The Arrglington Jump - Are you ready to jump into Transmedia? I'm a content strategist, social media specialist, multi-platform analyst and pattern recognition expert, passionate about interactive design and immersive storytelling. I'm also very interested in the phsychology of what makes female demographics and international markets tick. http://thearrglingtonjump.com Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:26:00 +0000 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Transmedia Hollywood 3 Coverage (Part 1) April Arrglington April Arrglington On the convergence of the different entertainments communities:

We are entering a period in time where marketing and content are becoming indivisible. This is mainly because the way to get noticed in this saturated market is by making your experience more valuable and content driven. Traditional marketing models are becoming [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/24/transmedia-hollywood-3-coverage-part-1 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:26:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/24/transmedia-hollywood-3-coverage-part-1






On the convergence of the different entertainments communities:

We are entering a period in time where marketing and content are becoming indivisible. This is mainly because the way to get noticed in this saturated market is by making your experience more valuable and content driven. Traditional marketing models are becoming less relevant and efficient, especially now that everything is driven by social media. Besides, there is a new generation of content creators that have come up with new technological tools that allows them to carve their own space in the market. This is why Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and Madison Avenue have been forced to converge. It’s a sign of the cultural shift of our times. Granted, because we are still in a transitional period there are many communication issues between the silos in these spheres. But these are growing pains that are expected to be overcome if there is any hope for an efficient integration of these entertainment communities.

On other issues that arise:
  • Because the line it’s blurring between what we consider marketing and art, the issue of measurement has become a complicated one.
  • Because so many new distribution channels have arisen as well, there is also the issue of where to release your content in a fitting way.
  • Other issue to consider is the generation gap. Older generations are having trouble catching up with emerging distribution channels. They come from the mentality that entertainment is broadcast and not necessarily interactive. They are slowly discovering the value of additional content spread through different platforms.
  • While technology has enabled the space to become more democratized, you must never forget about production values and putting out high quality content.
  • Also, be mindful that this all feels like a disruptive movement because is happening during an economic crisis. Some companies are more risk driven than others, who may only go about funding projects via media buys. Even the guilds have lost their footing in the shift. As we figure our way out of the current influx situation, stay passionate and don’t be afraid of failing. Just avoid digital 'sweat shop' environments that claim to be entrepreneurial. And remember that being prolific is the best way of becoming efficient in what you do. 
On other influential factors:

While spreadable media, collective intelligence, culture technology, and the crowd sourcing movement have accelerated the convergence of Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Madison Avenue, the question often arises of what is the middle ground. The creative community is interested in content, the technology community just wants to facilitate channels of distribution, and marketers are focused on selling you beautifully branded products and services. The basic answer lays in being sincere and ingenious about what you have to offer. The last thing you want to do is look at your audience only as data and their privacy as your only currency.


Case Studies and Properties mentions:

By Nick Childs: 
  1. 'Beyond the Still' Cannon Contest which then turned into 'Reverie' film that premiered at Sundance last year. 
  2. Transmedia property "13 Reasons Why" that I have mentioned here at the Jump before. The driving platform is the book, released back in 2007, that explored additional content across multiple platforms. Now a best seller, the property has been picked up for film rights. 
  3. Pandemic 1.0 by Lance Willer, who Childs collaborated with for the launch of the live experience at Sundance last year.
By Lee Hunter:
  1. The Youtube Symphony Orchestra collaboration project.
  2. The Youtube Space Lab experiement.
  3. The Parisian Love campaign to launch Google Search Stories.
  4. The branding of Youtube channels showcaseing prolific content creators like Felicia Day with The Guild, her Flog, and her most recent Geek & Sundry channel. 
  5. 'Life in a Day' film collaboration with Youtube, which was produced by Scott Free and released last year.
By Jordan Levin:

  1. Dawson's Desktop.
  2. Additional content for Walking Dead released online including webseries, games, and apps.
  3. Same thing for Teen Wolf, including a webseries, a comic, and integrated marketing content. 
By Jennifer Holt:
  1. The Media Industries Project at UCSB in collaborated with the Carsey Wolf Center.
  2. Published 'Media Industries: History, Theory, & Method' book in 2009.
  3. Published 'Empires of Entertainment: Media Industries and the Politics of Deregulation' book last year about the politics and policy behind the purchase of studios by multi-conglomerates, and how we have a role and voice as citizens of media culture.






In countries with strong state support for media production, alternative forms of Transmedia are taking shape. How has Transmedia fit within the effort of nation-states to promote and expand their creative economies? Are there limits where the money comes from?

Australia: 
At a governmental level it is difficult to move away from the silos, for the funding bodies have an agenda too. You almost have to section off your budget, and apply to different grants for different sections of your project because double dipping into same segments of the state government is not allowed. 

Some people are actually looking to have their Transmedia projects funded by multi-national collaborators interested in acquiring certain rights in advance, much like you would an independent film. So the end result is a patchwork involving a lot of deals. 

In the private sector, great companies like Hoodlum that are coming up with great Transmedia campaigns (for the Flashforward property for example) get their money pulled to do traditional marketing. And that’s a shame in terms of having to leverage $25,000 for Transmedia vs. $1million for a 30 second TV spot. We need to bridge the gap people.

Canada: 
It is no secret that Canada is invested in interactive media. There are many grants and programs in place through places like the Canadian Film Centre, the Mobile Experience Innovation Center, the National Film Board of Canada, and the Canada Media Fund. However, is also important to note that as of this year Canada took on a $6.9 million cut in media funding. This translates to the notion that public media is losing its capacity at the forefront.

Latinoamerica:
The problem in Latino America is that it’s assumed that it’s a heterogeneous territory and it’s not, especially when it comes to platforms and telecommunication systems. Also, in big markets like Brazil, funding is more grass roots in contrast with places like Canada. It used to be that media was heavily funded by the state, now even piracy is considered a distribution platform.

The real problem in territories like Brazil is that content creators love to produce but hate to develop. Transmedia takes a lot work that mostly goes into breaking down the silos at conglomerates, which can be an up hill battle because the people at the top are so set in their old ways.

Brazil also faces the problem of accountability. If someone funds a million dollar project with no need for ROI then a lot of bad projects are going to come out of that initiative. The infrastructure for any one project needs to have a clear focus, whether is education, social change, or advertising.

On the other hand, Telcos are the ones most interested in developing a Transmedia ecosystem in Latino America. While IP is at the center of everything, we have to remember that Transmedia is not only about developing content, but a whole ecosystem of brands and studios that support the IP. We are seeing this shift in mindset in territories like Mexico, where a huge entertainment conglomerate like Televisa is invested in the value of buying Telcos for the first time in history, which is unheard of behavior up ‘til now.

Final Thoughts:
Companies and brands won’t embrace Transmedia completely until they realize that in today’s market they have to function like publishers and broadcasters. And even then, it feels like Transmedia is still going to be the poor bastard stepchild of traditional media until it starts generating real revenue.

Right now models like pay-to-play are a concern, because you are creating projects where nobody is actually paying for the content. By the same token, ad executives are funding Transmedia projects as media buys, so they’re not financing the content itself. So far the intent and comfort level in Transmedia lays in R&D and metrics.

Another solution to the funding predicament, other than pursing tax incentives, is to go the crowd sourcing route and look at people who are willing to spend money on your project in exchange of becoming a part of your project design.

Case Studies and Property Mentions:

  1. Elite Squad spread across Brazil through pirated DVDs, and since its release in 2007 it has become a cultural phenomenon.
  2. "The Writer’s Guide to Making a Digital Living" book by Christy Dena.
  3. The Transmedia Lab out of France mentions a collaborative partnership with the Annenberg Innovation Labs.
  4. Business Model Generator gets a mention when talking about aesthetics vs. commodity in Transmedia design, and the semiotics and intertextuality of multiple platforms.
*NOTE: the last 2 panels will be covered on the next post, stay tuned. 


]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/24/transmedia-hollywood-3-coverage-part-1#comments 6 A plea for collaborative Transmedia learning April Arrglington April Arrglington The Miracle Mile Paradox Kickstarter campaign, I wanted to take a minute to go over the importance of this project in the local Transmedia landscape and why you should be invested in supporting [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/03/a-plea-for-collaborative-transmedia-learning Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:18:28 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/03/a-plea-for-collaborative-transmedia-learning The Miracle Mile Paradox Kickstarter campaign, I wanted to take a minute to go over the importance of this project in the local Transmedia landscape and why you should be invested in supporting it.

So, for some reason it seems that this is the year of Transmedia in Los Angeles. A whole bunch of Transmedia events are going to be taking place localy, culminating in October with the second annual Storyworld conference. 

Everyone in Transmedia LA agrees that is vital for our members to step up when it comes to educating the local entertainment community about Transmedia. It's not enough to have a Transmedia panel in every single festival or entertainment conference. We need to showcase case studies and local projects for a better understanding of what Transmedia is and all its possibilities. 

The team behind #mmparadox is hoping that by running this experience over the summer we as a group could help detract people from the definition debate and into a more tangiable understanding of the term by experiencing something available in our own back yard. 



In addition, #mmparadox is possed to be educational in two more levels. A lot of members of Transmedia LA have never developed an intricate Transmedia project before. So we figured that the best way to learn how to set up a complex project (like an ARG) was to create one and learn by making. We have set up the educational track so that half of the members will be producing the project hands-on, and the other half would act as consultants and mentors.  

In addition, we are developing this project through a series of workshops designed to break down the production process step by step. We plan to have an account of each of these workshops and  the project's complete progress in our main site. That way this can be an educational experience not only for our local group, but also for the transmedia community around the world.

Please consider the value of this collaborative learning project, and how it impacts all of us in the Transmedia community. I urge you to take a moment, pledge and spread the word.  

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/03/a-plea-for-collaborative-transmedia-learning#comments 0 A Year in Showcases (Final Part 4) April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/02/a-year-in-showcases-final-part-4 Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/02/a-year-in-showcases-final-part-4
Azrael's Stop is an experimental narrative project of serial fiction and transmedia storytelling. This story of a mystical bar where people are led when they’re ready to die is told through serialized pieces of microfiction. The project is produced by Lucas Johnson and Silverstring  Media.

AUTHENTIC IN ALL CAPS is an audio drama about an Underworld gambling philosopher desperately trying to earn a living in the Overworld as an autopsy pathologist who takes on a bet to find the meaning of death. The replayable experience takes you across the web, interacting with fictional websites while you hear the character’s stories behind them. The project is produced by a team lead by Christy Dena out of Australia. 

Zoetrap: Is an immersive storytelling experience that debuted during #SWC11. In it you are recruited as a Paranormal Investigator and given access to a mobile phone that it's haunted. The experience is deciphered through private emails, voicemails, QR codes, video and audio. The producers created an app for the experience, which also featured live events through its run. The project is headed by Hannah Wood and Spirit Level Productions out of the UK. 



Jurassic Park Slope: Transmedia parody about a hipster party being ruined by a Velociraptor attack. The experience consisted of walking tours of Brooklyn smart phone applications, traditional short film narrative, public art, music/dance live event experiences, and DIY how-to’s. The project is prodeced by Caitlin Burns and Steele Filipek.

The Veil Nanoscience ARG: This ARG revolved around  nano technology and a memory insertion chip. The experience ran at the end of last year out of New Jersey. The story is told through in-game websites, blogs, e-mails, dead drops, puzzles, and character interactions. The project was developed by Ryan & Steve Omark from Immersive Fiction, with further writing by Carrie Cutforth-Young. 

The Davis Sculpture Walk: A transmedia experience curated as part of the John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis, CA. In this interactive and replayable expedition participants are encouraged to share art in an outdoors environment where interactive surfaces serve as a blank canvas where artists, participants, and visitors can leave messages and stories.

The Game of Sunken Places: An interactive storytelling experience tied to the book series by M.T. Anderson. Further discover the storyworld by unearthing online assets like:  videos, photographs, newspaper cuttings, telegraphs, letters and printed ads. Among other Scholastic titles embracing Transmedia this last year (that I've also mentioned at some point in this blog) we can include: 39 Clues by Various Authors, Malice by Chris Wooding, Trackers and Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman. 


Ain't That Life: Is based on a web series about Harold Bregman, a hapless yet ever-optimistic man who struggles to find success in his career and love life, but invariably stumbles into trouble and even danger. The property utilized a handful of platforms further the story, including a small ARG. The series won Best Web Series Award at the Best Shorts Competition. 



Other honarable mentions that I have already covered at some point include:
GoBZRK, Low Lives, Kcymaerxthaere, Zenith, Beckinfield, Night Eternal, Decode








]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/04/02/a-year-in-showcases-final-part-4#comments 0 The Hunger Games Campaign: So close, yet so far April Arrglington April Arrglington
The Hunger Games has had a very innovative movie campaign, no one can deny that. In fact, the campaign has been not only innovative, but very interactive. It released an interactive poster, an interactive website, an interactive map tour of Panem, even an interactive magazine [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/04/the-hunger-games-campaign-so-close-yet-so-far Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:33:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/04/the-hunger-games-campaign-so-close-yet-so-far
The Hunger Games has had a very innovative movie campaign, no one can deny that. In fact, the campaign has been not only innovative, but very interactive. It released an interactive poster, an interactive website, an interactive map tour of Panem, even an interactive magazine issue with Total Film, which used Blippar Augmented Reality to uncover extra content.

Now surveyors indicate that the movie could open at the 100 million mark. By all standards this number makes the campaign a total success. But I can’t help but wonder, now that the movie is premiering in less than a month, if they could still take this just a bit further into fandom gold. And by that I mean, take it beyond an interactive level and into a total immersion experience.

The Hunger Games campaign thus far has taken advantage of an array of visual assets and clever merchandising. But it’s not surprising to note how during this campaign most of the assets actually related to the narrative have been in fact released by the fandom, unofficial mediums, and other channels.

Yes, maybe parodies and unofficial book companions belong exactly where they are at, with the fandom. But at the same time, it is fascinating to see how the most original content I’ve seen developed in the Hunger Games universe has actually come from the fandom. I’m talking about people coming up with different versions of the Panem Anthems, different recipes of baking goods imagined to be found at the Mellark Bakery, or the absolute best Hunger Games T-shirts designs ever to be found online… even the most interesting ARG, that sadly was shut down by Lionsgate, actually came from the fandom. Scholastic and Movies.com launched very clever writing contests… but when it came down to the official campaign for the movie, assets related to the narrative were scarce.



I mean, I’m talking about the fact that they went through all this trouble of creating such a wonderfully interactive site for the Capitol. They had millions of fans register to be part of the 12 districts… and yet, instead of taking advantage of this wealth of fandom, the official movie campaign decided to utilize this resource purely for promotional purposes.

And they could’ve done so much more with the hub! For one, they could’ve had fans develop assets out of the negative space left to play with inside the universe. And by that I don’t mean something extremely complex or fancy… I mean, how about promoting content generation via contests relevant to what the different districts represent and their role in the Panem universe? Am I really asking for the stars here?

I understand that it is a rule in Transmedia to tell the story of the main character through the driving platform. But there is so much left in the Hunger Games universe that the fans would love to explore. Is it really that scary to go there?

After much consideration I've come up with a couple of explanations for what really is the predicament here. One explanation is that it was a clear choice between commerce and art. I was chatting briefly with Simon Pulman last week about this subject matter and he concluded that, if you think about it, the campaign has clearly done its job for the first movie. Why go the extra mile when you are reaching beyond your expectations when it comes to the impressive projected numbers we are talking about here, and that’s just national ancillary. Further efforts would’ve yield diminishing returns.

However, we are talking about an established franchise here. Two, maybe three movies are still yet to come. Don’t you want to nourish your fandom by doing something cool, immersive, and innovative NOW?

Apparently not. Especially when you are not motivated to do any further investing until you get back at least 400 million worldwide. But why? Going there DOESN’T cost that much money, especially if you already have all these great interactive elements in place to begin with. It would take nothing to go that extra mile. Why wait to start experimenting on movie 2, 3, 4?

My other explanation for this decision of not going the extra mile relates to the fact that when it comes to the narrative, the campaign choose to go with the easiest point of view. If you think about it, the movie campaign revolves around the decision of telling the story or introducing the audience to the Hunger Games universe from the point of view of the Capitol. The problem with this decision is that the Capitol is the least likable POV in the Hunger Games universe. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but it would’ve been nice to have access to other points of view too, i.e. the rest of the districts. After all, this is where the characters we care for actually live. Come on… I'm sure I'm not alone thinking this.

Now the question is, what’s it gonna take for a campaign to go the extra mile? When is gumption gonna be a prerequisite to finally do something truly innovative here? I mean, the clock is ticking people. Last time I heard we only have 10 more months before the apocalypse.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/04/the-hunger-games-campaign-so-close-yet-so-far#comments 8 Mi cobertura de #SWC11 ahora en Español April Arrglington April Arrglington
Se recomienda esta [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/04/mi-cobertura-de-swc11-ahora-en-espanol Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:14:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/04/mi-cobertura-de-swc11-ahora-en-espanol
Se recomienda esta lectura a todos aquellos interesados en la evangelización y educación Transmedia. El documento está disponible para descarga inmediata en la sección de extras de este blog.

Gracias especiales a Paula Iñiguez de Detour (US/México) y Valentín Fernandez-Tubau de ABC Guionistas (España) por la ayuda y apoyo con la traducción.

Espero que este esfuerzo no solo sea educativo, pero también divertido e inspiracional. No duden en contactarme con cualquier duda o pregunta referente a Transmedia. Aquí me encuentro a su disposición.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/04/mi-cobertura-de-swc11-ahora-en-espanol#comments 1 2012 Updates April Arrglington April Arrglington
In the meantime I will like to make some quick anouncements regarding my [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/03/2012-updates Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:17:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/03/2012-updates
In the meantime I will like to make some quick anouncements regarding my latest role with the Transmedia LA group. In our last meetup, Transmedia LA announced the launch of an educational track focusing on creating, producing, and launching an ARG central to Los Angeles. The project is called The Miracle Mile Paradox and in addition to the location based game, players outside LA will be able to participate and enjoy the experience via the online game components.

So, I wanted to officialy announce here that I've taken over the role of one of the project leaders and official Story Producer for the experience. We are very excited about the project, which is set to run for 3 months this summer. Currently, we are getting ready to launch the fundraising campaign. Expect more news on The Miracle Mile Paradox project soon.

Other than that I also wanted to announce that I was able to complete a full translation of my coverage of the Storyworld 2011 Conference. The 30 page document is an invaluable educational resource that I hope can help with the evangelization of Transmedia in Spanish speaking markets. Tell all your Spanish speaking friends about it. Find the downloadable document under the extras section. Especial thanks to Paula Iniguez and Valentin Fernandez-Tubau for their amazing help with the translation, you guys rock.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/03/03/2012-updates#comments 0 A Year in Showcases (Part 3) April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/01/26/a-year-in-showcases-part-3 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:18:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/01/26/a-year-in-showcases-part-3 here.



The Los Angeles Ghost Patrol is a paranormal investigation team focused on Southern California hauntings. The project came into our radar thanks to project producer Susan Bell, who has come up with a great Prezi presentation to describe exactly the Transmedia stratergy for LAGP. Among the platforms developed for the project include the web, film, TV and an ARG.

The Rising is an organization made up of both ordinary people & genetically unique warriors known as Seers. The Rising is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of human society, and the destruction of the Wraiths. The Rising came into our radar by creators Philip Gable and Lauren Scime from Witchfactory Productions. The driving platform for the projects is the book, which is currently available for purchase here.

GATES is a young man living a wretched existence in an isolated colony of humans. Deep within the caverns of an industrial mountain complex, his society is ruled by a totalitarian government called the ConGenement–who controls all facets of life. Gates came into our radar by creator Hal Hefner. The driving platform for the project is the web comic, which as of recently just wrapped up the first year of publication. The comic is being presented by Heavy Metal Magazine.

MirrorLAnd is a 21st century adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in which a 20-something Alice, just out of college, falls down the rabbit-hole working in the film industry only to land in the wonderland of LA’s underground circus. The story is being released online in serialized installments, and incorporates transmedia elements, including the music, fashion, and art, of L.A.’s alternative circus culture. The project came into our radar by creator Jenka Gurfinkel.

Humans call it Halloween. But for the real vampires, zombies, and ghosts, it’s called Undead Pride Day. The UPD campaign raises the profile of the mortality-challenged, to let them know it’s okay to crawl out of their tombs and face the rest of the world to say: creatures are people, too. The Undead Pride Day collaborative Transmedia experience came to our radar last Halloween through our very own Jay Bushman.

Operation Ajax is a graphic novel designed specifically for the iPad, inspired by the investigative journalism of best-selling author Stephen Kinzer and his book 'All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror'. The project came into my radar by co-creator Daniel Burwen. The digital comic by Cognito Comics is now available for download here.

