SAN FRANCISCO—Fox’s ad-supported streaming service Tubi has launched Stubios, a fan-fueled studio for aspiring filmmakers and their fans that the company says will build new pathways for creatives to find success in Hollywood and provide fans with the power to encourage the development of specific types of content.
More specifically, Stubios is a program for creatives that enables their fans to have a say in what gets made.
Stubiorunners, creatives who are accepted into the program, have the ability to ask fans their opinion on everything from casting to key art and fans follow along throughout the production process. When projects go live, fans can show their support by watching the content and once viewership surpasses a threshold, the Stubio runners will be automatically greenlit for their next project, creating a flywheel of success to build a sustainable career.
“Tubi is free entertainment for the cordless generation, and we’re committed to a programming strategy that resonates with younger and diverse audiences,” said Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi. “Tubi has the unique advantage of the world’s largest library of movies and TV series, and the insights we gain from viewers telling us what they want to watch. Stubios is a way to give creatives with invested fanbases an opportunity to tell stories that may not otherwise be greenlit in Hollywood, and it will enable Tubi to ensure our programming reflects culture as it is happening.”
The streaming service stressed that Stubio runners do not need to have any filmmaking experience to bring their stories to life.
For this program Tubi is looking for creatives from varied backgrounds with different experience levels. Issa Rae will serve as a mentor drawing on her own experiences transitioning from digital content to long-form entertainment formats. Stubio runners will receive script support, one-on-one mentor calls with Issa and creative production support from ColorCreative. Resulting films and series created from the program will be distributed and promoted on Tubi. Stubio runners will receive an executive producer credit and be paid a flat fee for their original IP and the work on the project.
“I am deeply passionate about creating pathways to sustainable careers into Hollywood for creatives of diverse backgrounds,” said Issa Rae, co-founder of ColorCreative. “We at ColorCreative are thrilled to see Tubi taking this important and bold step, and we’re excited to support and guide Stubios creatives on their first long-form projects”
“I am immensely proud to partner with Tubi in launching Stubios, empowering diverse voices in entertainment,” said Talitha Watkins, “Together, we’re shaping the future of storytelling, fostering inclusivity, and providing mentorship and production support to emerging talent to cultivate a community where creativity thrives.”
The first group of creatives who will kick off the program include rapper and songwriter Lady London, who became a viral sensation for her freestyles. As a Stubio runner, Lady London will bring her fans along on a journey as she produces a docuseries that will explore her life and music-making and capture the creation of her debut album.
Starting May 7, creatives can apply to be a part of the next cohort of creatives selected for the program. Open submission period begins 5/7/24 at 6:00 am PT and ends the earlier of: 1) 5/31/24 at 11:59 pm PT, or 2) when 750 applications are received. Open to legal US residents physically residing in the US/DC only. Must be 18+ years of age. Limit 1 entry per person. See Stubios Contest Rules at https://stubios.tubitv.com/rules for prize description/restrictions and complete details.
