefs square off using only mystery meat. • Fashion Sense ? Amp'd users talk about what's hot in clothing trends, exploring the coolest places to shop around the country. • Doggy Style ? From city pound to Beverly Hills homes - Amp'd creates puppy rags-to-riches stories. • Sneaker Freaks? From the closet to the coolest shops, Amp'd finds the hottest sneakers around the country.