A NODE is a (Local Area Network) Gaming Centre. Basically, it’s a café where customers can enjoy one another’s company, a biscuit and a refreshing drink while they shoot up strangers on the internet via first person shooter games. The ARG for the project came into my radar by Kevin Franco from Francomedia in Canada.

While we are at it, I will also list here the One Child Transmedia experience based on the book Jeff Buick. The story followed the lives of several people, seemingly un-related, over a 30 day period in the summer of 2010. The ARG was also developed by Francomedia and Enthrill Entertainment.

Timedancer is an interactive television series developed exclusive for the Windows Phone 7. It combines video with exploration and puzzle solving to tell an epic science fiction story. The project came into my radar by producer Ari Abraham in London.

While we are at it, I will also list here Zombies Ate My City, anther interactive experience by Ari Abraham. Zombies Ate My City is about a scientist from the future trying to help stave off a zombie invasion in your own town or city. The cross-platform app experience is launching on Valentine's Day this year.

Sierra Zulu: A ragtag UN peacekeeping force operates a small camp guarding the no-man’s-land between Austria and the tiny agrarian microstate Soviet Unterzoegersdorf, the last existing bastion of the defunct Soviet Union. When an explosion occurs deep inside Soviet territory, the team is dragged into a bizarre conspiracy of industrial espionage, media madness and political intrigue. The project's driving platform is the film currently in pre-production. Sierra Zulu cam into my radar by our very own Tara Brown.

The Meme Project is a TV and multiplatform adventure drama currently in development which takes influences from comic books, games and science fiction. The action is set to unfold on many platforms both in the virtual online sphere, on TV and through real world events. It came into my radar via project's producer Kary Stewart out of London.

Web show RCVR it's a story told from the point of view of a government agent of dubious authorization who's been sent to scrub away memories of extraterrestrial encounters. The show unfolds in eight-minute episodes, released on YouTube by gaming channel Machinima. The show is the driving platform for a Transmedia stratergy that also included a great ARG that propelled the show to a 2.6 million viewership. The project first came into my radar via the IndieWIRE interview with creator David Van Eyssen.

Below I'm also including a few helpful applications worth mentioning that I've come across this year while I started to curate the Transmedia LA WIKI:


The great Jan Libby is planning on releasing an exciting new Transmedia I-FI App to launch her new project Snow Town, which is currently undergoing a Kickstarter campaign. The driving platform for the project was the ARG she released about a year ago. With the new Immersive and Interactive Fiction App the story can be experienced and replayed via your mobile, tablet or computer.

The Mynd App curates the world's best entertainment, and tracks audience interaction against their cross-content recommendation engine. This is a great solution for all of those interested in quantifying audience behavior across multiple platforms. The app first came into my radar via app creator Greg Martin.

Viggle is a new app that allows audiences to get rewards by interacting with content. While Viggle is concentrating its efforts on Social TV, the implications of interacting with other forms of content is significant. Also, its use of game mechanics to incentivize users by monitoring their behavior really hits on target. The app was developed by Robert Sillerman’s Function(x), and came into my radar via Simon Pulman and his Transmythology's post.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/01/26/a-year-in-showcases-part-3#comments 2 A Year in Showcases (Part 2) April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/01/16/a-year-in-showcases-part-2 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:14:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/01/16/a-year-in-showcases-part-2


Reality Ends Here: ARG developed by Jeff Watson and The USC School of Cinematic Arts. The experience is a pervasive media-making game designed to increase serendipity, social discovery, and collaboration among students in the disparate divisions of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. It employs a wide range of technologies and practices, from a game system driven by digitally-connected collectible cards to a web interface integrated with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media platforms. For more info check: reality.usc.edu


Plant City Stories: ARG developed by Randy Finch about the search of a missing girl that unfolds accross multiple platforms. The website is designed to be accessible from any web-enabled device, and the experience is set to reveal elements of the missing girl story online by examining the intersection between video and the online tools for topography. For more info check: plantcitystories.com

The Lost Children: Property developed by Mark Harris through the IFP Narrative Lab in NYC. The experience revolves around a film about Evelyn Hamilton, who joins The Lost Children cult where she comes to believe in her own mystical powers, and becomes convinced that her death alone can save the world. The movie further unfolds online and via mobile. For more info on the project go to: desperatecomfort.com

Caine’s Arcade: A multiplatform property about a 9 year-old who creates a cardboard arcade game. The experience revolves around a short film about making the arcade. It unfoldes online and by visiting the physical arcade located in Boyle Hights, California. For more information on the project go to: cainesarcade.com

Where the Yellowstone Goes: A multiplatform property developed by Hunter Weeks about the Yellowstone River. The premise of the film revolves around a crew of people traveling down the Yellowstone River and tracking their travel through interactive geolocation applications, and a variety of media. For more information on the project go to: wheretheyellowstonegoes.com

The Wisconsin Hustle: A multiplatform property developed by Jim Babb and Awkward Hug based on a dancing game. The Wisconsin Hustle tests both your memory skills and your dancing ability. With your deck of dance cards in hand challenge your opponents and dance off with your pants off (or on). The experience has also an android application available. For more information on the project go to: wisconsinhustle.com

Socks Inc: Another multiplatform property developed by Jim Babb and Awkward Hug based on sock puppets. Socks Inc. is seeking garments from all walks of life. But Mr. Barnsworth is running a factory at overflow capacity & employees are mysteriously disappearing. The interactive project is currently on Beta. It unfolds online and through the creation of your own sock pupptes. For more information on the project go to: www.socksinc.com

Robot Heart Stories: A multiplatform property developed by Lance Weiler and Janine Saunders about a Robot trying to find its way home. Robot Heart Stories is an experiential learning project designed to empower the imaginations of disenfranchised students. It uses collaboration, creative problem solving, and storytelling to educate students about space, geography, language, and multiple online applications. For more information on the project go to: robotheartstories.com

Other helpful resources profiled this year include:


Story Pirates: Encourages writing in kids by having adults enacting their stories. A nationally respected education and media organization founded in 2003, Story Pirates pairs world-class teachers with first-rate actors and comedians to make learning more engaging and effective. The program is dually based in New York and Los Angeles. For more information visit: storypirates.org

Firestarters: part of the Freedom Labs, the Firestarters project fueles a discussion about change. The FreedomLab Future Studies is a research lab and an European think tank that does continuous research on social change based on future studies using a proprietary method: Scenario Based Reasoning (SBR). The results of all research help various organizations with creative strategies. For more information visit: www.freedomlab.org

Conducttr: Robert Pratten tool for Transmedia Storytellers. Available as a subscription-based service, Conducttr is a pervasive entertainment platform that allows anyone from international interactive agencies to independent filmmakers to design, manage, deliver and measure engaging interactive, social entertainment that spans online, offline and mobile devices. For more information visit: www.tstoryteller.com

The Transmediology Group: created by Adipat Verdi, Transmediology is a hub for designing experiences, engaging audiences and managing communities within brands and storyworlds. In adition to the facebook group, Transmediology has now also a Meetup available that services London. For more information visit: transmediology.com

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2012/01/16/a-year-in-showcases-part-2#comments 0 A year in Showcases (Part 1) April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/12/21/a-year-in-showcases-part-1 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:54:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/12/21/a-year-in-showcases-part-1


Clockwork Watch: One of my personal favorites, because it's Steampunk themed. Developed by Yomi Ayeni, the project has of recently secured funding through a successful Indiegogo campaign. The property is launching the Transmedia extravaganza early next year. In the meantime, catch up on the production blog over at: www.clockworkwatch.org.

Research & Development(s): A pervasive experience based on Quackery, developed by Haley Moore. The project is heavily based on props and tangible objects, which I think is a unique and brilliant approach to Transmedia. A work in progress, you can find more on the project at malloryquirk.com.


Adore: An urban fantasy story world where fairies and their enchanted friends engage in timeless adventures. The property is based on the art of Jasmine Becket-Griffith, and it's developed by Witchfactory and Starlight Runner Entertainment. The experience is in packaging and pre-production stages. Go to Witchfactory for more information.


Colour Bleed: A fantasy world where a couple dance the colour back into a grey world. The property is been developed by Rhys Miles Thomas. The project it's unique and brilliant because it relies heavily on live dance performances. The experience is still in development in hopes of going live next year. Currently the team is getting ready to launch an Indiegogo campaign.

We Dream of Nothing: A science fiction fantasy property that connects two characters at opposite ends of the universe. Developed by Paul Burke, the experience is getting ready to launch next year. To sign up for updates go to: wedreamofnothing.com.


Time Tribe: A time travel adventure for kids aged 8-13. The project is been developed by Karen Bellinger Wehner and Lucas Johnson from Silverstring Media. The experience is still a work in progress, and it's currently looking into partnerships. For more information on the project check: www.thetimetribe.com.


The Karada : A supernatural thriller where a young woman struggles to save the multiverse as realities collapse around her. The project is been developed by Tom Liljeholm, James Martin and Carrie Cutforth-Young under Tea4Two Entertainment. The experience is still in development and the producers are currently looking for partners. For more information go to thekarada.com.



Saligia7: A transmedia sci-fi thriller whose first chapter, Zombie Alarm #1, ran in Amsterdam earlier this year. The project was developed by Ian Ginn, and was showcased at different Transmedia events including Storyworld and DIY DAYS. For more on the experience go to www.saligia-7.net.



Storm Surfers: A hunt for the biggest waves in the Southern Ocean, as seen on the Discovery Channel. The transmedia experience for the property it's been produced down under by Marcus Gillezeau. Currently looking into finalizing sales and distribution. For more on the property go to stormsurfers.tv.


Into the Far West: A steampunk western fantasy world developed by Gareth-Michael Skarka from Adamant Entertainment. The property secured funding from a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, and the crew is currently in production. For more information check intothefarwest.com.




Treasure Kai: A property that uses adventure and fun to teach kids about history. The project it's been produced down under by Karen Robertson. The mobile app is already available on the istore, and was awarded a Gold Mom’s Choice Award in the USA. For more information visit treasurekai.com.


Tower of Fables: A fairytale storyworld been developed by Jean Pierre Magro and Dean O’Toole. Currently in development, the experience was part of the Torino Film Labs this year. For more information on the project check the project description here.



Marmaremara: A children's reality-fiction about catching a dream and turning nightmares into hope. The property is been developed by Nik Dee in Sweden. The project had its kick off on 11-11-11 in Stockholm. For more information go to www.nikdee.se.


The Inside Experience: A psychological social thriller developed by Intel and Pereira O'Dell. Staring Emmy Rossum, the experience was launched July this year. To access Inside go to theinsideexperience.com.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/12/21/a-year-in-showcases-part-1#comments 4 Storyworld Conference Day Three April Arrglington April Arrglington
From Day 1: Lance Weiler – [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/12/16/storyworld-conference-day-three Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:17:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/12/16/storyworld-conference-day-three
You all have to excuse me for delaying this post. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I got sick. Why am I surprised? I always get sick this time of year. Regardless, I have prevailed. I have also noticed that I forgot to include the Lance Weiler presentation from Day One. So, I'm including it here. Enjoy.

From Day 1: Lance Weiler – Disrupt: Stories as R&D

Lance opened by going through the Pandemic case study. He explained how greatly he benefited by having gone through several different renditions of the experience. In each one the universe expanded through the use of innovative technology and smart product design. However, the true lesson he learned from this process was in audience engagement.

Lance found that when building experiences across multiple platforms one must take into consideration that the story must be build in a way that is spread out like a bullet hole glass. The ever growing expanding cracks acting as a metaphor for the audience, waiting to break the glass and blast the story to the mainstream.

After experimenting heavily with geo location, Lance realized that it is important to acquire all data voluntarily and with proper permission for true quality engagement. In this matter, all information collected through GPS, app downloads, and social media had a better prospect for personalize content, which in turn equated to stronger audience engagement.

Lance was also happy to discover that the pyramid of audience engagement is already shifting, and that the open source movement is finally getting the recognition that truly deserves. New audiences are becoming less and less afraid of immersion play and discovery. By the same token, testing extreme users has become very valuable for R&D, so never neglect any part of your public.

For video of the full talk click here.
For more on R&D and creative Transmedia financing click here.

Day 3, Panel 1: Story Architecture - Crafting Transmedia Design



The 4 Principles for Crafting Transmedia Design:

  • Non-linear spatial storytelling: where all media from all points of entry is as equally important as the driving platform. There needs to be a cohesive purpose between all elements, a shared structure, and connectivity when it comes to the craft.
  • Breaking the 4th wall: explore opportunities for audiences that go beyond points and badges when it comes to rewards. Pull audiences in an immersive fashion that ties to smart experience design. Augmented Reality is clearly at the forefront.
  • Needs to be social: audience relationship needs to be sustainable. Think beyond social media marketing and more in terms of collaborative and participatory opportunities for the consumer.
  • Participatory and/or User Generated Content: audiences are moving beyond sharing content socially, they are showing interest in game play and participating in rich storyworld experiences.

Things to remember when it comes to Spatial Design:

  • Non-linear narratives open new narratives spaces, where fans move between multiple platforms.
  • There are multiple points of entry into the story universe, and characters and story arcs extend in time and platforms.
  • Innovative interface design is essential for a better user experience. But take into consideration the technological comfort zone of audiences, and the possibility of platforms going obsolete.
  • Fans are also directly affected by interactivity. Integrated design allows for value co-creation and story remixes. By the same token understand that linear content is the main asset for passive audiences.

On Story Architecture - Differentiating between Story and Experience:

Because story is linear in nature, it’s deficient in its ability to integrate a more open design. In order for Transmedia Storytelling to work we need to take the story and see it as an experience that can only exists if accessing content in more that one platform. By integrating game design in the architecture, then the quality of the experience translates to value. The key is to define the nature of the experience. Is it one of thrill, competition? Once all these factors come together the story is posed to equate the experience.

The 5 E’s of Experience Design and lessons for optimal interactivity:

  • Entice: Action or design cue that invites attention. Be mindful that when you invite people to do something they become your medium. To take advantage of this, take time to understand their motivations.
  • Enter: Guide audience on what to do next, and develop indicators of the outcome. Leverage familiar story arcs, genres and familiar characters.
  • Engage: Is where the doing ties in with the engagement in the play space. Where cues are released about different elements having further interaction elsewhere.
  • E-motion: Delay the exit of an experience by focusing on emotion, a new enticement to follow up on. And remember, giving closure to a storyline is different from ending the experience all together.
  • Extend: Stories have been tools to communicate information, experience, knowledge and emotion. Extend the experience elsewhere, and allow for sharing through community.

For the slideshare presentation of this panel click here.
For the Transmedia Ready card game on best practices develop by Karine click here.

Day 3, Panel2: Character Centric Storytelling



The Betty Drapper Case Study

Helen Klein Ross gained a fascinating notoriety on Twitter when she decided to start tweeting on her own as the Betty Drapper character from the Mad Men TV series. Her tweets were so attuned to the original character that many people thought that she was a writer for the show.

Helen explains that the reason that @bettydrapper became so successful is because Mad Men is a period piece show in which there is less expository dialogue. The property itself lives in the holes of the drama and what is not being said in the show. Thus voiceover tweets from a character like Betty not only become appropriate, but quite fitting.

In addition, the Mad Men storyworld is full of visual details set in the world of advertising. This leaves a lot of room for improvisation. Which then brings up the question, are actors suitable to tweet as characters, instead of writers? Helen explains that neither are fitting. Writers lack the sense of improvisation actors have. And actors, while knowledgeable on background and motivation, lack storytelling skills.

Helen proposes a solution to this dilemma by introducing the new title of ‘Social Writer’ into the writer’s room. Someone knowledgeable in regards to story, and character motivation and behavior. In addition, the Social Writer should we well-informed on the nuances of social platforms, and have a sense of how a character would behave in different scenarios, different platforms, and different forms of live events. In short, someone who can not only navigate but write for the social sphere.

Lessons learned from the Betty Drapper case study:

  • When developing a property make sure to get Twitter handles ahead of time.
  • Utilize supporting platforms for supporting characters and spinoffs. Leave the driving platform for the main character.
  • Play in the negative space of a plot and don’t interrupt the continuity of the plot of the main show. Supporting platforms should be extensions of the storyworld, otherwise consistency will falter and it all will get confusing really quick.
  • When playing with extensions look into untold opportunities at different points in the timeline of the story. It helps giving further dimension.

Lessons on crafting characters:

  • Don’t worry about platforms or formats when you are creating a character. Just approach the story and then pull scenes from it that would speak to what you are trying to do.
  • When it comes to developing non-linear content think in a broader scale: about themes, character motivations, values, short comings, strong opinions, etc. Test and experiment on interesting avenues.
  • On story bibles: they are helpful when you already have funding and a business plan in place. But if you are at a place where you are just pitching a project, then it is probably counterproductive to build something that big. Just build the universe as you go, you don’t need to have all the extensions in place from the get go. Move forward towards production in smaller scale, and keep build from there.

Day 3, Panel 3: Narrative Design Discussion



The Basics:

  • Be consistent about characters and their story when you move them across multiple platforms.
  • Create the frame work of a superstory that allows for spinoffs of transmedia franchises. Take cues from epic narratives.
  • Anthology projects don’t work, having an over-arching narrative is important.
  • Keep the pattern, rhythms and cadences of the narrative within the meta-timeline of the story.
  • Create a ‘negative capability’ for the tech and creative team to fill the negative spaces of the narrative with sharp extensions of the story.
  • Create unique aesthetics and user experience.
  • Last but not least: know how to articulate ideas clearly.

Other aspects:

  • On Identity Design: find visual elements that allow for the story extensions to bring an added value to the narrative. Compose the experience design thematically.
  • On Architecture Design: architecture design is different than storytelling, and there are many ways to go about it and many interpretations of how to structure a narrative design. The thing to remember is that the super-structure and infrastructure of the experience need to organically flow with the story, like a symphony.
  • On Product Licensing: be surreptitious about narrative design to be potentially inclusive of licensing products. The first approach might be hard, so partnerships are recommended. Most importantly, be assertive about the relationship connectivity between the narrative and proposed licensed products.

Recommended read for this panel: The Visual Story by Bruce Block.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/12/16/storyworld-conference-day-three#comments 2 Storyworld Conference Day Two (Part 3) April Arrglington April Arrglington here. [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-3 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:39:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-3 here.



Panel 5: Show me the money



So, where is the money?

At present moment content creators find themselves in the position where you not only have to be a storyteller, but a technologist and an entrepreneur as well. In addition to that, when you are dealing in the independent arena, you are looking into ways of not compromising your rights, your vision, your budget, etc.

As we all know, revenue streams vary from project to project. Revenue models used to focus on capitalizing from subsidiaries. Now the popular trend consists of picking between freemum and premium models. However, in order to really capitalize on your project other forms of revenue should be taken into account:

  • If you are an independent developing a small scale project, seriously consider that realistically your project is probably going to bring you more exposure than anything else. So aim to at least break even. Create a Kickstarter campaign to pay for production costs and other basic assets.
  • If you project is bigger in scale and you have a following and online visibility consider branding partnerships. Companies like YouTube are becoming big players under this model.
  • If you have a robust production company dealing with small scale direct revenue, then you are in a good position of designing a dynamic community infrastructure to develop the metrics needed to persuade broadcasters to unlock closed funds.
  • If your production company is already dealing with commercial projects, then consider investing in R&D. Development programs are very valuable, because they show if a model works, and how it can provide sustainability of growth. By being your on VC for your in house projects you are creating your own opportunities.
  • Other factors to look into include: tangible story artifacts instead of merchandise, unique live events, and subscriptions in innovative platforms for additional content.

Foreign coin: Canada vs. Australia

The situation in Canada is unique. It is a rich country for financing models but not business models. There is money available for digital media properties; however this doesn’t translate specifically to a Transmedia fund. The money available acts as a benefit package that is locked by the broadcasters. Which is to say that the qualifying digital productions need to follow the broadcasters’ requirements for acquisition. So ultimately it works like a co-production. Good news is that tax credits can be applied to Transmedia development.

In the case of Australia, an unprecedented 40% of uncapped funds are available from the government. And if you play your cards right and integrate your budget for production and digital assets, you can get enough funds to shoot an entire webseries with film production values.

In the case of the Australian property ‘Storm Surfers’, the revenue model basically consisted of the producers tax rebate, the government subsidiaries, the traditional theatrical advance, and the TV licenses. And because 51% of the copyright stayed in Australia, at least about 23% of the budget came from the Australian government.

A couple more lessons to remember from this case study include: borrow against subsidiaries to avoid audits, and look for co-productions with countries that offer comparable tax rebates.

NOTE: Fore more on business models creation look into Alexander Osterwalder book Business Model Generation.

Panel 6: The Way forward



The future now relies in the integration of story and technology. And if you can translate this relationship to dynamic functionality, then higher levels of engagement can be reached. Good news is that technology people and story people are finally talking to each other. And there is a paradigm shift in the way people are thinking about story in a more tri-dimensional way.

