HC Launches In-House Video Studio

By Rachel Deahl -- Publishers Weekly, 5/5/2008 7:46:00 AM

Showing its commitment to video as a promotional tool for books, HarperCollins has unveiled plans to launch its own in-house production arm. The studio, which will make internet video, will be, according to the house, "modeled on a newsroom environment." Lending to that newsy feel, HC has tapped former Wall Street Journal multimedia producer Marisa Benedetto to run the new division, which will fall under the auspices of HarperMedia. (Benedetto will report to HarperMedia v-p and publisher, Ana Maria Allessi.) 

Speaking to the newsroom aspect of the new division, Benedetto said, "we mean that we'd like to be able to move quickly in response to any opportunity to shoot, edit and post an author talking about their work." Benedetto added that, because most videos will be done in a Q&A style, the shoots will be "conducted on a traditional 'set,' similar to a piece you would watch on a news or entertainment talk show."

The studio is planning to make approximately 500 videos annually and, according to a Harper spokesperson, primarily replace the need for imprints to go to outside companies to create internet videos. As the spokesperson explained, more standard author videos will be done in-house while reels with actors, such as this one for The Dangerous Book for Boys, will continue to be outsourced. HC has hired two staffers to outfit the new division.