Online thriller series is in the works

LOS ANGELES, March 30 (UPI) -- Paramount Digital Entertainment says it is teaming up with Gaumont, a European film production and distribution company, to produce an interactive Web series.

"Section 8" is to be exclusively distributed in the United States by MySpace. Endemol will handle worldwide distribution, product integration and brand partnerships.

"Section 8" is to be an interactive short-form serial thriller "set to introduce online audiences to an online entertainment experience that engages them in character and plot development never-before-seen on the Web," the companies said in a news release.

"Featuring an ill-fated cast of characters, the supernatural thriller will take audiences through a spine-tingling journey as personal dramas are revealed," the release said. "Throughout the short-form series, each character will face a moment of jeopardy, leaving only one survivor. In a unique new media twist, audiences are invited to guess the solution to the cryptic back-story using customized interactive experiences situated in and around the series. When collected together, the series will be redistributed as a full-length feature."

"PDE is continuing its commitment to developing high quality original content for Web audiences," Thomas Lesinski, president of Paramount Digital Entertainment, said in a statement. "For 'Section 8,' Paramount has partnered with top producers and distributors to develop a compelling interactive story on a unique platform that will engage audiences like never before."