Will Smith, Alicia Keys to Headline YouTube Original Series
YouTube has enlisted the help of big-name entertainers to star in the new batch of ad-supported originals.
YouTube revealed an unscripted series with Will Smith following his latest fitness journey and a new docuseries with Alicia Keys premiering this summer at its Brandcast Delivered event for advertisers on Tuesday.
The third and final season of comedy “Liza on Demand,” starring famous comedian and YouTube creator Liza Koshy — the last of YouTube's scripted originals since phasing them out starting in 2019; “Ice Cold,” a docu series produced by hip-hop trio Migos exploring issues around racial inequity; and a new special honoring Asian and Pacific Islander culture, executive produced by LeBron James and Michelle Kwan.
According to YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl, the YouTube Originals approach remains the same: they're ventures centered on celebrities and top YouTube creators with the aim of attracting a wide audience, as well as specials to help particular causes.
In an interview, Kyncl said, "If you're a creative person, you want to work with the place that has the most scope — that's the ultimate satisfaction, greater than income." He believes the creator economy is “here to stay — and it's not just YouTube; the entire world has validated it.” It's changing the face of Hollywood and other industries all over the world.”
In 2022, the Will Smith project (working title: "Best Shape of My Life") will be published. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's Westbrook Media are producing a six-part wellness series that will follow the actor as he attempts to improve every aspect of his fitness with the aid of pro athletes, scientists, and experts — as well as top YouTube creators. Dexton Deboree, a filmmaker, will direct and showrun the series. It's Will Smith's second YouTube Originals project: On his 50th birthday in 2018, he bungee-jumped from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon to raise funds for charity.
The film "Noted" (working title) by Alicia Keys is set to premiere this summer. It will follow the singer-songwriter as she marks the 20th anniversary of her seminal album "Songs in A Minor" and prepares to record her eighth album. Keys' four-part docuseries, produced in collaboration with Westbrook Media, "will bring the past 20 years to the surface" with performances and behind-the-scenes footage, according to YouTube.
Season 3 of YouTube's "Liza on Demand," which will premiere later this year, will reunite Liza Koshy with returning cast members Kimiko Glenn and Travis Coles as they navigate the highs and lows of their twenties. Liza Koshy, Courtney Carter, Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, Marc Lieberman, Ally Engelberg, Caroline Miller, and Elliot Glazer serve as executive producers on "Liza on Demand."
The executive producers of the YouTube docuseries "Ice Cold," Migos, use hip-hop jewelry as a lens to explore deeper issues surrounding racial inequity and the American dream. Quality Films, Universal Music Group's Mercury Studios and Polygram Entertainment, MGX Creative, and Mass Appeal produce the four short episodes directed by Karam Gill ("G-Funk," "Supervillain").
YouTube's "Recipe for Change" (working title) will premiere on June 16 and will feature Asian American storytellers as well as actors, chefs, activists, and makers to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander culture while also discussing acts of hate and abuse against the API community. Via their media group, the SpringHill Company, LeBron James and Maverick Carter will serve as executive producers. Along with SpringHill's Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron, showrunner Joel Relampagos, and producer Rich Kim, Michelle Kwan and Dennis Cheng will executive produce.
The original special "Barbershop Medicine," which will premiere this summer, will investigate the impact of race and socioeconomic status on healthcare and longevity. In a storied barbershop, the special will bring together musical artist Masego, renowned physicians Dr. Italo Brown and Dr. Jamie Rutland, and community members to discuss today's most pressing health concern, COVID-19. The special is produced by Macro Television Studios and Culture House for the #YouTubeBlackVoices Fund and executive produced by Charles D. King, Marta Fernandez, Jelani Johnson, and Aisha Corpas Wynn. Hashim Williams is the showrunner and executive producer.
In addition, YouTube has scheduled a global livestream special for Pride Month on June 25 with Trixie Mattel, Daniel Howell, Kim Chi, Monét X Change, Peppermint, Denali Foxx, and others, in collaboration with The Trevor Project to raise money for LGBTQ+ youth. “Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World,” a broadcast and livestream special produced in collaboration with Global Citizen and aimed at encouraging people to get COVID vaccines, will premiere on May 8.
Additional upcoming YouTube originals include a second season of “Could You Survive the Movies,” hosted by YouTube creator Jake Roper, premiering this summer; additional topical episodes of Vox Media Studios' “Glad You Asked” this summer; a second interactive special with YouTube creator Markiplier set to air later this year; and a second season of competition series “Instant Influencer” with new contestants.
Hasan Minhaj exceeded the 2021 YouTube Brandcast, the company's 10th annual presentation at IAB's NewFronts. The show included musical performances by Miley Cyrus, Kurt Hugo Schneider, Tkay Maidza, Joy Oladokun, and Rexx Life Raj, as well as appearances by YouTubers and talent such as The Fitness Marshall, The Try Guys, iJustine, ZHC, Tarek Ali, AsapScience, Naomi Campbell, Jessica Alba, and Venus Williams.
During the event, YouTube announced a new interactive advertising product called "brand extensions," which will be available globally later this year and will allow users to click on an ad to learn more about a product without interfering with their viewing experience. Furthermore, the platform is introducing YouTube Select Sponsorships, which will provide advertisers with seasonal sponsorships based on what is popular in culture at that time of year (for example, Mother's Day, summer wellness, or women in music during Women's History Month).
In December 2020, more than 120 million people in the United States streamed YouTube or YouTube TV on their television screens, according to Kyncl. He also mentioned a Google-commissioned study from June 2020, which found that in the United States, YouTube was the No. 1 video content provider that viewers would miss the most if it was no longer accessible.
Although YouTube's Brandcast was all about promoting the company's free, ad-supported side, Kyncl said the subscription side of the business is still growing. More than 30 million people have subscribed to YouTube Premium (which includes YouTube Music). Of course, that's a small portion of YouTube's total monthly logged-in users, which number in the billions.
“Even if we had all of Netflix and all of Amazon [paid video subscribers] inside of YouTube, we'd still have a majority of free viewers,” Kyncl said. “The engagement level on an ad-supported service is far greater than anything on an SVOD service,” he said, adding, “but that doesn't mean we won't have a large and growing subscription business.”
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