PRNewswire — Viacom (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTVN Entertainment Group’s Atom.com, a digital comedy network and Comedy Central’s exclusive partner and anchor brand for original digital comedy content, announced today that it has signed writer-director Sandeep Parikh to an exclusive first look production commitment. The deal follows the success of Parikh’s The Legend of Neil series (legendofneil.atom.com), which has generated 700,000 plays since debuting on Atom.com in August and reached over 400,000 more viewers when it made its television debut on Atom TV on Comedy Central on September 15.
The production deal gives Atom the first option on new digital content ideas from Parikh and it has committed in advance to developing two of them to pilot stage. In addition, Atom and Parikh are in discussions on future seasons of The Legend of Neil, building on the adventures of a guy who gets sucked into The Legend of Zelda after a night of heavy drinking and game playing and must fight his way out or risk perishing in the magical world. The series was a hit among gamers, who also know Parikh from his work as an actor in Felicia Day’s The Guild, a popular web series set in the world of massively multiplayer online games.
“Working with Megan and the Atom.com team has been an absolute blast,” said Parikh. “I couldn’t be more excited about the success of The Legend of Neil and the new deal we’ve struck.”
“Sandeep’s funny and inventive first season of The Legend of Neil has resonated with the Atom audience online, on Atom TV and on all of our platforms,” said Atom’s VP of Development and Acquisitions, Megan O’Neill. “He really understands the Web and we are thrilled to be creating more content with him.”
The Atom.com digital comedy network extends far beyond the Web site, reaching almost every screen that plays video. Elsewhere on the Internet, Atom channels are featured on iTunes (which is currently selling the complete first season of The Legend of Neil), AOL, AT&T, Bebo, Dailymotion, Veoh, xBox Live, and Parikh’s own Effinfunny.com site. On television, the weekly Atom TV series (TV-MA) features original Atom comedy videos and top user videos on Comedy Central every Monday night at 2:00 a.m. On mobile phones, Atom has prominent channels on Verizon Wireless’ V CAST as well as AT&T’s CV and AllTel.
Atom.com, a division of Viacom Inc.’s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks, is a digital comedy network for young men that reaches millions of consumers each month on the Atom.com Web site and millions more through multiplatform distribution on television, mobile phones, and the Internet. Drawing on a strategic partnership with Comedy Central and its own 10-year history of online video innovation and leadership (formerly as AtomFilms), Atom.com delivers Web comedy like nobody else.
This season features new guests Alan Tudyk (Firefly) and Wallace Langham (CSI) and our old friends Unicow, Panda, Go-Go Girl, and Rick “Lick Poop” Pope. Kiko even has gorgeous and not-so-tiny new digs!
To be notified of all new GTCMS episodes as they premiere, go to the C-Spot channel on YouTube and subscribe to our playlist… or you can even subscribe to C-Spot itself and see us along with their other productions. It’s a win-win situation: fresh new video for you, and great relations with Sony for us (which could lead to even MORE fresh new video for you!)
Last, but not least, if you were away over the summer, you may have missed all the action on Kiko’s doorstep. Take a peek at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ACjvVQt13qs
We are now officially shooting Season 2 of The Guild, yay! We also worked VERY hard to have a new website up and it’s now done!! watchtheguild.com is live and beautifully laid out thanks to Woo Themes WordPress skins and ninja work by Kirstin and webmaster Edgar Garcia.
ALSO we have a social network attached to the show, now under the “community” tab! Blog, upload pictures, chat live, forums etc. We are working on building it out but it’s fun now, create a profile and link up with other Guild fans! What do you have to lose?
Thanks for your continued support, we’re so excited about this next season!
Folks, last night Episode 1 premiered on Comedy Central’s Atom TV! It was super fun to watch it with Tony and several of the crew. Here’s the rest of the schedule. Set your TiVos/DVRs.
Effinfunny.com, the creators of The Legend of Neil, are looking for some young, excited, and supremely organized volunteers to assist with our goal of creating amazingly hilarious content with an eye towards our long term goal of taking over the world.
Stuff we’re working on:
1) Effinfunny.com — The website provides daily quality stand up content focusing on awesome up and comers as well as established vets.
2) More Comedy Central webseries — I have a blind production deal with CC and Atom.com to produce several more series. We’re also in talks about the second season of The Legend of Neil 2 — though its not official, things are looking good. legendofneil.com
3) The Guild — we’re shooting season 2 and always need help on production, you’ll end up potentially doing a lot of work in different departments. watchtheguild.com
4) Commercials etc — We’re producing commercials for AbsolutePoker.net. (Our first series of commercials are airing on ESPN now.)
Stuff you might do — It ain’t all glamorous but it’s all necessary!
1) Work the Facebook, the MySpace, the Twitters, etc, social media marketing baby!
2) Run errands, file, and help with company organizing.
3) Help keep Effinfunny.com updated, and spread it all around on the Revver, the YouTube, and the blip.tv. etc.
