See what I learned about it at PAX East this year.
Let me start out by saying that I had no idea what I was getting into when I agreed to the PAX East appointment with Will Brierly. All I knew about the meetup was that things were being kept a little secretive. So much so, that I had to reach out a day prior to find out where the actual booth at PAX East was. Anyway, now that I got stuff out of the way, let me begin by saying what was actually shown off at PAX East is an interesting idea. VCTV9000 is a streaming service that has interactive animation. Think of a reality TV show where you can interact with the cast/programs and get answers basically in real-time. You could think of the popular Twitch Plays Pokemon segment on Twitch but you can actually interact with the hosts and hear feedback. There is AI involved with the project but it feels like AI is used to pad the content. Everyone involved with VCTV creates their own material. They create their own assets, writing, and so on.
The shows that you could see on VCTV have that classic Adult Swim on Cartoon Network feel to them. That’s because some of the creative minds behind Adult Swim shows are also a part of VCTV. Ideas for programs are all over the place and if that doesn’t scream Adult Swim, then I don’t know what does. Some people have also worked at Team Coco as well so there are a lot of creative minds from all over the pop culture space doing cool things on here. If you’re interested in checking it out, you can check out their Twitch channel and see all the programs VCTV has to offer.
This is an interesting idea and I know that when some people hear AI , it kind of scares them away. I mention prior about how AI is used in VCTV but let me give you another concept of the idea. Think of a reality TV host who has compassion and can respond to your questions. BUT at the same time, he could have a mean streak like a clown in a carnival dunk tank; able to answer pretty much anything you can ask him. To be honest here, this idea sounds so much like very early Adult Swim to me. Way back when, I remember Adult Swim was just starting on TV and it had a few shows like Home Movies, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, and Sealab 2021 to name a few. The shows that were created for the programing block did a great job using assets and in turn, used them to create new stories. The crazier the better and by the looks of what VCTV has to offer, it has some crazy shows on its network. If you’re a fan of old-school Adult Swim or just looking for an interesting show to watch, check out VCTV9000.
