The LA-based media company, which focuses on creating original content for Gen Z (those born in the mid-90s onwards) through its film and TV divisions, was acquired by Viacom in 2018.
Under the agreement, VIS’s international content sales team will be responsible for representing 18 series and eight films within the Awesomeness portfolio for third-party distribution internationally. This includes the Emmy Award-winning series Zac & Mia; Hulu/Wattpad supernatural thriller Light as a Feather, starring Peyton List; and You’ve Been Tagged, a social media thriller featuring Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before).
Lauren Marriott, Vice President (VP) of international content sales at VIS, said: “We are incredibly excited to add the Awesomeness portfolio of high quality and highly compelling scripted series and films to our distribution slate ahead of this year’s MIPTV. We look forward to giving our partners the opportunity to add even more Awesomeness to their schedules that will appeal to Gen Z audiences everywhere.”
“As we continue to reach and engage Gen Z globally, we believe VIS’s expertise and large scale network of distribution partners can help us build our profile and expand our brand footprint worldwide,” said Zachary Slatter, head of distribution for Awesomeness.
Viacom has yet to name any other new or previously launched titles from the deal—or whether or not it is now the exclusive distributor for all Awesomeness content going forward.
The deal coincides with a new content partnership agreement with Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland (RTL Germany) to launch a slew of Awesomeness programming on their new SVOD service TVNOW. The new TV NOW Premium package offers a wide range of exclusive programming, live content and popular German and international series. The agreement includes seasons one and two of Awesomeness shows Freakish, Guidance and Zac & Mia, as well as season one of Light as a Feather and all three seasons of T@gged. The content will be available for streaming via TV Now in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Moritz Pohl, head of Video on Demand (VOD) content at Mediengruppe RTL, commented: “With TV NOW we recently launched a new full-featured and stand-alone streaming service for the mass market to entertain, inform and move people all over Germany. Thanks to the partnership with Awesomeness and VIMN, we can supplement our exclusive content with high-quality programs for the increasingly important young audience.”
In the lead-up to MIPTV, VIS is looking to target both linear and SVOD platforms, and the underserved 12-to-16 demo, in particular, with a large proportion of the Awesomeness catalogue.
Originally launched as AwesomenessTV in 2012, Viacom acquired the LA-based digital media company from Comcast/NBCUniversal, Hearst and Verizon in 2018 to bolster its new Digital Studios library. In the wake of the acquisition, Awesomeness CEO Jordan Levin departed leaving room for Rebecca Glashow and Shelley Zimmerman to join last September as co-heads.
Awesomeness was co-founded in 2012 by Brian Robbins and producer Joe Davola. Robbins later became President of Paramount Pictures’ Paramount Players division, and in October 2018, was appointed president of Nickelodeon.
Nickelodeon previously partnered with AwesomenessTV for a comedy sketch show in 2013, as well as a movie, Terry the Tomboy, in 2014.
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Sources: World Screen, Kidscreen, Deadline, TBI Vision, TV Wise.
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