CTV has picked up exclusive rights for Stephen Spielberg and Mark Burnett’s new reality series, On The Lot. The show will debut in late spring on CTV (and FOX in the US), airing over two nights weekly with a one-hour film premiere episode followed by a half-hour box office results show. Over the course of the summer, 16 filmmakers selected from applicants from around the world will produce short films in every genre, with viewers voting to eliminate one each week. The last filmmaker standing wins a $1 million development deal with DreamWorks – and the keys to a new office On The Lot.
The show’s companion website has already attracted hundreds of video submissions for critique by viewers at FOX’s www.thelot.com, an interface similar to YouTube (neither has any pre-roll ads). The site also offers message boards, personal blogs, polls, and prominently featured logos and ads for sponsors Ford and Verizon Wireless. CTV senior director of communications Scott Henderson tells MiC there will be Canadian sponsorship opportunities for On The Lot, but it’s too early to tell ‘how the potential marketing opportunities will unfold.’ An exclusive Canadian casting call will coincide with a visit to Toronto by the show’s producers in March.
