Sony Pictures' Crackle Bursts onto Scene and Screen with Pioneering Studio Model

SAUSALITO, Calif., July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Crackle, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company formerly known as Grouper, today announced the launch of its streaming entertainment network. Crackle's comprehensive approach includes a unique programming and editorial strategy, wide-reaching global distribution platforms and collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment, the IMPROV Comedy franchise and other leading media companies. Crackle's development of "fame partnerships" with these media and entertainment companies provides a launch pad for the best emerging video talent.

"Crackle's irreverent editorial team, with a little help from our viewers, programs our provocative and entertaining channels for an audience of 25 million monthly unique users. We reward the best video creators with Crackle funding, promotion, syndication and even greater exposure to our large media partners. Great content surfaced from our open studio model is the key to our success," said Josh Felser, founder and co-president of Crackle.

"The evolution of online video will bring viewers more professionally produced material," said Sean Carey, senior executive vice president, Sony Pictures. "Crackle will provide this next wave of creative talent a forum that will give them the exposure and recognition they seek and deserve."

  Crackle's new entertainment model includes:

  --  World-Renowned Fame Partnerships - Crackle catapults top creators to
      fame with on-going access and exposure to leaders in the entertainment
      industry like Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks,
      Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Television, IMPROV Comedy Lab and
      soon many more.

    --  Ambitious animators will have unprecedented access to artists from
        Sony Pictures Imageworks, an award-winning visual effects and
        animation company, and Sony Pictures Animation, the distinguished
        Hollywood digital animation studio. Winners of the quarterly contest
        on Wet Paint, Crackle's edgy animation channel, will receive a cash
        prize and fly to Los Angeles to pitch Sony Pictures Animation
        executives for a chance to have their animated short theatrically
        released. Additionally, winners will be invited by Imageworks to
        attend Siggraph, the preeminent computer graphics conference, in
        August 2008.
    --  A Crackle Studios development deal and a much sought-after pitch
        meeting with Columbia Pictures will be awarded on Shorts, Crackle's
        Short Film channel. Quarterly contest winners will receive funding
        from Crackle Studios to develop and produce short form material for
        Crackle distribution. Winners will also fly to Los Angeles to pitch
        their feature film concepts to Columbia creative executives. A
        similar Crackle Studios development deal will also be awarded on
        Moving Targets, Crackle's upcoming sketch variety channel. Quarterly
        contest winners will receive Crackle funding to develop projects for
        Crackle distribution.  They will also meet with creative executives
        from Sony Pictures Television to pitch and present their television
        ideas.
    --  The best emerging stand-up comedians spotlighted each month on High
        Wire, Crackle's stand-up comedy channel, will win a chance to be
        center stage at the world famous IMPROV comedy clubs. They will have
        an opportunity to pitch their comedy shorts to creative executives
        of the IMPROV Comedy Lab (a new comedy centric broadband content
        studio) for final production and distribution.  The premier comedy
        club chain will offer one very hilarious contest winner a chance to
        fly either to LA, NY or Chicago to perform a 15 minute set on a hot
        ticket Thursday, Friday or Saturday night.

  --  Multiplatform Distribution & Global Syndication - Crackle offers a
      multi-platform, global syndication network across Sony devices, IPTV,
      leading social networks and viral Web distribution (e.g. MySpace,
      Facebook, hi5, AOL, Piczo, WordPress and many more).  For Sony
      consumers, Crackle now provides content across a growing list of Sony
      environments including the Sony PSP, Sony VAIO and Sony BRAVIA.

  --  Engaging Original Content - Crackle delivers audiences original and
      engaging entertainment from a unique mix of undiscovered talent and
      well-known stars.

Crackle' s branded channels are seeded and given context by Crackle's original productions while the company's open studio model encourages all to submit their creative works to the channels. Here's a taste of Crackle's branded channels:

    --  Judgment Day, a collaborative reality show where people "judge"
        people they don't know and then interview them to find out if their
        assumptions were right.
    --  Scrambler, a video music magazine with an indie rock focus.
    --  High Wire, a virtual stage for stand-up comedy from nationally
        touring comics to amateur impersonations.
    --  Wet Paint, short-form edgy animation.
    --  Firehouse, sponsored by Rescue Me, Firehouse features real stories
        from real firefighters
    --  Moving Targets, a sketch variety channel coming soon to Crackle.

Crackle has secured the exclusive, worldwide distribution rights to Mr. Deity, the brilliant, biting original comedy from writer/director Brian Dalton. Saturday Night Live alumna Julia Sweeney has dubbed it "Hilarious! I laughed really, really hard." The 10 episodes currently on the site have received over 5.7 million views since March 2007. As a result of the overwhelming viewer response, Crackle has committed to an additional 10 episodes for Season Two which will premiere in Moving Targets, Crackle's upcoming sketch variety channel.

  --  Unique Editorial Perspective - Crackle's new entertainment model
      includes an editorial perspective that combines the diverse voice of
      its audience, cultural tastemakers, and third-party partners who work
      in concert to spotlight and surface the most riveting videos.
      Crackle's weekly People's Choice Awards give the audience a say in
      what is featured too.

  --  One-of-a-Kind User Experience - With Crackle, audiences will view
      videos in widescreen, 16x9 format, and have continuous viewing
      capability even while surfing through different channels on the site.
      The first major site to offer this seamless, dynamic stream of videos,
      Crackle audiences will no longer have to suffer through interruptions
      while browsing and discovering new videos.

  --  Branded Environments for Advertisers - Crackle offers powerful brand
      building opportunities for advertising partners.  In the coming
      months, Crackle's premium channels will be paired with advertising
      sponsors as well as distinctive 'skins' to create unique branded
      environments that support the advertiser and genre specific videos.
      Advertisements will appear on each channel's homepage, in addition to
      airing within the video player, creating a seamless branded
      environment within the network.

    --  An example of Crackle's innovative sponsorship opportunities
        includes Sony Electronics presenting sponsorship of all high
        definition viewing on Crackle, as well as providing a High
        Definition Headquarters with tips for producing, editing and viewing
        in high definition.

  About Crackle

Crackle, Inc., a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company formerly known as Grouper Networks, Inc., is a streaming entertainment network dedicated to the discovery and development of pioneering video creators across a diverse range of genres. Crackle delivers programmed and customized video streams to a global audience via a multi-platform, syndication network that includes Sony devices, IPTV, leading social networks and one-click viral Web distribution. Crackle launches the most innovative creators with on-going collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment and other leading fame partners. Visit Crackle's new site at http://www.crackle.com/.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/.