Life at Yahoo!
This is what it's like to work at Yahoo!.
“Electric City,” Tom Hanks’ New Digital Animated Series, is coming to Yahoo!
Posted: 10th of January, 2012At CES today, we announced that Yahoo! and Reliance Entertainment, have joined forces to bring Playtone’s multi-dimensional animated series “Electric City” exclusively to Yahoo! in 2012. “Electric City” was created by and stars Tom Hanks. As the online broadcast home for “Electric City,” Yahoo! will bring Hanks’ vision and storytelling to a global audience.
Set in a futuristic society, “Electric City” is a new animated action-packed sci-fi adventure series, which is approximately 90 minutes in length and marks Yahoo!’s first foray into original scripted programming.
“Electric City” will be shown as a multi-part series on Yahoo! and will be supported by a deeply immersive and interactive online experience that enhances the drama, mystery and intrigue of the series.
With 700 million users worldwide, Yahoo! provides the massive scale that Hollywood is looking for and Yahoo! knows better than anyone else how to program and market premium content for both the consumer and advertiser.
What is “Electric City”?
The world as we know it has ended and out of the rubble, the Electric City stands as a symbol of peace and security. Yet under the veneer of order lies a world full of secrets and violence. Secret police, back alley dealings, daring chase and murder all find a home in the “Electric City.” Through the lens of a functioning, yet dystopian metropolis, “Electric City” touches upon relevant global issues and themes including energy consumption, freedom of information, crime and punishment and more.
The story unfolds gradually, layering mystery upon mystery, inviting viewers to interact with the content and each other. Metaphors and symbols are woven throughout, creating a perfect environment for puzzle-solving and community interaction. Like good science fiction, “Electric City” raises provocative questions about our own way of life and value systems. Short-form connecting storylines combined with vivid animation and a compelling score will keep audiences watching, while metaphors and range of subject lines will keep them guessing—and reflecting.
Why bring it to the web and to Yahoo!? Playtone’s Gary Goetzman said:
“It was always our intent to have this project live and breathe online and we felt Yahoo! would be the perfect home,” said Playtone’s Gary Goetzman.
The “Electric City” Experience on Yahoo!
Yahoo!’s interactive & social features will allow viewers to:
“Electric City” will also live across multiple devices and comes enabled for tablet and connected TV. The series will be punctuated by special events, such as opportunities to watch exclusive content and to interact with the cast and creators. As a truly global entertainment experience, the series will also be available in numerous languages, including French and Spanish.
“Electric City” compliments Yahoo!’s already robust portfolio of original online premium video programming which provides marketers a huge opportunity to align their brands with world class, premium content across the Yahoo! network. With 9 of the top 10* most watched shows on the web, (including, omg! NOW, Primetime in No Time and Daily Ticker) — Yahoo!’s original video programs reach more than 26 million* people per month. Yahoo! continues to invest heavily in top quality video as evidenced by “Electric City,” its highly buzzed about women’s programming slate which launched in October and its eagerly awaited comedy slate debuting February 2012.
“Electric City” will be shown as a multi-part series on Yahoo! and will be supported by a deeply immersive and interactive online experience that enhances the drama, mystery and intrigue of the series.
With 700 million users worldwide, Yahoo! provides the massive scale that Hollywood is looking for and Yahoo! knows better than anyone else how to program and market premium content for both the consumer and advertiser.
What is “Electric City”?
The world as we know it has ended and out of the rubble, the Electric City stands as a symbol of peace and security. Yet under the veneer of order lies a world full of secrets and violence. Secret police, back alley dealings, daring chase and murder all find a home in the “Electric City.” Through the lens of a functioning, yet dystopian metropolis, “Electric City” touches upon relevant global issues and themes including energy consumption, freedom of information, crime and punishment and more.
The story unfolds gradually, layering mystery upon mystery, inviting viewers to interact with the content and each other. Metaphors and symbols are woven throughout, creating a perfect environment for puzzle-solving and community interaction. Like good science fiction, “Electric City” raises provocative questions about our own way of life and value systems. Short-form connecting storylines combined with vivid animation and a compelling score will keep audiences watching, while metaphors and range of subject lines will keep them guessing—and reflecting.
Why bring it to the web and to Yahoo!? Playtone’s Gary Goetzman said:
“It was always our intent to have this project live and breathe online and we felt Yahoo! would be the perfect home,” said Playtone’s Gary Goetzman.
The “Electric City” Experience on Yahoo!
Yahoo!’s interactive & social features will allow viewers to:
- Engage members of their social network in discussions and debates about societal themes, events and characters and/or join the larger “Electric City” community discussion
- Dig deeper into character back-stories and learn about the all-star cast behind the characters’ voices
- Navigate non-linearly and learn more about the world of “Electric City” through a 3-D interactive map
- Watch exclusive behind-the-scenes footage
- Post reactions and commentary directly to Facebook & Twitter
- Engage in casual games and other content related to the series
- Purchase episodes and related apps from a number of partners including Amazon and iTunes
“Electric City” will also live across multiple devices and comes enabled for tablet and connected TV. The series will be punctuated by special events, such as opportunities to watch exclusive content and to interact with the cast and creators. As a truly global entertainment experience, the series will also be available in numerous languages, including French and Spanish.
“Electric City” compliments Yahoo!’s already robust portfolio of original online premium video programming which provides marketers a huge opportunity to align their brands with world class, premium content across the Yahoo! network. With 9 of the top 10* most watched shows on the web, (including, omg! NOW, Primetime in No Time and Daily Ticker) — Yahoo!’s original video programs reach more than 26 million* people per month. Yahoo! continues to invest heavily in top quality video as evidenced by “Electric City,” its highly buzzed about women’s programming slate which launched in October and its eagerly awaited comedy slate debuting February 2012.
