NewFronts 2013: Hulu
Programming
The Awesomes is an animated show for adults that combines the thrills of comic book storytelling with the irreverent comedy that is the hallmark of show co-creators Seth Meyers (SNL) and Michael Shoemaker (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). Voices include Kenan Thompson, Bill Hader, and Taran Killam. Executive produced by Meyers, Shoemaker, and Broadway Video. Ten episodes, launching August 1, 2013.
From writer/director Nancy Hower and writer/star John Lehr, Quick Draw is a comedic half-hour western set in 1875 that centers on a Harvard-educated sheriff and his quest to introduce the emerging science of forensics to an unruly Kansas town. The series is co-created and executive produced by Nancy Hower and John Lehr and co-executive produced by Keith Raskin (Key & Peele, The League). Eight episodes, launching in summer 2013.
Behind the Mask takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes adventure into the world of sports mascots, through the eyes of four dedicated performers at the high school, college, minor league and NBA pro levels. Created by Josh Greenbaum and produced by Occupant Entertainment (Better Living Through Chemistry, The Wackness). Ten episodes, launching in fall 2013.
Co-written by and co-starring Tony Award-winner James Corden and Mathew Baynton, The Wrong Mans centers on Sam (Baynton), and Phil (Corden), two lowly office workers who become caught up in a deadly criminal conspiracy after Sam discovers a ringing phone at the scene of a horrific car crash. Directed and produced by Jim Field Smith (Episodes, Butter, She’s Out of My League) and executive produced by Mark Freeland for BBC. Six episodes, launching in fall 2013.
The following are Hulu Exclusive Series, which are made exclusively available in their first-run window to U.S. audiences on Hulu and Hulu Plus.
Mother Up is a 13-episode, half-hour animated comedy series chronicling the misguided attempts at parenthood of Rudi Wilson (Eva Longoria), a disgraced former music exec, as she transitions from the towers of Manhattan to the carpool line of suburbia. Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) and Mass Animation’s Yair Landau (“Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs”) and Michael Shipley (“Family Guy,” “American Dad”) are executive producers. The series was developed by Rogers Media and co-produced by Breakthrough Entertainment and Bardel Entertainment, in association with Mass Animation. Mother Up premieres on Hulu and Hulu Plus in Fall 2013. Thirteen episodes.
Prisoners of War: Written and directed by Gideon Raff, this nine-time Israeli Emmy Award-winning series follows the journey of two soldiers as they return to their families after 17 years in an enemy prison. Starring Yael Abecassis, Mili Avital, Yoram Tolledano, Assi Cohen and Ishai Golan, all episodes will be available exclusively on Hulu and Hulu Plus from Keshet International. Fourteen episodes, launching May 28, 2013.
Moone Boy is a family comedy series about a young boy growing up in a chaotic and creative household in late 1980s Ireland. A semi-autobiographical series written by and starring Chris O’Dowd (“Bridesmaids,” “Girls”) as the imaginary friend of 11-year-old Martin, the youngest child in the large, loud Moone family. Moone Boy is a Sprout Pictures, Baby Cow, Hot Cod Productions and Grand Pictures production made available to Hulu and Hulu Plus from BBC Worldwide Americas. Six episodes, launching July 10, 2013.
East Los High is not your typical high school. Dance, sex, romance and mystery are at the heart of this inner city school in East L.A. where two teenage cousins, Jessie, a 16-year-old virgin, and Maya, a troubled runaway with a violent past, fall in love with Jacob, a popular football player. A Hulu Exclusive Series, “East Los High” features an all Latino cast, director, writers and creators-many hailing from East L.A. Twenty-four episodes. Produced by Population Media Center in association with Prajna Productions, Into Action Films, and The Alchemists, launching June 3, 2013.
Hulu will also premiere new daily, half-hour episodes of two long-running soap opera franchises:All My Children and One Life To Live. Produced by Prospect Park, launching April 29, 2013.
Marketing, Promotions, and Distribution
A small but important thing to note: Hulu called its event the “Hulu Upfront,” which indicates how the video company views itself and the content it’s developing and offering.
“Our advertising mission is to be the world’s most effective video advertising service, and we are well on our way,” said Andy Forssell. He cited comScore stats, which ranked Hulu first in time-spent among ad-supported video sites. “Hulu viewers stay with us for 45 minutes per session, without fast-forwarding or skipping ads,” he said, adding that Hulu also delivers 1 in 3 of all “premium video ads” in the US.
Hulu shared a bunch of growth/consumption numbers:
- Hulu Plus subscriptions doubled in 2012 and in Q1 2013 surpassed 4 million.
- Hulu is available on more than 350 million connected devices, including smartphones, set-top boxes, gaming consoles, and connected TVs (this number does not include PCs).
- The company streamed 1 billion content videos in a single quarter for the first time in Q1 2013.
- Mobile will account for approximately 15% of video consumption on Hulu in 2013-2014.
- “Living-room viewing” is now 29% of content consumption on Hulu, according to acting CEO Andy Forssell.
The company also shared some business and content numbers:
- 2012 revenue: $695 million
- More than 470 content partners across Hulu and Hulu Plus.
- Approximately 57,000 hours of video are currently available on Hulu and Hulu Plus. The encompasses more than 70,000 full TV episodes and nearly 2,500 TV series.
