Kevin Hart’s media company Hartbeat has partnered with US vertical video platform and studio aTwist to develop more than 20 original microseries.
The deal comes as aTwist launches today (September 3), with the service going live with original programming spanning comedy, drama, unscripted, horror and romance.
Under the partnership, aTwist will become the exclusive home of Hartbeat’s vertical originals and launch a dedicated destination for the company’s programming.
The slate will include original comedy microseries under Hartbeat’s LOL banner, as well as adaptations of books by bestselling author Blake Karrington. The adaptations will be produced in partnership with Malik Davis’ Upscale Productions.
Hartbeat, led by president and chief distribution officer Jeff Clanagan (pictured), will develop the programming, while aTwist will provide the distribution platform.
“Our vision for aTwist has always been to build a home for quality microseries – one that sparks passionate fan communities and provides a trusted platform for talent, creators and brands,” said aTwist CEO Jana Winograde. “Partnering with Hartbeat is another step in bringing globally recognised entertainment brands to aTwist and building a destination where broad reach and great storytelling can live side by side.”
Clanagan said the use of Karrington’s work would give the resulting series access to an established audience. “I’ve spent my career building audiences for stories the mainstream overlooked, and the most strategic way to do that has always been to start with an audience that already exists,” he said. “That’s the thinking behind bringing Blake Karrington’s catalogue to vertical through our partnership with Upscale Productions, for millions of readers who are already devoted fans.”
Formerly known as MicroCo, aTwist was founded by Winograde, the former president of entertainment at Showtime; former NBCUniversal Television and Streaming entertainment content chairman Susan Rovner; and former ABC Entertainment Group chairman and WME chairman Lloyd Braun. The company has more than 20 series in production and plans to expand its library throughout the remainder of the year.