Lessons in Audience Engagement:

  • Learn about the user experience. People care not only about experiencing the story, but also how is facilitated.
  • Beware of the gamification of everything. Game mechanics work, but only when addressing certain needs that can only be uncovered by behavioral data.
  • Know your gateway audiences. For example, console players are already used to immersive experiences, so a transitions to more pervasive experiences for them is actually not that challenging.

Lessons in Technology Convergence:

  • Know how consumers use new devices. And where they look for a personable experience vs. where they look for interactivity.
  • Know that product development is just as valuable as content creation. Innovation can solve unforeseen problems planted by a Transmedia ecosystem.
  • Allow for consumer feedback, and how exactly audiences are compelled to push for a second screen.

Lessons on employing multi-platforms:

  • Learn how to reach audiences where they live, and what needs they fulfill by jumping to other platforms.
  • By the same token, platforms have different audiences, so cater differently for each one.
  • Craft multi-platform architecture for sustainability. It doesn’t matter in which platform you start, as long as you can pace the consumption of content.

What are the main challenges?

  • Taking responsibility for the fact that the integrity of a Transmedia strategy relies on multiple elements and not only the broadcasting and distribution methods. By becoming the gatekeeper of a property you should focus on keeping authenticity in a way that allows for a strong connection with your audience.
  • Realizing that there are many unforeseen cultural obstacles to take into account, like language, age and sex demos, and genre preferences.
  • Learning how to satisfy users looking into content co-creation. Curation is often needed in these instances and this is taxing, but it’s a necessary byproduct of the times.

What trends should we look out for?

  • Social TV: scripted programs are already experimenting with this new execution model.
  • Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs): many exciting new applications are coming out of this field.
  • Augmented Reality: great innovative applications are coming out for mobile and tablet devices.

Final thoughts:

While is true that paid, owned, earned media has crossed into production from advertising, don’t be discouraged to approach new business models for your project. We are figuring Transmedia as we move along. Certain properties are educating audiences, which opens the door for new properties in the field. Right now we are moving through a production stage for all of us working in the field, which is good. We should be focusing on being prolific.

NOTE: If you haven't yet, check Tim Kring's further thoughts of the future of Storytelling here.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-3#comments 0 Storyworld Conference Day Two (Part 2) April Arrglington April Arrglington here. [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-2 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:21:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-2 here.



Panel 2: Navigating the Silos



What are silos and how they affect the work process?

The silo effect refers to a lack of communication and common goals between departments in an organization. It’s an attitude of not sharing that describes the absence of operational reciprocity.

As conglomerates get bigger, divisions are being absorbed. Each department struggles to keep with its cultural environment and agenda. While working in isolation sometimes produces quality, the communication problem endures. And because of the fragile state of the economy, many people behave out of fear of getting fired.

The problem also translates to every single step of production, from the pitch to the marketing campaign. And what is more, when there is lack of common goals within an organization, then is that much harder to reach audiences in an efficient manner. All these factors affect the work process.

What should we look into in terms of finding a solution to this problem?

Arguably, we can say that silos are the reason why we have producers in the business. In order to navigate the silos, such mediators should negotiate with different divisions in a delicate manner as to build relationships based on mutual respect. In addition, said mediators should focus on education and persuasion as a way to slowly chip away at the silos.

I personally find interesting that it seems women are especially good at navigating the silos. Just looking at the panel alone, consisting of mostly women, confirms my observation. Maybe is because women are particularly good at building relationships, and relationships are what breaks down silos… just like social media relationships breaks down social hierarchies.

Where does Transmedia fit in all of this?

Transmedia offers a vertical integration for the silos problem by shifting the paradigm and changing the way we have been doing things. Transmedia positions by themselves are geared into orchestrating better communication among different departments trough cross-departmental integration.

This is particularly true in the TV sector. When considering Transmedia strategies from the beginning, things like incorporating a 2nd Transmedia Unit during the production stage creates more visual assets in a cost effective manner. Also, integrating marketing schedules from the time scripts are locked allows for a cohesive release of all digital assets. Furthermore, establishing partnerships with brands and innovative technologies allows for rich tie-in extensions.

The key to this organizational revolution is to start small. Execute one integrating strategy at a time. Come up with several pitches targeting several silos. And don’t be afraid of trying new things. It is all a process that only gets validated with time and proof of success. It is going to take a lot of evangelizing at first, especially when dealing with silos at opposite ends of the production chain. For example, content creators are often at odds with distribution dynamics, and afraid of how to maneuver the press. But if you can capture the elements that can become Transmedia extensions from the beginning, you can gain their trust and push through.

What are other challenges to consider?

  • A big issue, of course, is control and having departments being comfortable trusting a more integrating paradigm. This issue calls for the creation of a centralized Transmedia hub that runs its own P&L, and it’s independently funded.
  • Another problem is the lack of technological savvy within the industry that just slows effectiveness and productivity.
  • Then there is the rights factor and its multiple ramifications.
  • And last but not least there is legal, which is often challenging integration because it is always required to look for the common denominator in all the elements involved.

Panel 3: Pitching and Selling your idea



As we all know, the spec market is basically dead because the industry is currently looking for franchises. The most viable trends for acquiring IP are coming from profitable authors, the graphic novel, and YA market. Fantasy and Sci-fi are popular genres because they allow for viable universe extensions. However, it is important to point out that IP thrives differently on different platforms.

For example, properties that might be suitable for TV may not be for suitable for film, and vice versa. The thing to remember is that film IP unfolds as a one time event, while TV IP focuses on the characters and the relationship they develop with the audience. Because of this relationship, TV properties easily allow for universe expansions and the amplification of certain content.

Lessons and Considerations:

Mike Monello explains that in the case of True Blood, one of the first things considered for the original pitch was to explain the story through the filter of whomever they were pitching it to. So, for example, when it came to pitching for the marketing department they pitched the project through the release schedule.

Lesson one: Understand who you are pitching to, and learn if they in turn are going to be pitching your project to someone else. If that is the case, you indirectly need to pitch how to pitch your project. The best policy in these cases is to never dilute the pitch. The clearer they can become with the idea the better.

Lesson two: Understand the infrastructure of the company you are pitching to as much as you can as to better navigate the silos in charge of looking at your project. And because the assortment of teams that are going to be involved, you also have to make sure that the company you are pitching to is the right fit for your project.

This is a very important issue to have in mind. Not only does the pitch needs to be catered to the company’s wants and needs, bit the company needs to be able to handle the Transmedia strategy you are planning to develop. Some companies are not even equipped to handle Transmedia strategies, so make sure you do your homework before hand.

Lesson three: Bring a concrete value to the pitch. For example, innovative digital strategies can translate to followers. But there is no way to know this for sure if you don’t try to find out first. This is why there is tangible value in R&D. Many elements in a Transmedia strategy may not be immediately measurable, but can still be viable extensions. The only way to find out, however, is by testing stuff out. Rule of thumb is that proof of concept always speaks louder than sizzle reels.

Lesson four: Apply Transmedia principles to the pitching process in order to mirror the strategies that you are looking to pursue in a bigger scale. Be realistic, however, and don’t expect getting all your points of entry approved from the get go. Pick and choose your battles, and break it down as to make it less threatening to investors.

Lesson five: Don’t only prove your capabilities. Investors are more concern about the visibility of your project in a saturated market. So make the pitch sharable, and consider having a built-in audience. Fans not only have the authority of busting down doors, but they also have leverage when you are planning on revisiting investors.

It is also important to consider that, when it comes to building a relationship with your audience from the beginning, the quality of online engagement also matters immensely.

Lesson six: Be prepared to talk not only about budget, but about your monetization plans. Know in what ways your extensions can generate money, even if you are not entirely sure about the overhead.

Lesson seven: Getting validation can be a slow process, so collaborate with people that can support your vision. Also, for liability reasons, it’s advised to establish partnerships before targeting investors.

Lesson eight: When it comes to protecting yourself against people stealing your ideas, just know that there is no reason to be afraid of sharing until money is being generated. It also helps to have many visual assets for the project that in and of themselves can’t question your authorship. Meanwhile, if you don’t share information it could be detrimental for the pitch, and it is to your advantage to have a fan base backing your work. Just know who you are dealing with when you go in for a pitch.

By the same token, if you are very particular about a piece of original IP, then the best thing to do is stash it until the right time comes and you feel more comfortable and confident putting it out there. In the meantime work on something you are willing to let go off more easily.

Panel 4: Generation C & Shared Storyworlds



When it comes to audience engagement the truth of the matter is that audiences are not really as passive as we think they are. The problem is that we just can’t quantify how active they really are as of yet because we can’t measure properly their engagement behavior correctly across multiple platforms.

It has been found that a vast number of unaccounted fans actually want to engage in a deeper level with a storyworld, even add to it and create their own extensions. It is only as of recent years that technology has allowed for these audiences to engage in this manner.

Additional content, then, is a direct byproduct of the relationship between audiences and IP. This in turns translates to value co-creation, and the ability for audiences to experience validation within the storyworld as contributors for the IP. By the same token, content creators enjoy the benefits of a loyal following. This not only allows for monetization opportunities, but fans commitment to maintain the integrity of the IP universe.

What content creators should consider when building shared storyworlds?

In order to keep a symbiotic relationship with the audience, you must allow for transparency, authenticity, honesty and respect. After all, fans only want the freedom and autonomy to curate content and show their dedication to a property.

The first thing to consider is creating a setting that allows for a dynamic response from the audience experience of the story. Keep the integrity of the IP, but utilize the negative space of a property to not only allow for spin offs, but also audience exploration. Also consider getting strong reactions from audiences by pushing the limits of the property’s canon. Creative restrains have been known to yield creative results.

When it comes to the integrity of the story, make sure to clearly define the parameters audiences can play in. Explain subgenres, and the importance of coherence and continuity for the sustainability of the IP. Also, allow for flexible ways for audiences to tie-in their content back to the main canon.

It is also important to consider the integrity of the platforms use to engage audiences with the property, as there are different attributes for how different platforms are perceived and consumed. Communities look for open comment policies, freedom of IP manipulation for fan art, fan fiction, and other fan related assets. They also look for the ability to engage in their own immersive dynamics when such are not readily available to them, like character interaction and role play.

If content creators are flexible enough to support these policies, then they can take advantage of the dynamics of emotional support that fans get from their communities. By lining up production cycles with those needs, you amplify the ways you can measure engagement contribution.

Where does ownership stand in all of this, and is there room for monetizing?

If there is an intention to create a shared storyworld for your property, then the design for it needs to be incorporated from the very beginning. Also, there needs to be an understanding that absolute control of the IP is an illusion. This is why relationships between publishers and participatory audiences are so tricky.

When it comes to fiction, consider building the collaboratve mechanics in stages. First find the audience members capable of co-creating. Build a reputation system within the community, yet allow for democratic world building dynamics through things like workshop collaboration.

For non-fiction, the dynamics are only slightly different. The pull in these instances comes from the meaning and messages behind the story. This is what generates audience commitment that keeps content generation.

In terms of monetization, you just can’t think of monetizing from all the free content coming out of the fandom. That attitude is what can ruin audience experiences with shared storyworlds. You have to think in terms of mutual benefits, and what you can offer to the fandom in return.

Fans usually just want validation of their work, and further access to original content. Innovation technology allows for creative solutions in terms of applications that could fulfill such needs. Reasonable solutions can only be reached by thinking out side the box.

NOTE: For more on shared storyworlds check www.sharedstoryworlds.com

To keep reading click on Part 3.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-2#comments 0 Storyworld Conference Day Two (Part 1) April Arrglington April Arrglington It All Started with a Mouse: A discussion with Orrin Shively from Disney Online Studios

Orrin opened the first talk of the day by dissecting the most important aspects of Mickey’s 10 Commandments on how to run a compelling guest experience: [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-1 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:58:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-1
It All Started with a Mouse: A discussion with Orrin Shively from Disney Online Studios

Orrin opened the first talk of the day by dissecting the most important aspects of Mickey’s 10 Commandments on how to run a compelling guest experience:

1. Know your audience - Don't bore people, talk down to them, or lose them by assuming that they know what you know. Take into account global elements like culture, demos, ages, even regional backgrounds, etc. Take your time getting to know your audience by keeping engaged with it, listen to it.

2. Wear your guest's shoes - Insist that designers, staff, and your board members experience your facility as often as possible. Get to the fans and the not so fans by thinking in terms of what you like and don’t like about an experience… the pacing, the stimuli, the story structure, etc.

3. Organize the flow of people and ideas - Use good story telling techniques. Tell good stories not lectures. Lay out your exhibit with a clear logic.

4. Create a weenie (visual magnet) - Lead visitors from one area to another by creating visual magnets and giving visitors rewards for making the journey. When thinking about a huge storyworld, have a striking visual image that brings everything together and reminds audience where they are. A constant architectural element of reassurance that ties in the theme and helps guide people through the story universe.

5. Communicate with visual literacy - Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of communication - color, shape, form, texture.

6. Avoid overload - Resist the temptation to tell too much, to have too many objects. Don't force people to swallow more than they can digest, but at the same time try to stimulate and provide guidance to those who want more. Virtual realities are in the forefront of organic immersive experiences that build suspended disbelief.

7. Tell one story at a time - If you have a lot of information to go through, divide it into distinct, logical, organized stories. People can absorb and retain information more clearly if the path to the next concept is clear and logical.

8. Avoid contradiction - The public needs to know who you are and what differentiates you from other institutions they may have seen. Having a clear institutional identity gives you the competitive edge. In terms of story flow, remember to manage all the delicate elements in a story universe with organic orchestration to avoid contradiction.

9. For every ounce of treatment, provide a ton of fun - How do you woo people from all other temptations? Give people plenty of opportunity to enjoy themselves. Emphasizing ways to participate in the experience by making your environment rich and appealing to all senses.

10. Keep it up - Never underestimate the importance of cleanliness and routine maintenance. People expect to get a good show every time. Yet, they will comment more on broken and dirty stuff.

Jeff Gomez: On Worldbuilding & Mythology

On Audience Engagement: “Show me you care about this storyworld, show me it’s real.”

Storytellers are the sensitive sort, the kind that are always in the outside looking in. The type that amuse themselves by building narratives to make sense of their world. At often times wanting a sense of connection, but opting instead to cocoon inside these storyworlds. There is a need to break out of this behavior, because this is the sort of thing that can exclude an audience.

More often than not audiences are standing on the sidelines, daring you to show them a storyworld that is consistent with your passion. However, for audiences to engage in an emotional level you as a storyteller have to do the same and prove that you care about this storyworld, that you are not going to cheat them out once they agree to immerse themselves in it.

When things don’t tie together in a storywold, and you don’t keep consistency in the dramatic structure of a story, then you are in a way taking the fourth wall out and dismantling all the suspended disbelief. You are automatically taking the audience out of the context of the story, and they will hate you for it.

At the end of the day this intense emotional engagement with a storyworld is the value that you are looking to capture in an audience, a value that you can tap into to monetize. So the best way to stay attuned with your public is by listening to their wants, needs, and desires. Learn how to hook them in, understand their behavior and how they engage and immerse into a narrative. And create loyalty by making your audience feel valued inside this storyworld.

On themes: “The best messages are born out of pain.”

Another element to keep in consideration when wanting to create intense emotional engagement is to have a message. If you have an honest and powerful thing to say that taps into the big questions, the grand narrative, then the better your chances are at encouraging your audience to jump into all the different points of entry.

The need for a message also offers a solution of the age old predicament that tells us that all stories have already been told. While it might be true that we have heard it all before, if you have a powerful message to infuse into a familiar story, and you go about it in an original way, then you are in fact offering something new and exciting. Be warned that dwelling on a subject can get boring very fast, so it’s a matter of keeping it original and fun if you want success sustainability.

The most universal subjects that we are all drawn into are all related to pain:

  • Loneliness: from the moment they cut the cord we struggle with the feeling that we are forever alone.
  • Our place in the world: storytelling itself was born as a way to answer life and death questions.
  • Good vs. Evil: ancient mythologies, and practically all belief systems, evolved in order to assert order over chaos.
  • Yearning: contemporary narratives focus on our wants, needs, and desires. Essentially what is beyond our reach.
  • Failure: We all have been defeated at some point or another by something or someone. This state of being resonates with us because we all know how it feels. However, it also gives us the basis to learn that it can be the stepping stone for success.

The interesting thing about the theme of failure is how it parallels with the challenges we face as storytellers in this new Transmedia medium. Think about it, the paradigm bellow works in the same way with high school bullies and Hollywood bullies.

  • At one point or another, usually sooner rather than later, we are going to fail. This is an inevitable fact of life.
  • The immediate instinct then is to avoid experiencing this again at any costs.
  • This often leads into downward spirals, from which we learn life lessons.
  • But the only way out of it is to learn from our mistakes, and discover new alternatives to our problems.
  • However, aspirations are useless without actions towards our final vision.
  • So in order to persevere, since this paradigm often repeats itself infinitely during the course of our lives, the secret to success is to never surrender.

And so, since it seems that Hollywood is really just like high school, then we owe it to ourselves to learn from your high school mistakes… and do it our way this time around. In our particular instance the solution is: find a new way to do things, a new way to monetize, and a new way to do buzz.

On world building: “Games are not about rules but about the excuses to tell stories.”

The age of broadcasting is over. Audiences want to be part of a storyworld now. But most importantly, they just want validation that somehow they are, in fact, part of this universe. So make sure to allow for communal storytelling, or at least instant feedback when designing an experience.

Also, don't be afraid of the naughty players that want to push the interactive boundaries of your storyworld. They are the ones that enrich your ecosystem. If you listen to them carefully you can learn about what works, what doesn’t work, what they want, and what they expect from an experience. This information is invaluable.

As you building your storyworld consider designing the transmedia strategy as you go along. The one problem in publishing is the disconnection that authors have when it comes to designing strategies. They are very hesitant about getting involved because they have never been required to do so, until now.

The one thing to remember is that all elements need to come together, like a perfect orchestrated symphony, in order to vitalize you main message. This sense of wholeness needs to be consistent, regardless of the entry point variations, and come full circle back to the driving platform.

The good news is that Hollywood has been recently aware that it pays to enlarge a story canvas with extensions. And they are slowly realizing that the aspiration drivers haven’t changed, and that they probably won’t. Because at the end of the day it is not about the evolution of storytelling, but about telling better stories.

From Q&A – On pitching, funding and taking a project off the ground:

  • Capture investors with a great story.
  • Have a clear business plan where you point out exactly your revenue channels.
  • Leverage with partners, and use various assets.
  • Be confident. They don’t need to understand how it all works. They just need to believe that you are cleaver enough to know how it all is going to work out.
  • Educate not only the higher ups, but also the consumers. In contrast with the rest of the world the US is really behind on that.

Panel 1: Success & Measuring Multiplatform IP



In this new era of technology convergence, how can context take a role in measurement?

There are many elements to take into account when discussing audience measurement. So far we have answered basic data capturing questions like who is the consumer? Where does he/she live? But there is still a disconnection when it comes to tracking their consuming habits in terms of interacting and engaging in a community.

So maybe we should be asking the question, how are we reaching people as an audience? When audiences consume across multiple platforms we need to shift our point of view and understand the path of the customer and how exactly they are consuming content. So what we really need to look into and capture then is behavior.

The good news is that it is been found the more an audience engages, the more they are willing to give you data to track their behavior. The thing to have in mind then is that engagement is not a single metric, nor an end result, but a proxy for behavior.

What exactly should we look into then if we want to capture data that informs behavior?

Ideally content creators would design experiences so that they can not only capture data production that stems from the experience, but also structure data generation opportunities within the experience. Content and analytics should be one in the same when it comes to tracking behavior. Until we have figured that out, we have to look into what we are trying to accomplish in terms of engagement in order to track behavior.

  • Engagement is an emotional connection, involvement, or commitment to something. It is a two way exchange that can be measured by volume and velocity. But intent informs us about the quality of this relationship and the audience commitment to further interaction.

  • Look into causation of commitment in order to see correlation to audience behavior. Then you will realize that there is a difference between audience and community. Audiences are passive, while communities are active and more committed to a deeper level of engagement.

What solutions we can capture from communities engaging within a social graph?

People are becoming miniature media networks in and of themselves, broadcasting to their social networks. It used to be that people would wear t-shirts to define themselves. Now they do it through their social graph. People are considering their online curation as what defines them online.

So if content creators target audiences that are curating media, then overtime data can inform the complexities of how audiences define themselves within their social graph. This in turn informs their behavior and levels of content engagement.

What are the main challenges?

Right now we are tackling the problem in terms of what we want to achieve when it comes to number of subscriptions, sales, KPI; versus the message that we want to spread, the general awareness of the audience, and its social ramifications. But because all of these factors vary pending of the composition of the audience, device preferences, and algorithm modifications, the solution then seems to evade us all.

