RocketJump is a long-lived YouTube channel and production company. They have a very large, loyal fan base. They make short films on their normal channel, behind-the-scenes content on their second channel, and operate a third channel that functions like a film school, intent on educating viewers who create their own content.
Hulu is hoping to cash in on that fan base and experience with RocketJump: The Show, which is basically a combination of their shorts channel and their behind-the-scenes channel. The show follows the team as they try to make eight short films on a larger scale than their normal fare. The first half follows the production of that short from pitch to completion, and the second part is the short itself.
It’s pretty much what RocketJump already does, but with a bigger budget and a new platform. That platform might help to bring them new fans and, possibly, the attentions of critics or producers who are less active on the Internet. RocketJump is doing well for themselves, but they could always be doing better, especially since having employees and making films gets expensive quickly.
While the deal will likely pay off for RocketJump, it seems like it might not be as great for Hulu. Desperate for subscribers, the streaming service has turned to the Netflix model of creating original content, and they’re hoping that making that content connected to established properties or celebrities will pay off sooner rather than later. Netflix does have contracts with Marvel, which brings them a built-in fan base, but the characters those shows follow don’t have as much cultural capital as the characters featured in the movies. Similarly, while RocketJump does have a pretty big following online, their fans have been getting that content for free for years, so it’s questionable how many of them will pay for Hulu to get a little bit more.
Regardless of how it works out for Hulu, it should end well for RocketJump.
