Disney sticks with tried-and-true original content strategy

The net: Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family-inclusive television network that taps into their worlds through original series and movies. The channel is currently available on basic cable in more than 99 million US homes.

Current hit: In July, Disney Channel ordered a second season of Laugh Productions’ comedy series Good Luck Charlie – just three months after its premiere – with development underway on a holiday-themed Good Luck Charlie Disney Channel original movie. ‘The show pops as our biggest hit – it’s a bullseye for us in terms of the Disney brand, and encourages co-viewing,’ says Paul DeBenedittis, SVP of programming strategy for Disney Channels Worldwide. In Q2, Good Luck Charlie ranked as the number-one series on US television among kids six to 11 and tweens nine to 14, posting double-digit gains year-to-year among both demographics.

The challenge: ‘The goal for us is to have great content that delivers to the core Disney brand, and craft a schedule that is strategic through our linear channel or digital platform,’ says DeBenedittis.

The strategy: Original content launched in primetime – particularly movies – has propelled Disney Channel to the top of the US ratings heap and engendered a loyal tween following over the years. For fall, the channel will be sticking with the strategy that has kept it number-one in primetime for nearly a decade. ‘On the scheduling side, while we are launching in the fall, we are constantly delivering original content throughout the year, and releasing content on digital platforms to engage our audience further with the series, talent and stories they love,’ says DeBenedittis.

Fall hopefuls: Slated for a late fall premiere, Disney Channel original movie Avalon High is a perfect example of the channel’s primetime strategy in action. The film, based on the novel by Meg Cabot, follows Allie, who is shocked to discover that her classmates at her new school are King Arthur and his court reincarnated.

On the animation side is tween comedy Fish Hooks. ‘It’s visually fantastic and extremely funny, but grounded in a world that is relatable to kids,’ DeBenedittis says of the show, which follows a trio of teenage fish as they navigate the choppy waters of high school.

Fish Hooks got the Disney Channel brand-building treatment when an 11-minute sneak-peek of the show followed Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam on Friday, September 3. And a Fish Hooks microsite went live on disneychannel.com the same day with character profiles and themed games. On Saturday, September 4, the channel launched a preview of the show on mobile VOD and on iTunes September 10. A full ep preview was made available on Disney Channel SVOD on September 17. Pre-launch activity culminated in the show’s premiere on Disney Channel at 9 p.m. on Friday, September 24, with simulcasts on Sprint TV, MobiTV and Flo TV.

Marketing mix: At press time, Disney Channel had yet to finalize its marketing plans for Avalon High and Fish Hooks, but the network indicated both series would be supported by comprehensive off-channel marketing buys.

Nick continues to court tweens, intros first global co-pro

The net: Nickelodeon, now in its 30th year, as a media brand encompasses global television programming and production, consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. The company’s US TV network has carriage in close to100 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids basic cablenet for 15 consecutive years.

Current hit: Co-produced by Sony Music and created and executive produced by Dan Schneider, tween sitcom Victorious – about a girl who unexpectedly finds herself at an elite performing arts high school – premiered on Saturday, March 27 following the 23rd Annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. That scheduling strategy paid off. Victorious ep ‘Survival of the Hottest’ was basic cable’s top show with total viewers (3.8 million) in its time period and ranked as the number-one telecast on all US TV with kids two to 11 (5.7/2.0 million, +111%), kids six to 11 (8.0/1.7 million, +129%) and tweens nine to 14 (7.3/1.6 million, +161%). In June, a new episode of Victorious, airing in primetime at 9 p.m., set a series record – drawing almost six million total viewers.

‘This show works not only because it’s a great show from a seasoned creator, but because its talent is becoming ubiquitous on kid platforms – as our audience has come to expect,’ says Marjorie Cohn, president of original programming and development, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group. ‘Kids see and experience them in the show and online, as well as places outside of Nickelodeon.’ For example, on Friday, August 27, during a Nick Mobile simulcast of video chat-themed episode ‘Wi-Fi in the Sky,’ series star Daniela Monet tweeted behind-the-scenes facts on the show’s Twitter page. Immediately following the episode, she answered fan questions submitted to the Victorious Club Cinema on Nick.com.

The challenge: To stay true to its brand

positioning – to put kids first in everything the net does and stay one step ahead of the competition (namely, Disney Channel).

