Ημερομηνία: 8/10/2007 1:09:00 μμ Περιοχή: Νέα Υόρκη ΗΠΑ Από: BW
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( BW)(CA-TORNANTE-COMPANY) The Tornante Company to Take Vuguru's 'Prom
Queen' & 'Prom Queen: Summer Heat' International with Distribution
Deals in France and Japan
Prom Queen To Be Made Available For All Media Platforms and
Countries Around The World
Business Editors/Entertainment Editors
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2007--The Tornante
Company's new media studio for Internet production, Vuguru
(www.vuguru.com ) announced today, two first-of-its-kind
agreements to
distribute the original and spin-off Prom Queen series. The first,
with French company Cyber-Group Animation is to distribute the series
dubbed in French for wireless mobile, broadband, TV, and home video.
The Tornante Company is represented by Cyber-Group Animation at this
year's MIPCOM. The second is a distribution deal that has been
brokered with Japanese based Rights Entertainment to distribute the US
series in Japanese and produce a localized version.
Both deals, which were brokered by Douglas Miller representing The
Tornante Company, mark the first time distribution rights to a
fully-scripted and produced short form internet product is sold and
reformatted for foreign audiences outside the United States. It is
anticipated that Prom Queen and Prom Queen: Summer Heat will become
available for Japanese and French audiences in 2008.
"The international demand for Prom Queen is a testament to quality
online content," said Michael Eisner. "These deals signify new and
exciting opportunities for this evolving media landscape. We're
excited to work with these companies and look forward to achieving
great success together."
Prom Queen and Prom Queen: Summer Heat, produced with the
production company Big Fantastic, were originally created for internet
exhibition only, but due to global demand for the series, were
modified to allow for local language and multimedia distribution
flexibility worldwide.
"We are thrilled to be associated with Tornante and Michael Eisner
in the international development of Prom Queen. Following Prom Queen's
success in the US, this is a very exciting venture into the emerging
form of entertainment on new platforms, of which we are only
witnessing the beginnings today," added Pierre Sissman, Co-founder and
CEO of Cyber-Group Animation.
"It is a high quality program with good story and structure suited
for new media such as mobile, online and others, with strong potential
for cross media promotion, merchandising and distribution," said
Martin Roberts, COO of Rights Entertainment.
Prom Queen was viewed by over 15 million people during its
original run. The series was such a huge success, it spawned a fifteen
episode spin-off series, Prom Queen: Summer Heat which is approaching
2.5 million views in its initial run.
ABOUT VUGURU
Vuguru is a new media studio for Michael Eisner's The Tornante
Company. The studio produces and distributes innovative story-driven
content for current new media and emerging platforms. Vuguru's
production of Prom Queen is the first of many shows developed and
produced by the studio. Privately held, The Tornante Company makes
investments in and incubates companies and opportunities in the media
and entertainment space. Tornante, which recently acquired The Topps
Company Inc., (NASDAQ: TOPP) holds ownership stakes in Veoh Networks
and Team Baby Entertainment.
RIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT Inc.
Rights Entertainment Inc. is a new company to produce and
distribute content to all media that was formed by key people with
experience in advertising agency produced TV programs and related
mobile content, NTT DoCoMo mobile content production/distribution, pay
and free TV distribution of Hollywood product and commercial
productions. Rights Entertainment was set up by Rights Trust Inc., one
of first to receive a license from the Government to work in public
funding for intellectual properties.
CYBER-GROUP ANIMATION
Cyber-Group Animation is an independent French production and
distribution company targeting kids and teens with high-end animation
productions in 3D and 2D and live action entertainment. Founded by
former top executives of the Walt Disney Company in Europe Pierre
Sissmann and Dominique Bourse and famous French TV host for kids
Billy, Cyber-Group Animation develops audiovisual intellectual
properties based on new or existing characters with an international
appeal, maximizing their distribution potential, on all types of
formats.
CONTACT: Media for Vuguru:
Dan Klores Communications
Adam Schiff, 212-981-5216
adam_schiff@dkcnews.com
or
Dan Klores Communications
Justine Sacco, 212-981-5180
justine_sacco@dkcnews.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING INTERNET
E-COMMERCE ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION/RADIO CABLE PRODUCT MARKETING
AGREEMENTS
SOURCE: The Tornante Company
Copyright Business Wire 2007
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