MTV New Media teams up with "Hustle & Flow" director Craig Brewer to
add viewers an online music drama serial dedicated to the Memphis music
fit
NEW YORK, Aug. 22 -- From Elvis Presley and Isaac Hayes to
Three 6 Mafia and Justin Timberlake, Memphis has a long history of
nurturing diverse musical acts. MTV New Media, a division of Viacom's MTV
Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) is set to explore the modern-day incarnation of
Memphis, Tennessee's legendary music scenery with a groundbreaking,
music-driven episodic serial created by "Hustle & Flow" theatre director and
Memphis-based film maker Craig Brewer. The series, "$5 Cover," glimpses into
the lives of young modern-day artists working to make their mark on the
historied musical landscape those legends created -- all the while creating
drama of their have over 15 digital episodes as they fight for love,
inspiration and economic rent money.
Set in the clubs, all-nite cafes, no-tell motels and woolly
neighborhoods of present-day Memphis, the series is about music discovery
and raw subject matter. The characters play themselves and perform their possess
music, with each episode incorporating an exciting carrying into action or recording
session. "$5 Cover" allows viewers to follow reliable characters as they
hustle to hone their trade and pull through the heat of the South. "$5 Cover"
will be available on multiple screens, including online at
hTTP://www.fivedollarcover.com, mobile and gambling devices and MP3 players.
"'$5 Cover' allows a talented film producer like Craig to use technologies
that change the way audiences consume and engage in content," said David
Gale, Executive Vice President of MTV New Media, who previously ran MTV
Films for its first 11 years, where he oversaw the handout of "Hustle and
Flow." "Rather than using all the new screens as simply additional
distribution platforms, we are building an exclusively new interactional
experience that makes connections between the audience and content more
meaningful."
More than an introduction to underground artists, "$5 Cover" gives
tV audience a behindhand the scenes look at what's heating up Memphis. Viewers buttocks
take a virtual tour of duty of the local music scene, explore some of the cast's
favorite hangouts, and commence an inside look at Memphis hotspots.
Additionally, MTV will share social networking applications and other
digital tools with fans to build anticipation in between episodes and stoke
their excitation for new content. MySpace and Facebook widgets created for
"$5 Cover" will continuously feed related depicted object, including exclusive
music performances, video blogs and television tours of popular Memphis juke
joints.
"Content is now a click away and distribution platforms canful fit in the
palm tree of your hand. Everyone in amusement is stressful to figure out what
to make for the online 'snacking' culture and how to craft a successful
patronage model," aforementioned Brewer. "I think the best whatsoever filmmaker or producer
stool do in this fresh medium is embrace a frontier disembodied spirit, charge in head
first-class honours degree, and celebrate what you love. For me it's always been Memphis music
and musicians. And now people from around the world, at any time of the
day, on a pack of devices, will be able to click and snack in my have
backyard with some of the coolest cats this side of the Mississippi River."
Memphis has been home to deep cultural exchanges as well as painful
culture clashes, simply the place of birth of the blues, gospel and rock candy 'n' roll
has incessantly been a town with a flourishing music scene, where hoi polloi from every
walk of life embracing every music genre of music. "$5 Cover" is a uniquely rich
experience for viewers and tells a compelling untold story of struggle and
ambition.
Meet the Cast
These ar the artists and stories that make up the heart and soul of
"$5 Cover":
Amy LaVere as Amy -- Rock/Indie/Americana
Southern songstress whose petite frame is smaller than the pedestal up
bass she plays. Sassy and talented, her voice is innocent and bewitching.
She is ambitious, but when she gets romantically involved with band match,
her expectations fall poor, creating yet another sad song.
Clare Grant -- Actress/Former Playboy "Babe of the Month"
She is the garage-band poster girl -- the drinking, terpsichore muse of all
the rockers in Memphis. When Clare can't find love she goes to extremes.
She has been known to party as well hard and go house with the guys in the band,
putting her friendships in jeopardy.