The strategy: At its upfront in March, Nickeodeon outlined a five-pillar approach to growth in 2010, among these were plans to ‘win with tweens’ and maintain its leadership position in animation. ‘We are always looking at and diving deep into what our audience wants, studying and doing research with our audience,’ says Cohn. ‘And then we balance that against what we and our competition already have on

air, and program according to kids’ viewing habits and lifestyle.’

Fall hopefuls: This fall, Nick is hoping to win over more tweens by bringing in

international content. Originally made for Nickelodeon’s Dutch market, UK-based Lime Pictures in partnership with Belgium-based Studio 100 is producing a US-targeted format of the House of Anubis (working title). It is the first-ever Nickelodeon live-action show produced in Europe and follows eight students at an English boarding school who attempt to solve a mystery that unravels over the course of the series.

On the animation front, Nick is looking to repeat the success it enjoyed with film franchise-turned-series Penguins of Madagascar through a second collaboration with DreamWorks. This time, lovable Po, star of the popular Kung Fu Panda movie, gets a TV treatment in Kung Fu Panda: The Series. Set for a 2011 debut, the show chronicles more adventures had by the unlikely martial arts hero as he protects the Valley of Peace from a bevy of threats.

Marketing mix: At press time, off-channel marketing plans for House of Anubis and Kung-Fu Panda were still being finalized.

CBBC gets live and interactive in UK communities

The net: A digital children’s channel owned by The BBC, CBBC offers up a range of

dramatic, entertainment, comedy, news and factual content for kids six to 12, with a heavy focus on homegrown productions. CBBC broadcasts a 12-hour programming schedule, and is available on most UK digital platforms. A CBBC-branded block also appears on BBC (weekday afternoons) and BBC Two (mornings, daily).

Current hit: Based on the popular book series by Terry Deary that has sold more than 10 million copies in the UK alone, Lion TV’s Horrible Histories has built a loyal following with kids on CBBC. ‘We’re not into formally educating kids, but I want them to get something from our shows. Horrible Histories presents facts in a funny and engaging way,’ says Damian Kavanagh, CBBC Controller. ‘It’s got a tone that speaks to kids – it’s irreverent and cheeky, with a smattering of pee/poo/vomit references.’

The challenge: To look for ways to integrate and leverage the channel’s big brands and have them support new shows to draw an audience and make kids feel at home on the channel. For example, when CBBC launched Horrible Histories, magazine show Blue Peter aired ‘Gruesome Britain’ episodes to drive interest and localize content.

The strategy: CBBC doesn’t schedule its programming in branded blocks or strips, but Kavanagh says the channel is looking at weekends and how to position them. This fall, live-action Saturday morning show M.I. High will be paired with tween sitcom Dani’s House and children’s variety show The Slammer as a block of programming.

Beyond blocks, Kavanagh is ‘keen to get our existing shows out in front of kids within the community,’ and is looking to Steve Backshall, host of CBBC wildlife series Deadly 60, to help accomplish that objective with the Live n’ Deadly road show, which launched in September. Transmitting live on CBBC and BBC2 from 9 a.m. on Saturday mornings, Steve and the Deadly team host local book signings, followed by Deadly Day Out on Sundays, letting kids try their hand at climbing, canoeing and wildlife watching. On the tour, Steve gives talks, makes personal appearances and introduces kids to an array of his animal friends, including birds of prey, snakes and spiders.

Fall hopefuls: To help meet the challenge of making kids feel at home on the channel, CBBC acquires and commissions series set in the UK or reality shows featuring British children. Two of CBBC’s fall premieres – Me and My Monsters and My Genius Idea – fit that bill.

Me and My Monsters (26 x half hours) is a live-action/puppet series from Tiger Aspect, The Jim Henson Company and Sticky Pictures that tells the tale of the Carson family, who relocate from Australia to the UK and discover three monsters living in the basement of their new home. My Genius Idea (nine x half hours), meanwhile, is a reality series from UK prodco Shine ‘inspired by the idea that kids are often more innovative and imaginative than adults,’ says Kavanagh. The series gives young innovators across the UK the opportunity to test their world-changing ideas by completing a series of tasks. In each episode, two science experts and the mysterious Big Cheese determine which ideas have the potential to work in the real world. The series culminates in the crowning of one final winner, who will receive the My Genius Idea trophy. Both shows are set to launch later this season.

