Secret Location was a content studio that won a Cannes Lion Award and multiple Emmy awards; spanned across web, mobile, tablet and other platforms such as Virtual and Augmented Reality; and, based in Toronto and LA.
Background[edit]
Secret Location was launched in 2009 by founders James Milward, Ryan Andal and Pietro Gagliano. It has content studios in Canada and the US.[1]
Secret Location staff have worked with clients including Samsung, Red Bull Canada, TELUS, Toyota, Cadbury, Air Canada, Mitsubishi, National Film Board of Canada, Stanfields, War Child, Focus Features, Fox Studios, NBC, Warner Bros., Disney XD, BET, PBS/Frontline, Nickelodeon/Teen Nick, Family Channel, CBC, MTV UK, YTV, CTV, TELETOON, City TV, Global TV, Showcase, OLN, MGM, Endemol, Sony Pictures / Television, eOne, Shaftesbury Films, and Temple Street.
In 2014, eOne made an equity investment in the studio.[2] , and in 2016, eOne fully acquired Secret Location[3] .
In 2019, eOne and Secret Location were acquired by Hasbro[4] and in 2022, Hasbro announced the close of Secret Location and its merging into the larger Hasbro organization, along with laying off all studio employees.[5]
Since then, they have partnered with VRSE[6] and LA talent agency UTA.[7]
Awards[edit]
The company is a two-time Emmy[8] Winner. Secret Location won its first International Emmy for the interactive the Canadian TV Series Endgame[9] episode. They won a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award[10] in the User Experience and Visual Design category for a tie-in to the drama series Sleepy Hollow. It is the first time a virtual reality project has been awarded an Emmy.[11][12] The company is a three-time Webby Award, 13-time Canadian Screen Award/Gemini, AToMiC, Creativity International, CASSIES, Marketing Awards, and Banff World Media festival winner.
References[edit]
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (February 12, 2015). "Secret Location makes key hire for new Los Angeles office". Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Entertainment One Makes Strategic Investment in Leading Interactive Agency Secret Location". Marketwire. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
- ^ Pinto, Jordan (August 17, 2016). "eOne acquires full stake in Secret Location". Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Hasbro to Acquire Entertainment One Adding Brands and Expanding Storytelling Through Global Entertainment | Hasbro". Hasbro. Archived from the original on 2023-02-05. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
- ^ "EOne-owned VR studio Secret Location closes amid Hasbro strategic review".
- ^ Haynes, Megan (January 27, 2015). "Secret Location signs with Chris Milk's VRSE.works". Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "UTA Signs Digital Content Studio Secret Location (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 October 2015.
- ^ "Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
- ^ "2012 INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL EMMY® AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED – International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences".
- ^ "Taylor Swift and Secret Location win the first two Emmys ever for VR". 11 September 2015.
- ^ UTC, Adario Strange2015-09-16 01:17:00 (16 September 2015). "'Sleepy Hollow' wins first-ever Emmy award for a virtual reality experience". Mashable. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ McCormick, Rich (2015-09-15). "Virtual reality wins its first Emmy". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-10-06.
