Shots Studios: 2013 - 2020
The Shots app launched Shots Studios and became a full-time digital studio in 2016. [14] [17] After the companies transition to digital entertainment, the Shots app was removed from the App Store (iOS) in 2016. [18]
Shots Studios channels have tens of millions of followers combined, tapping into an increasingly digital world with online comedy, music, and other video content. The company has landed partnerships with companies such as Netflix, Google, and many Fortune 500 brands for branded content.
In addition to its core YouTube channels, Shots Studios has since launched a music division, a kid-friendly "edutainment" channel, an apparel line, and beauty products.
Shots Studios creators have partnered with companies such as Google, Target, Tarte Cosmetics, AXE, EA Sports, Budweiser, COVERGIRL, and many others to produce branded content.
In October 2015, Shots Studios launched Awkward Puppets, an original series created by Rudy Mancuso, thus launching the recently re-branded company's first foray into content production. [19] [20]
In 2016, Shots Studios partnered with Mike Tyson to launch a YouTube channel for the boxer to share sketch comedy on. [21] The company began to manage other creators, assembling a roster of Rudy Mancuso, Lele Pons, Anwar Jibawi, Hannah Stocking and Jake Paul, [22] in order to produce content on their own YouTube channels.
Shots Studios previously partnered and collaborated with other entertainers such as Alesso, Anitta, Marlon Wayans, Mike Tyson, Inanna Sarkis, and Loren Gray. [23] [24] [25] [26]
In July 2017, Shots Studios signed Brazilian megastar Anitta. [26]
On September 3, Anitta released her first English-language single, a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Poo Bear titled "Will I See You." The video earned over 10 million views in its first two days on YouTube. [27]
On October 7, 2017, Mancuso released his first single titled “Black & White” with Poo Bear. [28]
On November 19, 2017, Anitta released "Downtown," a Spanish-language collaboration with Colombian singer J Balvin. The song was nominated for "Best Urban Song" at the Latin GRAMMYs. [29]
Shots Studios also produced music videos for Grammy Award nominated Swedish producer Alesso, including the visuals for 2017's “Is That For Me” with Brazilian star Anitta, 2018's Mancuso-directed “Remedy” with Conor Maynard, and 2019's “Sad Song” with Tini. [30] [31] [32] [33] In September 2017, Alesso and American artist Hailee Steinfeld released "Let Me Go" featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt. [34] The record was certified Platinum and amassed over 1 billion streams across streaming platforms.
In July 2018, Variety announced that Shots Studios partnered with Netflix to produce a six-episode docuseries that followed the life of Brazilian pop star Anitta. The series, titled Vai Anitta , was exclusively released on Netflix on November 16, 2018. [35]
In March 2018, Billboard named Shots Studios one of Dance music's "Internationalists," a company that is "leading dance music's global expansion." [36] John and Sam Shahidi were named to Billboard's Latin Power Players list for their and their artists' success in the Spanish-speaking market in November 2018. [37]
In late November 2018, Alesso released "Tilted Towers," a collaborative project with Fortnite streamer and YouTuber Ninja, which debuted live on the gamer's Twitch stream. The song appeared on Ninja's first music endeavor, a compilation project titled "Ninjawerks (Vol. 1). [38]
In August 2018, Shots Studios Music was formed in partnership with Universal Music Group and Lele Pons released her first solo single, “Celoso.” Pons would perform the record at the Latin American Music Awards after it was certified 3× Platinum. [39] [40]
On March 13, 2019, Tubefilter announced that Shots Studios would join a handful of other creative studios and content creators to produce new original programming for Facebook Watch. Shots Studios’ slate of programs was headlined by projects from Rudy Mancuso, Juanpa Zurita and Lele Pons. [41]
On June 12, 2019, Shots Studios released a series of Mancuso-written and directed shorts titled "Stories From Our Future" in collaboration with Netflix's Emmy Award winning series Black Mirror . [42]
On August 14, 2020, it was announced that social media superstar Jake Paul signed with Shots Studios. [43]
On April 22, 2020, Variety announced Shots Studios’ YouTube Original docuseries titled The Secret Life of Lele Pons . [44] The first episode of the five-part docuseries premiered on May 19, 2020, on Lele Pons’ YouTube channel.
On August 24, Tubefilter announced that Shots Studios had entered a new partnership with NRG Esports for content production, social strategy, and apparel. [6]
