Arts & Entertainment

Companies debut a new media platform with success

Maddie Marsh • February 14, 2014

PEMBERLEY DIGITAL IS a media company who is trying out a new media platform. By utilizing YouTube and social media sites, they develop their characters and storyline. So far, they have completed a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” a mini series of Austen’s unfinished novel “Sanditon” and, finally, “Emma Approved,” which is based off of Austen’s “Emma.” Image Courtesy of: Pemberley Digital — Pemberly Digital is a media company who is trying out a new media platform. By utilizing YouTube and social media sites, they develop their characters and storyline. So far, they have completed a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” a mini series of Austen’s unfinished novel “Sanditon” and, finally, “Emma Approved,” which is based off of Austen’s “Emma.” Image Courtesy of Pemberley Digital.

First television, then Netflix and Hulu; is YouTube to be the new place to watch shows and movies? That is exactly what companies such as Pemberley Digital are doing.

According to their website, Pemberley Digital is “An innovative web video production company that specializes in the adaptation of classic works onto the new media format.

The company utilizes not only YouTube but other social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, LOOKBOOK, and others to tell an enriched and immersive story that transcends across multiple formats.”

Characters use vlogs, twitter, and other social media sites to develop the storyline. This approach has been very successful for Pemberley Digital.

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“Pemberley Digital’s most notable project is the Emmy® Award-winning interactive adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.” The series also received the 2012 TV.com award for Best Web Series as well as the IAWTV and Streamy awards for Best Interactive Series. Its recent Kickstarter campaign raised over $462,000, with 771% funded and ending $400,000 over its initial $60,000 goal, pre-selling over 5,800 DVDs.”

Twice a week, Pemberley has been putting out their new project, Emma Approved, which is a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Emma.” Every Monday and Thursday at 9 a.m. pst, a new Emma Approved “episode” is aired on YouTube and on Emma’s blog site.

It is also worth mentioning that Hank Green, half on the vlogbrothers team, is the executive producer of the Emma Approved series. You can check out his and his brother’s vlogs here.

Overall, this new video format has proved to be able to stand the competition of the more traditional media approaches. If this sounds interesting, or you are interested in Jane Austen, you can watch the complete Lizzie Bennet Diaries series in addition to Emma Approved.

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