Disney Asks Kids to Contribute to HSM 2

LONDON/BURBANK, January
12: Disney Channel is giving its viewers the opportunity to contribute to the
script of the highly anticipated sequel to its worldwide hit High School
Musical.

An online poll launched in
the U.K. and the U.S. today, asking kids to vote on parts of the film, slated
to begin production next month for a summer release. Questions include deciding
a skateboard trick that main character Troy promises to teach Gabriella, the
message on a T-shirt that Chad wears, and what unusual additions Sharpay should
have on her personal golf cart. The poll launches in the rest of Europe on
January 15. All polls will close on January 31, and the results will be
incorporated into the script in time for filming of High School Musical 2.

Rob Gilby, the MD of
Disney Channels UK, Scandinavia & Emerging Markets, noted, “HSM is already a massive phenomenon—its
popularity driven by kids not only watching the movie but downloading the
music, performing the songs and dances for each other, and even putting on
their own productions. This is the on-demand generation, who demand to be
involved in their entertainment. We’ve seen it with music, well now it's here
in the TV world. So we decided to push the boundaries of interactivity by giving
kids worldwide a way of participating in the sequel. We're pretty sure they
will jump at the chance."

Globally, the Disney
Channel original production has reached more than 127 million viewers, and it
also features a top-selling soundtrack and DVD.