We also experience challenges in the media space in terms of old models that are only invested in tracking inventory and not engagement. In addition we also have to deal with the paradox that media consumption doesn't really inform us about engagement. Generally because marketing campaigns mostly focus on what stands out, how people are incentivized, and when and where to deliver content.

To add to the complexity of it all, engagement is something that can thrive in short term and long term settings. People can experience the same sense of commitment while consistently consuming content in short sprouts of time, vs. people that engage with content in a lifetime value capacity. And more often that not, CMOs don’t stay in their jobs long enough to understand the life cycles of consumers.

Next steps and final thoughts:

As we all know, sustainability is tied to storytelling. Storytelling has the advantage to create an online insurgency that in turn produces banter. We need to focus on how to connect into the basis of this chatter, and then find a way to line communities along those conversations in a scalable manner. By the same token we should also consider tapping into content opportunities that sprout out of this community dialogue.

Is only after monitoring these communities that we should worry about points of entry, multiple platforms, and new ways to cater to their behavior. All we can do right now is understand what permeates their everyday lives, and be open to adaptability.

To keep reading click on Part 2.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/28/storyworld-conference-day-two-part-1#comments 0 Storyworld Conference Day One (Part 2) April Arrglington April Arrglington here. [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/14/storyworld-conference-day-one-part-2 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:04:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/14/storyworld-conference-day-one-part-2 here.



Panel 3 - New Business Models: Be Small, Think Big, Move Fast



On creating projects outside of gatekeepers:

It seems like convergence will prevail for a few years before people stop designing projects that just go through some platforms just for the sake of covering their new media bases. The only way to counter this trend is by having more original IP integrating Transmedia storytelling through out the whole experience.

When it comes to designing a particular experience there are several ways to go about it, pending on your platform picks. Nobody thought of Facebook as a narrative channel until about a year or so ago when Murmur experimented with that notion. They launched “Him, Her and Them”, a social interactive experience released specifically through Facebook, which made for a very interesting case study.

Then there is the exact opposite of that, in which you would release a project for the audience to experience, just to later release the platform. That’s exactly what the folks behind of “Authentic in All Caps” aim to do with the application they have created, that allows for what Christy describes as ‘audio tours around the web.’

There is also the instance where you would mash these two models, and bundle an experience together. The best example of this is Bjork’s recent released Biophilia music app. Just have in mind that, which ever model you decide to experiment in, always take in consideration your audience and what kinds of platforms they are approachable in. Treat your audience as the real gatekeepers; if you win them over they will support the trajectory of your project from the bottom up.

On sustainability:

  • Make the projects replay able and persistent.
  • Work on scalability.
  • Focus on production values.
  • Make the experience a product in itself.
  • Insure your IP rights.
  • Make IP relevant across time so that it can live online forever.

On funding:

Be creative. If you work in an agency funnel funds through it and look into investing at least 4 to 6 percent of the total income in an innovation hub for R&D. These exploratory labs help support proof of concept.

Make partnerships with creative technologists who are interested in co-creating projects and are invested in the work. Also look at collaborating with up and coming digital teams looking to build their portfolio.

Build an audience by reducing meta-promotion and opt on promoting the project as you are writing it and building it through. Describe the project while you work on it and explain exactly how is going to work. Create visual assets, like say an interactive trailer, and make sure they are shareable.

NOTE: As complimentary reading for this Panel I HIGHLY recommend Brian Clark's recently published series on new Transmedia Business Models posted at Henry Jenkins' blog.

Panel 4 - The Distribution Dilemma: Paywalls, Piracy & Subscriptions



On highest ways of monetization:

There are many different models to consider besides freemium and premium models. There is definitely value on data in the freedium model, and there are applications that can grow from this model over time, pending on how the audience consumes a particular franchise. For premium models the important thing is to understand audience behavior and what they seek out of each platform. In the gaming industry is all about cost balancing and what values you can offer to the consumer.

For example you can create a game meant to be played for 10 minutes while you wait in a line. The dynamics of that model change when you create a game that requires for longer commitment. While it is easier to get many people to pay for something small, it is true that there is an equal value in the fewer committed players (often call in the gaming industry ‘whales’) that are willing to invest more money in a more expensive game.

In the gaming industry many argue that the ‘whales’ are the ones keeping the business running. But that mentality is a gamble, as the conversion ratios confirm that whale players stand for only 2%. Moreover, realistically speaking, you can’t only rely in the capabilities of only one market. While is important to service your loyal costumers, it’s just as important to get different revenues streams. As with everything in business is a numbers game.

The challenge then is to move that paradigm to more frictionless payments by general non-hardcore players. In order to do that you have to understands what motivates this particular set of players. While is true that most people will be willing to try something for free, there are things that can incentive these non-hardcore audiences to move into paying for what is behind the paywall:

  • It has been proven that certain people will be willing to pay for virtual goods if the content is compelling enough. This is how whale gamers can be created. While on the subject of micro transactions, is important to point out that in some instances paying for virtual goods is just as valid as paying for a subscription program, because players can starts to see how a virtual good is a type of specialty brand product. When players can make that connection and equate the value between the two you can start cashing in.

  • Other audiences are motivated by certain gaming dynamics they experience in other platforms. Incentives like badges, points, and merchandise tie-ins work to hook them and keep them engaged. When it comes to merchandise tie-ins, however, there are many different views on how to advertise and give discounts. Tie-in merchandise advertising offers don’t work for the first penny in. At that early stage is still all about the game.

  • Other audiences like social dynamics in games. This sector will be willing to make purchases when it benefits others they care for (like giving gifts or making specific ‘sponsor’ donations). In these instances is important to have easy accessibility through easy pay mechanisms behind the wall. Also, in the case of IMVU, funny money can also be accessible via IMVU cards and similar game phone apps.

Lessons learned regarding multiple platforms:

If we talk specifically about TV, it is shocking to learn that ‘Family Feud’ and the ‘Price is Right’ are the most successful properties when it comes to interactive audience engagement. In addition to different mobile and browser apps, Facebook changed the landscape as well, adding virility to the brands by experimenting with time play, score boards, and different types of virtual goods. Another great dynamic is to add freeplay giveaways through advertisement services like Brandboost.

This brings up the importance of partnerships with brands, because the right partnerships do drive audiences back to those product and services. So treat brand products and services as virtual goods and vice versa. Virtual goods/currency are so amazingly valuable, game companies have even hired economists out of Wall Street to manage the health of the economy of these game/storyworlds.

Interestingly enough, the importance of currency management was first introduced when game designers realized how new players always felt virtual goods were just too expensive. In trying to adjust for inflation standardized best practices then encouraged giving more money to new players to start with. All in all it’s a difficult balance.

When it comes social games in the mobile space, the most pervasive model that has emerged is the one where someone else finishes your game. The premise is that the game has 4 rounds, you play 2 to 3 rounds and then the game opens the last round so that your friends from messenger or Facebook become users of your game. The mechanics of this are genius cause of the immediate viral hook.

The game structure applied in these types of games is based on the philosophy that people play in chunks of 15 minutes of time. So in making games 5 minutes long you can cash on the idea that by the 3erd game people will be compelled to play, and pay. In the mobile studies of this paradigm they have found that people take up to 10 minutes to play, which allows for at least a 2 games engagement.

The challenges on the mobile space, however, are software compatibility and issues like piracy in more hack-vulnerable markets, like Android. This issue is not as prevalent in the US, but elsewhere in the world. That is why freemium models in this space are most successful.

On immersive advertising tactics:

Many questions still rise when it comes to disruptive advertising practices. Can a player appreciate taking a survey at the end of a game for a free meal/coupon, or would the player rather get free virtual goods instead? These sorts of questions have encouraged the creation of the time driven pay-to-play paradigm, in which players rather just get more free time to play.

The main player to watch in this space is Google, because of what their doing with their opt-in ad experiences model they have borrowed from YouTube. The reason this is particularly relevant is because of the data applications that introduce implications for everyone.

This brings us back to story. Maybe the question we should be asking is how incentives best fit the storytelling? For example, is increasingly difficult to tie-in charity incentives in the middle of game play. For this particular case the best model for philanthropy efforts is to match dollars with winning points.

Panel 5: Co-Managing in Collaborating with Stakeholders



What is the estate of affairs when it comes to rights across mediums?

When dealing with multiple platforms the main challenge is that there are multiple hands in the pot. In addition, the decision making on a particular IP has become increasingly complex because we are now finding ourselves not only pitching the story but a new business model as well. This is the reason why deals take forever when dealing with tent-pole IP.

The most important thing to consider is who has the rights and who is granting the rights. Of course the networks want all of the rights, so how can one maintain chain of title? This is a loaded subject as legislation on copyright keeps changing and the information on new laws in not always clear. Currently, the most identifiable gaps in the law consist of registration requirements on vintage properties.

There are companies that specialize in knowing the status of rights in these instances, because most often that not the reuse of content might not be easily accessible. And when it comes to fair use, the reality of the situation is that it’s a defense, not a right under the law.

So what kind of legal issues independent content creators have to face in terms of liability?

When it comes to negotiations, there are many rights one has to deal with. In terms of distribution, independent content creators are more likely to withhold rights of lesser value. But still, if you don’t set a standard for rights negotiation from the beginning, then future deals on the property are likely to be affected. In addition you want to make sure you are insured somehow against piracy and rip-off scenarios. This is why a legal team is always recommended. If a lawyer is not an affordable option, is important to have at the very least some sort of collaboration agreements in place.

In terms of deals on new business models, everyone is very nervous because there are no experts in this new multiple platform field. In a way the system is posed to function in a domino effect. Once one firm agrees on a sensible deal that works for those involved, then everyone else follows their lead.

What are the challenges in terms of rights on data?

First of all you need to prove you can execute on those rights effectively because you are going to encounter a push back from the digital mediums. Again, currently models are reversed engineered from new opportunities, so is helpful to forge partnerships in place before hand for fair split agreements.

NOTE: As a response to this panel please read Simon Pulman post on Storyworld: Practical Legal Considerations. I HIGHLY recommend it.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/14/storyworld-conference-day-one-part-2#comments 0 Storyworld Conference Day One (Part 1) April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/14/storyworld-conference-day-one-part-1 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:01:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/14/storyworld-conference-day-one-part-1
It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but I'm finally back home and online just in time to give you all who couldn't make it a wrap up of all the Transmedia events happening as of late, starting up with Storyworld 2011. I'm also trying to have these available in Spanish for my friends in Spain, Mexico & Latino America, so expect my coverage to be avilable in other outlets. As soon as that happens I'll let you all know. I also want to note that Christine Weitbrecht has already up a full wrap up of the entire conference, however I know for a fact that we didn't cover the same panels. So I thought valuable to have my coverage available as well.

Storyworld was a homecoming for all of those in the Transmedia community and it really turned out to be a lovefest. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a pretty even turnout, when it comes to males and females at a conference. Also, there were people there from all over the world and all sorts of backgrounds: marketing, film, TV, publishing, comics and even a representative from the fandom sector.

The morning of the first day started bright and early with an introduction by FW Media and Alison Norrington, who in turn introduced the first guest of the day: Jordan Weisman

The New Power of Story: What is Narrative?

Stories are the patterns that we put together. We tell stories because our brains are wired to want to bring memories together in a cohesive way. As a community, humans have been telling stories from the beginning of times. We have memorized stories that then are retold through out the years in multiple forms: paintings, theater, novels, movies, radio, TV, internet… etc.

As we sat around the campfire our interactions were social, until the time they became codified, recorded and distributed. Now we are living through a time that allows for stories to be social again.

As new mediums like the internet emerged, new ways to tell stores were created to tap into these new platforms. ARGs started as a search oriented platform because the rise of Google search.

So it makes sense that now a collection of narrative components transmitted via numerous media and communications platforms can be woven together by an audience, resulting in a richer and deeper story. Content and mediums were always treated as different animals, until now. Transmedia is here to take those original preconceptions apart.

The three challenges that remain to fight against in this new storytelling era include:

  • Distribution: Now we have accessible and inexpensive tools that allow for direct distribution to your audience, but as we move ahead into an interactive landscape the challenge then becomes software engineering and compatibility.
  • Content Discovery: The market is saturating everyday and despite the fact that cost of development is going down, the cost of exposing content is going up.
  • Ownership: The cycle often starts with the IP creator the goes into distribution, and consumption. Now we need to find a way to include audience creation through audience filters so that the material can come back to the IP creator without disregarding fandoms, their input and their needs.

From Stories to Storyworlds: Panel 1



  • On the responsibility of storyteller: The storyteller is now the brand property gatekeeper, a job that now should be more dynamic. The storyteller should be prepared to manage multiple screens and technologies, in addition to content creation. He or she should protect the IPs original vision, yet be open to listen to the audience, which is part of the storyworld now. All of this is very tricky because of the fact that when there are multiple platforms there is a shared value that is inevitable due to the nature of a collaborative dynamic.

  • On ownership: expectations are a challenge, particularly having storytellers holding their rights and thus their vision.

  • On technology: technologists should take cues from storytellers. It is a known fact that all the great technologies actual come from the imagination of storytellers.

  • On crowd sourcing: Crowd sourcing only works if the storyworld is well defined, otherwise you have chaos and brand crashing. Also, have in mind that not all storytellers want their story crowdsourced, so these types of stories and storytellers need their own home elsewhere that is just as valid. The best strategy to consider for crowd sourcing will include gaming dynamics to optimize engagement.

  • On audience management: Audiences are going to create content out of our IP one way or another cause they want to feel part of it. Your best shot at managing content coming out of fans is to have a managing plan from the very beginning that includes their engagement with the property. Be knowledgeable of were different audiences live and soothe their needs accordingly.

  • On monetizing: A discussion emerged when touching on this topic on whether content creators could sanction IP back to fans and share revenue under creative commons law. There was a disagreement that this could not work for tent-pole IP because Hollywood is too greedy.

Opinions on this last regard were raised that maybe is a generational thing as business models attempt to change with the times. Others argued that is not a generational thing but a way of thinking thing that needs to change. Audiences are key in determine if an IP is successful or not. New business models allow for name talent to become content, why not consider fandoms in the same regard?

For example, people in the games industry are looking into monetizing by having code open to fans who would want to add to the game IP. Not everyone will have the skill set to be in the position to be part of this, but the few that have are likely to protect the IPs canon because they revere it to such high regard.

So maybe it would pay off to treat fans as stakeholders and reach out to them for a unique kind of IP licensing. However, one could argue that when you take other people’s money you are bound as a content creator to be restrained.

In conclusion, we have to believe that out of all this chaos order will emerge with different solutions for this problem. There is hope that the solution for a model probably will come from the independent sector, since it's flushed with more freedom, collaborative opportunities, and less monetary liability (as long as working guild free, etc).

From Concept to Contract to Launch: Panel 2



Lenny Brown's insights:

  • Is hard to find the practicality of all the Transmedia theories out there. Especially when most revenue at the moment doesn’t come from all the different points of entry necessarily, but from tangible assets like games, books, and other forms of merchandise.

  • To lower costs a big part of the strategy should involve for marketing and production needs to get in-synch from the get-go. This is especially true when dealing with TV, because when advertising and content assets are not in synch, then impact loss is that much prevalent.

  • One other factor to take in consideration is collaboration and the importance of picking your partnership relationships. Collaborations are fragile, and when there is uncertainty regarding common goals you can’t force things to magically work out. Have a clear concept and reach out to the right connections. Be protective about the IP, but aggressive about strategy. And remember that consumer products and other uninformed people are not the ones that should be running a Transmedia strategy.

Brent Friedman goes through Valemont case study:

For those of you not familiar with this case study, the first thing you need to know is that Valemont was conceived as a property meant to live online. In 2008 MTV created a new division, MTV New Media, in an effort to retain the audience members that were increasingly spending more time with the brand online than on air.

All the new original programming coming out of this division was meant to bridge the old traditional media with the new emerging media saturating the market. So programming coming out of this division was to cater viewers via personal computers, cell phones, iPods, and other digital devices.

Brent explains that usually the hardest thing to do online for an original IP is marketing. However, with Valemont, MTV reversed the marketing model by promoting the online series on air. And it worked brilliantly.

The first 12 episodes of the web series were about 5 minutes long and were played in full as ‘ad pods’ in between The Hills & The City, which at that point in 2009 were the most successful original on air programs for the station. The full series of 35 episodes then lived online.

A partnership with Verizon Wireless allowed for additional Vcast bonus extensions prior to on air content. After the series wrapped it was then available in VOD. But the most amazing lesson learned from Valemont was that the online user experience was what fans remembered and valued most, even more than the content itself.

Before the property launched the web series, it released online assets all over the internet connected to the Valmont University site, which instigated an ARG experience. Once the site opened for enrollment, audience members were able to sign in as students of Valmont and interact with the characters of the series for the duration of the season through the Vcast phone app or live via twitter.

This dynamic allowed for an organic integration of the Verizon brand, who partnered up in a seamless way that allowed for the interactive experience to be woven together with story. There were many instances were people were motivated to switch to Verizon just to get the additional content released through Vcast.

The project was deem a success, partly also because it was designed to be cost effective from the beginning. It was shot in Canada to take advantage of the tax credit, and during production a Transmedia 2nd Unit was embedded to the schedule to shot all additional content as to avoid repurposing material, all while taking advantage of original production values.

The only friction point that MTV had with the fans was when it came down to the forums. The producers purposely didn’t set any forums as to keep the suspended disbelief of the experience. So of course the fandom created their own in-character forum that looked just as official as all the official sites of the experience. After much panic and anxiety, MTV was gracious enough to sign off on the fandom site with a promotional partnership, and even offered especial content to its members in exchange to pingbacks to the official sites of the experience.

Trish Pasternack on Random House Worlds:

Trish announces a new Random House Transmedia Division called Random House Worlds. This announcement alone confirms the notion that publishing is shifting its views on IP and authorship, by seizing an opportunity to build stroyworlds with a property and curate partners with media companies to expand the IP.

Trish explains that Transmedia strategies are not only about expanding the IP from books to story bibles, to games and other media. They should be about designing a plan of action that matches a particular property with a set of specific platforms that services the needs of IP and fits its integrity. This notion is what is encouraging Random House Worlds to not only rethink acquisition strategies but even establishing internal IP development, which is really exciting news.

The Transmedia landscape as it stands allows publishing to reach sectors it can’t reach by itself otherwise. Is still hard to quantify, say, gamers that read or readers that game… so there is an appeal to build storyworlds so compelling audiences would engage beyond the one point of entry. In addition, there is extra value in the aggregated audience that makes contact with a property one way or the other. At the end of the day the real money is made on the long tail, which proves that an IP can continue to produce revenue as long as the fandoms stay happy.

NOTE: Robert Pratten's slide show of this panel is available here. Also, as of recent, Random House has partnered up with Zak Kadison's Blacklight Transmedia. For that press release click here.

As to keep this post concise I'm splitting it in two parts. To keep reading click on Part 2.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/11/14/storyworld-conference-day-one-part-1#comments 2 The Go BZRK Case Study: Interview with Rich Silverman (Part 2) April Arrglington April Arrglington here. [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/26/the-go-bzrk-case-study-interview-with-rich-silverman-part-2 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:04:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/26/the-go-bzrk-case-study-interview-with-rich-silverman-part-2 here.



10. Let’s talk structure and mechanics, how many platforms did you use for the ARG alone?

When it comes to mechanics, I believe ARGs should be heavily based on the narrative. Any puzzle elements included need to organically fit into the story, instead of just having them there for the sake of doing puzzles. They need to flow and be used as a device to further the narrative. I personally think ARGs in general are going to go in this direction anyway in the future. They’re just going to be more experiential.

In terms of platforms utilized, there are at least 8 websites that include 3 main core sites and 5 supporting sites. There are also 2 Tumblr accounts, 4 Facebook character accounts, and about 4 Twitter accounts that included the official account of the experience and a few character accounts to interact with players in real time during specific points. We also have one Google voice account set up to deliver a record voicemail message of a fictional hospital that allowed players to leave messages, which we posted through a character account on Tumblr later on. We also created a few Email accounts to tease and communicate with the players, and one eBay account to auction off a piece of fictional ephemera – we surprised the winner by giving it away for free.

11. So how do you decide to use each platform in the experience? Is it all tied to the story and where the characters live logistically?

Absolutely. For example, one of the characters is a tabloid journalist… so it just made sense that he would have a Tumblr account to publish all of his news clippings. We started him off on Facebook because he’s broke and looking for a cheap place to showcase his samples, but because he’s an anti-social miscreant he got sick of all the friend requests and moved to Tumblr where he could be left alone!

12. Did you think of experimenting with new, innovative technology or services?

The format itself of an ARG is still innovative in and of itself. We decided to stick with popular social media conventions and services that audiences are already familiar and comfortable with.

13. What about internally, to launch and run the experience? Did you considered using services like Conducttr to organize logistics?

