Former Disney chief focusing on short-form entertainment

The parallel track studios are running in the production of short-form content for emerging platforms made a significant gain earlier this month in former Walt Disney Co. head Michael Eisner. The Torante Co., which Eisner founded in 2005, has formed Vuguru, an independent studio charged with producing and distributing original content for mediums most apt to play well with short-form video, namely wireless and broadband.
Eisner’s premise behind the new media company is that content is king regardless of the platform and that good storytelling will continue to drive viewership and interest much as it has done throughout history. Furthermore, Eisner believes there is a sea of untapped talent living online or in mobile environments that could very well become the next A-list directors of the world. So much so that Torante is bankrolling the entire new effort in media.
“In the past few years, the development of exciting and innovative digital media platforms and technologies has outpaced the creation of truly great content,” Eisner said in a news release announcing the new media studio. “Vuguru will produce and showcase original and third-party content in all genres and formats to meet the new demands of the evolving media landscape.”
The studio’s first production, “Prom Queen,” is a scripted, serialized mystery that will unfold over 80 episodes-each running 90 seconds long. The series, which is aimed at young, early adopters of new media content and technology, is currently in production and is slated for release April 2.
Torante partnered with Big Fantastic L.L.C., an independent production team focused on telling stories in the digital space, for the production of the series. “They have an ability to create a hands-on style of filmmaking that generates network-caliber content but with the kind of intimacy and interactivity Web audiences crave,” Eisner said of the team.
Big Fantastic’s Chris Hampel said “This is an incredible opportunity to bridge the gap between user-generated content and traditional production, which we hope will bring more legitimacy to the Internet as an entertainment medium.”
The co-production deal was brokered by United Talent Agency Inc.’s recently formed online division, another notable shift in Hollywood toward the surge of made-for-mobile and Web content of late.
The studio also announced an innovative service that will enable viewers to purchase clothing styles shown on “Prom Queen” while watching the episodes through a partnership with StarStyle.com.
Meanwhile, Eisner and his team are continuing to formulate ideas for additional short-form series to be released by Vuguru and its distribution partners on Veoh.com, YouTube.com, ELLEgirl.com and other Web sites. Additionally, Eisner is in discussions with multiple wireless carriers and is expected to announce a partnership soon with at least one major carrier to bring Vuguru content on-deck and enable more exposure among wireless subscribers.