Marketing mix: Me and My Monsters will be supported by a clip-based trial on CBBC, and Kavanagh says an application that allows kids to turn themselves into a monster is being developed for the website, noting that the channel was successful with a similar app for Horrible Histories.

Disney Channel UK owns Friday nights, sets sights on weekends

The net: Disney Channel UK is part of a group of channels that together finished 2009 as the number-one kids’ multiplex, averaging a quarterly reach of 13.5 million individuals and 4.3 million kids for the first time ever. Disney Channel UK broadcasts a mix of live-action shows such as Hannah Montana and tailor-made movies like Camp Rock and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie. All programming is created around a set of values that help kids navigate the challenges of growing up and encourage them to believe in themselves, follow their dreams and celebrate family.

Current hit: Wizards of Waverly Place has become one of the channel’s big successes since its 2008 launch. ‘We’ve been working hard with the show over the past two years and it’s suddenly connected with kids,’ says Jonathan Boseley, VP of programming at Disney Channel UK. ‘It taps into trendy themes – wizards and vampires are hot news.’ Boseley claims that Wizards of Waverley Place: The Movie, which premiered on Friday, October 23, 2009, has helped to drive momentum. Indeed, the launch attracted 1.2 million viewers (734,000 kids four to 15, 364,000 kids eight to 12), and achieved an average kids share of 30.5% in all multi-channel homes, placing as number-one in its 6:30 p.m. timeslot for kids across all channels in multi-channel homes. Furthermore, it increased the equivalent day and timeslot average in 2008 by 583% for individuals four-plus.

The challenge: ‘Because we’re a multiplex, the key challenge is definitely keeping momentum going and looking at how we can stay ahead of kid trends,’ says Boseley. ‘The UK is hugely competitive with 29 channels, and we want to be there at the top. A great show helps, but we have to look at other ways to engage.’ He points to Disney UK’s YouTube channel, launched earlier this year, as an

example of that strategy in action.

The strategy: Boseley says he isn’t a big believer in branded blocks, as the key objective is to have the channel brand front and center. ‘We look at placing content in the most competitive blocks, not sub-branding. Our key slot is Friday nights – we own that in the UK, so we tend to premiere shows in that block,’ says Boseley. ‘This fall, we will be looking at ways to extend our success with Friday nights to other areas of the schedule, and Saturday mornings will be a focus.’

Disney Channel UK tested that theory in June with the weekend premiere of Good Luck Charlie, and Boseley says the show is quickly looking like it could become the channel’s number-one.

Fall hopefuls: Two of Disney Channel UK’s fall debuts prove that the Disney Channel worldwide brand can both try new things and capitalize on kid trends.

‘We’ve taken our time on animation and we think we’ve got it,’ says Boseley, pointing to Phineas & Ferb as the channel’s biggest animated success. This fall, from the team behind Phineas & Ferb comes Fish Hooks, also a big debut for Disney US.

In live-action, there’s Shake it Up, created by Chris Thompson (Laverne & Shirley, Bosom Buddies). The multi-camera series taps into the music/dance craze generated by Disney’s High School Musical franchise, and chronicles the adventures of besties CeCe Jones and Raquel Blue. The aspiring pros get a shot at the big time as background dancers on teen dance show Shake it Up, Chicago and the action rolls out from there.

Marketing mix: ‘I see a real overlap with our new animation and the opportunities that exist online,’ says Nicole Morse, executive director of Disney Channels UK & Ireland. To engage audiences, Disney Channel is making the web a central part of its campaign to tease Fish Hooks and Shake It Up, with the former benefitting from a dedicated microsite that will allow kids to discover and interact with the show’s quirky characters.

Tfou brings book-based edutainment to life

The net: With 60% of its animated content provided by European producers, TF1’s kids programming block Tfou offers 1,000 hours of kids programming annually – a mix of animation, interstitials and magazine formats with a focus on healthy active living. Tfou airs programming for kids four to six on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until 8:30 a.m., followed by comedies for kids six to 10 until 11 a.m. (10 a.m. on Sundays).

