There's no rule that entertainment content on the web needs to come from Hollywood, but that hasn't stopped Microsoft from following in the footsteps of Yahoo and other internet companies that have looked to Tinseltown for a helping hand.

Microsoft, which is looking for ways to energize MSN, has inked a deal with Hollywood production company BermanBraun to develop a destination site within its MSN portal.

BermanBraun, which began operations in 2007, is the brainchild of former Paramount Pictures and Fox Broadcasting executive Gail Berman and Walt Disney Company veteran Lloyd Braun, who also had a stint working on similar projects for Yahoo under Terry Semel.

While Hollywood-style content hasn't been a major hit on the web thus far, the deal does give Microsoft something of an edge against Yahoo, which has tried to pioneer high-concept programming on the internet.

What remains unclear is how such a deal would help Microsoft compete with its larger rival -- Google. In the past year, Microsoft has been battling the search giant on all fronts. 

But one interesting aspect of Microsoft's deal with BermanBraun is that the internet giant seems keen to outsource the creative elements -- and even sales -- to Braun and Berman, each of whom has a lot of experience developing brand integrations for TV shows such as "American Idol" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." By contrast, Yahoo has elected to try to bring those skill sets in house.