New Form Digital, a video distribution/production company funded by Discovery, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, has launched its original pilot — “Oscar’s Hotel for Fantastical Creatures” — on Vimeo On Demand. The series, which began life as one of the dozen or so shorts that New Form commissions each year via its incubator program, includes Jim Henson’s Creature Shop-created beasts that run a magical boarding house, YouTube stars Chris Kendall, Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart, and appearances by Patrick Stewart and Alfred Molina. Continue reading New Form Digital Debuts Its “Oscar’s Hotel” Series on Vimeo

YouTube multichannel network Fullscreen plans to roll out a subscription video service that will feature original and licensed programming including series, documentaries and feature length movies. While pricing and other specifics have yet to be released, the SVOD service is expected to launch in the next few months. “We think there’s an underserved audience out there,” said Fullscreen CEO George Strompolos at Variety’s Entertainment & Technology Summit. “We want to create a premium video environment where the best work can be made by Fullscreen and other studios.” Continue reading Fullscreen Planning SVOD Service to Target Youth Audiences