LONDON/LOS ANGELES, 12th April 2023 – Mercury Studios, Universal Music Group’s (UMG) multi-faceted content studio, established to invest in innovative, music-based storytelling, has been nominated in the 27th Annual Webby Awards for its production of “Gap Years.” Selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) – the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet – Gap Years is nominated in the Best Video – Music category and positions the series in the top five of 14,000 entries.
Gap Years is a short form online series, which documents young people bridging the generational divide by sharing music with their parents. The web series, directed by Jita Mitra and showrun by Dan Borrelli, was previously shortlisted for the Rose d’Or.
“It’s an honor to be nominated and see the hard work of everyone at Mercury be recognized,” said Dan Borrelli, Senior Vice President of Digital, Mercury Studios. “We set out to explore the impact music can have on how people express themselves, and we are happy to see how Gap Years has resonated with so many fans online.”
“Nominees like Gap Years are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, President of The Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 14,000 entries we received this year.”
As a nominee, Gap Years is also eligible to win a Webby People’s Voice Award, which is voted online by fans across the globe. From now until April 20th, fans can cast their votes at vote.webbyawards.com. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Gap Years is one of multiple YouTube series produced by Mercury Studios, which cites 1.6 million YouTube subscribers and is home to original digital content featuring artists such as The Rolling Stones, Sam Smith and Queen. Dedicated to creating standout, premium content across all digital platforms – from YouTube formats to TikTok livestreams and virtual reality experiences – the digital team at Mercury, headed by Dan Borrelli, create and deliver content grounded in authenticity, while celebrating fandom.
***
About Mercury Studios
Mercury Studios is a full-service production studio originating, producing, selling, distributing, and investing in scripted, unscripted, and live content. Editorially independent, Mercury Studios is powered by Universal Music Group and represents the world’s leading catalogue of music-related content.
Current projects include If These Walls Could Sing, the untold story of the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, directed by celebrated British photographer and filmmaker Mary McCartney for Disney+; Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop, a feature documentary from Oscar-winning director/producer Joseph Patel (Summer of Soul), adapted from Vikki Tobak’s best-selling book; My Life as a Rolling Stone, a four-part docuseries of intimate portraits of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts and Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl, a career documentary about the superstar that is available on Netflix; and Mars.
About The Webby Awards
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites; Video; Advertising, Media and PR; Apps, dApps & Software, Social; Podcasts; Games and Metaverse, Immersive & Virtual. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 14,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include WP Engine, Canva, Verizon, Omidyar Network, NAACP, KPMG, Wall Street Journal, Podcast Movement, All Tech is Human and AIGA.
