TV Verdict

Techy types are always so quick to write off an older or even current technology for the next big thing: such is the case with MySpace. In the eyes of many tech journalists and analysts, MySpace is passé and Facebook is the new hotness. Sure, Facebook did recently surpass MySpace in usage, but the reality is that MySpace is still enormously popular, and more importantly, MySpace is still more relevant than Facebook when it comes to music and video. MySpace was started as a way for musicians and bands to get their music out to the masses. This music content is what originally brought users to MySpace and they began the process of growing MySpace beyond just checking in on the latest band.  Knowing that, it makes sense that MySpace still remains popular for media related entertainment.

Circle of Eight is a new Paramount television series featuring a bevy of seasoned TV talent in front of the camera and is produced by Hollywood producers Alexandra Milchan (Righteous Kill, Street Kings, Mirrors) and David Van Eyssen (director of Slipstream and consultant on BMW online films). So this series is obviously not a fly-by-night YouTube video. Circle of Eight is the type of real programming that will eventually bring on demand internet entertainment to the masses. The show follows Jessica as she moves into a surreal loft on the eighth floor of a Los Angles apartment building called The Dante. The residents all seem nice but they also seem to know a little too much about each other, and her. When Jessica begins witnessing horrible deaths, she teams up with a neighbor to solve the mystery and to discover her own connection to the building. The biggest problem is that each episode is only around ten minutes long. The first few episodes end just as things get interesting. The first couple of episodes individually almost don’t offer up enough story to hook you in but the show just gets more intriguing as it progresses, so it’s definitely worth checking back for each week. The show is however well acted, professionally produced, and appropriately off kilter.

We were able to ask nine questions of producer Alexandra Michgan, producer/director David Van Eyssen, and Keith Quinn SVP of Paramount of Creative Development at Paramount Digital Entertainment:

1.  So where did the idea for the Circle of Eight come from?

Alexandra:  It has been a long time coming for David and I to see a project with this strong of a story, with this level of interactivity come to fruition!  At MVE, we have been working on the architecture and the format for projects like Circle of Eight since the inception of our company.  David and I believe strongly that entertainment for the Internet has to be created for the medium specifically.

David:  It’s not unlike being at the inception of the TV business when the format for shows was being created – except that the fundamental differences between the sit-forward experience of digital media and the passive experience of traditional media have to be taken into account. What we’re attempting to do with properties like CO8 is formulate a model where brands and audiences are equally satisfied and a “design architecture” that locks together interactivity and storytelling in a compelling way. If we can create this blueprint at a high enough quality, then the Hollywood talent pool will be interested in participating and the involvement of advertisers will increase.

Alexandra:   You really have to know that you are going to write the story for the medium and then everything falls into place. David and I are really excited to continue to create experiences that haven’t been built before like Circle of Eight.

2. Was it originally envisioned as a new media series or was it originally meant for television?

Keith: Circle of Eight was always envisioned as a new media series, and the episodic version is customized for the MySpace audience. We couldn’t have the game play and extra content on television. That said, the project was conceived so that we could re-edit it to customize it for feature length output on DVD, television, and other outlets.

3. You are a part of, and continue to work on major traditional media projects. What brings you to the “lower budget” world of new media?

Alexandra:  Our projects are in the higher budget world of new media. We work with great talent at the best quality level in this medium and we are very nimble. As opposed to the development cycle for film which can take years, Circle of Eight was done in five months!  Also, the business has yet to be defined — we are writing the rule book as we go. Creatively, for David and I, this is the most exciting part.  We are creating a new direction for entertainment.  It’s such an incredible adventure in media and if you can do it, you have to go for it.

4. Speaking of budget, the production value of Circle of Eight is substantially higher than most other new media shows on the web. How risky is investing a larger budget into a series for something like MySpace TV?

Keith:  MySpace TV is one of the leading video destinations online, and it is connected to one of the biggest social networks, so it was the perfect place to launch Circle of Eight: a series that tells its story in video, hidden content that is image and text, and interactive elements. MySpace TV is unique in its ability to distribute the episodic version of Circle of Eight complete with hidden content and game play. The group of MySpace, Paramount, Mountain Dew and Adobe came together to support a premium piece of content. The elements of success are the quality of the content and its ability to cut through the clutter to garner attention. If we succeed on both fronts, it creates a virtuous cycle where the audience finds Circle of Eight and enjoys it.

5. Is this series shot on built sets, green screen, or a mix?

Keith:  It was shot on location in Los Angeles.  In fact the set is an abandoned hospital that is rumored to be haunted.

6. Each episode is fairly short making it perfect for portable devices. Can we expect a downloadable version of the show at some point?

Keith:  Yes, we will have a download to own and a licensed by mobile window for the content.

7. What are the challenges with building a returning fan base from one episode to the next?

Keith:  We are lucky to have MySpace as a partner — a company that understands how audiences behave online.  The challenges come when the audience has consumed all the video and all the extra content and game play…until that point, there is more to do. After that point, many of them will have the same anticipation that traditional media audiences have when they wait for the next episode of something like Lost or Heroes. Even in that positive case, we meet the challenge by embracing the fact that viewers are already online in a fan-rich community where they can discuss the episode, show their skill at the game, or simply connect with other fans. And we make the episodes something that fans will want to watch multiple times in order to play our game really well. An added plus of the online serial is that a new fan can catch up with the series at any time, from day one up til the day before the finale, because the episodes are all right there.

8. Will this series be presented in seasons in the traditional sense? How many episodes in season one?

Keith:  There are 10 episodes in season one, each 5-9 minutes long. Plus there is a secret episode for the fans that play the game successfully. The series will then move to a feature-length edit that will come out via Blockbuster on SVOD and DVD. Circle of Eight can have subsequent “seasons” but they aren’t traditional in the Television sense (e.g. A particular # of episodes, launched at particular times).

9. What’s it going to take to bring the mainstream entertainment consumer to new media?

David: I would venture to say that mainstream entertainment consumers are already our viewers — they are online waiting for content creators to give them premium entertainment.  In addition to content, strategic distribution and promotional partners make the connection that much easier.  We’ve also developed new techniques to create community around content.  We’re now having a two-way conversation with the audience and asking “what do you think of this?” and paying close attention to the response. This model of entertainment isn’t coming in the future.  It is here today.

Head on over to http://www.myspace.com/circleof8 to check out the episodes of the show, pictures, and get interactive with the series.