By Ryan Nakashima, Business Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --Hulu, the online video service that primarily shows reruns from major broadcasters, is getting into the business of original programming.
In the first of several projects, the company teamed up with Morgan Spurlock, the documentary maker who criticized McDonald’s and fast-food lifestyles in “Super Size Me.” They are creating “A Day in the Life” — six half-hour episodes where filmmakers follow around famous people such as billionaire Richard Branson.
Hulu’s first foray into actual production follows a decision in March by another online video service, Netflix, to buy rights to “House of Cards.” Netflix Inc. ordered 26 hour-long episodes and plans to start showing them late next year.
Since its debut in 2008, Hulu has primarily shown reruns of TV programs provided by ABC, Fox and NBC, the broadcasters owned by Hulu’s media company parents • The Walt Disney Co., News Corp. and Comcast Corp. Providence Equity Partners is also a minority owner. The current owners have put Hulu up for sale.
Andy Forssell, Hulu’s senior vice president of content acquisition, said that Hulu isn’t turning into a competitor of its network-owning parents. Shows will have a smaller budget and will be tailored to Hulu’s online audience, he said.
“In most cases, it’s going to be something that came from the traditional network or studio partner, but … for whatever reason is not getting made,” Forssell said. “We can be the difference maker and get it done.”
Forssell distinguished Hulu’s strategy from Netflix’s. He said “House of Cards” would have been made anyway and probably would have found a home on TV even if Netflix hadn’t bought it. By contrast, Hulu is looking for things that don’t compete with traditional video distributors.
Financial terms of the Spurlock deal weren’t disclosed. Spurlock’s “Super Size Me” earned an Oscar nomination for best feature documentary in 2005. His filmography also includes this year’s release, “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” which delves into the world of product placement in films. (Spurlock directs commercials via Saville Productions.)
Forssell declined to comment on whether Hulu’s decision to move into original programming was related to why it is now up for sale, but he said the discussion about making its own shows began about a year ago.
It was only last month that Hulu began a process to sell itself after an unsolicited takeover offer from an undisclosed bidder prompted its board to consider seeking other offers. Since then, companies including Google Inc., Apple Inc. and Yahoo Inc. have had discussions with Hulu.
Hulu has become one of the biggest purveyors of television shows and movies on the Internet through its free site and via an $8-per-month subscription plan that gives users a deeper library of back episodes. The free site is available on computers. The subscription plan allows for viewing over a wide array of Internet-connected devices such as TVs, game consoles and mobile phones.
In February, CEO Jason Kilar said Hulu will have 1 million paying customers by the end of the year and generate nearly $500 million in revenue, up from $263 million in 2010. He has said the company is profitable.
“Overnight Success” Has Been More Than A Decade In The Making For Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson
Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson, two of the stars of Netflix's whodunit "The Perfect Couple," have news for you if you want to call them breakouts: They've been working in this business for more than a decade.
Fahy made her TV debut in 2009 in an episode of "Gossip Girl." Hewson's first big film role was in 2011's "This Must Be the Place." They do concede, however, that it's recent TV roles — "The White Lotus" for Fahy and "Bad Sisters" for Hewson — that have led to new frontiers of opportunity.
Susanne Bier, who directed "The Perfect Couple," says both Fahy and Hewson are "going to be big stars."
"They certainly have proper, profound star quality, Both of them in very different ways," Bier says. "Both are incredibly creative, incredibly smart, and also have a impressive insight as to who they are. You can be a great actor or actress and not necessarily really know who you are yourself. And they do."
Hewson, 33, whose dad is U2 front man Bono, may have grown up in a famous family but she's now in demand in her own right. She will next be seen in a second season of "Bad Sisters, " out in November. She's in Noah Baumbach's next film, alongside Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Riley Keough. She's also been cast in Steven Spielberg's next production and is set to star opposite Murray Bartlett in a racing series for Hulu.
Fahy, 34, is in production on a limited series with Julianne Moore and Milly Alcock called "Sirens," written by Molly Smith Metzler ("Maid") for Netflix. She also has two films in the can with Josh O'Connor ("The Crown," "Challengers") and Brandon Sklenar ("It Ends With Us").
The two actors spoke candidly about this phase of their careers. This interview has been condensed for clarity and... Read More