Current hit: The Miniavengers, a co-pro between Futurikon, TSR and Teletoon France with the participation of TF1, has been a breakaway hit for Tfou. In January, it was the brand’s number-one show, with a 35.5% audience share of kids four to 10. From September 1 to June 30, the show averaged a 33% market share. Outgoing TF1 head of children’s programming Dominique Poussier calls the show – about a group of ordinary characters who transform their flaws into extraordinary superpowers – a ‘brilliant mix of humor and emotion.’

The challenge: To maintain the block’s 28% market share in France, which it’s held since September 2009.

The strategy: TF1’s co-production strategy focuses heavily on French production partners, producing five series annually with a mix of original content (two-thirds) and adaptations (one-third). While Poussier says the net is open to working with new French partners, TF1 is operating with a slightly reduced 2010/2011 co-production budget of US$10.1 million. Previously TF1 invested approximately US$14.2 million annually in new animation, devoting a similar sum to acquisitions (split between programming from indie producers and volume deals with Nick and Nelvana). In preschool – Tfou’s sweetspot – TF1 continues to focus on European programming and concepts that combine humor and education.

Fall hopefuls: Heading into fall and the 2011 season, Poussier, who steps down at the beginning of this month, hedged her bets on two new CGI series based on classic children’s publishing properties, and she expects them to sit well alongside Tfou’s stable of 2-D programs. Babar and the Adventures of

Badou, produced by Nelvana Studio and TeamTO in association with The Clifford Ross Company, launches at the end of this year. The 52 x 11-minute series follows the

adventures of Babar’s eight-year-old grandson Badou and his pals as they explore Celesteville. TF1 Licenses serves as L&M agent for the property in France and across multiple

European territories, including Belgium, French-speaking Switzerland and The Netherlands.

Joining Babar is The Jungle Book, a co-production between DQ Entertainment, Moonscoop, TF1 and Germany’s ZDF. The 3-D show, based on the classic tale from

Rudyard Kipling that Disney popularized with its 1967 big-screen adaptation, features beloved characters like Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera and Shere Khan re-versioned for today’s savvy five to eight demo.

‘Both are new versions of timeless books, which should attract both children and parents,’ says Poussier, noting that co-viewing is a key objective for Tfou. ‘And the 3-D treatment and modernization of the adaptation add freshness.’

Babar and the Adventures of Badou and The Jungle Book will be slotted in according to Tfou’s scheduling strategy for new shows – airing once a week following launch, then once per day when enough eps have run to attract a stable audience.

Marketing mix: New series on Tfou are promoted in the press and on-air three weeks before launch, with preview eps streaming on Tfou.fr. Babar and The Jungle book are not exceptions. Post-launch, fans can view catch-up episodes of the current season.

Broad Ludo brand covers its bases with Winx spin-off and PBS hit

The net: France Télévisions offers preschool, kids and family programming under new umbrella brand Ludo on three general entertainment channels – France 3, France 4 and France 5. Airtime for kids programming across the three channels averages 60 hours per week (increasing to 85 hours per week during school holidays). The service includes interactive web portal Monludo.fr.

Current hit: Anakama Animation’s Wakfu (52 x 26 minutes) has been a solid

performer for France 3, boosting traffic to Monoludo.fr thanks to its MMOG component. France Télévisions is hoping to create buzz and excitement for the launch of the new season by repeating the first season on France 4 in the after-school block. New episodes will premiere on Monoludo.fr at the end of 2010 before hitting France 3.

The challenge: ‘On France 3, we still focus on comedy series and classic properties such as Garfield, Titeuf and Marsupilami – brands that draw family viewership, which is a key objective for general entertainment channels,’ says Julien Borde, associate director in charge of youth programming. ‘The challenge is that they have to fight with Nickelodeon content on TF1, like Dora and Diego, as well as with Disney content on M6.’

The strategy: In January, France Télévisions announced plans to air more than 150 hours of exclusive series by June 2010 to help define Ludo’s positioning on each channel and eschewed blocking by age group. In August, the pubcaster reaffirmed its commitment to the Ludo brand with the announcement that it would increase kids programming across the three channels from 2,500 to 3,500 hours, sticking to its commissioning focus of making edutainment, ecological, publishing-based and comedy series.

