News

Australian digital entertainment company Hoodlum and broadcast partner ABC (US) have won the inaugural Global Media Award for Outstanding Website/ Entertainment for the project, FIND815.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced the winners of the first annual ceremony of the Global Media Awards (GMA) in Las Vegas on January 8.
“The digital revolution of media has forged a bond between creative talent and leaders in technology who are pioneering the frontiers of a new age in communications,” said David Wertheimer, Vice-Chairman of the Global Media Awards. “No other ceremony has recognized and rewarded the achievements of individuals and companies leading the transformation of the media industry in quite this way.”

FIND815

FIND815, starring Australian actors Rodger Corser, Marshall Napier and Aden Young, was a five-week interactive broadband drama, the centrepiece to ABC’s marketing strategy for Season Four of LOST. Designed to appeal to both loyal fans and to those who had followed earlier seasons of the show, the experience utilized multiple mediums to tell a story that was compelling and entertaining.

Launching on New Years Eve 2007 in the lead up to the debut of Season Four of LOST in January 2008, the story integrated with storylines from the TV show and seamlessly combined TV-quality video sequences with the newest web technologies.

A huge, highly active global community grew around FIND815 with fans working together to solve the puzzles posed in the online drama and to make the links between the world of FIND815 and their favourite TV show.

FIND815 was a complex, stylish and suspenseful online adventure and a new benchmark for accessible and compelling multiplatform drama. The project was a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy ® Finalist in 2008.

Hoodlum has been leading the way in multiplatform entertainment since they launched Fat Cow Motel, a cult web and TV drama in 2003. Their successes continued with the online drama series PS Trixi for Yahoo!7; the International Emmy ® nominated Emmerdale Online Channel for ITV and the two time BAFTA winning Spooks Interactive for the BBC.

In 2008, Hoodlum produced the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy ® Finalist FIND815 for ABC. From their Brisbane studio, they worked closely with the creators and producers of LOST to create an online drama as a precursor to the popular series. FIND815 led to a second project with the ABC/ LOST team in 2008, the Alternate Reality Game Dharma Wants You which attracted an even greater number of followers.

About Hoodlum

Hoodlum is an award winning digital entertainment company that has been developing; producing and delivering unique multi-platform content offerings and sponsor integration since 1999. Hoodlum was founded by Tracey Robertson and Nathan Mayfield and is based in Brisbane, Australia. www.hoodlum.com.au

About ABC:

The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948. Corporate headquarters are in Manhattan in New York City, while programming offices are in Burbank, California adjacent to the Walt Disney Studios and the Walt Disney Company corporate headquarters. ABC is the most watched television network in the United States as of 2008. www.abc.go.com
About NATAS:

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy®Award for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime Entertainment, Daytime Creative Arts & Entertainment, Public & Community Service, Technology & Engineering, and Business & Financial Reporting. Regional Emmy® Awards are given in 19 regions across the United States. NATAS also presents the Global Media Awards™, which recognizes excellence in the world-wide intersection of digital entertainment and technology. www.emmyonline.tv

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $161 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,200 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES – Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. www.CE.org

For further information:

The Global Media Awards: http://globalmediaawards.org 

CONTACT: Ms Kerrin McNeil – Studio Manager, Hoodlum
kerrin@hoodlum.com.au  +61 (0) 7 3367 2965
www.hoodlum.com.au