EXCLUSIVE: Former CBS Comedy Head Jon Koa and WireImage co-founder Jeff Vespa have partnered to launch Some Assembly, a new Los Angeles–based media company with a focus on premium content for the digital space.
Created in direct response to the evolution of media consumption as audiences increasingly discover and engage with premium content outside traditional television ecosystems, Some Assembly will premiere long-form programming on YouTube as well as short-form series for TikTok, Instagram and YT shorts, creating franchises engineered for audience growth, retention, and long-term brand integration.
“We make shows that look like TV and feel like TV but focus on digital distribution first,” said Koa. “This is an incredibly exciting moment. Digital platforms are evolving at such a rapid pace and storytelling in this medium has become more essential than ever.”
On March 5, Some Assembly takes to YouTube to unveil its first original series, 5 Things with Jay Mewes, hosted by the star of films like Clerks and Mallrats.
The series is set inside a working convenience store — a tongue-in-cheek nod to Mewes’ cult-film origins — where he guides celebrity guests through the aisles to pick five items that capture their essence. Each breaks down their picks in rapid-fire, in-store interviews, turning everyday choices into surprising, personal revelations.
5 Things premieres with five episodes featuring Kevin Smith, Patrick J. Adams, Adam Pally, Melissa Benoist, and Logic, with companion short-form content rolling out across TikTok and Instagram. Check out a trailer above, and stay tuned for news on further omedy and culture-driven formats from Some Assembly to come later this year.
At launch, another point of focus at Some Assembly is finding creative ways of integrating brands into the creative architecture of projects from inception.
Explained Vespa, “For talent, it’s about creative control, authenticity and direct audience connection. Brands now want that same relationship with consumers — not through ads, but through entertainment people actively choose to watch.”
In addition to producing long- and short-form content, Some Assembly will focus on offering strategic and creative advisory services to media companies and consumer-facing organizations navigating digital and social transformation. In partnership with Benjamin Key — former Global Head of Video Strategy at Condé Nast — the company will advise on platform marketing strategy, digital programming development, and the building of audience engagement.
The studio launches with strategic partnerships with NO1 Creative, as well as Creator Engine, a leading editorial and post-production company specializing in digital-first content.
Some Assembly’s co-founder Koa is a seasoned television executive with extensive experience in scripted drama and comedy development. Recently co-founding the vertical drama-focused Shorties Studios, as we first reported in November, he prior to that spent three years as EVP of Comedy Development at CBS, where he launched hit series including Ghosts and The Neighborhood. Before that, he was SVP of Development at Condé Nast Entertainment, successfully launching series across film, television, and short form digital content. He also held senior roles at ABC, contributing to Modern Family and Black-ish, and began his career at Universal Television.
A Cannes Lion award-winning creative director and content producer with over a decade of experience producing short-form branded videos, Vespa built his name as a leading celebrity photographer, shooting for top publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, and The New York Times via WireImage, where he was co-founder.
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