What do you get when you combine an eco-hipster CEO, a reality show-obsessed social media vixen, a hip-hop loving head of marketing, a techno talent booking duo, and an overeager scene kid and career-driven fella for interns? The answer is MyMusic, a YouTube series following a music company in the mockumentary format made famous by The Office. After a successful first season that garnered over 30 million views on their channel and a massive following on various social media outlets and in which the show received accolades, MyMusic, created by YouTube mega-producers The Fine Brothers, is back for its second season.
Consider this a quick introduction to the show, as well as some first-hand feedback from one of its creators.
What is MyMusic?
MyMusic revolves around a fictitious transmedia music company that has allowed a film crew to document their day-to-day activities. Everybody on the staff is named after their favorite music genre and has their own quirks. Here’s a brief introduction to the staff as well as a quick recap of what you missed in Season One:
Posers being banished to the rats? Magic powers that can only be used once every 10 years? There are a lot of “normal” things to love about this show, and what makes it so phenomenally successful is its appeal to every person out there with a daily social media routine. The Web series is completely interactive, with every character armed with their own slew of social media accounts fans can follow and subscribe to. “We’ve been creating what is now known as transmedia since we began on the Web way back in 2004,” shares Benny Fine, co-creator of MyMusic and one-half of the The Fine Brothers producing duo. “To us, new media should be ‘new’ – and just not just a passive experience. The ability to create new storytelling elements and new ways to entertain audiences is what is so motivating about being a creator at this time. We’re excited that all these years later, our instincts were right, and audiences want to immerse themselves in experiences around narrative content. “
What to expect from Season Two
“It’s been quite an experience being a part of the MyMusic series, and bringing to life a snarky, hyper-particular music manager role,” says Adam Busch, one of the stars of TBS’s Men At Work who also plays the role of Indie, Founder and CEO of MyMusic. “As someone who deeply appreciates comedy, working with The Fine Brothers and watching our viewership explode on YouTube has been a thrill.”
The viral success of MyMusic’s first season – which saw guest appearances by Vanessa Lengies (from Glee), iJustine, Felicia Day (from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog, The Guild, and Supernatural) and Hannah Hart (of My Drunk Kitchen) – enabled them to score two nominations from the International Academy of Web Television Awards and 10 from The Streamy Awards. “In Season One, we really strived to bring the characters to life in a way that fans felt they were real people. This season we’re taking the interactivity up a notch and creating more opportunities for fans to integrate with the MyMusic story universe,” adds Fine. “We can’t wait to see their reactions to the many cliffhangers, surprises and interactions with the series in ways never thought possible with a scripted sitcom!”
Social media has been at the root of The Fine Brothers’ rise to online stardom – their YouTube channel has over 5 million subscribers and nearly 1 billion views. Season One of MyMusic can be viewed in two ways: through 40 short web series-length clips or 6 TV sitcom-length clips. Season Two, which premiered yesterday, will feature a total of six TV-length episodes, which means one short clip every Tuesday until March 2014. Here’s the new episode in its full glory, already raking in the views and the likes from its growing fanbase:
In the season premiere, Idol takes us around the new MyMusic digs and gives an update on the rest of the crew. The office is also visited by Carrie (aka Country), Idol’s “identical cousin”. “[In the new season, the MyMusic team has] to go back to their roots, focus more on their music blog more than ever before, and work to bring MyMusic back to its former glory. But can they do it with all the distractions and interpersonal conflict? You’ll find out every Tuesday,” shares Fine.
On top of the interactive multi-platform experience fans can enjoy, the MyMusic cast will also appear at live events, host podcasts, and fuel a satirical blog that’s one part Buzzfeed and one part The Onion. Creators The Fine Brothers will also regularly release interactive shows, live music spotlights, and real world concerts hosted by the show’s characters. Aside from the weekly Tuesday shows, fans old and new can get more of Indie, Idol, Metal, Techno & Dubstep, Hip-Hop, Intern 2, and Scene – who is currently the Internet’s most favorite MyMusic character, with over 13,000 Facebook likes and over 16,000 Twitter followers – through other MyMusic shows that will be airing regularly on their YouTube channel. For instance, there’s a podcast from the show every Monday, a Q&A session called The Mosh every Thursday, and MyMusic Presents, which will feature performances from the MyMusic Studios and will have several special episodes all throughout the season.
Fans can also follow the cast on various social media accounts that directly add to the MyMusic storyline, blurring the lines further between fiction and reality. To follow your favorite MyMusic staffer, check out the show’s official Tumblr page.
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