ARTE Orders Doc on Digital Economy from Submarine & Pumpernickel

Submarine and Pumpernickel Films have partnered with media expert Douglas Rushkoff to create Exponential, which tells the story of how the digital economy has spun out of control, with ARTE on board as commissioning broadcaster.

ARTE commissioned the four-part docuseries through its German partners WDR and RBB. Submarine and Pumpernickel Films will produce and represent the series for worldwide distribution.

As the writer and narrator across all four episodes, Rushkoff will take viewers on a journey from the beginning of the digital age through its transformation by big business to the possibilities for a more human-centered future.

Rushkoff said: “I’m so excited to be making Exponential with Submarine, as the team has been at the forefront of digital technology since the beginning. For the past 25 years, I’ve watched as the tremendous potential of the digital age was surrendered to the mindless pursuit of exponential growth. Everyone—and I mean everyone, from cab drivers to parents to journalists to teenagers—is ready to see the story of how this unfolded, who is responsible, and what we can still do about it.

Femke Wolting, co-founder and CEO of Submarine, and Christoph Jörg at Pumpernickel Films, added: “It’s almost impossible to overstate how the emergence of the internet has impacted our society, our lives and our global economy. With his trademark clarity, curiosity and insight, Douglas is the perfect guide to make sense of the digital age, taking us on a fascinating ride from the idealist inception of the net to its corruption and ultimately—where we could go next.”