Microsoft Shops 'Cinemash', 'Foley' at NY Upfronts

Microsoft presented several of its original web series, most of which were comedy-oriented, during its second annual digital ‘upfront’ event at Le Parker Meridien Hotel in New York last Thursday. “It really isn’t about the dog on the skateboard anymore,” said Microsoft’s Rick Song at the event.

Cinemash, which was announced back in February is a series that has film and TV actors playing the roles they always wanted to play – even if they’re not really the kind of person that would be casted for that kind of role. (Attention Cinemash producers: Robert Downey Jr., Pretty Woman, make it happen. Please.) The show will be co-developed by Microsoft’s MP3 player subdivision Zune and MEAN Magazine, and it should be available on the Zune marketplace this Spring, and possibly Xbox Live/MSN later.

Next is Foley Guys

, starring Rainn Wilson from The Office. It’s about guys who want to become foley artists. That’s right, the sound guys on movie/TV production teams. Nice.

Also up is an as-yet-unnamed office comedy (see above) starring Kids in the Hall alum Dave Foley and Amy Davidson. “We will handcraft our show around who the sponsor is,” said Foley. Apparently that’s Microsoft’s advertising strategy on this one – they’re looking to tailor the show’s audience, naming rights, and content to whoever wants to buy the advertising. Let’s hope it doesn’t turn out like Only In A Woman’s World.

Other concepts included a comedic TV recap show called Last Night on TV, and online versions of the Today Show’s cooking and makeover shows, called Today’s Kitchen Cooking School and Today’s Ambush Makeover.