MySpace UK, FremantleMedia Team for Interactive Drama

LONDON: MySpace and FremantleMedia are in the works on a new online scripted drama, Freak, due to run on the social portal in the U.K. this summer, with additional versions to roll out internationally in the future.

Developed by FMX, FremantleMedia’s central new-media division, Freak will run as a 13-week fully interactive experience, including eight weeks in HD. The official Freak MySpace profile will feature two video episodes a week, while other interactive content is made available on the characters’ own profiles. In between episodes, each central character will be posting snippets of their life (video, blogs, pictures and instant messenger feeds), telling their own narrative.

This teenage coming-of-age story will include a high level of interactivity for viewers, allowing them to choose the music, become a member of the cast and help to shape the story line. Once the series starts, the audience will also be able to interact with the characters by giving fashion, music and love advice and ultimately influence their decisions.

The U.K. series will launch with Red Bull and Tampax as brand partners.

Anthony Lukom, the managing director of MySpace UK, said: “This is an incredibly exciting new format, which puts our users in the driving seat more than ever before. The way they can get involved with every element of the series, both in creation and with the storyline, is incredibly powerful and the fact that both Red Bull and Procter & Gamble were so keen to be involved is testament to the strength of the proposition. FremantleMedia has a great reputation for producing quality, innovative content and we’re thrilled to be working with them on Freak.”

Claire Tavernier, the senior executive VP of FMX at FremantleMedia, added: “While this is FMX’s first project with MySpace UK, FremantleMedia’s production and enterprises divisions have already produced a number of highly successful original new media projects with MySpace in the United States, Germany and Australia. We are delighted to be partnering with them again for the U.K. launch and future global roll out of this uniquely innovative scripted series.”