SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 29, 2016) - Today, Ellation announced eight new partners that will be available on VRV, a new video experience bringing together the best of anime, animation, gaming, comedy, fantasy, horror, and technology. Funimation, Tested, RiffTrax, CollegeHumor, Machinima, GINX eSports TV, and Shudder, will have their premium channels available on the platform when it launches later in 2016. MONDO, the longest running and most prolific digital distributor of high-quality animation, will debut "MONDO Premium," its exclusive SVOD home in the U.S. on VRV.
The newly announced partners will bring hit shows like the English dubbed anime of Attack on Titan and Drifters, RiffTrax Live, BFFs, and Adam Savage's One-Day Builds, along with Shudder's robust catalogue of horror films and series, and CollegeHumor's curated shorts. These channels join the previously announced partners Rooster Teeth, Seeso, Nerdist Alpha, Geek & Sundry Alpha, Cartoon Hangover, and Ellation's own Crunchyroll, to create a new video platform specifically designed for the fandom.
In recent years, online video has grown exponentially to address consumers' preference to watch what they want, whenever and wherever they want. To coincide with this growth, dozens of independent online video streaming services have emerged to offer targeted content to a range of audiences. VRV will provide a single location for viewers to enjoy content from multiple services, through one app, one login, and one billing exchange. In addition to a premium video offering, VRV is investing in developing a more holistic experience to provide fans new and unique ways to connect with the videos and shows they love, both on and off screen.
"We have been working to bring as many partner companies to VRV as possible so that our passionate fans can enjoy the most comprehensive collection of content developed specifically for them," said Mike Aragon, General Manager of VRV. "At launch, we will have over a dozen channels on the platform. This unique mix of channels will create a first-of-its-kind video experience, incorporating premium content in a more interactive and community-based environment."
"Funimation is committed to continually growing the audience for anime, and joining VRV as a channel partner will do exactly that," said Gen Fukunaga, Founder and CEO of Funimation. "We are enthusiastic about introducing our popular English Broadcast Dubs to the VRV audience as we have recently increased the number of these shows while still continuing to provide a large catalog of hit 'must see' titles."
"CollegeHumor is one of the Internet's beloved comedy brands with a strong presence across a variety of platforms, but we've yet to land comfortably in the living room," said Shane Rahmani, EVP and GM of CollegeHumor. "We're thrilled to cozy up with our friends from Crunchyroll and others as part of the VRV experience. Our audience loves their content and their audience ours, so we're collectively all stronger together and in great hands under the VRV umbrella."
"MONDO Premium on VRV will be a unique blend of MONDO's existing library with premium content like Can Agent, and Prison Pit, new longer format episodes based on some of our best-performing shows and brand new series based on comic books, video games, and original IP. We're programming it with animation they simply cannot find anywhere else on TV or the Internet," said Brendan Burch, Chief Creative Officer at MONDO.
"As we've seen on Tested.com, wonderful things happen when pop and maker cultures collide. This partnership with VRV lets us share space with other big dreamers and share our amazing projects and stories with a much larger audience that shares our curiosity and excitement about the world," said Adam Savage, Editor-in-Chief of Tested.
VRV viewers will have the option to subscribe to the full, premium offerings à la carte or to a bundle of select channels at a greater value. Each channel will also offer free, ad-supported content. VRV will be available initially in the U.S. on mobile and living room devices with customizable watchlists.
To stay up-to-date with the latest VRV announcements, register at VRV.co.
About Ellation:
Ellation is a leading OTT video business positioned at the forefront of the direct-to-consumer, over-the-top premium subscription model that is transforming the media industry. With brands such as Crunchyroll, Creativebug, and the soon to launch VRV, Ellation strives to transform the media landscape by building premium video experiences for passionate fans and providing sustainable business models for content creators. Ellation is majority owned by Otter Media, a joint venture between The Chernin Group and AT&T. Ellation is based in San Francisco, CA.
