ANTHONY E. ZUIKER – THE VISIONARY CREATOR OF CSI – TO RECEIVE PIONEER PRIZE AT INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL EMMY® AWARDS @ MIPTV 2013
NEW YORK, MARCH 5, 2013 – Anthony E. Zuiker, creator of the CSI franchise, is set to receive the 2013 Pioneer Prize at the International Digital Emmy® Awards for his groundbreaking online thriller Cybergeddon. Zuiker will be honored during the live ceremony on Monday, April 8th at MIPTV.
The American writer and producer best known for creating the globally successful CSI franchise is also a pioneer in bridging the gap between Silicon Valley and Hollywood.He created and executive produced Cybergeddon, which broke the online distribution mold by launching globally first on Yahoo! in September of 2012 in 25 different countries and 10 different languages, as a series of three installments. Cybergeddon starred Olivier Martinez (Unfaithful) and Missy Peregrym (Rookie Blue) and brought to life the growing threat of cybercrime through an immersive storytelling, social media and gaming experience.Norton by Symantec was tapped to lend credibility and security insights and the project was backed by Dolphin Digital Media in a deal brokered and packaged by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
“Anthony E. Zuiker is one of today’s most groundbreaking cross-platform storytellers, and we look forward to honoring his creative genius and innovative contributions to the field of digital entertainment with our Pioneer Prize,” said International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences President & CEO, Bruce Paisner.
“It is an absolute honor to be recognized by the International Academy for Cybergeddon,” said Zuiker. “This was a project that really changed the game for online content in terms of ownership, global distribution and brand integration, so I appreciate the Academy for supporting digital and the great work that is moving this industry forward.”
In addition to the Pioneer Prize, The International Academy will present 3 International Digital Emmy Awards for Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction and Digital Program: Non-Fiction.
As in previous years, the International Digital Emmy Awards will bring together over 200 international executives across the entertainment, mobile and Internet industries at an exclusive ceremony, on the opening night of MIPTV 2013.
Zuiker will also be part of MIPTV’s conference program with a Media Mastermind keynote on the future of storytelling.
ABOUT ANTHONY E. ZUIKER
Anthony E. Zuiker is one of the most creative and multifaceted individuals working in Hollywood today. He is the creator of television’s hugely successful CSI franchise, and his production company Dare to Pass has a three-year first-look deal with ABC Studios to develop new scripted series in partnership with Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Zuiker serves as executive producer of Wonderland, a new drama pilot currently in production for NBC and recently announced his first foray into reality television with Whodunnit?. The series puts 13 contestants’ investigative skills to the test in a new mystery reality competition and will air this summer on ABC. Zuiker is also a pioneer in bridging the gap between Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Most recently, he created and execute produced Cybergeddon, a groundbreaking digital series which launched globally first on Yahoo! in September of 2012 in 25 different countries and 10 different languages. Cybergeddon brought to life the growing threat of cybercrime and engaged Yahoo!’s worldwide audience through an immersive storytelling, social media and gaming experience.
Zuiker’s production company Dare to Pass is also introducing new horror, thriller and sci-fi online programming for BlackBoxTV, a YouTube premium channel in partnership with director Tony E. Valenzuela and Collective Digital Studio. Most recently, both Cybergeddon and BlackBoxTV received a total of six nominations from the 2013 Streamy Awards, including Best Branded Entertainment Series for Cybergeddon. Cross-platform storytelling has been a major theme in Zuiker’s career. He pioneered the “Digi-novel” genre as author of the Level 26 series published by Dutton/Penguin Group. The first ‘Digi-novel’ in the crime series, Level 26: Dark Origins, debuted in September 2009, and was a New York Times Bestseller. The book’s killer, Sqweegel, was the first digi-novel to TV cross over when he appeared in an episode of CSI. Zuiker is also the author of MR. CSI: How a Vegas Dreamer Made a Killing in Hollywood, One Body at a Time, published by Harper Collins.
Zuiker is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and CAA.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a membership based organization comprised of leading media and entertainment figures from over 50 countries and 500 companies from all sectors of television including internet, mobile and technology. The Academy’s yearly schedule of events includes the prestigious International Emmy® Awards Ceremony held in New York, The International Digital Emmy® Awardsat MIPTV and a series of industry events such as Academy Day, The International Emmy® World Television Festival and Panels on substantive industry topics. The Academy was chartered with a mission to recognize excellence in television produced outside of the United States and it presents International Emmy® Awards in the following twenty categories: Arts Programming; Best Performance by an Actress; Best Performance by an Actor; Current Affairs; Comedy; Documentary; Drama Series; News; Non-Scripted Entertainment; Telenovela; TV Movie/Mini-Series; Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction; Digital Program: Non-Fiction; Kids: Preschool; Kids: Animation; Kids: Factual; Kids: Non-Scripted Entertainment; Kids: Series; Kids: TV Movie/Mini-Series . For more information, go to www.iemmys.tv .
ABOUT MIPTV
Founded in 1963, MIPTV is the annual international market and creative forum for content on every screen. It brings professionals from the global TV and online content industry to Cannes, France, for four days of exhibition, conferences, screenings and networking. It is a key market for buying and selling content and early-stage content development. MIPCube constitutes a special program exploring tech and creative approaches with the community re-inventing the content experience within MIPTV. The weekend prior to MIPTV, MIPDoc and MIPFormats constitute a two-day showcase for non-fiction and unscripted programming. In 2013, MIPTV celebrates its 50thanniversary. www.miptv.com
MEDIA CONTACTS
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Eva Obadia, Senior Director, Communications & Partnerships
Tel: +1-212-489-6969
eva.obadia@iemmys.tv
The Lippin Group
Matt Biscuitti
Tel: +1-212-986-7080
matt@lippingroup.com