Ben Nichols as Ben -- Rock/Southern Rock
Sexy as hell defective boy, and front human being of Lucero. Ben is an old flame of
Clare's (amongst many others). He is invariably touring with his band, but
is in townspeople long enough to turn Clare's earth upside down. The kind of guy wire
you wouldn't bring home base to mummy, covered in tattoos, all the women swoon
over him.
Al Kapone -- Rap/Crunk
Al is one of the originators of the Memphis underground pat explosion
and a pioneer of the Dirty South Crunk/Buck trend of Hip-Hop. He is a true
performer and loves to work an audience. He mentors his son AJ, on the
music game and records his menstruation between bringing jobs.
Kate Crowder of Two Way Radio -- Indie Pop
Sweet and sincere, Kate is a mother and musician. Her voice is angelic
and evokes a world filled with cotton candy, bubblegum and carnivals. Her
lyrics, sometimes deep, are all nigh love.
Muck Sticky -- Rap/Comedy/Alternative
He is known as Muck, Muck Sticky, the Sticky Muck, or the Nifty Mervous
Thrifty. He is a tireless self-promoter and sincere ambassador of peace,
friendly relationship and personal empowerment. Muck has a crush on Kate but is ineffective
to press out his feelings for her.
Brad Postlethwaite as Brad -- Indie/Pop
Slender with glasses and a byssus, Brad is a musical genius; he seems to
play with everyone in town and fronts a band called Snowglobe. Brad is
secure and knows his mode around Packy's studio.
Valerie June -- Folk/Rock
Valerie is a singer-songwriter, whose mysterious, melodic voice and
eclectic, neo-hippie style transcends her down home southerly charm and
wholesome beauty. She lives in the same menage as Amy, Clare and Wally and
works at the local coffee bar, Java Cabana.
Alicja Trout as Alicja -- Garage/Punk/Rock
Rock star topology and mother, Alicja is a bad ass, thug rock musical powerhouse
and the subject of one of Wally's many documentaries. She demands
everyone's attention when she is rocking out with her ring River City
Tanlines.
Harlan T Bobo -- Rock/Indie
Harlan T Bobo's ironic, tortured lamentations experience established him as
i of Memphis's top singer-songwriters. At once humorous and sincere,
Bobo's voice is practically the soundtrack for a packed Saturday-night show as it
is the Sunday-morning hangover that follows -- a love-weary, public diary
of romance and loss.
Jack Oblivian of Jack O and the Tennessee Tearjerkers -- Rock/Indie
The patron angel of many a Memphis musician, Jack "Oblivian" Yarber has
spread his hard-driving punk sway anthems around the existence with ill-affected
charm. When he's home, the city's musicians come together for his shows --
both as fans and as students.
"$5 Cover" was created by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake
Moan). Van Toffler, (President, MTV Networks Music & Logo Group), and David
Gale, (EVP, MTV New Media) will Executive Produce. Scott Bomar, Erin Hagee,
and David Harris will serve as producers, along with Jen Ringel as
co-producer.
The format of the "$5 Cover" allows for the know to be
developed in other cities around the country and the orb, exploring music
and culture from the point of view of filmmakers wHO are as knowledgeable
and passionate almost their local scenes as Craig is about Memphis.
The William Morris Agency brokered the deal on behalf of Craig Brewer.
Brewer is managed by Brad Gross and is delineate by attorney Carlos
Goodman of Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette & Feldman, LLP.
About MTV
MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experimentation at the intersection of music,
creativity and youth culture. For over 26 years, MTV has evolved,
challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- gift each new generation
a creative way out and vocalization that entertains, informs and unites on every
platform and screen. On-air, MTV has been the identification number one rated 24 time of day
ad-supported transmission line network P12-24 for 16 straight long time. Online, MTV.com
scored double-digit growth in 2007 and MTV launched 15 dynamic online
communities and eight novel virtual worlds. On the go, MTV Mobile is the #1
music brand in the wireless space -- delivering 90% more streams than in
2006. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each
drive home unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college
students and whitney Moore Young Jr. American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV
Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading
creators of programing and content across all media platforms. Wanna know
more? Come on in... http://www.mtvpress.com.
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