Actually, we looked into that. But because of time constrains we realized we wouldn’t have the time to familiarize ourselves with the service fully. So instead of learning something from scratch we just decided on going old school and set up all the accounts by hand.



Meanwhile, the main service we utilized to launch the Nexus Humanus website, which is the core site, was an open source social networking engine called Elgg that was customized by Digital Intent to our specs with a points and badge system, a leveling structure, and some other tweaks. Forums were a modification of Vanilla Forums.

14. Where there any other sponsors interested in being involved in the ARG experience?

Josh Lamb, the COO of Shadow Gang, created a partnership with Spartz Media, a company out of Chicago that owns a number of successful websites – MuggleNnet is their biggest one. We utilized their Omg-Facts to post several factoids and other story content that tied into the ARG. It was a guerilla strategy that paid off well, a great example of “thinking outside the box.”

15. Ok, so let’s go back to strategy and game design for a bit. How did you structure the experience in terms of having to decide when to release new material and in what platform, etc?

Ok, so here’s Rich’s crash course on how you write an Alternative Reality Game:

The first thing I do is come up with a treatment for the entire story that runs 10-15 pages. Then I break that down into a bullet point timeline that includes the main background story in chronological order all the way to the present.

Then I look at it in terms of the three main acts of the story for the ARG and how to divide these into the actual timeline of the experience. I knew I had 3 months to tell the story, so I scheduled the 1st month as preliminary to set up background story and buzz for the ARG. Then the next 2 weeks were devoted to Act 1, the subsequent 4 weeks were devoted to Act 2, and the last 2 weeks for Act 3.

Then, I looked into the time span of those weeks and settled on a release schedule. I find that the best days to release material are Tuesdays and Thursdays cause it doesn’t conflict with the work week too much or the weekend – on Mondays people are more focused on getting back to school or work and on Fridays minds turn toward the weekend. This is pretty standard. Then you have to decide how the narrative is layered into the release schedule and what beats need to be followed up in real time, especially for the live interactive challenges.

For Go BZRK I focused roughly on three interactive game challenges per week. The first challenge was a crossword puzzle devised by a character before his rather suspicious death. That mechanic started at the end of Act 1, with a couple clues released each week that led to grid solutions. Solving two of the crossword questions revealed a bitly address that dropped a zip file on the user’s computer filled with more content. Running parallel to that was the Nexus Humanus website, which is set up as an organization in which you have to move up the different levels by doing some weekly tasks in order to unlock more information and clues about the story. In addition to that, we also had an additional weekly interactive element that tied into all the new story content released for any given week.

16. I have to say that my favorite part of the experience was the Nexus Humanus website you built because it was utilized as a way to further the plot of the experience by creating character profiles within that network that interacted with the players. I think it was cleaver because it also provided for a way to contain the audience interaction in this particular platform and obtain some sort of metrics. Was this successful or did you find the audience going to a separate forum or wiki by themselves?

Well, we found that the gamers were staying on the Nexus site which was great. But we didn’t want to split the audience in terms of setting up official forums elsewhere. People are going to do that anyway. From the beginning we were well aware of the creation of a Facebook Group by the players. I also know that there was an Unfiction thread for the experience, and a wiki created by WikiBruce. The Go BZRK website also provided a weekly recap of the experience. These resources didn’t really compete with the official forums. These sources actually provided support by keeping track of all the latest news released and status updates for the game. If anything it strengthens community participation and kept buzz rolling.

17. So how did you fair metrics wise?

We are very happy with our numbers. For an ARG of this size and scope, and without the big push a major movie or TV show provides, we’ve been quite pleased with the results.

18. Where you able to gather any useful insights when it comes to demographics from your metrics?

We have some of that information from Nexus Humanus registration, but you have to understand that registered users are not the majority of players, and metrics coming from general site stats aren’t going to tell you whether someone is male, female, 10, or 50. Anecdotally, it looks like our audience is pretty evenly split 50-50 male and female, with an age range of 18 to 30, which was our target audience.

19. Alright. So, I also noticed that all of the official sites for the ARG sported a watermark icon that links to the home site for Go BZRK. By doing this, you are making it clear that this was a game. Was that always your intention?

Yes, we made the decision from the beginning to have the audience participate in the experience knowing that it wasn’t real. It’s suspension of disbelief. In the past, ARGs tried to present themselves as “real,” but no other storytelling form is saddled with this. No one goes to see “The Thing” thinking that it’s real, and there’s no real reason why ARGs have to be positioned as “reality,” though there are times you may take this approach. The label ARG is misleading, perhaps, and I’m only using it for the sake of convenience. I prefer to call this an interactive story.

20. So, are you planning on uploading a credits page at the end of the ARG to accredit the team? Lance Weiler did that for Pandemic and I believe it should be a standard practice to proof accreditation in a portfolio.

That’s what we have you for! But yes, we will have credits on the new site… or at least I think so.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/26/the-go-bzrk-case-study-interview-with-rich-silverman-part-2#comments 2 The Go BZRK Case Study: Interview with Rich Silverman (Part 1) April Arrglington April Arrglington Rich Silverman, the writer and co-creator of the Go BZRK Alternative Reality Game (ARG) that just came to an end on October 20th. The ARG is part of a broader Trasmedia [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/26/the-go-bzrk-case-study-interview-with-rich-silverman-part-1 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:01:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/26/the-go-bzrk-case-study-interview-with-rich-silverman-part-1 Rich Silverman, the writer and co-creator of the Go BZRK Alternative Reality Game (ARG) that just came to an end on October 20th. The ARG is part of a broader Trasmedia strategy that was built from the ground up for Michael Grant’s new book series, BZRK. The first book in the series, due this February, is the driving platform of the whole experience. For the purpose of this case study Rich and I spoke mostly about the mechanics of launching and running the ARG, which I think many in the community will find very helpful. The interview is a bit long, so I’ve decided to split it in two posts for a more convenient read. Enjoy.



1. How did the idea of the ARG came to be? When Michael approached you did he have a clear concept of what he wanted to do, and just needed someone who knew how to execute it? Or did you have to conceptualize all the material for the experience from scratch, making it completely separate from the book?

Michael and Alex LeMay, the CEO of the Shadow Gang, the company that produced this experience, had wanted to do a Transmedia experience for the book for over a year. Michael is a successful novelist in the YA world and Alex is an accomplished documentarian and filmmaker, but neither had created or produced a transmedia project before. Fate brought us together at the Transmedia Hollywood event at UCLA earlier this year. We hit it off immediately and they brought me on to develop, write, and co-produce this experience from the ground up.

They pretty much gave me carte blanche for that, which was great and quite possibly unprecedented. I’m used to layers of approvals and bureaucracy, but we were able to cut through all that and focus on the creative, which is more like how a book writer works as compared to someone in film or a creative working on an ARG for a marketing campaign.

Basically, Michael handed me the rules of the universe and a bunch of backstories and characters that he created that are not necessarily included in the novel. At least not in the first book. I went through this material and cherry-picked certain elements and characters that I thought would be compelling in an ARG… then went on to adjust timelines, character details, and create new characters and situations that sort of hung on some of his pre-existing mythology.

Michael was very open to my ideas and re-working. When I pitched my three-month narrative for the ARG Michael loved it and let me run with it on my own.

2. How many characters or plot points from the novel are integrated in the ARG? Since the novel hasn’t been released, there is no way for the audience to know how the storyline for the ARG is connected to the novel. Or how many questions raised by the ARG are going to be answer in the novel, etc.


Most of the narrative for the ARG I pretty much created from scratch, though several characters that play smaller roles in the ARG turn up in the novel as key figures. However, most of the ARG characters were created to serve the needs of the transmedia experience. And as I already mentioned, a few elements came from some backstory Michael had sketched out, but these were, in general, lifted out of these existing situations and transformed to fit the needs of the new narrative.

In terms of how the ARG and the novel are connected, the novel will not answer some of the questions that the ARG poses, but the questions will be answered because the ARG is not the end of the Transmedia experience. The first novel comes out in February, so we have several more months of content that we are going to be releasing through a centralized experience – we won’t be sending people all over the web like in an ARG. Some questions posed by the ARG will be answered there. Some won’t be. People will have to drop in at GoBZRK.com when the new site launches and see what we have for them. They’re going to be surprised. That’s for sure.

3. Are you referring to the Mobile App?

Partially. A Mobile App for IOS and Android is coming out closer to the book launch. The app that is a transmedia extension that ties into the ARG, but is not a primary delivery mechanism for narrative content. In terms of continuing the ARG story, we are launching an interactive website before the release of the novel that will feature weekly short stories by Michael, a social network, and some comics and interactive stories that I’ll be writing.

4. I’m curious about the plans for the experience after the launch of the first novel in February. Because I know there are still two more books in the works.

Well, I was hired to create six months worth of story. Some of this was included in the ARG, and some will be part of all the content to be released in the next few months leading up to the launch of the first book. There are some ideas for continuing a Transmedia builtd-out after the book launch, but right now we’re focused on creating an exciting, fun experience that leads to book one.

5. So is the Transmedia experience supposed to last past the release of book 1, and between launches of book 2&3?

Yes, the plan is to release content across multiple platforms between book launches. Thankfully the books are set to be released much closer to each other than has traditionally been done in the past for book series, so that gives a bit more containment to the Transmedia strategy.

6. That would be a lot of material and up keep, a huge commitment. So, who is in the team?



Well from the narrative standpoint it’s essentially me, but Alex has good story sense and had some great ideas, and Michael was always there as well if I needed a sounding board. I wrote the entire ARG and will be writing all most of the additional content set to be released in all these other platforms before the launch of book one.

In terms of graphic design and Photoshop wizardry we have Eric Burton, who was also the video editor and special effects guru who cut all the videos for the ARG. He also designed several of our websites, and all of the ARG assets… which includes all the news paper articles, pictures, etc.

Alex LeMay, who acts as the executive producer, put all of the film shoots together. He did all the casting, which is really top notch, and produced all the video content for the ARG. I co-directed the videos with Alex.

Dee Cook, who is out of Austin, helped me out by designing most of our ARG puzzles, and was also the official community coordinator during the campaign.

We also have a comic book artist from Chicago, Jim Terry, who was brought to the table by Alex to do all of the art comics from my scripts. Plus, Digital Intent, who is also based out of Chicago, did all the tech support. It was a pretty small creative team when you really look at it.

7. What about the budget?

Let’s just say the ARG appears to have three times the budget it really does. In terms of content we are talking about at least 30 videos, up to 5 min. each, which were shot in about four and a half days. The whole timeline of the project was extremely crunched. For example, I wrote the bulk of the video videosscripts in a couple of days. There wasn’t a lot of time for second- guessing. It’s both liberating and frightening. The creative professional is always standing on the ledge. You can’t look down or you fall.

8. Can you expand on the timeline you had to work with, how much pre-production time you had?

Well, we had May and June for pre-production. During this time we had to come up with all of the narrative, game design, structure and mechanics, social engagement plan, and marketing strategies for the launch of the ARG. We also had to organize pre-awareness for the ARG for the last couple of weeks of July. Then we had to shoot all of the filmed content and get our core sites designed and built by August 1. After that, Dee and I were mostly responsible for running the ARG and uploading about half the content while it was running, which involved managing and uploading the video, tweets, blog posts, etc. The experience was set to last a total of 12 weeks with the first four weeks designed to build an audience and deliver exposition.

9. You just mentioned having to come up with marketing strategies for the ARG. I know that Michael has Miller PR promoting the novel. Was there a synergy there at all in terms of approaching Michael’s pre-existing YA fans to participate in the ARG?

We reached out to YA bloggers through places like GoodReads, but we wanted to reach beyond the group that reads YA literature. Many of our most active participants were ARG gamers, which is something we were happy with because we wanted to expand the scope of what YA means. This particular novel is also skewed a bit older than a typical YA book. So we looked at the ARG experience as an opportunity to build a broader audience.

For Part 2 of this interview click here.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/26/the-go-bzrk-case-study-interview-with-rich-silverman-part-1#comments 1 CTIA Case Studies: Transmedia Storytelling through Advanced Mobile Content April Arrglington April Arrglington Christine Weibrecht and I drove to San Diego to attend the CTIA panels presented by Transmedia Los Angeles and the http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/17/ctia-case-studies-transmedia-storytelling-through-advanced-mobile-content Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:27:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/17/ctia-case-studies-transmedia-storytelling-through-advanced-mobile-content Christine Weibrecht and I drove to San Diego to attend the CTIA panels presented by Transmedia Los Angeles and the PGA New Media Counsel. Below is a recap of the case studies presented. I’m posting on John Heinsen’s presentation separately, so stay tuned for my next post.

1. JC Christofilis, founder of Dilemma LA, presents Chopper:



Chopper is an intellectual property originally conceived as a comic that JC acquired during Comic-Con back in 2010 about a headless motorbike reaper who collects the souls of sinners in the afterlife. The comic was finally released just earlier this month by Asylum Press and Night Owl Productions and the web series is set to launch October 21st, just in time for Halloween.

Other Transmedia components associated with Chopper include a mobile game app, a music deal with several heavy metal bands to be featured in the series including Unearth, Straight Line Stitch and Machine Head, a multiplatform sponsorship deal with Rockstar Energy Drink, and a partnership with Sullen Clothing for all Chopper related merchandise. The experience will also include live events spreading across a variety of social media channels, including easter egg viral videos.

JC originally thought of launching the project across multiple platforms not only as a proof of concept to make the film, but also as way of reverse engineering a franchise. By strategizing a cost effective production and adding multiple points of entry, the property not only becomes popular but also less risky. JC explains that this calculated risk makes all of the difference when looking into financing a project.

The financing strategy of Chopper is a great example of how Transmedia can encourage an open door policy to a variety of revenue streams because of its multi-platform nature. Chopper's financial strategy includes advertising for some platforms and a subscription model for other platforms, in addition to product placement and brand sponsorship.

Moreover, JC is incorporating a space for crowd sourcing and user generated content as extensions of the IP. JC explained, to be more specific to the panel, that the Mobile campaign for Chopper will enable fans to share response videos as witness or victims of the Reaper. This sort of dynamic adds a very important interactive layer always coveted in a Transmedia experience. Plus allows for the audience to feel ownership of the IP and commit to follow the project regardless of the platform.

JC is zealous about keeping the fans passionate, not only through engaging with great content but through a WOW factor often achieved through innovation. That is why JC encourages entertainers to take on Research & Development just as the technology industry does. This mind set of fear of innovation and technology needs to change towards a new attitude that JC calls the new ROI, Return on Innovation.

2. Zach Jordan, from Joe Digital, presents CarpeKilimanjaro:



Carpe Kilimanjaro sets the stage for a very different Transmedia project, more connected to the purpose some Transmedia folks in the field call ‘Transmedia for Good’ or ‘Transmedia Activism’, in which content creators looks into a specific cause and a way to reach out to audiences across multiple platforms to support non-profits looking for solutions.

For Carpe Kilimanjaro the cause is Alzheimer and the driving platform is the documentary about the drawing parallel of Zach climbing the Kilimanjaro with his father-in-law while Zach’s own father struggles back home, who is diagnosed with Alzheimer.

The Transmedia strategy for the project also includes an interactive website in which a global audience is able to share content, pictures and videos in an interactive map as well as across multiple social media channels.

In addition a mobile app is in the works, which will unlock further content, engage with characters, and promote Alzheimer resources, awareness, and support for medical research. Furthermore the overall outreach participatory experience will educate about clinical trials, locate, and connect people affected by this disease, and empower them to share their own stories.

The project is in post -production, with currently over a 100 hours of footage. The financial strategy includes reaching out to sponsors and a Kickstarter campaign to be launched soon to finilize the project.

3. Albert Cheng, the Ex. VP of Digital over at ABC, presents Oscar.com: The Interactive Experience



This case study is interesting because Oscar.com revamped their website to launch an interactive, multiplatform experience for the 83rd Academy Awards that essentially re-launched the franchise. The experience expanded from the time the nominations were announced until after the Oscar parties. It was available as an interactive site online that could be accessed through a variety of Apple products including ipads, ipods, and iphones. There was daily content provided to the experience, and on the day of the live event it provided the audience with impressive interactive capabilities that were also synchronized to integrate 3 different live shows as well.

The ambitious project headed by Cheng was a remarkable success story, especially when looking at all the road blocks standing in the way from its inception. The first problem to overcome was to convince the Academy’s Board of Directors to give the thumbs up to the highly technological experience that included the complicated logistics of live and 360 cameras, technical support for the live streams, and a live operations management. Cheng’s team not only had to prove this new technology’s capability, but also the ability to build the experience in less than 4 months.

Pitching an event such as this to such technologically conservative group as the Academy’s Board of Directors provided to be an impossible feat that could only be overcome by having an insider championing the project. Many Transmedia folks know exactly how this feels, so just be reassured that such problems happen even at the top levels of the food chain. Thankfully, Cheng’s team had John Lasseter to vouch for them and their innovative plan of action. If anything, the biggest success coming out of the whole experience was to change the mindset of people in power, and lay the ground floor for better technological relationships in the entertainment sector. As a result, Cheng confirmed that a contract was established to manage and improve the experience until 2020.

At the core, the experience’ success consisted of:

  • Treating the content as a 3 arc story that would include the nominations, the red carpet, the live event, and the parties.
  • Making smart partnerships (a Disney and Apple synergy is already in existence). However due to lack of time the only other notorious partnership forged was with AEG for all the special camera equipment. Most everything else was built internally by a team of 10 that included coders, programmers, and app developers.
  • For the actual live event there was a huge collaboration and coordination effort for the integration of the 3 live shows running at the same time across multiple platforms (tv, ipad, iphone, etc).

In terms of improving the experience Cheng learned that:

  • You can’t force or contrived storytelling on the fly. Interactivity depends on the audience interest of certain sub-genres within the event. The 360 cams weren’t all that easy to use, and certain booths (like Makeup and Hair) didn’t work.
  • There is room for improvement in terms of metrics for better demo capturing throughout all platforms. They got numbers in terms of video streams, site activity, and new member registration. But not enough metrics were captured for the live streams. Also, the site was only available to US residents… so they are looking into been able to support a global site.
  • Digital sales and marketing strategies where coordinated through partnerships, and there is room for improvement to provide better synergy. It's worth looking into re-vamping ad-ons for all video streams, product placement strategies, and aggregating live info for a better buzz generating component through better integrated social media.

In terms of efforts in which the experience falls short when asked by the panel audience, Cheng confirmed two valid points in which his team is hesitant to look into as of yet:

  • Innovative technologies not yet popular, like Augmented Reality applications. Maybe in the future.
  • User generated content, because it is very hard to find a way to re-direct it and control it. Maybe there can be room for it via launching a separate mobile app.

I personally disagree with these two statements, because they contradict what JC and Zach said just minutes prior to Cheng’s presentation. What about Return on Innovation, and the whole point of Transmedia connecting with fans by enabling immersive experiences and direct interaction with the property? This just goes to show that when dealing with independent properties content creators have more freedom and liberties to explore these notions than when dealing with bigger corporations calling the shots.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/17/ctia-case-studies-transmedia-storytelling-through-advanced-mobile-content#comments 2 Dystopias & the Paranormal: Four New Potential Properties Perfect for Transmedia April Arrglington April Arrglington In an attempt to keep up with my ever growing list of tracking properties I'm tackling today a few good ones out of the publishing sector. My next post will focus on properties coming out of the film sector already in production. So stay tuned.

1. 1Q84: Japanese trilogy that is hitting the west by storm. [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/06/dystopias-the-paranormal-four-new-potential-properties-perfect-for-transmedia Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:43:56 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/06/dystopias-the-paranormal-four-new-potential-properties-perfect-for-transmedia In an attempt to keep up with my ever growing list of tracking properties I'm tackling today a few good ones out of the publishing sector. My next post will focus on properties coming out of the film sector already in production. So stay tuned.

1. 1Q84: Japanese trilogy that is hitting the west by storm.



Premise: The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo. A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.

Potential: The dystopian premise deals with the idea of living a parallel existance. That opens great possibilities for Augmented Reality applications and ARG tie-ins. The world is vast in characters, so other points of entry possible as well for storyworld exploration.

Status: US upcoming release on October 25th. Film rights still available.

2. Reamde: Where technology and action collide, so perfect material for film adaptation.



Premise: Richard Forthrast is the founder of a World of Warcraft–esque massively multiplayer fantasy game called T'Rain. Richard is an amiable enough guy in his 50s, living in Seattle, with way too much money and way too little in the way of emotional or physical connections to the world around him. This changes when he hires his niece Zula, an Eritrean refugee adopted by his sister, and takes a mentor's interest in her. Zula is a crack programmer but not, it turns out, a crack picker of boyfriends. Hers sells stolen information to some Russian gangsters, and the deal goes south when a virus from T'Rain called Reamde encrypts the data. The gangsters promptly kidnap the boyfriend and Zula and head off in search of the virus writer, who's got an IP address in China, specifically in the city of Xiamen. At this point Zula is press-ganged into a pack of captive hackers and soldiers of fortune who pursue first the virus writers and then a bin Laden–esque Islamic terrorist.