About CollegeHumor:
Founded in 1999, CollegeHumor offers daily comedic content through videos, pictures, articles and jokes. The brand's trademark CollegeHumor Originals have garnered over 4 billion views and earned 18 Webby Awards. CollegeHumor content is some of the most-watched, most-shared, and most-acclaimed on the Internet. CollegeHumor's writers, actors and producers have gone on to work for Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Simpsons, Last Week Tonight, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and more. The CollegeHumor brand has expanded beyond its digital presence into other forms of entertainment including film, television, books and live comedy shows.
About Funimation:
Funimation is the go-to destination for extraordinary anime. By combining its integrated in-house studios along with its technology and distribution partnerships, Funimation leads the industry with its omnichannel approach to offering anime to fans -- from streaming and home entertainment to theatrical distribution and broadcast television. The company's next generation streaming service, FunimationNow, provides subscribers with instant access to their favorite Broadcast Dubs as well as Funimation's almost endless catalog of anime episodes and movies in ad-free HD on the widest array of devices and platforms -- from smartphones and tablets to TV's and gaming consoles. For more information, visit funimation.com.
About GINX eSports TV:
Ginx TV Ltd. produces international video gaming TV channels with a focus on the latest and best eSports programing content, reaching out to 37 million households around the world. The company also produces TV content for third party broadcasters.
About Machinima:
Machinima is the most notorious purveyor and cultivator of fandom and gamer culture. The FIRST! Many2Many programing service (M2M), we create, curate and celebrate the best fandom and gamer content across multiple video platforms. As one of the largest online video platforms in the world, Machinima programs to a community passionate about video games, animation, movies, TV, and the other endless forms of pop culture. With a focus on scripted, topical and gaming programing, and a talent network of thousands of programmers, Machinima reaches over 170M viewers each month.
About MONDO:
MONDO Media is a privately held company based in Los Angeles. MONDO and its studio and production-services division, Six Point Harness, create and distribute content on across multiple digital platforms, including YouTube -- where it has generated more than 3 billion views and has the most-watched animation channel -- and the soon-to-be-launched VRV, as well as producing features and TV for the traditional market.
About RiffTrax:
RiffTrax is an entertainment company featuring the stars of the Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning show "Mystery Science Theater 3000." Comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo) and Bill Corbett (Crow T. Robot), bring their funny running MST3K-type commentary to movies of all kind. From riffs on the biggest Hollywood blockbusters to the worst B-movies, RiffTrax has a library of over 500 titles available at RiffTrax.com and on digital platforms everywhere. RiffTrax has also produced five prime time television specials for the National Geographic Channel. RiffTrax releases a newly riffed movie, short film or TV program each week, and performs the RiffTrax Live comedy series four times a year where a movie is riffed live and simulcast into over 700 theaters across North America. The brand-new RiffTrax app on iOS and Android magically syncs their riffs to the biggest blockbuster movies like Star Wars, Twilight and Harry Potter. RiffTrax was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in San Diego, CA. To find out more about RiffTrax, visit www.rifftrax.com/aboutus.
About Shudder:
Shudder is a premium streaming video service, serving both the casual and hardcore horror fan. With a wide range of high-quality films and series -- from exclusives to hard-to-find international and independent films to thrilling series to cult grindhouse classics to Hollywood blockbusters -- Shudder has something for everyone. Backed by AMC Networks, Shudder's growing library of expertly curated horror is available ad-free and for unlimited viewing on Shudder's website, mobile apps for iOS and Android, Chromecast, Apple TV, and the Roku platform, with a free one-week trial or $4.99 monthly/$49.99 yearly membership. To sign up or learn more about Shudder, visit www.shudder.com.
About Tested:
Tested.com is the digital home of Adam Savage, where he explores the hows and whys of the things that excite him the most, from building puppets and iconic Hollywood props to unpacking the science and magic behind special effects to sharing the latest breakthroughs in science and exploring emerging technologies that promise to change our lives.
Contact Information:
LaunchSquad for Ellation
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212.564.3665