'Epic Meal' on Japanese plate

Popular cooking and comedy web series Epic Meal Time is going to be modified for Japanese auds. Japanese media conglom Yoshimoto Kogyo has joined with The Next Time Prods to evolve its popular YouTube cooking show "Epic Meal Time" for Asian audiences, signaling that web series may soon start moving to foreign marketplaces, supplying designers additional revenue possibilities for his or her projects.Included in the deal, YK will produce "Epic Meal Time Japan" for digital platforms, and develop original concepts and formats, including Television shows, with The Next Time for that Japanese along with other internatinal marketplaces.Additionally to creating entertainment, YK also handles a sizable roster of comics in Japan. It imported and created a nearby-language version of Broadway Video's "Saturday Evening Live," lately overall the very first season from the show there.YK also offers guaranteed TV co-production pacts with Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Galleries, Howard Schultz's Lighthearted Entertainment and IAC's Notional in the last 2 yrs.Located by co-creator Harley Morenstein (an old substitute senior high school teacher from Montreal), "Epic Meal Time" finds a powerful following among more youthful males and involves very high-calorie meat-based foods that never be put off by sausage or alcohol. Tony Hawk and Deadmau5 have made an appearance around the series whose episodes typically play 5 minutes each.Since bowing this year, the show has attracted a lot more than 2.two million subs and ranks because the twelfth most activated YouTube funnel. The prosperity of the show motivated Morenstein and brother Darren to create The Next Time in Feb 2011.So far, show has produced the majority of its gold coin from advertising and merchandise like T-t shirts. But handles marketers like YM could considerably change that."It's an recognition to achieve the chance to utilize Yoshimoto," Harley Morenstein stated. "They're clearly masters at the things they're doing, and that we are searching toward working together on worldwide comedy and culinary special treats."YK is anticipated to begin creating japan version in April, with hosts trying to find the Kagoshima black pig, an uncommon variety of the Berkshire pig that's bred in Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture underneath the Kagoshima Kurobuta title."We're thrilled to become developing quite happy with Harley and Darren and also the crew from The Next Time Productions," stated Yoshimoto Kogyo U.S.' Boss Aki Yorihiro. "Clearly they've their finger around the pulse of next-generation creative."YK has upped its curiosity about online content, backing Nerdist Industries, that is preparing to produce its very own YouTube funnel, the Nerdist Funnel, which will feature web series like "Strange S#!t From Japan." YM is co-creating the project.The Gersh Agency's Todd Christopher repped The Next Time within the deal. Peter Levin, executive consultant to Yoshimoto Kogyo and Boss of Nerdist Industries, repped Yoshimoto Kogyo. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com