Netflix and Hulu Bet Outside the Box

Cable TV is one of the first things to go for the cash-strapped. This doesn't mean a lack of access to television shows, however, as services such as Netflix and Hulu dominate the online TV marketplace. Last month, while touting $420 million in earnings last year and a video subscription service that is growing faster than that of any of its competitors, Hulu also discussed plans to continue to invest in original programming. It has committed to several new shows slated for later this year and early 2013, with such names as Seth Meyers and Adrian Grenier already attached.

Hulu previously tested the waters of original programming with the recently debuted political drama "Battleground" and "The Morning After," a pop-culture-based project cast by Cathy Henderson-Martin. Now, it has announced, it'll be taking on Meyers' cheeky superhero series "The Awesomes," about an unlikely do-gooder navigating treacherous paparazzi and villain-infested streets, and "We Got Next," the everyday musings of four friends who gather at a local basketball court. For its part, subscription-service giant Netflix joined forces with director David Fincher and producer-star Kevin Spacey on "House of Cards," as well as the Norwegian-American series "Lilyhammer," which debuted in February 2012.

The gambling nature of such business decisions cannot be understated; it took HBO close to a decade to establish itself as the powerhouse of original programming it is today, and Netflix and Hulu recognize the patience required to follow a similar timeline. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells, in a recent letter to Netflix shareholders, conceded that the company will take its original programming success "year by year" and emphasized their desire to establish a "brand halo" effect. Such an effect depends on the success of just one original series as a catapult of sorts, driving up the public's perception of the company and its ability to produce more well-respected original content.

When it comes to casting for such risky ventures, however, it's all about the bold-faced names. Since the "brand halo" effect is the long-term goal, online shows need the momentum of as much name talent as they can garner, even more so than networks. For the unrecognizable actor, this news can be discouraging. Casting directors for these online-only shows will be seeking name talent as a means of hoisting the projects onto a more respected playing field.
Of the projects Hulu has recently announced, none has yet been attached to casting directors. David Fincher's longtime casting director, Laray Mayfield, however, cast "House of Card" and an associate reiterated the need for name recognition. "We definitely leaned toward name talent, at least initially," the associate, who agreed to speak anonymously, said of the "House of Cards" casting process.

As with any episodic project, the opportunity for guest-star and co-star roles will become more prevalent, and the success of just a single one of these green-lighted shows has the potential to open the floodgates for less experienced talent. In the meantime, though, expect Hulu to stick to the tried-and-true method of recognizable names, reaping profitable results.