Potential: The premise allows for various possibilities including: creating the fictional T’Rain MMORPG employing Augmented Reality applications, an ARG surrounding the Reamde virus that can focus on online and analog elements, and the creation of mobile games applications to keep the single player experience alive post the ARG, allowing for further character and universe exploration.

Status: Book was just release last month to great reviews. Film rights still available.

3. Hunted: Great paranormal property for the YA audience and beyond.



Premise: Cassie is a telepath in a world where that is illegal. She is on the run from the government troopers, trying to stay hidden and alive–and trying to help make the world a better place for others with paranormal talents.

Potential: The premise allows for an excellent ARG out of the bat, and the paranormal experiences can be develop nicely with Augmented Reality applications. I've confirmed that a sequel is already in the works, so the question remains if this will become a full fleshed series. It certainly has the potential for it, which would add to a Transmedia strategy with means to further expand the universe.

Status: Upcoming release on October 27th. Film rights still avaialble.

4. Paranormalcy: YA Best Seller published only a year ago.



Premise: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours. But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.

Potential: The paranormal always apt for good Transmedia and this property, believe it or not, has a smart storyline. Furthermore, the IP has an established fandom passionate about the characters, and they will be eager to further explore the universe. While it’s true that the property centers around a mystery theme and Evie’s balancing act between real life and the Agency, there is teen romance at its center, so there are many layers to work with here. It doesn’t hurt that the author is close with her fandom, very accessible to their wants and needs.

Status: The first book was released on August 31st last year. The sequel was just released June 26th this year. The third installment is due next year. The film rights have already been picked up by Adler Pictures and Reverie Entertainment.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/10/06/dystopias-the-paranormal-four-new-potential-properties-perfect-for-transmedia#comments 0 Potential Transmedia Properties: Midseason TV Edition April Arrglington April Arrglington UPDATED: as to include 'Touch' trailer and also the property 'The River' which was suggested to me after posting, and I had also considered adding.

As promised, I list below the potential transmedia properties set to be released during midseason. Quick reminder that I’m speculating on the transmedia [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/09/26/potential-transmedia-properties-midseason-tv-edition Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:48:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/09/26/potential-transmedia-properties-midseason-tv-edition UPDATED: as to include 'Touch' trailer and also the property 'The River' which was suggested to me after posting, and I had also considered adding.

As promised, I list below the potential transmedia properties set to be released during midseason. Quick reminder that I’m speculating on the transmedia potential of a property, and not on the potential success of the show. Also, a reminder that when talking about TV properties one can theorize that if a show is successful then with time it can develop a mythos apt to build upon a transmedia strategy. However, right now I’m looking at shows that have great transmedia potential on their premise alone. I’m not even basing my analysis on the pilots.

1. Property: Touch



Premise: A single father realizes his autistic mute son can predict events before they happen.

Pedigree: Team lead by Tim Kring (Heroes), produced by Peter Chernin.

Potential: The paranormal is always fertile ground for transmedia, especially if tied to codebreaking, and it has been reveled that the kid in question communicates with numbers. So the property is apt for an ARG at the very least. Furthermore, when thinking outside the box, an opportunity for reaching the non-profit sector with a game could also be an option as to raise Autism awareness.

Status: 13 episodes ordered, and the series already experiences great buzz because Keifer Sutherland and Danny Glover are attached to star. Already online presence established through a main website, facebook, and twitter.

2. Property: The Finder



Premise: An expert with military background finds people and things.

Pedigree: Bones alumni at the wheel: Hart Hanson, Barry Josephson, Stephen Nathan.

Potential: The Finder is a 'Bones' spinoff. The project is based on the character of Walter Sherman from "The Locator" series of novels by Richard Greener, which was developed as an episode of 'Bones' entitled 'The Finder' that aired April 21, 2011. So out of the bat the property is experiencing a following and buzz.

The character of Walter Sherman has a little bit of brain damage suffered during a roadside explosion when he was working as military police in Iraq, and it manifests itself in paranoia. So despite his charismatic persona he experiences odd traits, like his preference for living off the grid. This sets up for great transmedia and the development of original ARGs that can unfold in digital and analog mediums, as to keep with the off the grid premise. The property is also apt for interactive applications set to further the storyworld.

Status: 13 episodes ordered, and the series already experiences great buzz because Geoff Stults and Michael Clarke Duncan are attached to star. Already online presence established through a main website, facebook, and twitter.

3. Property: Awake



Premise: A detective lives parallel lives after enduring a horrible car accident.

Pedigree: Team lead by Howard Gordon (24/X-files).

Potential: The whole idea of maneuvering parallel lives is very reminiscent of Fringe, which is another excellent transmedia property. Furthermore, figuring out which of the two parallel lived is real opens up for great transmedia possibilities, especially in the realm of Augmented Reality applications as a way to explore the line between the two universes.

Status: 13 episodes ordered, and the series already experiences good buzz amid doubts of the longetivity of the premise. Already online presence established through a main website, facebook, and twitter.

4. Property: Alcatraz



Premise: Team investigates the mysterious reappearances of 1960s Alcatraz inhabitants in the present.

Pedigree: JJ Abrams leads Elizabeth Sarnoff (Lost/Deadwood), Steven Lilien, & Bryan Wynbrandt (Kyle XY).

Potential: Of course, any JJ Abrams related property is always rich with transmedia potential. In this particular case two layers superimpose: a layer of mystery, and a layer of conspiracy theory. All rich ground for an online based ARG experience. The premise is reminiscent of Life on Mars, so one can't help but wonder if storyworld strong enough to have legs.

Status: 13 episodes ordered, and the series already experiences buzz because of Abrams loyal following. Already online presence established through a main website, facebook, and twitter.

5. Property: My Life as an Experiment



Premise: A magazine writer immerses himself in unusual situations.

Pedigree: Jack black produces with Josh Goldsmith & Cathy Yuspa (King of Queens).

Potential: Based on bestseller book 'My Life as an Experiment: One Man's Humble Quest to Improve Himself by Living as a Woman, Becoming George Washington, Telling No Lies, and Other Radical Tests' by A. J. Jacobs.

Through these outrageous and thought-provoking vignettes, Jacobs uses his own life to explore a host of social and personal issues. The premise works well when thinking of implementing a heavy social component into the transmedia strategy. Best parallel example to this is the 'Around The World for Free' transmedia experience born out of Survivor. My Life as an Experiment opens up the opportunity to challenge the audience to similar experiments on a small scale and track fandom overall community experience.

Status: As of today AJ Jacobs reveled in this article that the project is likely dead. Bummer.

6. Property: Locke & Key



Premise: A family recovering from a brutal murder moves to an island off Maine where they discover a mystical doorway.

Pedigree: Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) leads team, produced by Kurtzman/Orci.

Potential: The property is based on the bestselling graphic series by Joe Hill, so it already has an established passionate fandom open to follow the supernatural concept wherever it goes. In terms of transmedia potential, the premise delves into the notion of memories and the ability to manipulate them, which turns askew the perception of reality. This idea allows for interesting social game applications at the very least, challenging the perceptions of collective memory.

Status: This is a fascinating case study that incidentally was also mentioned by Henry Jenkins in the last Transmedia LA Meetup. The property was first developed by Fox, which dropped it after the pilot was shot. In a bold move the producers screened the pilot at comic con, and due to the overwhelming buzz and fandom love for the original graphic novel the property now experiences a second chance as MTV shows interest in taking over the IP. Only time will tell if odds are in our favor. For now we'll have to wait and see.

7. Property: The River



Premise: The crew of a state-of-the-art research vessel look for a missing TV explorer in the Amazon.

Pedegree: Interesting enough the property is being propelled by Paranormal Activity alumni: Jason Blum, Oren Peli, Steven Schneider.

Potential: The property poses the perfect premise to develop an ARG of the bat, and online and mobile games to engage in after the experience. Though the set up of being in the middle of the Amazon poses challenges for live events, the property is rich in characters that can help further unravel the mystery through different points of entry.

Status: 8 episodes ordered, and the series already experiences buzz because of a successful Comic Con panel presentation. Already online presence established through a main website, facebook, and twitter.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/09/26/potential-transmedia-properties-midseason-tv-edition#comments 0 Potential Transmedia Properties: Fall TV Edition April Arrglington April Arrglington *I’ve been tracking potential TV IP since pilot season and noticed that most of the shows I am including in this list are actually premiering midseason. So I’ve decided to split this post in two and profile first the only two shows that I find have Transmedia potential and are premiering right now. A second post on midseason releases [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/09/20/potential-transmedia-properties-fall-tv-edition Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:27:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/09/20/potential-transmedia-properties-fall-tv-edition *I’ve been tracking potential TV IP since pilot season and noticed that most of the shows I am including in this list are actually premiering midseason. So I’ve decided to split this post in two and profile first the only two shows that I find have Transmedia potential and are premiering right now. A second post on midseason releases will follow suit.

So the Fall TV Season is finally here, and with it all the new TV shows premiering this week. Currently, we are experiencing an exciting time for TV, as there are already many commendable shows worth watching. I must clarify, however, that today I’m speculating on the Transmedia potential of a property, and not on the potential success of the show. However, more often than not, for a property to have good Transmedia potential the IP needs to be strong out of the gate. Just so that we are clear here.

I also wanted to point out that, when talking about TV properties one can theorize that if a show is successful then with time it can develop a mythos apt to build upon a Transmedia strategy. Today, however, I’m looking at shows that have great Transmedia potential on their premise alone. I’m not even basing my analysis on the pilots.

1. Property: Unforgettable
Release Date: Premiering on CBS September 20th
Premise: A female NYPD detective remembers everything, which helps her in her career, but haunts her in her personal life.



Pedigree: Unforgettable comes from a safe pedigree per CBS tradition on backing shows with strong premises that will stand the test of time and the Network’s mercilessness when it comes to weak ratings.

Potential: The premise is unique. The protagonist suffers from Hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition that enables her to recall specific details from her personal past. And I’m not talking photographic memory only, but the ability to recall dates, facts, and what seems like an unlimited amount of data. In actuality only few cases of this condition have been recorded in real life.

Personally, I remember this condition coming to my attention a few years ago, in 2008, when Brad Williams was profiled in Good Morning America. Interestingly enough two years later he released a documentary about the very subject under the same name “Unforgettable”.

But I digress. The concept of Hyperthymesia is interesting because it almost brushes with fantasy, acting in a way as a super power. And who wouldn’t want to relate to that possibility? Furthermore, this being a cop show, benefits from the popularity of the genre. Cop shows are unequivocally the most popular kinds of shows on TV, always ranking high on ratings. Many speculate that this is because peoples interest in guessing who did it. That is how and why this genre works.

But, could a Transmedia strategy take this premise to the next level? Critics say that the show might suffer from slow pacing due to the fact that it revisits scenes as a way to go back and look through the protagonist memories in more detail. Using interactive TV apps to keep track of all the data collected during these memories would set for a great way to sift through data offline and unlock further clues and mysteries from the season’s story arc episode by episode.

Status: For now there is only a browser game, and the basic social media presence.

2. Property: Person of Interest
Release Date: Premiering on CBS September 22nd
Premise: An ex-CIA hitman and a billionaire scientist team up to prevent crimes before they happen.



Pedigree: Person of Interest comes from the hands of JJ Abrams, Jonathan Nolan, and Greg Plageman. If they keep interest momentum and manageable pacing of the mythos then this property has great potential for success.

Potential: When it comes to the actual premise, it tickles me silly that it relies so heavily on technology and the concept of what constitutes privacy. The Transmedia possibilities for this are endless, especially when it comes to innovation technology. The IP is apt to develop interactive applications and games, and especially an ARG.

Status: The series has set up interactive mirror-like window displays/interactive digital billboards in New York and LA. When pedestrians stop, photos are taken and added to a “classified” file, along with a phone number and ID number for retrieval. From there, people are free to text or post these on facebook and twitter.



]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/09/20/potential-transmedia-properties-fall-tv-edition#comments 0 Three New Potential Properties Perfect for Transmedia April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/08/21/three-new-potential-properties-perfect-for-transmedia Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:27:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/08/21/three-new-potential-properties-perfect-for-transmedia
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: This book was just released earlier this month with great reviews, and as of June was picked up by Warner Brothers with Donald De Line attached to produce. The IP not only has great promise in the book and movie platform, but because of the perfect mix of mystery game elements, future sci-fi technology, and 1980’s nostalgia, this property has the ability of affecting many demographics through multiple points of entry.

Synopsis: It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them. For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century.

But now Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

Read the Amazon Review here or for a more in depth overview of the book, read the Io9 book review instead. If you are lacking time to do either, then I recommend you listen to the first 7 minutes of this episode of ‘Books on the Night Stand’ Podcast, which covers the most important elements to consider of this new and intriguing dystopian universe.

Once you get the gist of the story’s elements, it takes nothing to see the immense Transmedia potential oozing out of the pages of this property. I’m praying that Warner Brothers can also see that.

2. The Ghosts of Rockville by Justin Heimberg: Coming out next month, this children’s book series shows promise in its enigmatic plot and unique structure elements that include: paranormal encyclopedia entries, dream sequences, and IM conversations. The book also introduces what it calls ‘Magic View’ technology for the audience to discover visual clues embedded in the book. The series is set to draw interest from followers of the successful ‘39 Clues’ fandom, who have already experience the concept of following a property through different platforms.


Publisher’s Weekly Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Jay runs an after-school ghost hunting business, along with friends Danni, a forensic expert; Pam, an uncertain psychic; and Brian, a nerd who pretends to be a jock. Normally they only help fellow kids, but when they receive blank pieces of paper in the mail, and four fusty librarians contact them about their haunted rare book room, the group makes an exception. The ensuing mystery involves ghosts, riddles, spirit boards, crop circles, and a stolen book.

Read the full review here.

3. The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler: This one doesn’t come out until November, but Warner Brothers has already picked up the rights back in May with Denise Di Novi to produce. The book has a great premise, and great promise for Transmedia development.

Synopsis: It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet. Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM. Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

Needless to say, I was so relieved when I found out about Asher’s last book “Thirteen Reasons Why”, which actually experimented with further storytelling across multiple mediums including character blogs, a YouTube channel, and tape recordings. For the book’s launch, Penguin Young Readers Group created an online fan initiative that consisted of a web portal with an interactive map where fans can post thoughts and reviews of the novel via several media. This includes text, pictures, video, and the ability to share with friends via social media. The property is also in development by Warner Brothers with Selena Gomez attached to star.

I can only hope that Asher & Mackler have an exciting Transmedia strategy for the release of ‘The Future of Us’. If they fall short, then we can always hope Warner Brothers will pick up where they left off. For advance reviews of the book check Good Reads.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/08/21/three-new-potential-properties-perfect-for-transmedia#comments 2 Quick and Dirty: Lessons on LARPs and What I learned at Wyrcon this year April Arrglington April Arrglington
In the grand context of platforms that encompass the Transmedia umbrella, LARPs are often left at the end of the list, somewhere way past ARGs. However, I was happily surprised that there are a few things that one can learn from this [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/08/15/quick-and-dirty-lessons-on-larps-and-what-i-learned-at-wyrcon-this-year Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:57:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/08/15/quick-and-dirty-lessons-on-larps-and-what-i-learned-at-wyrcon-this-year
*This post is a bit overdue but wanted to post it anyway to have it as a reference for later posts.

In the grand context of platforms that encompass the Transmedia umbrella, LARPs are often left at the end of the list, somewhere way past ARGs. However, I was happily surprised that there are a few things that one can learn from this medium to help the Transmedia strategy of your developing property. In summary, here are some points to have in mind:

Be Aware of the Definition Conflict:

Who would have thunk it! LARPing sustains the same definition conflict that Transmedia does. Some describe it as Interactive Improvisational Theater. Others as Renaissance Fair meets Murder Mystery. Before going into too much detail, just remember the basics. There are two branches of LARP play:

  • The Theater Kind, which is more character based.
  • The Combat Kind, which is more action based.

For a successful LARP one needs to find the balance between both these elements, or the LARP will be one dimensional. This is the same sort of lesson one would learn from the gaming medium on how to balance participation in a multiplayer game vs. a single player game.

LARPs vs ARGs:

Can a LARP be Transmedia and vice versa? The short answer to that would be yes, because both need a world building process, and audience participation for exploration and discovery. An excellent example of this is the Fear of Solace property, which launched as a LARP that went to the web, developed a comic, video, blog entries and twitter participation.

However, it was interesting to learn that a LARP can be an ARG but not vice versa. Reason for this is that ARGs develop conflict play only (when puppet masters control the set pieces). LARPs, however, can not only develop conflict play but also clockwork play (in which the participants play by themselves with a time restriction by the play masters to motivate characters reach a specific goal). Hybrid examples worth mentioning that illustrate this include: The Collective, Osiris Sanction, Momentum, and the popular award winning Conspiracy of Good.

On Game Mechanics:

It is fascinating to learn how LARPing design teaches you about manipulative storytelling, and how to sustain alternative reality on the fly. It not only helps you develop an ongoing character, but it prompts you how to build great flow in your play design. How to respond to unpredictability is an invaluable lesson to game designers of all kinds.

Furthermore, Rob McDiarmid goes onto analyze in Branches of Play the importance of player motives in LARP design that can help reduce unpredictability. I find that it’s very helpful to have this insight, especially when looking into things like monetizing, advertising, and promotions from different audience perspectives. Bellow is the illuminating Player Motives quick list:

1. As Audience: To experience a satisfying narrative.
2. Catharsis: To experience emotions through the character.
3. Comprehension: To figure things out. Solve problems and puzzles.
4. Competition: To win at something, or at least enjoy the act of competing.
5. Crafting: To create non ephemeral things (costumes, props, documents, etc.).
6. Education: To take away new knowledge or understanding as a player.
7. Embodiment: To make decisions based on character.
8. Exercise: To enjoy physical activity and movement.
9. Exploration: To experience the fictional setting.
10. Exhibition: To show off (costumes, props, acting chops, mad skillz, etc.) and get kudos.
11. Fellowship: To enjoy time with friends (also includes flirting and such).
12. Flow: To enjoy losing oneself in the moment.
13. Leadership: To be important to the player community.
14. Protagonist: To be important to the story and impact the game world.
15. Spectacle: To experience the awesome stuff (pretty costumes, elaborate sets, funny NPCs, etc.)
16. Versatility: To collect important things (spells, lore, favors, etc.) and have the right thing at the right time.

On Incentives:

Once you have figure out your gamers motives, it is important to keep in mind game incentives to keep momentum. A few helpful practices to have in mind include:

  • Door prizes and ongoing idol or totem (Survivor model like) challenges also keeps game momentum and audience participation lively.
  • One way to motivate players to stay in the game for longer periods of time is to gather information that will be helpful for them in the long term, vs. letting them have only short-lived victories. This is also a common trait in ARGs.
  • Technology convergence allows for integration of an online social component and user generator content mostly developed before in fan fiction and table play.

On Monetizing:

The age old question, how to monetize when you have a community of committed LARP fans already at your disposal? Some new solutions by LARP game designers include:

  • Keep a census-like tracking database of players in an area. Per Mark Mensch over at Arro Inc., there are up to 200 committed players in the Bay area alone. Having an ability to reach out to this audience and provide services for their play is a valuable asset. For example, Mensch is looking into creating a LARP park/camp in the Bay area able to accommodate all type of LARP models including martial arts, fantasy, Sci-Fi and Midwest buildings. Maybe even consider airsoft and paintball play on off seasons.
  • Further integrate technology. Mark is also interested in technology that could further the realms of conflict and game mechanics in LARPs, like mobile apps for example.
  • Last but not least, there is costume and prop merchandise to consider. This is the most obvious way of monetizing LARP culture at the moment.

In conclusion, pervasive gaming is not for everybody. It all boils down to how observant vs. contributing an audience is. For certain audiences LARPs are very valuable because becoming a hero is by far a more interesting experience than reading, hearing or watch about it. And let’s not forget that where there is value… then, most likely, there is money.

*Recommended reading: Pervasive Gaming by Montola, Stenros & Waern


]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/08/15/quick-and-dirty-lessons-on-larps-and-what-i-learned-at-wyrcon-this-year#comments 2 On Transmedia Definitions: This is not a Transmedia Definition Post April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/07/03/on-transmedia-definitions-this-is-not-a-transmedia-definition-post Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:51:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/07/03/on-transmedia-definitions-this-is-not-a-transmedia-definition-post
I really didn’t want to write the dreadful ‘Transmedia Definition’ post. Yet here I am. Today I somehow, indirectly, ended up doing so. Last time I jumped into a Transmedia Definition debate was at the Transmedia Definition Forum set up by Andrea Phillips a few weeks ago, and as usual the consensus was that when it comes to Transmedia Definitions there is still no consensus on the matter.

