Category: Multimedia

from Riese:

Marking a major expansion of its original content, Syfy.com will premiere the award-winning, steampunk digital series Riese: Kingdom Falling beginning October 26, on syfy.com/riese every Tuesday and Thursday, it was announced today by Craig Engler, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Syfy Digital.

The critically acclaimed Riese: Kingdom Falling is distributed by Fireworks International, the television and digital distribution arm of ContentFilm plc. Each episode runs approximately seven to eight minutes.

Narrated by Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary), the 10-part series stars a cavalcade of talent from the world of popular speculative drama including Christine Chatelain (The Bone Collector); Sharon Taylor (Stargate Atlantis); Ben Cotton (Harper’s Island), Allison Mack (Smallville); Ryan Robbins (Caprica); Patrick Gilmore (Stargate Universe); Alessandro Juliani (Battlestar Galactica) and Emilie Ullerup (Sanctuary).

The series will also be available via Sony’s PS3, Microsoft’s Xbox and Amazon.

Said Engler: “We saw Riese and thought they had done just an amazing job, and then we were able to give them some resources and bring Amanda on board to really help them take the series to the next level. I think new and existing fans will love the relaunch of the series on Syfy.com and enjoy all the new additions.”

Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy that features anachronistic technology and design elements, often from Victorian-era Britain.

Riese: Kingdom Falling won the Streamy Award for Best Cinematography in a Web Series with a further three nominations for Best Sound Design, Best Foreign Series and Art Direction. The series was shot in Vancouver, BC, created by Ryan Copple and Kaleena Kiff, and produced by Galen Fletcher and Nicholas Humphries.

About Riese: Kingdom Falling:

Eleysia is a dying kingdom where resources are dwindling and compassion is fading. Distrust and anxiety have clouded people’s minds, causing a regression into primitive ways of thinking. People have grown restless, almost feral. Rituals and mythology have resurged, and the darker side of mankind has begun to reveal itself.

Riese (Christine Chatelain), a wanderer, travels across the decaying lands of Eleysia with her wolf, Fenrir. Marked as a heretic by religious group The Sect and the new Empress, Amara, Riese must evade their assassins and discover their true intentions for Eleysia.

Riese is the Crown Princess of Eleysia, forced to flee into the wilds after her family was slaughtered. She will soon serve as a catalyst for a disparate group of supposed heretics, the Resistance, launching them into civil war.

from Riese:

Riese Productions Ltd. and Genius Factor Games proudly announce the upcoming launch of an iPhone / iPod touch game featuring the voice of Felicia Day and based on the acclaimed new Syfy web series Riese.

Riese tells the story of a exiled princess on the run from a dangerous religious sect in a steampunk inspired world. It stars Allison Mack (Smallville), Ryan Robbins (Sanctuary), Alessandro Juliani (Battlestar Galactica), Patrick Gilmore (Stargate Universe), Emilie Ullerup (Sanctuary), Sharon Taylor (Smallville), Ben Cotton (Harper’s Island), and, in the title role, Christine Chatelain (Sanctuary).

The Vancouver-based web production made headlines in The New York Times, The Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Sun. It launched on YouTube in November 2009 and was viewed 1.3 million times in two and half months, before being taken down by its distributor, Fireworks International, a branch of Content Films. Riese was licensed by SyFy and is set to be re-released this fall.

“Riese has proven that digitally distributed content can be equal to or surpass regular broadcast content,” said Ted Nugent, Genius Factor president and founder. “It aligns with our own plan for digital distribution of games and interactive entertainment. Riese is an excellent backdrop to build great gaming upon. With Felicia’s participation in the project, the overall experience is amped up, adding depth and greater immersion to the game.”

“The game is an engaging way to expand the story, and continue our transmedia approach with the property,” said Ryan Copple, Riese co-creator and series executive producer. “Being able to include a storybook-esque narrator with the game truly immerses the player in the Riese world. We’re thrilled to be working with Felicia Day and Genius Factor on this endeavor, as they’ve truly been an inspiration to everyone involved with Riese.”

Slated for release in late October via iTunes, the iPhone and iPod touch virtual RPG card battle game will offer series fans and newcomers alike the chance to utilize alternative media to further enhance the existing story and remain immersed in the haunting world of Riese. It will also feature the voice of web pioneer and trail blazer Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog). More information is available at geniusfactorgames.com.