CANNES – CTV has ordered its first digital-only series, Backpackers, from Shaftesbury’s Smokebomb Entertainment. To be shot in Europe, the live action scripted content will be deployed across all its digital platforms as eight 6-minute episodes.
As a stand-alone digital series, CTV has the option to keep the content exclusive to its network since it’s not obligated to offer it to other Canadian distributors. Rogers Media has inked its own exclusive Canadian supply deal with Michael Eisner’s Vuguru studio for its digital series and content.
The show targets the A18-34 demographic and features live-action, straight-play narrative as well as an interactive choose-your-own-adventure style app. Backpackers follows best friends “Ryan” and “Brandon” on a wild chase across Europe in search of Ryan’s fiancée “Beth.” Smokebomb will begin principal photography in spring 2013.
“Our order of Backpackers speaks to our strategy to conceive, commission, and deliver new and innovative stand-alone content to the full spectrum of Bell Media’s digital platforms, for advertisers and young audiences alike,” said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks.
“How fortunate we are in Canada to be able to create groundbreaking digital content through the continued support of the CMF’s [Canada Media Fund] Experimental Fund,” said Jay Bennett, Vice-President and Creative Director, Smokebomb Entertainment. “CTV’s extensive digital platforms powered by Bell Media makes them the perfect partner for Backpackers, and the first of many international media partners that we hope will bring this series to territories around the world.”
In order to capture the freedom and spontaneity that comes from backpacking across Europe, Backpackers will be offered in a choose-your-own-adventure format via the Backpackers App, which will launch in conjunction with the Backpackers digital series.
Viewers can decide the routes that Ryan and Brandon will take, and their choices will set in motion an adventure of multiple pathways and possibilities.
