David Farnor | On 26, Apr 2016

Bret Easton Ellis’ new series is leading the line-up for Fullscreen’s new SVOD service.

The service, which was announced last year, goes live today and aims to rival YouTube’s own subscription platform, YouTube Red. While Google’s service costs $9.99 a month (and is currently unavailable in the UK), Fullscreen costs a more affordable $4.99 a month.

The amount of included content, though, is much smaller; Fullscreen, up until now, has been an MCN on YouTube, working with its 75,000-strong roster of talent to make content for free platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat too. Relying solely on ad-supported platforms, though, “did not work out”, founder George Strompolos told the BBC.

“Social media is a great place to make quick, inexpensive content to engage a fanbase. But when it comes to longer form or premium productions, the economics of producing it on the free web just don’t work out. We needed to create a premium destination for that work that has a higher quality.”

The emphasis, though, is less on quantity of content and more about quality – YouTube Red’s appeal partly stems from removing adverts for users, but Fullscreen will be primarily focusing on producing premium quality videos. (It does, however, include a GIF creator.)

“We’re leading with original programmes,” adds Strompolos. “It’s not icing on cake, it is the cake.”

The platform will be using a mix of older, third party content and new videos to attract audiences. On the one hand, you’ll find British comedians, such as Jack Howard and Dean Dobbs, and on the other, Saved by the Bell and Dawson’s Creek.

Sponsor AT&T, which is helping to promote Fullscreen to its millions of customers, will also co-produce programming to run on both Fullscreen and its own AT&T Audience Network for DirecTV and U-verse subscribers.

So what content can subscribers around the world expect? Here’s a run down of Fullscreen’s slate:

The Deleted

Bret Easton Ellis makes his directorial debut with this thriller series, which follows the “disappearance of three seemingly unconnected people from Los Angeles [that] triggers a collective paranoia among a group of twentysomethings, all of whom escaped from a cult ‎several years back”.

The show has been in development for more than a year, notes Variety and will begin production this summer. (No premiere date has been announced yet.)

Party In The Back

A daily sketch show, with Twaimz, Josh Leyva, Rachel Scanlon, and Brandon Armstrong, following the behind-the-scenes work at Fullscreen.

Fullscreen will promote the show, as well as Electra Woman & Dyna Girl — a comedy featuring Grace Helbig and Hannah Hartwith — by staging a “social-media driven nationwide pizza party.” It will deliver about 5,000 pies to fans who tweet selfies with the identifier #fullscreenparty.

The Outfield

A teen drama starring Cameron Dallas and Nash Grier.

#O2LForever

A documentary about former YouTube supergroup, Our2ndLife.

Filthy Preppy Teen$

A teen parody show from Fox, Abominable Pictures, The League’s Paul Scheer and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp’s Jonathan Stern.

Weekly Talk Shows

A range of original weekly talk shows include Explain Things to Me, a “geekstravaganza” hosted by Anna Akana and Brad Gage, Slumber Party with Alie & Georgia, featuring Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark giving out advice, Shane & Friends, hosted by YouTube star Shane Dawson, and Waste of Time with ItsTheReal, which sees comedian brothers Eric and Jeff Rosenthal invite guests to their apartment to talk music, New York and food.

My Selfie Life

A 10-episode reality series, which sees young Americans filming themselves as they live through a life-changing moment in their journey towards adulthood and self-discovery. Created and exec produced by John Farrar (Man v. Viral) and Pete Cooksley (Find My First Love). Adapted from a UK series of four shorts produced by Nerd TV.

Old Classics

A range of older, third party content available to subscribers includes Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Napoleon Dynamite, Out There, Dawson’s Creek, The Breakfast Club, Accepted, Cruel Intentions, Summer Forever, The Inbetweeners and The Inbetweeners Movie, plus Saved By The Bell.

Electra Woman & Dyna Girl

A comedy reboot Marty Krofft’s 1970s kids’ sci-fi series, starring Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart as two superheroes, who move from Akron to Los Angeles in hopes of making it big in the crime fighting world, only to find competition with other vigilantes and infighting among themselves. The series premieres exclusively on Fullscreen on 26th April, with a feature film released worldwide online on 7th June.

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