SUNDANCE CHANNEL HOSTS A REVOLUTION OF MODERN INVENTION IN NEW ORIGINAL SERIES "QUIRKY"
Six Episode Series, Premiering Tuesday, August 30 at 10 PM ET/PT, Brings Ordinary People's Million Dollar Ideas to Life
New York, July 13, 2011- Even before Benjamin Franklin tied a key to his kite, being an inventor has been a hard gig to crack. Now, everyone can participate in an invention revolution. Sundance Channel's new non-fiction series "Quirky"- premiering on Tuesday, August 30th at 10pm ET/PT, chronicles Quirky.com, a product development company founded by 24-year-old visionary Ben Kaufman that gives everyone the freedom to turn their creative idea into a business reality.
Every week, scores of people from a worldwide online community submit concepts to Quirky.com. The ideas range from simply genius to totally bizarre, yet each shares the same goal: to create innovative solutions to everyday problems. Like never before, a great idea is all that counts.
In each episode of "Quirky" viewers see Ben and his passionate young team develop two ideas from the thousands that are submitted. Speeding up the development process to new extremes, the Quirky.com team meets impossible deadlines to bring these two new products to life. Thanks to Quirky.com's brilliant group of design and engineering experts plus input from the greater online community, even a sketch on a cocktail napkin can potentially be turned into a breakthrough product with a huge payoff.
Everybody who contributes shares in the profits: the original inventor, plus any online members who have contributed along the way to help create the final product. It's the democratization of design, and the ultimate collective business model.
"'Quirky' depicts a very modern way to pursue the American dream," notes Sundance Channel EVP and GM Sarah Barnett. "Ben Kaufman and the community of Quirky.com are using technology not only to revolutionize the product development process but also to create a platform that unleashes both our individual imaginations and collective power. Celebrating how creativity flourishes outside conventional avenues is something distinct to our programming."
Over six exciting weeks, Sundance Channel's "Quirky" brings viewers the inspiring stories of twelve people from across the country who enjoy the adventure of invention. "Ideators" range from a mother of two with her clever all-in one pasta strainer, to a former paralegal in Pennsylvania and her two- tiered BBQ tray designed to holding everything for the BBQ with one trip to the grill, to a copywriter and father in Kansas City who added a "twist" to the ordinary can opener with "Can Do." In addition viewers will meet a former high school principal from The Bronx who created the bracelet wallet because she didn't want to be weighed down by her purse when going out dancing, and a college student from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who needed a flexible power strip to accommodate all of the plugs to his gadgets and ended up with an idea that is bringing him a financial windfall. For these inventors, Quirky is not only filling their bank accounts, it is enabling them to see their dreams become reality.
Quirky.com originator, Ben Kaufman's entrepreneurial journey started during his senior year of high school when his parents took out a second mortgage on their house so he could develop an iPod accessory company called Mophie. Shortly after Mophie won "Best in Show" at MacWorld 2006, Ben discovered his passion for involving people around the world in the development of new consumer products. The rapid growth of the Mophie brand led to its acquisition in August of 2007, which allowed Ben to focus his efforts on bringing his idea of 'social product development' to the next level. After two years of research and development on the unique technology platform that became the foundation of his future work, Ben publicly launched Quirky in June of 2009.
Quirky is produced by Sharp Entertainment. Matt Sharp and Ben Kaufman are Executive Producers and Marco Bresaz is Executive Producer for Sundance Channel.
About Sundance Channel
Sundance Channel is the destination for What's Next, Now. Showcasing both today's creative icons and the emerging talent of tomorrow, Sundance Channel tells credible, authentic and emotionally immersive stories of invention, fashion, film, travel, design and enterprise. The network's originals include the social media phenomenon Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and All on the Line starring Joe Zee. Launched in 1996, the network provides perspectives dedicated to founder Robert Redford's mission to celebrate creativity. Sundance Channel was acquired by AMC Networks (formerly Rainbow Media Holdings) in 2008.
About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming feed origination and distribution company.
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