Current TV has teamed with video game designer Will Wright (The Sims, SimCity) for a multi-episode series that allows audiences to
control the show's storyline, the network announced Thursday. The tentatively
titled Bar Karma is set to premiere
in the first quarter of 2011.
The make-your-own series will have four production stages:
1) Viewers will join the online community by logging on to Current TV's
Creation Studios,
2) Viewers can then submit potential story ideas which will be made into a
rough outline by the producers each week, 3) Viewers can comment on episode
ideas and vote on final proposals, and 4) The winning storyboard will be
adapted into a 30-munite episode.
"Current is taking original programming to a new level. Bar
Karma will fuse the power of television, the Internet and mobile devices
and provide viewers the ability to truly create and control a television
series," said Mark Rosenthal, CEO of Current, in a statement. "Will Wright is a
phenomenal creator and we are thrilled he came to Current to launch his first
television series. Together, we hope to move television storytelling beyond
passive participation and allow viewers to become true programming partners."
Bar Karma
is co-created and executive produced by Albie Hecht, former president of Spike
TV and president of entertainment at Nickelodeon. Hecht's digital entertainment
studio Worldwide Biggies will serve as the show's production company. David
Cohn, former general manager of MTV2, will serve as executive in charge for the
network.
