Snap Inc., the company behind the popular photo messaging app, Snapchat, announced on Wednesday that it will be moving deeper into video content creation with its latest offering, Snap Originals, where scripted shows and documentaries are offered exclusively for the mobile platform.
This latest programming, which found the Los Angeles, California-headquartered firm forging partnerships with major Hollywood production companies and writers, is slated for launch this fall.
According to reports, this new undertaking from Snap is in line with its campaign to alleviate its continuously declining number of users.
As pointed out by Reuters, shares of the company suffered a steep fall by 52 percent at the beginning of the year, exactly around the same time when Facebook and Instagram produced their own Snapchat-like features in their respective social media apps. Snap has since then struggled to attract new users and at the same time, losing a considerable amount of users to its rivals.
In a quick glance, the promotional materials for Snap Originals look like much as that of Netflix Originals but there are two big differences that can be seen.
First up, Snap Originals will be short and snappy. The report from Reuters said that the duration of each episode will be as short as four to five minutes.
Another differentiating factor is the consistency of the content. Unlike Netflix shows where new episodes are either uploaded on a weekly basis or made available one series at a time, Snap's latest programming will have daily uploads of new content.
New Series Premiering This Week
According to the Verge, some of the new Snap Originals series premiering this week would include Endless Summer. Fans of MTV's Laguna Beach from Bunim/Murray Productions will find this show familiar.
There's also the supernatural soap opera Dead Girls Detective Agency, Co-Ed, and the docuseries detailing the life of the infamous cash me outside girl titled Bringing Up Bhabie.
As specified by Sean Mills, head of the original content at Snap, the shows are all shot vertically to accommodate the mobile platform. New episodes should arrive by the daily, although the users may opt to toggle notification settings to notify them of a fresh installment.
One of the challenges faced by Snap in this project is the fact that viewers are no more than a thumb-tap away from leaving a show. Snap Originals, according to the company's executives, are designed to hook viewers throughout the duration of the show by keeping them stimulated with gaudy visuals.
