Last summer, CSI Files reported that CSI franchise creator Anthony Zuiker was going to produce crime novels with a twist. These "digi-novels" combine traditional reading with multimedia elements. Every five chapters, readers will be given a code to access online content. It has been announced that Zuiker is partnering with the social entertainment company EQAL to create http://www.darkchronicles.com/.
Dark Chronicles, the first of Zuiker's digi-novels, will be published September 8, 2009. The book will consist of 100 chapters, prompting readers to view a total of 20 online "cyber bridges". The cyber bridges include videos, audio files and pictures that can be viewed once a reader registers and enters the code provided. All of the cyber bridges were written, produced and directed by Zuiker. EQAL will run http://www.darkchronicles.com/ and update the site daily with novel information, behind-the-scenes footage and bonus material for Dark Chronicles. The social network on the site will allow fans to interact with one another.
"We're very excited about our partnership with Anthony," EQAL CEO and co-founder Miles Beckett said in a press release. "A Web site dedicated to Dark Chronicles is a great way to further engage readers by offering additional content and an interactive experience. EQAL is thrilled to be working with Anthony to expand his fan base online." Zuiker said, "EQAL is the ideal partner for the debut of the 'digi-novel'. Our collective passion to tell stories on multiple platforms will honor the authenticity of community while at the same time appeal to the commercial masses."
The original press release is from PR Newswire. The website http://www.darkchronicles.com/ will launch in July, and the cyber bridges will go live September 8, when Dark Chronicles is released.
My Thoughts....
One would suggest that the CSI franchise advertising, marketing, and financial teams have been brainstorming together. The already popular series, especially its flagship of the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, seems to think that it needs just a little more, which is never a bad thing. As we saw, for sweeps, the emergence of news that P. Diddy would make an appearance on CSI: Miami, Katharine McPhee on CSI: NY, and even though sweep shas passed, Taylor Swift will live out what she is calling a "dream come true" as she makes her debut appearance on CSI this week. The show obviously knows how to attract viewership as numbers have gone even higher due to these announcements and I'm sure CSI will jump spots tonight because o fthe popularity of country rock star Taylor Swift. Now, we see Anthony Zuiker coming out with The Dark Chronicles series on-line which was spawned from a CSI type of idea. All I can say is kudos to this very active production team, show staff, and marketers. Oh, did I mention, you can't go 15 minutes on CBS or A&E without seeing a commerical for a CSI show. Talk about a long grip on your market and station, eh!?!?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment