DCNF 2010: Dan Bucatinsky Pitches ‘Afterbirth’, The Messy Side of Parenting

[Ed. Note: Tubefilter News is live at Digitas’ Digital Content NewFront (#DCNF) today in New York and we’re keeping an eye on the pitch sessions for brands. Stay tuned for several of these breakdowns today.]

Now in its third year, the Digital Content NewFront is a half conference, half dog and pony show bringing together “content creators, distributors, talent and brands to harness digital creative media opportunities in a post-advertising marketplace.” Hosted by digital marketing agency, Digitas and its branded content arm, The Third Act, the event gives Digitas a very public stage form which to show off its new media expertise, remind current clients why the agency is awesome, and show potential brands the large percentage of mindshare Digitas owns within the industry. The NewFronts also give online original programming a large stage from which to spur curiosity and court potential advertisers.

At the end of the day half-day event, though, it’s all about making deals. With that in mind, Digitas has scheduled four Content Pitches throughout the 2011 NewFront. I’ll be covering them live. Here’s the first:

Presenter: Dan Bucatinsky (Actor, Writer, Producer, and Partner, Is or Isn’t Entertainment) and Dani Klein Modisett (Creator, Producer, Director, and Author of Afterbirth)

Show Name: Afterbirth

Logline: “A cross between Modern Family and Def Poetry Jam,” or “Parenthood meets American Idol, without the voting or the music.”

Synopsis: Dani Klien Modisett wrote Afterbirth: Stories You Won’t Read in a Parenting Magazine. It’s a compilation of stories from parents about that “Aha!” moment when new mothers and fathers realize, “Omigod, I have a child to take care of.” The premise for the Afterbirth web series is to take the book on the road and turn it into a comedic evening of funny storytelling a la Mortified or The Vagina Monologues. Get famous personalities (i.e. Mike O’Malley, Dana Gould, and Andrew McCarthy) to tell scripted stories in front of a live audience, film the good and bad tales of parenting, insert relevant cutaways, package it nicely, and let the view counts roll in.

Talent attached: 75 semi-recognizable to very recognizable Hollywood celebrities to perform and Dan Bucantinsky, of Web Therapy fame, to produce.

Will it get bought: If their web series is as entertaining as their 10-minute pitch, no.
Why? I described the Digitas NewFronts as a “dog and pony” show above meaning to convey that the event is full of presentations where people are trying to sell things. Bucatinsky and Modisett’s pitch invoked more vaudevillian interpretations of the phrase. The two traded a series of stiff, very scripted jokes on stage, including the following:

Bucatinsky: For Afterbirth wer’e excited talking about organic, authentic, and creative ways to inegrate any brand.
Modisett: Any brand? Don’t say any brand. You want Halliburton?
Bucatinsky: Oh yeah, not our demo.

Decent punchlines for interludes at summer stock, but not for massive web audiences. if Afterbirth has the same funny factor, it’ll be a tough sell.

Likely brands: Pampers, Huggies Baby Wipes, Clorox Wipes