Somethin' Social for Skins

"Later this month will see the new cast of Skins burst onto our screens for another series of adolescent antics and drama. But before it all kicks off, fans of the hit show have been engaging in real time conversations with the new line-up about everything Skins 5-related. It's all down to a social media push from Somethin' Else and Company Pictures.

Now in its fifth series on Channel 4's sister channel, the BAFTA award-winning show has been a massive success since it was introduced. With the cast completely changed every two seasons, its viewing numbers have continued to grow with each instalment.

But now, the idea of just simply viewing and consuming the events on the television is being flipped on its head with a unique online campaign involving character interaction.

Commissioned by Channel 4 to create the media strategy, digital production company Somethin' Else got straight down to it by releasing the characters onto various online destinations, one of which includes each member being assigned with a Twitter account relating to their character aliases and the new series.

"A playful relationship between audiences and dramatists is something even Shakespeare had fun with," says Paul Bennun, director of digital at Somethin' Else. "The new technologies just mean a greater way of fostering this playful relationship, and yes, sometimes this will affect the story world. But I'm saying nothing about Skins!"

Consequently, avid Skins fans get to know more about the lives of the characters and their personalities before the series even begins. The arrangement sees the fictious character traits over spill into the online world, adding a new dimension to the viewing experience and the story development unfolding further outside of the show's television airing times.

The concept is similar to the one for Channel 4's Seven Days programme, which saw comments from viewers determine the decisions of the cast on a weekly basis, and this integration is a strategy we will no doubt be seeing more of. However, Bennun goes on to make it clear that this is a pre-arranged dramatic experience and should'nt be compared with the other show as it is the lives of the characters that are being scrutinized and debated on:

"In Seven Days, the 'story' was not pre-written," he explains. "With the Skins activity we've used what we know about how audiences behave towards drama, together with what Company Pictures knows about Skins, to carefully sculpt a product which will be enjoyed in the same way people enjoy a drama, but with elements that draw audiences in."

As for the concept of extending the storyline into the digital interactive world, he says that all parties concerned are now in the same place looking ahead in one direction.

"Where there was occasional snobbery from digital producers and linear producers about what the other did, now everyone is becoming clear it's about making the best thing for audiences, and having the clearest vision for what you want to achieve," says Bennun.

"Nothing reaches millions of people simultaneously like TV, and nothing extends and involves asynchronously like interactive media," he continues. "We're particularly excited with interactive media though - the range of possibilities still hasn't been fully explored and we're having a lot of fun."

The new trailer for the series features the cast falling through the air to land amongst the new dramas that lie ahead, and as well as a fresh new social media campaign, Moxie Pictures director Neil Gorringe also wanted to wipe the slate clean with his own concept for the piece.

"This new series has an entirely new cast of teenagers, so I wanted to do something that suggested things starting afresh," says Gorringe. "Roughly speaking the idea I had was of the new cast being effectively 'born' before our eyes, then violently flung down into the formative troubles and excitement of their late teens."

"It was quite a fiddly job, involving lots of tricksy, slightly painful wire work and endless leaping from great heights for the cast, but they all got stuck in and had a lot of fun with it," he concludes.

In addition to the social media outreach, next Wednesday, 12 January, will see a new Roundview College website launched - the school which features in the series.

To see the latest thoughts of the new characters and to interact go to the official Skins branded Facebook tab, or see Neil Gorringe's trailer."

Labels: Gossip , interview , Skins , Skins season 5 , Will Merrick