CSI Creator Launches BlackBox

Friday, April 13^th will strike fear in YouTube as BlackBoxTV – the highly anticipated premium channel from CSI:creator Anthony E. Zuiker, in collaboration with director Tony E. Valenzuela and Collective Digital Studio – will officially launch at YouTube.com/BlackBoxTV.

Part of YouTube’s premium programming strategy, BlackBoxTV will present the best in horror, thriller and sci-fi online programming. The new channel will build upon the cult favorite BlackBoxTV anthology online series from the twisted mind of director Tony E. Valenzuela with an array of signature series that will introduce new content on a regular basis.BlackBoxTV will launch with the following chilling programming line-up:

• BlackBoxTV – Tony E. Valenzuela’s original BlackBoxTV: Silverwood series returns – re-imagined and expanded with true spine-tingling stories that offer a mixture of self-contained horror, suspense and psychological thrills, often ending with an unexpected twist. Each 12-15 minute episode will take fans to the chilling town of Silverwood for pulse-pounding adventures. “The Door” will kick off the BlackBox TV channel at 10:00 AM Pacific on April 13^th.
• Anthony E. Zuiker Presents – This anthology series will feature 10-15 minute episodes developed from the mastermind behind the CSI: franchise. One episode will be released each month. Production was recently completed on “Execution Style,” a story about three highly-skilled assassins who clash over which of them took down a five million dollar target. The episode was directed by Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone).
• Black Friday – Entertainment Tonight meets Attack of the Show for the horror/sci-fi set. Hosted by three rotating correspondents, this broadcast magazine format series will explore genre pop culture (TV, film, music, etc). New episodes will debut each Friday starting in the month of April.
• True Stories – A thrilling reality series focused on the scary and supernatural, including sleepovers in real haunted houses and exploring frightening places.

An impressive stable of talent, both behind and in front of the camera, have already signed on to be a part of BlackBoxTV programming. Talent includes Bill Bellamy (How To Be A Player, Lottery Ticket and Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday), Goran Visnjic (‘ER,’ Pan Am, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Drake Bell (Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh, Superhero Movie), Justin Deeley (90210), Yvonne Zima (Daisy Carter in The Young and the Restless), Rene Auberjonois (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Boston Legal, Saving Grace) and Jordan Hinson (A Very Harold & Kumar 3-D Christmas).

Helmers include Peter Winther (co-produced The Patriot, Godzilla and directed the TV movie The Librarian: Quest for the Spear) and Lexi Alexander (Academy Award winning short Johnny Flynton, Green Street Hooligans and Punisher: War Zone).

“Online is not a new medium, it’s a movement and without a doubt, the future of storytelling,” said Zuiker. “With their new channels, YouTube is giving content creators more than just a platform, they are giving us the creative freedom—a playground—to do all of the things we have been yearning to do. Because of this, we are excited about the opportunity to create premium programming that features great talent and breaks new ground for a YouTube channel.”

“I believe now, as I did when I uploaded my first short film in 2007, that YouTube offers filmmakers an amazing place to showcase their work and share their stories,” said Valenzuela. “I am extremely excited to jump into this next phase of BlackBoxTV with my new partners and the talent to deliver the best Sci-Fi, Horror and Thriller content to the web.”

Michael Green, CEO of The Collective who through its Collective Digital Studio is co-producing and marketing the channel, added, “Collective Digital Studios is constantly looking to develop new opportunities and pairing Anthony and Tony on YouTube was an attractive proposition. With a proven track record in creating content that resonates with viewers, we have attracted a diverse cross section of actors and directors for this new slate of programming that is compelling and action packed. We are confident that BlackBoxTV will be the ultimate destination on the Web for genre content for both creative artists and their fans.”

President of Production Matthew Weinberg will oversee the initiative for Dare to Pass, reaching out to the industry to work directly with talent. Dare to Pass most recently completed production on the cyber-bridges for Zuiker’s third Level 26 Digi-novel, Dark Revelations that will be published by Dutton on December 29, 2011.

YouTube recently began rolling out its new offering of premium channels of which BlackBoxTV is one. Well-known personalities and content producers from TV, film, music, news, and sports, as well as some of the most innovative new media companies in the world and some of YouTube’s own existing partners, will launch new, advertising-supported channels for YouTube’s worldwide audience.