DBP Donut, the content studio founded by Mark and Jay Duplass, has entered into a partnership with the interactive entertainment company Eko to develop and produce a slate of new live-action series.
Each narrative series will be interactive allowing the audience to “shape the story as it unfolds,” resulting in experiences that are unique to each viewer. The first series, which has yet to be named, is expected to debut sometime in 2019. However, where the content will be distributed has yet to be determined, according to the companies.
In the past, Eko has co-developed interactive series for top studios, including the comedy “That Moment When” with Olive Bridge Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the drama “#WarGames” with Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Now the interactive company is looking to expand on its experience by working with the Duplass brothers, who Yoni Bloch, CEO of Eko, describes as “crazy geniuses.”
“The Duplass Brothers have managed to do transcendent work in every new medium they’ve set their sights on — from critically-acclaimed shows to movies to books. Their creative curiosity is endlessly impressive and totally in line with our mission at Eko,” said Bloch in a statement Thursday. “That shared spirit brought them to us and us to them. Now you will get the chance to truly participate in the rich and bold story-worlds the brothers are going to create.”
The Duplass Brothers are no strangers to experimenting with new formats. In 2017, DBP Donut became the first partner of Snap and NBCUniversal’s joint venture Indigo to create vertical, scripted shows for Snapchat. And just as Snapchat and other platforms like it have resulted in a shift in viewing habits among consumers, Mark and Jay Duplass are confident that their partnership with Eko will do the same.
“You know how everyone in these press announcements is always saying stupid things like ‘this new format is going to fundamentally change viewing habits?’ Well, I can’t believe I’m doing this but I REALLY THINK EKO MIGHT FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE OUR VIEWING HABITS!” said Mark Duplass, co-founder of DBP Donut. “They’re trying to give narrative control to the viewer. And if they pull this off it’s gonna be bonkers. So we are truly excited to give it a shot and hopefully not fall on our faces.”
The partnership between the two companies was brokered by Sean Marks at Marks Law Group and Kevin Crotty and Nicole Riley at ICM Partners.