In an effort to draw viewers to relatively new channel France 4, France Télévisions has focused its efforts on filling new morning, afternoon and weekend blocks with a mix of animation and live action. ‘Since January, the opening of late-morning and afternoon blocks on France 4 has given us new opportunities for the exposure of our action-adventure co-production inventory,’ says Borde. He adds that Moonscoop’s Code Lyoko has drawn an average of 250,000 viewers in its new slot, with ‘strong results’ for international series like Storm Hawks from Nerd Corps and Disney’s Recess.

With France 4 finding its audience, the fall programming focus for France Télévisions will turn to France 3 and France 5.

Fall hopefuls: In September, the pubcaster launched Winx spin-off series PopPixies (52 x 13 minutes). ‘Targeting kids six to eight, this series skews a bit younger than our usual fare on France 3, but we are confident in the potential of the show,’ says Borde. Beyond its ties to the uber-successful Winx franchise, the show has the comedic drive to attract large audiences.

Also bowing last month, edutainment series Word World (52 x 13 minutes) fits squarely within the pubcaster’s programming strategy. Created by Don Moody for PBS, the preschool show promotes reading comprehension through short stories starring a bevy of animal characters composed of letters. ‘We worked very hard to ensure this English-learning show will be as relevant to a French audience as an American one,’ says Borde. ‘Our distribution arm is managing the licensing, and we are working closely with publisher Gallimard on a series of books to help kids and families practice English words.’ On Ludo’s site viewers can find 12 interactive modules designed to improve their English skills.

Marketing mix: The launch of both series was supported by on-air and online campaigns, with an upcoming PopPixies toy range from Bandai to sustain momentum. The shows are also heavily supported on Monludo.fr. ‘In terms of web strategy, we first show episodes online to create buzz, then after linear launch, follow up with interactive content and a complete mini-site dedicated to each franchise,’ says Borde.

Family Channel focuses on Fridays

The net: Astral-owned Family Channel is a commercial-free network targeting kids ages eight to 14 and families with a mix of series, movies and specials from the Disney catalogue and original Canadian productions. It’s seen in more than six million homes across Canada.

Current hit: Madcap tween comedy Wingin’ It, an original Canadian series from Temple Street Productions, has been Family’s most popular series since its March 2010 launch. ‘Family has a good heritage of showcasing Disney content, and we’ve been working with our Canadian production partners to create programming we feel will fit well with it,’ says Kevin Wright, SVP of programming at Disney Channel/Playhouse Disney Canada. ‘Wingin’ It is high-concept and the characters are realistic and relatable.’ But the show’s greatest strength, Wright adds, is its writing. ‘With our original series, we write as if we’re writing for adults, and then we make it better – we never speak down to our audience.’ The series has built-in street cred thanks to creator Frank van Keeken, whose adult-targeted shows include sketch comedy The Kids in the Hall and legal satire Billable Hours.

The challenge: ‘One of our key strategies has been to always give our audience something new – that’s the core of our brand and tagline, Never a Dull Moment,’ says Wright. ‘But it’s a challenge when you have a hit show like Wingin’ It that doesn’t have any new episodes until January. How do you bridge that gap?’

One strategy is to offer short-form content and continuously leverage it on-air, online and over the net’s on-demand service to keep the show fresh and top-of-mind with viewers. ‘The producers have been fantastic with supplying short-form content, and we’ve also extended the equity of brand by launching a Wingin’ It game online,’ notes Wright.

The strategy: Over the past few years, Family Channel has been overhauling its schedule to cater to younger kids on weekday mornings, switching over to older kids in the afternoon, with the Friday after-school block as its sweetspot. ‘Kids enjoy Fridays, not being at school and starting their weekend, so we’ve built the day up as a beachhead for programming,’ says Wright. ‘We’re looking to expand our success there.’

Fall hopefuls: Family leveraged that Friday focus for the September 17 premieres of Disney’s Pair of Kings and Canadian series Connor Undercover from Shafestbury. The stunt kicked off at 5:30 p.m. with a two-part episode of Pair of Kings, which follows the adventures of fraternal twins who discover they are successors to the throne of tropical island nation Kinkow. (The series began airing in its regular timeslot on weekend mornings at 11 a.m. on September 25.) Following an encore showing of Camp Rock 2 (which debuted September 3), Connor Undercover – a spy series in which the president’s daughter is sent to live with 15-year-old Connor and his family – launched in its regular timeslot at 9:30 p.m.

