COMEDY CENTRAL AND REFINERY29 INK DIGITAL CONTENT DEAL FOR MULTIPLE SERIES SHOWCASING FEMALE COMEDIANS ON THE RISE

• Deal encompasses two series from Comedy Central Productions, produced, branded, and distributed in partnership with Refinery29
• CC x R29: Taking the Stage and CC x R29: Speak Up to feature stand-up and storytelling from all-female lineup

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NEW YORK, NY, December 6, 2019 – Comedy Central and Refinery29 today announced a digital-content partnership for two series from Comedy Central Productions produced in partnership with Refinery29 that will identify and showcase an all-female lineup of fast-rising comedians with distinct voices. Slated to premiere next spring, the series will be co-branded and distributed on Comedy Central and Refinery29 digital platforms.

CC x R29: Taking the Stage is a short-form stand-up series featuring a curation of showcase clips from the lineup of comedians, and CC x R29: Speak Up is a short-form storytelling series in which the comedians will share stories about speaking up and being heard.

“We are looking forward to this partnership with Refinery29 to create shareable digital content that elevates female creators,” said Sarah Babineau and Jonas Larsen, Co-Heads of Original Content, Comedy Central. “Amplifying female voices and perspectives is a critical, ongoing programming priority for Comedy Central with all formats and platforms, and Refinery29 is the perfect partner to supercharge our efforts in the digital-media space.”

“Comedy Central is a leader in championing dynamic storytelling, and as a brand that is dedicated to doing the same, we’re so excited to develop the next frontier of female-forward comedy together,” said Amy Emmerich, Global President and Chief Content Officer, Refinery29. “As ever, we are committed to being both a megaphone for these emerging female voices and a vital platform for these conversations with our audience.”

The partnership builds on Refinery29’s ongoing work to identify and amplify inclusive female voices through original content and incubation programs. Refinery29 Originals focuses on strategically developing premium, female-forward content, telling culturally responsive stories with an elevated sensibility and reinventing genres with an eye on gender & identity. Refinery29 previously hosted the Riot Comedy Writers Lab, as part of their Riot comedy platform which has worked with over 100 emerging female comedic voices including Jonterri Gadson; Kim Blanck; Andrea Simons; Christina Anthony; Ariana Seigel and Susannah Bohlke, whose pilot Puffy was developed and distributed digitally.

The deal comes during a period of growth for Comedy Central’s studio-production and digital-content initiatives. Since being unveiled in May, Comedy Central Productions has announced deals with Donick Cary (The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation); Derek Waters (Drunk  History);  Paulilu, the production company from Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs (Broad City, Rough Night); Anthony King (Silicon Valley, Search Party); Irony Point, the production company from Daniel Powell and Alex Bach (Inside Amy Schumer); and Stuart Miller (Klepper, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah). Comedy Central also recorded massive digital and social growth for the fiscal year closed this September, up +41% year over year in video views (6.7 billion) and up +72% year over year in watch minutes (14 billion).

About Refinery29

Refinery29 is the leading media and entertainment company focused on women with a global audience footprint of 249 million across all platforms. Through a variety of lifestyle stories, original video programming, social, shareable content, and live experiences, Refinery29 provides its audience with the inspiration and tools to discover and pursue a more independent, stylish, and informed life. Please visit www.refinery29.com, www.refinery29.com/en-ca, www.refinery29.uk and www.refinery29.de for more information and to browse content.

About Comedy Central

Available on-air, online and on the go, Comedy Central gives viewers access to a world of super funny, provocative and relevant comedy that tell the funny truths of life, every day and everywhere. From award-winning late-night, scripted and animated series to stand-up specials, short-form and sketch, Comedy Central has it all. A subsidiary of Viacom Inc., Comedy Central is available to more than 300 million households in over 150 countries across the globe.

In Partnership With Refinery29, TNT Announces ‘Digital Forward’ Release of Shatterbox Eight Female-Driven Short Films

In Partnership With Refinery29, TNT Announces ‘Digital Forward’ Release of Shatterbox Eight Female-Driven Short Films  Season two to debut Saturday, September 8, on the network’s social platforms, TVE Apps and TNTDrama.com Refinery29 and TNT celebrate this powerful collaboration with TIFF special screening, new ad campaign, and experiential 29Rooms activation LOS ANGELES, SEPTEMBER 06, 2018 – Turner's TNT, in partnership with Refinery29, today announced the World Premiere and digital release date of season two of the Shatterbox, the film series that gives female storytellers a platform to create short films that redefine identity, imagination and storytelling through the female lens. The latest collection debuts Saturday, September 8, across TNT’s digital ecosystem, including its TVE apps available for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Firestick, Xbox One, Smart TVs, its website (TNTDrama.com/Shatterbox), and social platforms including YouTube and Facebook. To celebrate the launch, the films will also have an exclusive screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and have a presence at Refinery29’s iconic experiential event, 29Rooms New York, which takes place September 6-9 and September 13-16. On September 8, TNT and Refinery29 will take over the rooftop at TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King Street West) for the launch event, with an intimate, invite-only screening of the films followed by a cocktail reception hosted by Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming for TNT, and Amy Emmerich, Chief Content Officer at Refinery29. This year’s class of prestigious female directors include Yara Shahidi, Gillian Jacobs, Academy Award-nominated Jessica Sanders, A.M. Lukas (aka Anna Martemucci), Allana Harkin, Gilly Barnes, Ivy Agregan and Janine Sherman Barrois, showrunner and executive producer of TNT’s Claws. (A full list of their films can be found in the appendix.) “My mission at TNT has always been to seek out, empower and provide opportunities for female storytellers to bring their creative visions to life. For season two of Shatterbox, we are leveraging a ‘digital forward’ strategy that allows us to create a more shareable experience of the filmmakers’ stories across our digital products and social platforms,” said Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming for TNT. “Through our successful collaboration with Amy Emmerich and her team at Refinery29, the bar has been set incredibly high with this impressive roster of directors, which includes native network talent like our exceptional Claws showrunner and executive producer, Janine Sherman Barrois.” In addition to the digital release and TIFF activation, the film series will be celebrated through Shatterbox’s powerful new ad campaign, You Don’t Know the Half of It, which raises awareness about gender disparities in Hollywood and aims to create allies in the entertainment community. The ad campaign will begin to run on TNT social and digital platforms beginning Thursday, September 6, and will play during the private TIFF screening. To see the trailer for the campaign, please click here. TNT and Refinery29 are also partnering on an experiential activation for Shatterbox and the You Don’t Know the Half of It campaign at 29Rooms, Refinery29’s annual festival of culture and creativity, happening this month in New York. The immersive cinematic experience allows attendees to step up and into a frame, inserting themselves into scenes from the new season through projector photography. “We are thrilled to partner with the amazing team at TNT to take Shatterbox to the next level. Following the success of French Fries, we can't wait to bring the rest of this powerful series to the film community at TIFF, but also directly to fans at 29Rooms and to viewers across screens,” said Amy Emmerich, Chief Content Officer, Refinery29. “With each of the Shatterbox films and the premiere of the You Don't Know The Half of It campaign, we are continuing our mission to create platforms for female-driven storytelling, shine a light on new creative voices and innovate the ways that we push culture forward with meaningful content.” Since its launch in August 2016, Shatterbox has announced the directorial debut of Chloe Sevigny, with the short “Kitty,” which premiered at Cannes Film Festival; Kristen Stewart’s short film, “Come Swim,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; and Anu Valia’s short film, “Lucia Before and After,” which won the Sundance Jury Prize in the Short Film category. To date, there have been over 5 million views of these films across the Refinery29 platforms. For additional information on Shatterbox, please visit: www.refinery29.com/en-us/shatterbox. (Details on the films are below.) One Cambodian Family Please For My Pleasure, directed by A.M. Lukas (aka Anna Martemucci) Starring: Emily Mortimer Logline: When news of the Cambodian genocide hits, Franka (a Czechoslovakian refugee) reaches out to the Lutheran Refugee Service in hopes of welcoming a family like hers to her new life in Fargo. One Cambodian Family Please For My Pleasure Trailer X, directed by Yara Shahidi Starring: D’Kristian Lamar, Kyler Nesbitt, Layla Crawford and Michael Goodman Logline: In this modern take on the French impressionist film The Red Balloon, X, a young black kid wanders through Los Angeles while confronting the difficult realities of adolescence, while being black in America. X Trailer The Godmother, directed by Allana Harkin Starring: Lauren Ash Logline: A godmother keeps her promise to spiritually guide her godchild – even after the parents have a bar blowout and spend the night in their car. The Godmother Trailer Are You Still Singing?, directed by Gilly Barnes Starring: Joey Ally and Ian Harding Logline: When Joy Fields ends her comfortable marriage, she finds herself trying to financially stay afloat by becoming a telegram singer. Add an anxiety disorder to the mix, and welcome to the new life she’s created for herself. Are You Still Singing? Trailer Curated, directed by Gillian Jacobs Starring: Ahna O’Reilly, Danny Pudi and Jefferson Mays Logline: During a reluctant trip to her late grandmother's home in the middle of nowhere, Nancy learns that a person's sentiment and complexities aren't limited to the things they leave behind. Curated Trailer End of the Line, directed by Jessica Sanders Starring: Simon Helberg and Brett Gelman Logline: A lonely man goes to the pet store and buys a tiny man in a cage. End of the Line Trailer   CTRL, directed by Ivy Agregan Starring: Jamie Chung and Shiva Negar Logline: 2041. While an unorthodox virus ravages the digital battlefields of Cyber War II, a renegade hacker and her interrogating CyberFed share far more than a mutual interest in the virus's origins. CTRL Trailer French Fries, directed by Janine Sherman Barrois Starring: Rebecca Naomi Jones and Carl McDowell Logline: French Fries explores a young Black couple’s fight to resolve communication problems in a modern marriage. French Fries Trailer About TNT TNT is basic cable's #1 network in primetime with young adults and is home to one of cable's most popular slates of original series, including The Alienist, Animal Kingdom, Claws, the upcoming I Am the Night, Snowpiercer and Tell Me Your Secrets. TNT also presents popular shows such as Arrow, Supernatural, Bones and Castle; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards® and the iHeartRadio Music Awards; and championship sports coverage, including the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Website: www.tntdrama.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/tntweknowdrama Facebook: www.facebook.com/TNTDrama Twitter: twitter.com/TNTDrama |  TNT app available for Xbox One, iOS, Android and other platforms and devices. About Turner Turner, a WarnerMedia company, is a global entertainment, sports and news company that creates premium content and delivers exceptional experiences to fans whenever and wherever they consume content. These efforts are fueled by data-driven insights and industry-leading technology. Turner owns and operates some of the most valuable brands in the world, including Adult Swim, Bleacher Report, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, ELEAGUE, FilmStruck, Great Big Story, HLN, iStreamPlanet, Super Deluxe, TBS, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), TNT, truTV and Turner Sports. About Refinery29 Refinery29 is the leading entertainment company focused on women with a global audience of 425 million across all platforms. Our mission is to be a catalyst for women to feel, see, and claim their power by providing optimistic and diverse creativity, storytelling, and unconventional points of view. Refinery29 delivers style and substance to a highly engaged audience with our original content and live events. Please visit www.refinery29.com, www.refinery29.uk, and www.refinery29.de for more information and to browse content.