• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, June 28, 2012

Having learned a thing or two about Web audiences and their leanings, video network Blip is getting into the production business.
 
Unveiled this week, Blip Studios will work directly with brands, talent and independent producers to develop and co-produce original Web series. Blip then plans to monetize and distribute these productions across its various distribution platforms.
 
Steve Woolf, former vice president of content for Blip, has been pegged to lead the effort in his new role: SVP of content and president of Blip Studios.
 
To set its original work apart, it’s critical that each endeavor “push the boundaries of audience interactivity,” said Woolf. Thinking big, he added: “Our ultimate goal is to create the best innovative content that leads storytelling into the next decade.”
 
The plan is to hit all the key genres, from comedy and sci-fi to sports and drama. Blip Studios expects to build and manage networks of shows, while giving brand partners every opportunity to join in.
 
Founded in 2005, Blip has worked with video producers, advertisers and distribution platforms to scale its network.
 
Coinciding with its launch, Blip Studios said it signed exclusive talent and distribution agreements with several independent production companies and shows, including Channel Awesome’s “Nostalgia Critic,” “Nostalgia Chick” and “Todd in the Shadows.” According to internal data, Blip says these shows represent “hundreds of millions of views.”