Some people speculate that this is because Transmedia is still in its infancy, a fact I find debatable considering reported examples of Transmedia going back more than a decade.

So, before I go on to the gist of this post, I recap here the current debate on what constitutes Transmedia:

  • ONE single story from one universe on multiple platforms. ~Steve Peters
  • MANY stories from one universe on multiple platforms. ~Jeff Gomez
  • Should consist of at least THREE platforms. ~Producers Guild of America
  • Should require an INTERACTIVE component. ~Robert Pratten

Many in the community now eye roll at any attempt at starting a conversation on the matter. However the STAKES are incredibly high. The only way to set a professional accreditation is to come up with a definition that would allow for financial measurement and other essential things, like health insurance.

Now, full disclosure, I may not have an answer today to any of the questions that arise with this debate. However I have come to recognized some of the elements that probably will bring this debate faster to a close in the coming months. And that got me excited.

Finding a solution by identifying WHAT IS NOT:

I am passionate about case studies because I find that is the best way to learn what Transmedia is and what is not. In this way I came up a while ago with a small experiment, ’12 Polls in 12 Days’, just around the same time Steve Peters started the #antitransmedia movement . Because my experiment mirrored what Steve Peters was trying to do, I ended up doing only ‘6 Polls in 6 Days’, as further analysis of examples weren’t needed. By doing this, I came to the conclusion that there are two main causes fueling the Transmedia Definition problem:

1. There is a discrepancy in understanding the difference between Transmedia Storytelling and Multi-Platform Convergence. This often brings about the confusion that Transmedia is franchising, branding, or marketing. But just because a property expands across multiple platforms doesn’t mean that a story is told cohesively throughout. The faster people realize the difference between METHODS and STORYTELLING the faster we can move onward from the debate.

2. Transmedia Storytelling is not something you can slap onto any property. Ideally Transmedia should be considered as a way to develop a property from the ground up, and not really as an afterthought. The minute a property is ARBITRARLY put in that position without further speculation just increases the confusion on how to correctly implement multi-platforms. This further fuels the debate.

Finding a solution by identifying the chaos of WHAT IS:

In this manner I came to realize that the best way to understand Transmedia is by grasping its fragmented nature. When dealing with multiple platforms, we are essentially dealing with the act of dividing of the story in multiple PIECES. Around the same time I was brainstorming on this concept, Andrea Phillips came up with her Transmedia Fragmentation post. In her post Andrea explains how some properties allow for big fragments and other properties for small fragments, all pending on scope. But as long as both projects are ‘designed to encourage you to seek and consume multiple pieces’, both properties fall into what Transmedia is in principle.

What will settle the argument?

I think there are three things that need to happen for the debate to be settled:

  • The launch of a property conceived purely as Transmedia from the ground up.
  • The launch of a project strong and powerful enough to take Transmedia from an underground concept to mainstream awareness.
  • The launch of a project so innovative it changes the rules of what is possible to do with Transmedia, and thus narrowing its definition.

In the past few weeks it’s been announced that 2 out of 3 of these are coming to pass:

Slide: is a property conceived purely as Transmedia from the ground up. Developed by Hoodlum in Australia, Slide is about a group of teenagers in high school telling the story of their friendship seamlessly across multi-platforms, and often simultaneously. The TV show is the driving platform, which is launching on August 16 on Fox8. I first came across the property earlier this year when the Hoodlum team was showcasing the video pitch in various Transmedia forums. The video is vital to grasp at how the project is the best example of pure Transmedia out there, or at least that I’ve seen thus far. Right now only Australia can have access to the project, but have heard from Hoodlum that if successful Fox might consider bringing the property to the US. I’m crossing my fingers that this will happen sooner rather than later.

Pottermore: the project is based on Harry Potter, a universe strong and powerful enough to be able to take Transmedia to mainstream awareness.

It is still too early to tell how exactly Pottermore is Transmedia, as only screenshots of the project have been released. But there’s speculation that it will include gaming mechanics, a social media component, a venue to expand the universe not only by JK Rolling but also by user generated content… it all screams Transmedia. Details of whether or not the project will include interactive applications, a virtual reality component, and an integrated encyclopedia companion… they are all irrelevant. To me the importance of Pottermore stands in the fact that it will not only be able to take the buzzword out of Transmedia, but put Transmedia on the map in a way no other property has been able to do.

And, if you think about it, this is not the first time the Harry Potter IP has been a trend setter. At first, it changed how people published books, popularizing once again serialized fiction. Then, as the fandom grew, it change marketing views on franchising, and how a property is only as valuable as it is compelling to its audience. As the IP moved onto the movie medium, it once again set a trend of splitting the story in as many parts as the story needed in order to be told successfully. Hence the split of the final book in two movies. After years of accumulative international recognition, 7 books, 8 movies, an amusement park, and arguably the biggest fandom ever, now there is Pottermore. A project conceived to give future generations of Harry Potter fans a way to experience the property that would still allow for a sense of community in these technological changing times.

People that grew up anticipating the arrival of the new installment of the series experienced this sense of community by their own means (midnight release parties, fan site creations, conventions, etc). Because these onetime events are no longer, Pottermore allows for the new fans discovering the series to still experience this sense of community in a centralized portal. This, conveniently enough, not only allows JK Rolling an official venue in which to release content and merchandise, but also allows for metric capturing and fandom tracking. This can change the relationship between JK Rolling as the IP owner and the fandom. In a sense she is becoming a curator for the IP, allowing for the relationship with her audience to be more symbiotic and interactive. And by doing so in such an innovative and rewarding way for her fans, she’s allocating for the controversial Transmedia ‘inverted pyramid of interest’ to reverse.



If Pottermore is a sustainable success, and a clear Transmedia model, then the Transmedia definition is facing a new paradigm for similar properties with big mythos.

And then, the only thing left to wait on is the launch of a project so innovative it changes the rules of what we can consider Transmedia at that point. While we wait for this to come to pass *cough-fourthwall-cough* sit and enjoy how it all unfolds. Cause let’s face it, Transmedia is a beast that will keep changing as long as platforms keep evolving. We can attempt to define it for practical and legal reasons, as long as we are open to constant revision. But we can’t fight the notion that a Transmedia definition can’t be controlled, as all attempts will be ineffective because of its paradoxical nature. I suggest, instead, that we learn how to reel in the constant changes, which make for exciting times indeed.


Referencial Reading Recommended:



]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/07/03/on-transmedia-definitions-this-is-not-a-transmedia-definition-post#comments 12 Elan Lee and Sean Stewart from Fourth Wall Studios visit the Transmedia Los Angeles Meetup April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/06/08/elan-lee-and-sean-stewart-from-fourth-wall-studios-visit-the-transmedia-los-angeles-meetup Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:49:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/06/08/elan-lee-and-sean-stewart-from-fourth-wall-studios-visit-the-transmedia-los-angeles-meetup
]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/06/08/elan-lee-and-sean-stewart-from-fourth-wall-studios-visit-the-transmedia-los-angeles-meetup#comments 2 The 'Him, Her & Them' Case Study: The Aftermath April Arrglington April Arrglington Ad Hoc Transmedia LA Meetup we had the co-organizer of the Transmedia New York City Meetup, Mike Knowlton, and his producing partner, Hal Siege, from http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/25/the-him-her-them-case-study-the-aftermath Wed, 25 May 2011 18:24:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/25/the-him-her-them-case-study-the-aftermath Ad Hoc Transmedia LA Meetup we had the co-organizer of the Transmedia New York City Meetup, Mike Knowlton, and his producing partner, Hal Siege, from Murmur Co. (a production company/social studio based out of NYC) to talk about a unique film experience described as a “social film only on Facebook.”

If you haven’t seen it yet make sure to check out the collaborative and participatory aspects of the film by visiting the facebook app: http://apps.facebook.com/himherandthem

In The Beginning:

Mike started the talk by explaining the inspiration for the project, which was Chris Milk “The Wilderness Downtown” Chrome Experiment that featured music by Arcade of Fire.

Mike and Hal got really excited at the idea of making a ‘social film’ in that same vain and interactive capacity, so they started to look into concepts and exploring different functional applications to incorporate into the narrative.

Once they decided that they wanted Facebook to be the launching platform, Hal came up with the script in a matter of weeks. From there on out it was just a matter of finish the project, which was always viewed as experimental.

Yet, the most exciting part of the idea was the fact that no one had explored this avenue before. In this way “Him, Her & Them” was promptly known as the very first social film released on Facebook.

Production:

The linear narrative part of the film took 3 months to film DIY/gorilla style in NYC. There was no budget, so they borrowed digital equipment, asked student actors to work for free, and called in for a lot of favors.

Once in post-production they also launched into the development of the Facebook application, which encompassed the interactive section of the film. The programming, which was Flashed based, took also around 3 months.

The whole process took 9 months from conceptualization (August last year) to launch (April this year). The final short ‘film’ (they used the term loosely) is about 10 minutes long.

Launch:

The concept itself is interesting because it doesn’t necessarily follow the beginning-middle-end formula. About 70% of the film is in linear form, and only 30% integrates the social interactive elements of the application.

The trick was for the experience to have a personalized feeling. A scrolling wall with images that linked to the narrative was created between the linear scenes of the film, allowing the audience to include their own content in the form of written messages. Also, at the end of the film, a mashup of the users own pictures would mix with pictures of the film’s narrative, in an attempt to have the experience become richer, deeper, and more personal.

Since the project was all self-financed, they had no budget for marketing or PR. Most of the exposure they got was through blog coverage, word of mouth in the transmedia sphere, and profile articles in other trades. However, this decision of no self-promotion became valuable in the long run because it allowed for the team to test the viral qualities of the application through Facebook.

The Aftermath:

Mike and Hal find themselves in the same school of though as Lance Weiler. They see “Him, Her & Them” as experimental testing for a proof of concept. So far the numbers for the first month stand as follows:

Stats:
  • 6000 total views
  • 50% interaction by total users
  • 25% additional participation by interactive users (through reviews,etc)

Markets:
  • 50% non-american
  • 50-50 even gender gap
  • age: late teens early 30s.

Challenges:

1. The first road block the team faced was accepting a 50% potential audience loss of those stumbling upon the project that were not on Facebook and/or had no interest in creating a Facebook account just to see the project.

2. Another challenge was to figure out the extent of audience participation that would allow for better integration of the narrative. Having too many perspectives and expectations on the narrative can increasingly become chaotic and unmanageable. Originally, the team had intended for the users to add to the narrative but just to a certain extent. In this way the story could work without adding to the interactive aspect of the application.

The answer to this issue was to have the user friends included in that unique user’s narrative. This strategy also encouraged users to come back to the application to see their friend’s interaction and input. The problem was, the team found, that this wasn’t reason enough for users to come back to application.

3. Which brings up the need for more compelling reasons to encourage audiences to re-engage in the application. If you see it from the social gaming and viral mechanics stand point, this is a huge opportunity lost. Also, it doesn’t help that Facebook lack of a user friendly application store, and ways to integrate the story data into the public feeds. Simon Pulman over at Transmythology hit it on the nailed when he pointed out that the application would probably benefit better from an episodic format.

Next steps:

Murmur is now looking into implementing a few new things for their next project, which they consider will be a 2.0 version of “Him, Her & Them” but with a different concept. Mike and Hal clarified that they still want to utilize Facebook as the main launching platform, however they probably will use HTML5 instead of Flash and incorporate other changes. Currently, they were looking into the ‘Spartacus’ social game on Facebook and similar applications for inspiration.

They are also looking into portability, and maybe exploring the idea of enabling the application outside of Facebook. Even allow for cross stream content (through partners like YouTube, Flicker, Twitter, etc.)

Finally, the team is also thinking of raising money to claim content as proprietary, and also looking at other platforms and ways to monetizing through social games model (free vs. premium content.)

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/25/the-him-her-them-case-study-the-aftermath#comments 2 Transmedia Hollywood Conference @ UCLA #TH2 (Part 4 of 4) April Arrglington April Arrglington And finally the last and best panel of them all - Panel 4: It’s About time!! Structuring Transmedia Narratives
Moderator http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/23/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-4-of-4 Mon, 23 May 2011 17:43:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/23/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-4-of-4
And finally the last and best panel of them all - Panel 4: It’s About time!! Structuring Transmedia Narratives

Moderator: Henry Jenkins
Panelists: Caitlin Burns, Abigail De Kosnik, Jane Espenson, John Platt, Tracey Robertson, Lance Weiler



Henry started up the conversation by asking what are the design principles that make for good transmedia.

Caitlin mentioned that when she was working for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean” there was a huge story there, multiple mediums, and different production cycles. The biggest challenge was to coordinate and keep track of all original cannon and all new stories coming from the negative space that were being developed.

Abigail agrees, and goes onto explain that this is one of the main problems when dealing with transmedia. For her, for example, the complimentary webisodes created to promote “Gossip Girl” were very successful because it explored that negative space of the IP with a new story and characters. That whole parallel subplot was called “Finding Verona”. Expanding words can get very complex very quickly. Containment and tracking is a delicate issue for content creators, but well worth it.

Jane jumps in to comment how in “Battlestar Gallactica” they were dealing with another set of limitations. “For the webisodes we were limited to shoot in the last remaining set left from the previous season. We had to look into how to tell a big story with high stakes, but in a more sustainable way and in small moments.”

Reality TV also posses a different set of challenges. John explains that for “Big Brother” the main concern was how to control character perception when characters are actual real people with their own real life issues outside the show. “We learned eventually that we had to let it go... and that the audience tracking the characters in TV vs. the audience tracking the actors on the web were actually different.”

Tracey moves onto say that Hoodlum (her company) has looked into various challenging matters from a completely different perspective. In the past, most multi-platform strategies come as an afterthought. She believes that in this age of social media, interactive gaming, and mobile apps you have to tell the story where people are at. When taking this into consideration, then you have to strategize how to manage the structure of multi-platform, its content, and its production cycle from the very beginning. For Hoodlum’s latest project “Slide” they took this approach, and pitched the project as a multi-platform concept from the very start. This, then, allow for them to even think of an all platforms inclusive budget, which they actually went out and found financing for before they went into production.

Lance moves on to comment that for him transmedia is a vehicle to develop creative work. “For me it is about themes rather than characters.” When you look at it that way, transmedia becomes this organic way to create worlds because it allows for innovation to serve the story. He also explains that, playing with multi-platforms also allows for research and development in all areas. This would include, most importantly, audience engagement recognition.

Lance continues, “From an independent standpoint you are always looking for a realistic depiction of the world you are creating in order to support your story.” This is a trial and error process, but the more you can show performance numbers, the better the argument you have for creative control. The biggest struggle he sees for transmedia right now is that the authorship is changing, so the question becomes how can one deliver more efficiently to allow for these changes.

Caitlin reassures Lance that, from the studio standpoint, things are moving towards this direction. “They are interested in finding new avenues of engagement. Mostly because they are starting to understand that this can translates to profits.”

John comments on how this gives tremendous hope to the transmedia community as we move onto validating it as a medium itself. However, by the same token, John posses the question of where does that leaves the guilds, especially when dealing with all this user generated content.

Tracey jumps in to explain that, for “Slide”, they encouraged the audience to create content. Basically because fans understand the difference between a fan-video and high production values content created by the show-runners. “And for that it was important to get all the financing before hand, which we got out of private equity and not from the studios. Since each platform had its own monetization plan, we wanted to keep the rights of the property as to allow for creative freedom. We used a subscription model for the property and reached out for advertisers later.”

Caitlin backpedals for a minute to touch on the point regarding the guilds. The PGA credits are great, but she often wonders where that leaves the other guilds that are not recognized. Interestingly enough an audience member pointed out how they had developed an independent transmedia project by utilizing all the guilds in town.

The conversation moves onto looking at the experience you want to create as a whole as a way of setting up the property’s world. Janes explains that, for example, continuing stories are worth more than anticipatory stories because they are not disposable.

John mentions that, in reality TV, it is about the surprises built into the property. In “Big Brother” a storyline got developed in secret where a long lost brother and sister find out about each other in the show. “There are ways you can promote suspense without giving away secrets. Even in the instances where the audience finds out about the results of a show, if the story is compelling enough they will still tune in to see the show.”

For Tracey it is all about set ups and pay offs. “Transmedia allows you to set up the story in a platform and pay off in another platform.” This is why it is important to have a breakdown of all the structure and timeline first. “After every episode people will come online for content that they expect happened in between episodes. It is a lot of content to manage but, because of the immediate pay off results in audience engagement, it is well worth it.” Tracey explains that, in order to support this stratergy, it is important to have in place the new technologies you are going to apply to all forms of content ahead of time.

Lance cuts in to point out that this is a very important factor that allows for playing with fragments of the story across multiple platforms. For his project, “Pandemic”, contextual storytelling allowed audiences to increase or decrease speed of the story as it moved forward. “Story challenged convention by having the awareness of knowing in which device was on, and who was there to make a social connection. This is immensely valuable, as it explores the levels of emotional trust of the audience and their rewarding arc experience across the layers of APIs.”

Caitlin feels validated by this point. “It reflects how having a social element doesn’t equate transmedia with marketing.” The difference lays in the fact that you are getting fans to come into the experience.

Henry steers the conversation back onto the topic of set ups and pay offs that Tracey mentioned earlier. Abigail jumps in first by saying that the long payoff in serialized properties is amazing. She mentions that she would never image that soaps would be in the forefront of that. “There is a storyline for “One Life to Live” that started in the 1960’s that wasn’t paid off until the 1990’s, when the character had grown up. That is just amazing storytelling and, if you think about it, Transmedia lends itself as great medium for that.”

Caitlin agrees and brings up the “Tron” property mythos. “When dealing with a vast timeline you have to take advantage of the rich chronology as to allow for a longer rollout relevance.” This also opens the door for other content creators to participate in the mythology and jump in at different points in the timeline.

Jane cuts in to warn that there is a dangerous aspect when handling retroactive continuity. “It’s hard to hang onto story when revisiting the past. It happened to us with the character of ‘Dawn’ in “Buffy”. At the beginning it was really controversial. It took a while for fans to embrace it.”

Another issue to look into, in this regard, is that transmedia is very genre applied. “I keep a blog on this issue because this fact affects other non-narrative mediums also like documentaries, promotional concepts, and social issues. However, opportunities to develop secondary characters are there to explore. And this is good news because, by exploring these realms, the narrative then tends to reach out to minorities and other demographics.”

When it comes to genre the truth is that fans are NOT predominantly male. Women, as a matter of fact, dominate digital mediums. “And this was all before Facebook, which is where most women are nowadays. Let’s face it, men are essentially over at ESPN, period.”

Tracey agrees and jumps in to explain that female audiences are not only driven by digital narrative and social interactivity, but also gaming. “Females between 15 and 30 years-old are the biggest demographic in gaming.” This misunderstanding of gender dimension across the board is outstanding. The powerful female viewership numbers across genres that keeps growing every year, apparently, still shocks the studios and networks.

Caitlin adds that this is an old mind set that needs to change. “I used to get mad about this issue before, but now I just focus on the work. Because the truth is that there are a lot of women in this field.” Tracey adds, “This idea that women are not a part of the industry is false, yet everyone agrees with it.” Change is long overdue.

Q&A: More on challenges

Caitlin opened up that for her secrecy was one of her main challenges. “When dealing with franchises and rich chronology there is an overwhelming amount of info. Keeping track of this during the production cycles is quite challenging because of the miscommunication that arise when trying to keep the narrative on the same page in all mediums across the board. Especially if dealing with international teams working in different languages. This is why knowing your story backwards and forwards is vital, so you can be on top any questions that may arise.”

Q&A: More on setups and pay offs

For Jane story arcs development usually benefits from collaborative discussions. She was lucky with Josh’s flexibility with Buffy, and also with the creative team over at Battlestar Galactica. However, when it comes to decision making time, it all depends on the property.

Q&A: On social change

Lance insists in the transformative power of transmedia. Because of its multi-platform dissemination it allows for bridging communities in a global manner. By reaching out with a positive impact purpose we can not only target action, but actually drive effective change. There is a lot opportunity in this space that is tied to documentaries mostly.

Abigail cuts in to bring out the incredibly vast storyworld that was explored as a result of Hurricane Katrina: HBO’s “Treme” series, “Trouble the Water” documentary, “A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge” online serialized graphic novel, live feeds on consequent oil disaster, etc. There are many dimensions to this one story that can emerge as a way to educate kids, teach communication, catalyze mobilization, and affect political and social change. Storytelling is an organic way to inspire people.

Q&A: On the future

John brought up the idea of entertaining new scenarios and concepts never explored in the medium. For example, a month after the Jasmin Revolution that happen last year in Tunisia a whole series of channels in that country pretended it was 3 years later and reported news on the state of affairs in the country from this point of view. The power of transmedia is that it allows for these fascinating new alternatives.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/23/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-4-of-4#comments 0 Transmedia Hollywood Conference @ UCLA #TH2 (Part 3 of 4) April Arrglington April Arrglington Panel 3: Game On! Intelligent Designs or Fan Aggregators?

