Search form

Industry Vets Join Forces on Social Media Series ‘Friend Us!’

Created by industry veterans from King of the Hill, The Simpsons, Futurama, Cleveland Show, Beavis & Butt­Head, Friend Us! aims to be the world’s first social media integrated animated series.

Los Angeles­based creator  John Hoyos and a team of talent from the likes of Disney, DreamWorks Animation, King of the Hill, The Simpsons, Futurama and Beavis and Butt­Head, have launched  a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund Friend Us!, a one­of­a­kind social media integrated animated series.

Friend Us! is the very first animated show that takes its story off­screen and into the digital world in real time, inviting the audience to join the action and friend the lovable (and always irreverent!) cast of characters on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms.

This type of storytelling has never been done before and continually unfolds throughout the week via the character’s social media channels, leading up to bi­weekly videos on Fridays.

“We want Friend Us! to be a fun social experience,” says John Hoyos, creator of the show. “We can create a truly unique and groundbreaking show that anyone can be a part of. We just need help to keep the dream alive, and our characters alive.”

The Kickstarter campaign has been launched to raise $30,000 in 30 days for the team to create the first three episodes of Friend Us! and keep the characters alive on social media. With donation rewards ranging from digital downloads of the full season to custom animated portraits and other fun swag, contributors can even choose to have their likeness drawn as a character -- and, the best part -- be an actual animated character in the show.

Should the Kickstarter campaign succeed, Friend Us! episodes will broadcast every other Friday starting in March 2014, with a slew of fun interactive content between episodes.

Friend Us! is a one­of­a­kind social media integrated animated web series telling the story of four middle schoolers -- Wiggy, Charley, Irv, Gus -- growing up in today's interconnected digital world. As they go through their daily adventures at school and home, from getting catfished, to trolling celebrities, to illegal pyramid schemes—these kids are living a different kind of reality. After the evil gym teacher, Mr. Horner, cancels their favorite video club, the kids decide take matters into their own hands and create their own internet channel:  yoFriendUs.com. Now they have one goal: To become Internet sensations!

Watch the original short that inspired the Friend Us! series, Welcome to Jersey:

Source: Friend Us!

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.