Coming Soon from a Cell Phone Near You

Here’s an interesting story from CNN about a new cartoon series Comedy Central has picked up ordered called Lil’ Bush. There are several episodes of about 5 minutes in length on YouTube, like the one linked below. Warning- it’s nasty:

Whether you enjoy the satire or not, the most interesting thing about this show is that is started out as a series of downloadable video clips from a US wireless service called Amp’d Mobile. The company packages video entertainment programming along with it’s mobile phone service.

Right now TV and film studios are trying to figure out how to make the internet and cell phones work for them by offering their content on those platforms somehow. ITunes and other download services for portable players is just a start, and a fledgling one. Here we have content that went in the other direction… from mobile content to a new show on Comedy Central. According to the CNN article, Amp’d has licensed Lil Bush to Comedy Central while retaining the rights to also air the new programs on it’s service, as well as selling wallpaper and ringtones based on the series.

Another example of how today’s technology is changing what we see and how it gets noticed. You have to wonder how the prospect of ending up with a fat studio contract will entice young animators and filmmakers to eschew the tradition methods of breaking into the biz and creating their content for companies like Amp’d, or on their own via online forums like YouTube, in the hope of being discovered?

Of course Lil Bush isn’t being made by some high school kid in his parent’s basement. It was created by The Simpsons veteran Donick Cary, so there is some experience and legitimacy behind the show.