Atlas Entertainment links with Culture Genesis for YouTube-to-screen projects
Charles Roven's Atlas Entertainment will develop films, television series and short-form shows with digital company Culture Genesis.
The pact, reported by Variety on 1 October, is a development deal, meaning the two companies will create and shape new projects together before cameras roll. The plan calls for joint development of film, TV and short-form titles drawn from Culture Genesis' archive of talent and content. No titles have been announced yet.
Atlas is headed by Roven and producing partner Alex Gartner. Culture Genesis was launched in 2018 and is based in Santa Monica. It is led by founder and chief executive Shaun Newsum and president Fred Coates.
At the centre of the deal is the CG Collective, Culture Genesis' network of YouTube creators. Variety puts the group at 190 creators, including iShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, REACT, AMP, People vs Food and V10's America's Funniest Home Videos.
The numbers explain the appeal. Culture Genesis says its portfolio reaches more than 43 million US households each month, with 9.5 billion monthly impressions, citing Comscore Video Metrix as the source for the reach figure. The company also says 60% of its viewing happens on the living-room screen, according to Culture Genesis.
For viewers, this means familiar online names could soon appear in longer formats. A short-form title usually means episodes made for phones and social feeds, while film and TV development follows the usual route of scripts, casting and a green light from a studio or streamer.
What makes this stand out is the direction of travel. A traditional production company is looking to online video for new faces and formats, rather than the other way round.
