Studio71 to Launch Online Reality Concept Beta Squad

Studio71 in the U.K., a Red Arrow Studios company, is introducing Beta Squad, an online reality project led by five rising creators.

Chunkz, Niko Omilana, King Kenny, AJ Shabeel and Sharky—Studio71-signed creators who already have their own individual social channels—will leave their family homes for the first time in March to live in a state-of-the-art mansion at a secret location in London, England. Over the course of a year, the five personalities will create daily content streams for a number of platforms, including YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat under the social handle BetaSquad5. They will also continue to publish content via their own channels.

The Beta Squad creators will individually and collectively cover conversations of importance to young people across comedy, entertainment, music, gaming, fashion and sports. Together, they’ll tap into a shared discourse and audience pool, representing young BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) personalities from the U.K.

James Stafford, Studio71 UK’s managing director, said: “The launch of Beta Squad is our biggest creator investment to date. We are excited to experiment with a new reality concept that challenges the creative potential of online content while opening up exciting opportunities for brands and partners. In a climate where there is uncertainty around influencers and influencer marketing, and when many online brands are struggling to prove commercial viability, we see this initiative as a way to contribute to the creator ecosphere, while demonstrating our confidence in the future faces of entertainment.”