‘We like to tease new series following big premiere events, when kids are in the mood for a taste of something new and we can capitalize on that broad audience,’ says Wright.

Marketing mix: With presence in more than six million homes, Family Channel has a solid promotional platform on the service itself and leverages that leading up to premieres. For example, the net aired a lot of behind-the-scenes content and music videos in advance of the premiere of Camp Rock. Family Channel also screens short-form content on Family.ca prior to the full-length series’ launch and then follows up with full episodes post-launch. Beyond promotional content, the net markets to kids where they live with online media buys.

Teletoon gets real with tween-targeted offerings

The net: Co-owned by Astral and Corus Entertainment, Teletoon offers animated and animation-related programming for kids, youth, young adults and families over separate English and French feeds for Teletoon and Teletoon Retro, reaching 7.7 million Canadian homes.

Current hit: Nelvana’s Spliced, a Teletoon original production, has proven itself to be a dual performer since its April 2010 launch, finding success on-air and online. ‘It was a unique concept, with the off-the-wall humor that appeals to our core demo,’ says Carole Bonneau, Teletoon Canada’s VP of programming. ‘It has been a great complement to another Teletoon series, Johnny Test, and fits the schedule perfectly. In English Canada, it’s number-two behind Johnny Test.’ In French Canada, the series has enjoyed even greater success as Teletoon’s number-one show for kids two to 11 from April to July.

The challenge: To build on the net’s block strategy and generate an audience for new series by launching them in primetime and weekend slots.

The strategy: This fall, Teletoon is taking calculated risks with a pair of network firsts – and its efforts appear to be focused squarely on the tween segment, long the domain of rival nets Family Channel and YTV. ‘We first tried live action with Majority Rules – it’s a new thing for us, so we need to test it out and see how our audience responds,’ says Bonneau. ‘It’s Teletoon, so comedy is key.’ So when Fresh TV, the Canadian prodco behind tween toon franchise Total Drama Island, pitched network execs on its concept for My Babysitter’s a Vampire, they knew they wanted turn the genre on its head with a comedic spoof. Bonneau describes the series as ‘Twilight meets Adventures in Babysitting’ with the smart humor that drives co-viewing. So its first live-action feature film will, appropriately enough, anchor the network’s Halloween push, premiering as a 90-minute special this fall before returning as a series in 2011.

Teletoon will also bring a game show mixing live-action with animation to the schedule this fall with the tween-targeted Skatoony. Formatted from Cartoon Network UK’s quiz show, in partnership with marblemedia, Skatoony marks Teletoon’s ‘first-ever hybrid and game show,’ says Bonneau. Launching in Teletoon’s Really Really Awesome block as part of the channel’s Extra Awesome Thursdays initiative, Skatoony will enjoy the support of an integrated marketing campaign.

To generate an audience, Teletoon airs a hit show Monday to Wednesday in Really, Really Awesome, with a new show or episode taking the spotlight on Thursdays – so Skatoony will enjoy a lead-in from hit series Spliced.

Fall hopefuls: Premiering Thursday, October 28 at 8:30 p.m., Skatoony is a

13 x half -hour Hollywood Squares-inspired game show featuring real kids and an assortment of well-known animated characters from other Teletoon original productions. And the My Babysitter’s a Vampire special is slated to launch on Saturday, October 9 at 7 p.m. The film tells the tale of innately curious 13-year-old Ethan, whose parents punish him by hiring a babysitter. Hilarious drama ensues when Ethan discovers that his new babysitter is not only a hot sophomore, but also a blood-sucking vampire.

Marketing mix: At press time, Teletoon was planning a red carpet premiere screening of My Babysitter’s a Vampire for this month, with film-related activities and a Q&A session with the cast and crew. It’s also planning ticket giveaways at schools in the Toronto area to get kids to attend. The on-air premiere will be supported by radio, online and print advertising. ‘With print, because the film skews older, we’ll focus on outlets like The Magazine, and may partner with Whoa magazine on a special issue,’ says Karen Touma, Teletoon director of marketing. In terms of online, Teletoon is developing a microsite featuring behind-the-scenes footage and cast interviews with a 3-D component. And to that end, the net handed out 3-D glasses during the Most Awesome Summer Tour to drive kids to the website and premiere.