Mashable Debuts First Original Web Series, ‘Behind the Launch’

The Wrap broke the story in early April that Mashable, the social media news behemoth with over 20 million unique monthly visitors, was teaming up with some highly esteemed partners to produce at least one original web series. (Full Disclosure: Tubefilter is one of those esteemed partners along with dick clark productions.) Mashable’s SVP of Content & Executive Editor Adam Ostrow let loose in late April the site would also start distributing programming from select third-party content creators (including Leap Year – which Mashable’s actually been distributing since the show’s launch –  What’s Trending, TechStars, The Valley Girl Show, and more) in addition to creating even more original web shows.

Today, Mashable released its first original series. It’s called Behind the Launch, was created and produced by Portal A (who online video watchers will know as the team behind White Collar Brawler), and is a documentary-style program that lifts up the curtain covering tech and new media entrepreneurship to give viewers a look at the idiosyncrasies of the individuals running the industry’s latest and greatest machines. The particular curtain lifted in Behind the Launch covered a company called Vungle, a San Francisco-based startup that helps app makers promote their products by way of video trailers.

Here’s a look at the individuals involved in the company on camera during their pre-financing-round beginnings at the AngelPad

Future installments will feature Vungle founders Zain and Jack “court investors, hire a team, test the product, market the goods and prepare for launch — and you’ll be by their side at the nail-biting moment when the product goes live and the feedback starts rolling in.” But rest assured, the series most likely ends on relatively happy note. Vungle recently raised a $2 million financing round from AOL Ventures, Google Ventures, Crosslink Capital and a handful of successful angels.

“The show represents an important step in Mashable’s video strategy and our goal of creating entertaining content that brings the stories people are used to reading about on the site to life,” Ostrow told Cynposis Digital. It’s most likely good for business, too. Microsoft is on board as the series’ exclusive sponsor.

New three to four-minute episodes of Behind the Launch will air every Monday and Wednesday at 12PM Eastern on Mashable. If you’re into technology, new media, or starting your own business, it’s definitely worth a watch.