MySpace Road Tour explained

Company:FremantleMedia Australia
Runtime:Varies
Creator:Chris CulvenorJimmy Foggo
Executive Producer:Chris Culvenor
Producer:Jimmy FoggoAlexis Tarren
Editor:James IngramColin Dawson
Camera:Shing Fung Cheung
Presenter:Jabba (presenter)
Country:Australia
Network:Myspace
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:20

MySpace Road Tour was an original online reality series created and produced for Myspace Australia by production company Fremantle Limited.[1] The series was hosted by television and radio personality Jabba and documented a cross-country journey to visit and profile MySpace Australia's 10 most extraordinary users.[2]

The series was sponsored by Just Car Insurance and Intel and ran from July to October 2008.[3] It was nominated in the 2009 Australian Interactive Media Industry Association Awards for Best Use of Social Media.[4]

During MipCom in October 2008, Myspace announced plans for a second series and indicated that it was in talks with cable network Foxtel to distribute series one on television. Myspace also commented on plans to produce other versions of the MySpace Road Tour in other countries.[5]

The format was created by FremantleMedia Director of Digital Media Chris Culvenor and Digital Producer Jimmy Foggo.[6] [7]

Entry process

In July 2008 the Australian Myspace community was invited to enter via the MySpace Road Tour entry page over a three-week period.[8]

To enter users had to submit a photo from their Myspace album, submit their Myspace profile address and write a short answer to the questions "What makes you extraordinary?" & "What extraordinary present would you buy with $10,000?"[9] Myspace and FremantleMedia then selected the top 10 contestants.

The series

In September 2008, Jabba traveled across Australia in a bright blue kombi and profiled each of the 10 contestants. Each episode, focusing on one of the contestants, was 5 to 8 minutes in duration.[10] At the end of each episode, Jabba asked the contestant, "What extraordinary present would they buy with the $10,000 prize?"

In addition to the 10 feature episodes available on the MySpace website, users could also watch bonus content including outtake footage and "Jabba Challenge Episodes" that featured the host carrying out comedic challenges in remote Australian destinations.[11] The challenges were:[12]

Voting and the winner

At the end of the Tour, after the final episode was posted, the entire MySpace community was invited to vote for their favorite "extraordinary contestant" via a voting application on the official MySpace Road Tour Profile Page, available for two weeks.

The winner was Skarlett Saramore, the MySpace obsessed pan-sexual metal drummer from Abbotsford, New South Wales who played in the band Chaingang.

Contestants

Mick PylakStar Wars Fanatic, Campbelltown, New South Wales
Skarlett Saramore
Queen Miss Left TitterDrag Queen Puppet, Miranda, New South Wales
Wednesday de AvaricGothic Burlesque Performer, Auchenflower, Queensland
Jimbo BazoobiOutback Nomadic Comedian, Grawin, New South Wales
Bruce JohnstoneTransvestite Speedway Racer, Geraldton, Western Australia
Renee CassarMySpace Australia's #1 Unsigner Artist Racer, Werribee, Victoria
Donny PelsoczyTeacher, Father and Rapper, Murrumbeena, Victoria
Hannah CoatesUpcoming Fashion Designer, Shearwater, Tasmania
Christian HermesPro Wrestler, Manly, New South Wales

Notes and References

  1. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24214787-7582,00.html MySpace and Bebo launch local made-for-web TV sites
  2. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24067201-26077,00.html Neighbours firm Fremantle Media links with MySpace
  3. Web site: 2008-09-02 . MySpace.com . 2024-05-17 . web.archive.org.
  4. Web site: 2009-01-22 . iView, First Australians top AIMIA nominations . 2024-05-17 . TV Tonight . en-AU.
  5. http://www.digital-media.net.au/Article/FOXTEL-HITCHES-RIDE-ON-MYSPACE-ROAD-TOUR-CO-PRODUCTION/428311.aspx FOXTEL HITCHES RIDE ON MYSPACE ROAD TOUR CO-PRODUCTION
  6. Web site: Chris Culvenor, Senior Vice President, Development . 2024-05-17 . Shine America.
  7. Web site: Jimmy Foggo - Biography . 2024-05-17 . IMDb . en-US.
  8. MySpace Road Tour - ENTRIES OPEN NOW! . 2008-08-06 . MySpaceRoadTour . 2024-05-17 . YouTube.
  9. Jabba's MySpace Road Tour . 2011-08-25 . J Davis . 2024-05-17 . YouTube.
  10. http://www.value-chain.biz/K2K%20article.pdf Digital Media Magazine July News
  11. http://www.myspace.com/myspaceroadtour MySpace Road Tour Profile Page
  12. Web site: 2008-10-30 . MySpace.com . 2024-05-17 . web.archive.org.