4) If can edit in Final Cut Pro, you’ll edit. If you can’t, you’ll be able to learn some basics.
5) Helping with live comedy shows and screenings. Logistics, organizing, phone calls, etc…
What kind of person you need to be (besides just generally awesome):
1) I’m looking for young and hungry more than experienced. We need fast learners who are organized and have a very positive attitude. Must be willing to do anything and get your hands dirty!
2) Web and computer savvy is a huge plus!
3) Any Final Cut Pro/Mac/Photoshop/Motion experience a plus but totally not required. Desire to learn these programs is a huge plus.
4) You must be in LA, and you must have a car. We’re located on the east side in Silverlake/Echo Park.
5) You’d need to be able to come in at least once or twice a week (office hours are roughly 10am-6pm). The more you contribute the more you’ll get out of the experience and the better chance you’ll be recommended for paying gigs.
6) Hustle, hustle, and more hustle. Attention to detail. Fearlessness. And a sense of humor. If you don’t think we’re funny, then don’t bother.
Why should you volunteer:
To hammer the point home: You’re going to be working in a fun, exciting, and cutting edge environment with a lof rapid growth. Get in on the ground floor, put in great work now and as we grow you’ll grow with us! If this all excites the hell out of you, then we want your resume.
Please send it to effinfunny@gmail.com. PLEASE PUT THE RESUME IN THE BODY OF THE EMAIL (DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS!!) Also feel free to write us a quick paragraph introducing yourself.
For all those in the intersecting parts of the Venn diagram consisting of Legend of Neil lovers and iPod users you can simply click here to download the entire season of The Legend of Neil for a mere $2! Ridiculous deal. No ads, no buffering, higher res, and best of all you’re encouraging Comedy Central to buy more Neil and create the type of comedy you love! So click it up and spread the word!
Oh and for those keeping score, The Legend of Neil has just crossed over 600,000 views on Atom.com, we’re now by far their most successful series since their launch!
Vincent Caso has had a stellar beginning to his acting career. After attending a school for the Arts, he decided at age 13 to become an actor. He quickly landed a role in the Jeremy Coon (Napoleon Dynamite) film American Fork, and soon after was chosen for the role of Bladezz in Felicia Day‘s The Guild. The Guild went on to become an Internet phenomenon, garnering praise and fan support from around the world, especially with MMORPG players. I had a brief opportunity to meet Vince at the California Browncoats booth at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con, where he spent a whirlwind of a weekend signing autographs and meeting fans. We only spoke for a few moments but he was a very friendly, polite, and kind young man… and TALL! Due to schedule changes I was unable to catch the entire cast together, but Vince was wonderful enough to answer some questions for us recently.
ÜberSciFiGeek (ÜSFG) Are you like your character, Bladezz, in any way?
Vincent Caso (VC) Not much. I’m sure there are one or two personality traits that we share. But I’m afraid that most of our similarities are purely physical.
(ÜSFG) Which character from The Guild do you identify with the most?
(VC) I’d have to say that I’m actually a wacky combination of Vork, Zaboo, and my own character. Though not exactly in that order. I’ve got some of the wackiness that Zaboo’s got, but sans the creepiness. And I’ve got some of the more formal aspects of Vork, but not quite as hardcore as him. And I’ve got a little bit of the personality of Bladezz, but sans the jerkiness (I’d like to think so, at least).
(ÜSFG) What is it like being the youngest cast member?
(VC) Haha, good question. The rest of the cast likes to poke fun sometimes, but it’s been all pretty cool. We joke about it occasionally (you’ll see a few playful jibes during the cast interviews in our Season 1 DVD), but they definitely don’t talk down to me or consider me just the “kid they’re working with”. They totally make me feel like one of the family.
(ÜSFG) Your first film was American Fork. What was it like working on that film?
(VC) It was a blast. Being my first official acting experience, it was all very new to me. But I learned a lot, got to know some wicked people, got to spend a month in the rather pleasant Salt Lake City, Utah, and generally had a good time.
(ÜSFG) What were the differences in production and feel on the set for American Fork and The Guild?
(VC)The Guild is all very casual, without being unprofessional. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere and really makes you feel at home. Nothing feels strict or uptight, it’s all very cool. And American Fork was much the same way. Of course there was a little more hustle-and-bustle due to the fact that it was a movie, we had more deadlines, some location constraints, some re-shoots, etc, but it was also a pretty chill experience. I’ve just been very fortunate to be a part of projects that have really cool people working on them, there’s never anyone who I have a beef with. And that makes a big difference in how fun and easy it is to work on a given set.
(ÜSFG) Do you have any other projects you are working on right now?
(VC) Not at the moment, but keep an eye out!
(ÜSFG) You also do card tricks and slight of hand. Is it a hobby or have you considered magic as a career?
(VC) At one time I had considered it to be my main focus, but it eventually just turned into a hobby. Of which I have several. It has sort of joined hands with hobbies like writing, martial arts, swing dancing, and rollerskating. (Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?)
