CBS AND THE ELECTRIC SHEEP COMPANY PARTNER TO CREATE FIRST MACHINIMA ADVERTISING PROMO FOR MAJOR TV SERIES
CBS Uses Second Life's Virtual World to Develop A Machinima (machine+cinema) Super Bowl XLI Pre-game Promotional Spot for Two and a Half Men
The Electric Sheep Company, a leading creator of virtual world content, has teamed up with CBS Television to create the first on-air machinima promotion for a major television network series. The 20-second spot for Two and a Half Men aired during the pre-game special for Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, February 4, 2007 on CBS. Machinima (machine+cinema) is 3D filmmaking within a virtual environment where computer-generated images are captured in real-time, using live 'avatar' actors.
The promotional spot, recorded in high-definition (HD), was 'filmed' inside Second Life, an online virtual world, and features avatar representations of Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer as their characters in Two and a Half Men, Charlie and Alan Harper. Accompanying their avatar replicas was a voice-over with the Two and a Half Men stars' real voices. The script features Alan Harper exploring the potential of the virtual world, while his brother Charlie Harper enjoys some female company and champagne -- just as he does on the TV series.
"This is the first time that footage filmed in a virtual world and avatar actors have been used to promote a primetime network TV program," said Sibley Verbeck, CEO of The Electric Sheep Company. "This shows machinima is coming of age as a new digital medium. Machinima appearing in a Super Bowl spot is certainly a milestone for the industry and shows that virtual worlds have penetrated mainstream media as a way for major brands to represent themselves."
"By working with The Electric Sheep Company, we've discovered an exciting technology to create eye-catching, innovative promotion for our series," commented George Schweitzer, President of the CBS Marketing Group. "This is another example of the network and digital platforms converging in a unique and entertaining manner around popular program content."
In addition to CBS, The Electric Sheep Company has brought many organizations into virtual worlds, including AOL, Reuters, Nissan, Sony, Starwood Hotels and many others.
About CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS and The CW - a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Paramount Network Television and CBS Television Distribution), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS Interactive), music (CBS Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS Consumer Products) and video/ DVD (CBS Home Entertainment). For more information, log on to http://www.cbscorporation.com/.
About The Electric Sheep Company
The Electric Sheep Company is an interactive agency that seeks innovative solutions that combine technology and community to represent organizations in 3D online worlds. Founded in April 2005, The Electric Sheep Company was created to help organizations find ways to use virtual worlds to realize their operational, educational and marketing goals. Customers include AOL, Reuters, Nissan, Sony, Starwood Hotels and many others. Based in New York, The Electric Sheep Company employs a staff of 50 that works together to meet the development, design and consulting needs of its customers. To learn more about The Electric Sheep Company, visit http://www.electricsheepcompany.com/.
To watch the "Two and A Half Men" Virtual Promo, click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ_ZeBQvtDQ
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