Paramount Digital deals with duo

Milchan/van Eyssen signs first-look pact

By MARC GRASER

Alexandra Milchan and David van Eyssen have inked a first-look production deal with Paramount Digital Entertainment to create original content for the Internet and other new-media platforms.

Deal with the duo’s shingle, Milchan/van Eyssen, is the first such production pact for Paramount Digital.

Three-year deal calls for the producers to create genre-driven properties for the 15-35 demo, including feature-length entertainment that incorporates interactive elements.

Produced projects will also integrate advertisers, with Milchan and van Eyssen working with Angelo Maratti and Massimo Redaelli, formerly of IMG, to ink pacts with fashion and lifestyle brands.

"Alexandra and David have the right combination of traditional production experience and interactive expertise to create high-quality original content on all the new digital platforms," said Thomas Lesinski, prexy of Paramount Digital Entertainment.

Milchan has been working as an independent producer for the past four years, recently putting together "Street Kings," "Mirrors" and "Righteous Kill."

Before that, Milchan spent 13 years at New Regency as an executive. She is the daughter of New Regency founder Arnon Milchan.

Meanwhile, van Eyssen’s digital credits include the BMW Film series for the German automaker; "BluMonster," a Web-distribbed rock opera; and "M," an interactive version of Fritz Lang’s classic.

"As filmmakers, we feel that digital consumers are anticipating the next generation of storytelling through the Web and other digital devices," Milchan and van Eyssen said in a statement.

Par Digital oversees the studio’s digital distribution, videogames, mobile, virtual worlds and original content.

It recently released "Jackass 2.5" online and launched the application VooZoo on Facebook.