(ÜSFG) What do you think of the response you’ve gotten from the success of The Guild?
(VC) I’m loving it! I was really blown away by what this all turned into. I mean, I knew it was a funny and cool show, but I just never thought that it might have become this when I signed on.
(ÜSFG) Are you getting recognized in public yet? Are there any “rabid fans” or funny stories yet?
(VC) It’s happened a few times, grocery stores, gyms, an In-N-Out, on the street, etc. No funny stories yet, though.
(ÜSFG) What did you think of San Diego Comic-Con? Was there anything or anyone there you were looking forward to seeing?
(VC) It was very fun, I loved the whole trip. Unfortunately I wasn’t aware of all the cool Q-and-A’s, screenings, and whatnot until like the last day, so I largely missed out.
(ÜSFG) I saw online that someone asked about Bladezz’ photos and you said they were taken for the show. Do you have any pictures from your actual portfolio you can share with your fans?
(VC) Well I don’t have a modeling portfolio or anything, but I’ve got a number of headshots. I don’t think any of my new ones are posted online yet, but I’ll look into getting some on my IMDb.
(ÜSFG) Have you started playing WoW again or are you still bored with it?
(VC) I quit cold turkey and never looked back, heh.
(ÜSFG) Is there an interview question you’ve never been asked about The Guild, but wish was asked?
(VC) I’ve never put much thought into that, I’ll have to get back to you when I think of something. 🙂
(ÜSFG) Anything else you want to share with the fans?
(VC) You dudes rock! And as corny as it may sound, we wouldn’t have much of a show without you. Keep on tuning in, we’ve got plenty of hilarious twists to await you in… Season 2. 😉 That’s all for now, guys!
Thank you, Vince, for taking the time to answer some of our questions!
Season 2 of The Guild is in preproduction, and is due to begin filming in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can re-watch Season 1 of The Guild online at watchtheguild.com, or purchase the Season 1 DVD and other merchandise in The Guild‘s online store.
Set your TiVos people because, unbelievably, they’re going to air The Legend of Neil on Comedy Central on a show called Atom TV at 2am next Monday the 15th! Check out this kick ass promo that Atom made here. It’s kickass, because it’s all Neil. 🙂
With the release of the season finale this Thursday, The Legend of Neil has broken 500,000 views in a little over one month. To celebrate with us, hit up our channel on Atom.com, leave some comments and ratings, and spread the word to help us get to a million. Every view, comment and registration helps our case to get more seasons. We’re still in talks, so whatever you can do to help us get over the edge is much appreciated!
Also, Neil has made its debut on iTunes, where all six episodes will be sold for the bargain basement price of $2! Not a bad deal to drop the show on your iPod! These were the directions sent to me by Atom (we’re working on adding a direct link):
When you go to the iTunes store, click on TV Shows, then scroll down to “Networks” and click on Comedy Central. Go to Page 2 and click on “Atom” — Legend of Neil should show up.
Are you such a devoted fan of The Legend of Zelda that you’ve played every game to completion (perhaps more than once), and read every related book in print? This October, VIZ Media comes to your rescue with an English adaptation of the Zelda manga to keep you immersed in the world of Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda manga series, officially approved by Nintendo, began publication in Japan in February 2000 and covers nine of the most popular Zelda games. VIZ Media’s adaptation will mark the first time the fan-praised series has been officially released in English.
The first title set to be published in North America is Ocarina of Time, the dustjacket description of which reads, “In the mystical land of Hyrule, three spiritual stones hold the key to the Triforce, and whoever holds them will control the world. A boy named Link sets out on a quest to deliver the Emerald, the spiritual stone of the forest, to Zelda, Princess of the land of Hyrule. The journey will be long and perilous, and Link will need all his skill and courage to defeat evil. The battle for Hyrule and the Sacred Realm has begun!”
In Ocarina of Time , the adventures of the game’s hero, Link, are divided into two volumes — known as the “Child Saga” and the “Adult Saga” — that relate the story of how the young Link left his forest home and grew up in the process to become the destined Hero of Time. The story and art by Akira Himekawa, including the bonus preliminary sketches he did in preparation for the project, are consistently top-notch, and the books remain mostly true to the video game plot, occasionally adding extra material to expand upon or explain things from the game series. Ocarina of Time reads from right to left, as in the original Japanese book format, and is rated “A” for All Ages.
Now VIZ Media just needs to produce plush toys to accompany the Zelda manga. Cuddling an adorable little Link or Zelda doll while following their stories on the page would add a whole extra layer to the reading experience, and allow the reader to act out the cute crush between the two characters as portrayed in Ocarina of Time.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time‘s English translation is distributed by VIZ Media. For more information on the full range of The Legend of Zelda titles, see Manga from The Legend of Zelda Series.
The Legend of Neil, a NSFW-rated Web series that spoofs The Legend of Zelda, is also recommended for adult Zelda fans. Its creator is Sandeep Parikh, who plays Zaboo in the award-winning Web series The Guild.
