Tubefilter News

MSN is jumping on board the latest trend in original web series—reality TV-style shows—with its new hosted competition series The Tastemaker which launched today. The series features six social media influencers battling it out for a $10,000 prize as “The Tastemaker.”

In the running for the top spot are web series host Jesse Draper (The Valley Girl), along with Christine Esther, Jonathan Nafarrete, Brett Gursky, Raymond Roker and Morgan KcKean. The show makes no excuses for the fact that this is essentially an online popularity contest, even titling its first fan voting as “The Official Tastemaker Popularity Contest!” on Sodahead.

Judging the competition are some recognizable faces in the web video world all with their own social media followings including Shira Lazar, Kelly Perdew (Season 2 winner of ‘The Apprentice’) and “adventuregirl” Stefanie Michaels Each episode is laid out as a “challenge” where, in typical reality show fashion, contestants face elimination. A rotating roster of guest judges, like Episode 1 guest Jason Pollock.

The New York Television Festival just announced its lineup for Digital Day. Presented by MSN, the afternoon’s events are completely free to the public (though reservations are strongly suggested) and will feature a series of discusions covering topics beneficial to both amateurs and online video pros. Those include panels on writing for the web, producing transmedia projects, and case studies in branded entertainment.

But the biggest draw out of all the online-oriented events (aside from the Digital Happy Hour with free Stella) will certainly be Ben Silverman’s keynote. The Founder and CEO of Electus is slated to be on stage with Bing’s Director of Brand Entertainment, Sean Carver for a “wide ranging exploration of the current digital entertainment landscape.” In less than a year since it’s launch, Electus has already engaged top brands and Hollywood talent for a number of digital properties. Hearing Silverman talk about where Electus, and the industry is headed, should make for an interesting conversation.

NYTVF’s Digital Day will take place on Friday, September 24 at the newly renovated SVA Theater. Check out the full schedule and all the details here.

And if you want to see some prime examples of the type of digital entertainment all the speakers will be discussing, be sure to attend a few screenings of official selections in the NYTVF Independent Pilot Competition. Find out which ones catch your eye by watching the trailers here.

It was only a matter of time before YouTube added live streaming. While all eyes are on the horse race between live streaming sites like UStream, Livestream, Justin.tv and Stickam.com, the gorilla that might end up winning the live game is none other than YouTube itself. Until now, YouTube had shyed away from live streaming aside from a handful of concert events like U2 and Alicia Keyes.

But this morning at 11 AM (PT), long-running news and tech web series Rocketboom fired up its first live streaming show from its YouTube channel, as part of YouTube’s live streaming alpha launch. The live show ran like an internet version of The Today Show, bringing out the full Rocketboom cast of mememolly, Kenyatta Cheese and Elspeth Jane who handed off segments back and forth from different setups. mememolly even had her own weather and cooking segments.

Wong Fu Productions has been a rising force in the YouTube landscape lately, bringing their distinctive filmmaking polish to the mat with the breezy comedy vibe of YouTube’s top stars. Rumors had been circling of a ’secret’ 45-minute movie project with YouTube’s current #1 most subscribed user, NigaHiga (Ryan Higa). Finally Wong Fu released the teaser trailer (below) confirming the project and giving a glimpse at their high school action-comedy.

Wong Fu’s Philip Wang co-wrote and produced the project with Higa, with Wang and his Wong Fu partners Wesley Chan and Ted Fu sharing the directing duties. Casting the project, like many of Wong Fu’s originals, meant tapping a number of YouTube notables as the leads, including Kassem G, SMOSH, and Rawn. Higa stars as a covert agent or “A.S.S.” (Agent of Secret Stuff) sent on assignment to high school to protect Taylor from assassins. (Think a lighter spin on Jon M. Chu’s The LXD)

Jackass star Johnny Knoxville explores Motor City’s little-known cultural rebirth in the documentary web series Detroit Lives, which launched yesterday on the website for Palladium Boots.

When you’ve run through a good portion of the gamut of popular it girls who look good in bikinis (Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge, Kim Kardashian, Padma Lakshmi) to hawk your latest fast food concoctions, who do you get to star in your next commercial? If you’re Carl’s Jr., you tap toy blocks.

The fast food chain known for its racy ad campaigns (though BK is trying to steal some of its libidinous thunder) partnered with online video sharing site, blip.tv for a set of stop-motion animation commercials promoting the Carl’s Jr. Philly Cheesesteak Cheeseburger. LEGO-like characters reenact Philadelphia-centric events of history and fiction with an irreverent comedic wit. There’s the one about Rocky, the one about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the one about that time Godzilla attacked Independence Hall and started ringing the Liberty Bell.

Shot by LA-based content creator, Karni Baghdikian in conjunction with Initiative Media, the commercials are great stand-alone pieces of promotion. But to give the ads a wider audience, blip.tv will also be running the spots across its network. Fans of shows hosted by blip will see the commercials as pre-roll advertisements before other videos begin.

I called up Pat’s and Geno’s to find out if either had seen the Car’s Jr. commercials and what they thought of the creative campaign. Representatives at both Philly cheesesteak institutions were unavailable for comment.

The crib notes for this one: YouTube stars + Trivia + Gambling = Gold?

Hasbro is trying to drum up some new players this week as it launches its latest edition of its 30 year-old popular board game Trivial Pursuit —Trivial Pursuit: Bet You Know It. The You vs. YouTube campaign taps about a dozen of the most recognizable stars on YouTube—some viral wonders and some of the more prolific vloggers. There’s Gary Brolsma (you know him as the ‘Numa Numa’ guy), Michael Buckley (What the Buck?!), Tay Zonday (Chocolate Rain), Matt Rach, WillWoosh, leeparis, and even HDCYT (Charlie Bit My Finger) amongst others.

For Chuck fans unable to wait until September 20 for the series to return, Warner Bros. Television Group and Microsoft have teamed up to release a companion series Chuck Presents – Buy Hard: The Jeff and Lester Story which launched earlier this week.