Moderator: Denise Mann
Panelists: Steven DeKnight, Jeph Loeb, Craig Relyea, Avi Santo, Matt Wolf [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/22/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-3-of-4 Sun, 22 May 2011 15:46:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/22/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-3-of-4
Panel 3: Game On! Intelligent Designs or Fan Aggregators?

Moderator: Denise Mann
Panelists: Steven DeKnight, Jeph Loeb, Craig Relyea, Avi Santo, Matt Wolf



The discussion geared up on the topic of what it takes to successfully transport an IP from one medium to another. Steven goes on to say that on TV Show "Spartacus", for example, it was actually cheaper to stay closer to the original graphic novel look. “We spent 90% of the budget for CGI on scenery. It was an important decision, however a careful one to make, cause this is how budgets can easily spin out of control.”

Jeph cuts in to comment that, in his case, all of the stepping stones of coming to an understanding of what it would take to make the successful jump between mediums came from wrapping his head around the notion that maybe some versions of comics could conceptually become more popular in a film version at a time when the comic for the property wasn’t popular. As times change, history has proven this notion. Now Marvel is a no longer doing only comics, but has re-imagined itself as a studio doing movies and TV.

For Avi it all came about as fan labor. At the very beginning he was essentially acting as a double agent, working for the love of the brand and the entertainment corporations that work to extend the brand. This is a double edge sword because you want to stay honest when trying to make decisions that bring conflicting elements together (ei: the consumers wants vs. the brand’s bottom line).

The ARG territory, Matt explains, doesn’t have to deal with those disadvantages. The ARG Matt worked on for, "Fallen", delivers an experience online that bridges into the miniseries without stepping on anyone’s toes. The medium allowed for the team to explore the mythos while basing the story loosely on the TV show story arc. Adding to that was the videogame, which was the hub for the concept.

For Craig, the main factor was moving to online gaming from console gaming. For “Toy Story 3” they went one step further and focused on making the game interactively more personalized and consumer driven. He explains that there is always corporate and negotiation rights to deal with, but at the end of the day the gaming experience is what is at the heart of it all, including how we experience the narrative.

Steven agrees with the the way experiences are focusing on personalizing the narrative of a property. “Especially when you are dealing with the reinvention of a property. It definitely makes you more fan aware, and this is necessary.”

Jeph interjects to point out that this sort of thing is more difficult when you are moving from a comic into a show, for example, because its a group effort. There is not only a clash of opinions regarding the IP, but also the decision factor on the kinds of new technologies relevant enough to push the envelope to the next level.

Craig jumps in to comment that, ultimately, content needs to support the brand to rejuvenate dormant properties. However, at the end of the day, what is going to matter to the player are the new interactive and social elements. That is the future. Avi cuts in to point out the fact that the collective intelligence model of game play helped tackled this issue.

Matt , however, insists that it all starts with providing great content. In his field, controversies about the intrigues developed in an ARGs help with word of mouth and the development of innovative mobile apps. Though one must always be careful not to tie in too much promotional marketing, otherwise fans would feel cheated out of the core IP experience. The future, for Matt, lays in the new free-to-play mobile trend.

Jeph closes up stating that things are changing really fast. “Six years ago Marvel knew only how to be a publishing company. That’s what we did. Being forced to reinvent ourselves has pushed us towards innovation technology and new ways to distribute our properties across comics, film, TV, games, digital, and mobile.”

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/22/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-3-of-4#comments 0 Transmedia Hollywood Conference @ UCLA #TH2 (Part 2 of 4) April Arrglington April Arrglington Panel 2: We’re looking for characters: Designing Personalities Who Play Across Platforms

Moderator: Henry [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/19/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-2-of-4 Thu, 19 May 2011 18:23:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/19/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-2-of-4
Panel 2: We’re looking for characters: Designing Personalities Who Play Across Platforms

Moderator: Henry Jenkins
Panelists: Francesca Coppa, Geoffrey Long, Alisa Perren, Kelly Sounders (Geoff Johns couldn’t make it)



Geoffrey broke the ice by explaining how the trasmedia opportunities of a franchise lay in exploring the negative space of any IP as a way to expand its universe.

This is where prequels and sequels come from, but also the opportunities to explore secondary characters and even alternative timelines and realities. When these opportunities are not explored by the showrunners, then by default they are explored by the fans in the form of fanfiction, fanart, parody videos and other creative channels.

Kelly agrees. She starts by explaining how she stumbled into transmedia through PR promotions, where she first familiarized herself with fan culture and the importance of expanding the IP’s universe. She quickly realized that a property’s success depended largely in the different ways one could pay off the fans by developing character in new and interesting ways. Ways that would also add a deeper, higher level of commitment to the IP.

Franchesca cuts in, quite appropriately, to talk about the fact that the reason why fans start playing with fanfiction and other forms of fan immersion art is because, if you leave too much time to fill the answers to the negative spaces of an IP, then the audience will inevitably want to fill those spaces in for you.

Fans love to play in the sandbox of an IP not only for the backstories, but because they can keep reinventing the IP by playing again and again with its universe.

Tie In Notes: The Arrglington Jump Back Channel:

Franchesca Coppa is part of the Board of Directors for the Organization for Transformative Works, a non-profit space that hosts and advocates for fan works. The organization is run by and for fans to provide access to and preserve the history of fanworks and fan cultures. It also deals with the legal crossfire that the new trasmedia movement has brought into the space by providing legal advocacy and exploitation protection.

I think Franchesca’s work over at OTW is remarkably important. Mostly because properties bank their success on the fans, and their commitment to spent time (and money) with their favorite characters over and over again. Now more than ever, due to social media, fans have access to back channels and up to the minute news on their favorite properties, which are now less rumor based and more accurate than ever (ie, see Hypable for excellent fandom news reported by fans).

But fan culture goes beyond getting the latest hypable news. They have the ability of making or breaking a property, and the power of taking a property to a higher level of popularity by merely wanting to connect in deeper levels with what they consider ‘their’ IP. Content creators should have a considerable respect for the power fandoms have when attaching themselves to an IP. Because if the fans needs are not met by content creators, they will surly finds their own creative ways to get what they want.

People seem to forget how the success of properties like Twilight came from left field. I came across the property when book 2 came out and suddenly became aware of the massive underground following. Since there was no merchandise at that point, fans were creating their own custom T-Shirts and coming up with the ‘Team Edward” vs. “Team Jacob” slogans.

By the time the first movie came out, the vast fan art and fan fiction for the property catapulted the series as one of the top fandoms. However people were shocked when the independently financed movie made 80 million at the box office opening weekend. Despite the fact that the books had been best-sellers, most people had no idea about Twilight until then. And that is when the property became a franchise powerful enough to rival Harry Potter. The rest, as we know, is history.

Kelly moves the discussion along by pointing out how fans are really game for anything. There are specific fans for each aspect of a property’s timeline. Kelly also encourages not being afraid to bring to the table separate worlds and timelines within a universe. The main thing to consider is to bring in new characters that adds something interesting to the table and move story forward. There might be an initial pushback, but if there is depth and the story is compelling then you should be good. Re-imagining classics characters in smart ways is also embraced and encouraged. After all, every generation has its Superman, its Hamlet.

Geoffrey corroborates by adding how this practice is even more successful when different phases happen across platforms. He cautions, however, that as long as the canon is emphasized and the core universal aspects of the IP come through all platforms, then properties can stay relevant to new and old generations alike.

Franchesca adds, that it is important to keep in mind not to limit IP to character narrative, but make sure to expand universe experience by building stories for characters specific to different mediums (Ei: characters on twitter, on you tube videos, as tributes for Tumblr, etc).

Geoffrey also elaborates on the fact that as long as a character has core universal aspects that are kept intact across platforms, then there can be a sense of recognition that the characters life will come to full bloom. By being careful in keeping the character’s recognizable ‘siluette’ you as a content creator gain the fans trust.

Franchesca agrees and confirms that this is a very important aspect to consider, otherwise fans feel cheated and get a sense that the content creators don’t know what they are doing with the IP.

Kelly confirms that fan connection to the characters is far more relevant than the three arc episodic structure. Alisa goes further by saying that this is particularly true in reality TV where there are multiple possibilities for immersion, and fans are open to more once you have established a flow.

Franchesa goes onto say that mystery and tension feeds into the masoquistic tendencies of fandoms. However this is a double edge sword, because if you delay too much in answering questions, fans could get tired of going around in circles.

Franchesca also points out the importance of character authenticity across mediums. Fans are not stupid, they can tell when the character is doing the talking on Tweeter or if it’s the marketing or PR department in charge of the property. Content consistency, when it comes to following the mythology, is vital.

Kelly agrees by saying that in essence, as content creators, you are constantly fighting the refrigerator. Authenticity is key to engagement. Franchesca adds that this is not that hard to maintain, as long as you listen to your fans and understand what different mediums can add to the IP. This is important because it will not only make content creators more aware of demographics, but also aware of were different fans stand within the same IP. In this way content creators can learn how to better reward cross generational fans, to a certain extent.

Geoffrey corroborates this idea by pointing out how, for example, “Dr. Who” opened up “Torchwood” a spinoff, as a way to reach an older demographic. “Different mediums become different windows to the world. Transmedia mechanics have the ability to connect these mediums in a way to expand the universe in a higher and deeper lever, opening avenues of game play never explored before.”

Also, Kelly adds, the advantage of exploring secondary characters and out of context plots allows for unfamiliar demographics to look into the world through the character as a ‘lens.’ This integrates a balance between a character being compelling in new ways and the ability of any audience to jump into the IP through any medium at any point in time.

Alisa references the importance of understanding the audience for each medium. For example, not that many people jump back to comics from TV or film, but more the other way around. The important thing is to allow different demographics to love whatever mediums they want, and are familiar with.

Q&A:

Question: Transmedia: Is it the goal of the parts or the sum of the parts?

Kelly: It just deepens interest. And allows for profitability.

Franchesca: It expands the universe in a way no one creator could do. The IP universe becomes its own creature. It essentially becomes a collective IP. We have to remember that the books that people keep commenting and arguing about are the ones that transcend and live on.

Geoffrey: It allows for the word itself to be a character, a franchise. And it also helps medium exploration when it comes to new audience rewards. At the end its form is so artistically rich, it becomes an art form.

Question: When it comes to the layers of IP relationship and the different kinds of ownership, who owns the story: the fans or the content creators?

Franchesca: Fandoms are what sells properties. All these legal rights and performance rights talk is detrimental for content as a form of art. Storytelling, in which people connect by campfire, is essentially still works the same way.

Kelly: Besides, this symbiotic relationship enriches the landscape. The same way fans create expansions of core material, creators are looking into fan work as a creative platform for inspiration.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/05/19/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-2-of-4#comments 0 Transmedia Hollywood Conference @ UCLA #TH2 (Part 1 of 4) April Arrglington April Arrglington
PANEL 1: Come out 2 play: Designing Virtual [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/20/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-1-of-4 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:46:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/20/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-1-of-4
*This post is a bit over due, but it can still be usefull to those who missed it.

Moderator: Denise Mann
Panelists: Scott Bukatman, Rick Carter, Dylan Cole, Thierry Coup, Craig Hanna, Angela Ndalianis, Bruce Vaughn



Denise brought up the fact that Walt Disney was a pioneer in Transmedia for having conceived the idea of theme parks as a way to immerse in different narratives. Scott mentioned that the reason for this is because theme parks in general offer a kinetic thrill, a sensorial experience that works regardless if it’s ties to a preconceived narrative or not.

Bruce and Dylan added to this saying that the reason why a full narrative is not needed for an attraction is because not having identifiable IP allows for anyone to experience the ride in a different way and still enjoy and add to collective subconscious of the attraction.

“It’s all about form and content doing this dance.” Rick said. Thierry elaborates on that by saying that when there is a narrative attached to an attraction then it is more compelling because the universe can be physically manifested in environments, and character interaction can bring the original vision literally to life.

For the Harry Potter Theme Park, Thierry explains, it was interesting to discover that the general public considers Butterbeer the top 2 attraction. And this is but merely a drink! That just tells you something about the power of transmedia storytelling.

Tie In Notes: The Arrglington Jump Back Channel:

1. Advancements on multiplatform conversions: did you hear the news about JK Rowling going digital? Read more about it here.

2. I follow the fan channels for property case studies and reviews. I know for a fact, via Mugglenet, that one of the biggest complaints about the Harry Potter Theme Park was that the rides that weren’t tied to a specific concept were the least liked. Fans expressed interest in experiencing either a specific known narrative in a ride or an expansion of the universe on an attraction… instead of going on rides with broad themes that didn’t tell the story.

Bruce then brings up the concept that when it comes to integrating theme parks and film worlds, there is a new shift in the paradigm that social media has prompted. Online gaming, interactive entertainment and social media have condition audiences into being more proactive and expect customizable storytelling. Role playing now-a-days comes more natural with younger audiences.

Denise warns, however, that when it comes to ARGs it gets tricky because audiences don’t like to feel that their connection to a property through an ARG is ultimately promotional.

Bruce explains that as long as the ARG is induced by the narrative this is not an issue. Disney is now even experimenting with ARG events within parks to increase audience participation and learn how to best engage with the public. Maybe even look at mobile applications for audience to use as tools to play the game inside the park and engage in further online interactivity. Bruce also pointed out that in the future most changes in parks will be media based as it addresses park updates to include social media elements.

Another interesting idea that Disney is developing is travel packages surrounding a narrative. Disney Resort and Disney Adventures are playing with the concept of customizing travel packages around an ARG for a specific Disney IP as a way to offer a different and innovative vacation alternative. The vacation will consist of being transported to an adventure, in a new reality, in a new location. A complete experience completely personalized.

Tie In Notes: The Arrglington Jump Back Channel:

This concept is very intriguing and not at all that much different from what the town of Forks, WA has experience since the Twilight phenomenon boom. Fans brought Forks back to life when they decided to visit the small town where their beloved characters supposedly lived, all of their own accord. In a few months The Forks, Washington Chamber of Commerce turned it’s headquarters into a Twilight Visitors Center with several Tours available to visit supposed locations were the narrative had taken place. The illusion is a bit lacking, however, because the tour, while based on the narrative, it lacks the transmedia elements that would enhance the illusion to a complete immersing level. Forks still thrives as a destination location because of this phenomenon, however fans often point out the experience is a bit disappointing because it doesn’t follow a full immersive reality that would be available through, say, an ARG.

Bruce also brings up the fact that new generations of young people are bound to thrive in a viceral multiplatform set up inside an immersive attaction because they have been conditioned by the multitasking aspect of social media to enjoy different levels of engagement. These findings are prompting Disney Imagineering to take a transmedia approach from the beginning of IP acquisition. This would allow them to take a narrative and really wave a tapestry all the way through all platforms of the IP.

Q&A:

During the q&a Bruce also brought up the idea of using multimedia and other forms of mobile engagement to attractions as a way to better serve the waiting periods for the ride. This would allow audiences to enjoy a newer level of payoff for the attraction that incorporates social and interactive elements.

Thierry and Craig agree on this point. Rick warns, however, that as long as the attractions keeps a sense of timelessness then there is less danger for segregation of older generations, people lacking technological means or aptitudes, and foreigners experiencing technological discrepancies.

Part 2 to be posted soon!

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/20/transmedia-hollywood-conference-ucla-th2-part-1-of-4#comments 0 Kcymaerxthaere, The League of Steam, Wyrdcon and Why you should care about LARPs April Arrglington April Arrglington Kcymaerxthaere at Last Week’s Transmedia LA Meetup: [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/14/kcymaerxthaere-the-league-of-steam-wyrdcon-and-why-you-should-care-about-larps Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:16:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/14/kcymaerxthaere-the-league-of-steam-wyrdcon-and-why-you-should-care-about-larps Kcymaerxthaere at Last Week’s Transmedia LA Meetup:

Eames Demetrios, geographer-at-large, paid us a visit last Monday and walked us through Kcymaerxthaere, an alternative universe so large it quite literally encompasses all 5 continents. Kcymaerxthaere is a bit or an ARG, a bit of a LARP, a bit of an art installation. To put it simply, it’s a global work of 3-dimensional story telling art that tells the story of a parallel universe that intersects with much of our linear Earth.

The narrative for Kcymaerxthaere-originally conceived by Demetrios-is constantly expanding, but it’s most famously known for the installation of bronze plaques in historic sites that honor events from the parallel world in our linear world. In other words, it is a bit like a novel, with every page in a different place. One can visit the different markers to experience the story, and then learn about the rest of the narrative online.

Almost a decade in the making, the Kcymaerxthaere world has gone as far as to produce it’s own vocabulary and cultural events, like a spelling bees. Not to mention books, maps, trivia/game cards, post cards, art, songs, videos, pictures and all sorts of merchandise surrounding the Kcymaerxthaere experience. And, believe it or not, this massive passion project is mostly financed by Demetrios himself, along with the generous support of fan donations.

Kcymaerxthaere is mindblowing, and truly an example of Transmedia at it’s core. If we had to specify the property under the Transmedia storytelling umbrella, Kcymaerxthaere would be considered an ARG. However, because of the cultural events surrounding the narrative one has to identify an element of LARP embedded within the experience also, which makes the experience that much more rich and fascinating.

For more information on Kcymaerxthaere go to www.Kcymaerxthaere.com

Talking about LARPS...

In case you were confused, a LARP is a live action role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions. Yes, you heard right. I’m referring to the people that get together and re-enact Star Wars at the park or play Quiddich matches without magic.

If your gut reaction to the words ‘role-playing game’ is an eye roll, let me stop you for a moment and ask: how are LARPs that much different from Halloween? I mean, what makes it OK to dress up only once a year in costume? Really, are most of us that square?

My first experience with LARPs was when I attended my very first Renaissance fair a few years ago. I thought the whole idea was amusing, but just not my scene. However, all my original misconceptions changed when I went to the Maker’s Fair in San Francisco last year and discovered The League of Steam.

The League of Steam consists of these Steampunk monster hunters in full garb, passionate about the paranormal and the pythagorean. These people not only had come up with a narrative of their own, but also amazing and fascinating hand made artifacts that supported that narrative. Online you can find pictures, podcasts, music videos, merchandise, and a web series that dips into Victorian theatrics, scifi elements, and impressive special effects. To take it a step further, the League of Steam not only performs at live events but also on twitter.That’s when it hit me.

This goes way beyond going to Comic Con, playing Dungeons & Dragons, or even dressing up for a Masquerade Ball. The League of Steam has a narrative across multiplatforms that is big enough to have a fan following.

And it had all started with LARP appearances.

Why you should care about Live Action Role Playing

If you are a Transmedia Producer or a Transmedia Writer, you may find yourself wanting to extricate the LARP element from your multiplatform repertoire. Maybe because the idea of people dressing up in something other than regular clothes when is not Halloween makes you uncomfortable.

Beware, Sir or Madam, when you signed up to work in a multiplatform level it meant you were willing to look into all sorts of platforms to further your storytelling. And that includes LARPs either you like it or not. Even if you decided not to utilize LARPs in your transmedia strategy, you are going to have to deal with a LARP element sooner or later.

Say, for example, that you decide to develop an ARG for your property and incorporate a live event. You are not only going to deal with actors role playing your narrative, but also the fans that are going to show up in costume expecting to interact with your actors. This is not only bound to happen, in this day and age is completely unavoidable.

However, you have to remember that, just like with everything in Transmedia, it all boils down to the narrative. If you think about it, the issue is not that people are apprehensive about LARPs. They are just apprehensive about LARPs for narratives they don’t care for. Most likely than not, everyone in the world is bound to want to dress up like something. A heroine, a favorite villain, a superhero; it just takes that one narrative closest to their heart to take that final step inside the closet, and role playing their favorite character of all time.

For instance, the Renaissance fair wasn’t for me, but the League of Steam certainly hit the spot.

Wyrdcon

Since we are in the subject of LARPs... I would like to take this time to note the Second Annual LARP convention that is taking place this June 10th – 12th in Costa Mesa, California. Wyrd Con Intercon West is a Interactive Theater Convention that is part of LARPA, the Live Action Role Players Association.

If you are interested in learning more about LARPs then you’d want to know about the ARG and Transmedia Panel being held at Wyrd this year. Also, if you are interested in character storytelling, mythology building, and bending the laws of language, I would encourage you to check out those panels at the convention as well. For the more adventurous there are also panels on the art of costuming, weapon building, and fighting choreography.

If you find yourself curious but unable to make it to Southern California for Wyrdcon this year, don’t worry. I will be officially covering the convention, so make sure and stay tuned to The Arrglington Jump to learn more.

If you are, however, in Southern California and you are still hesitant about LARPs, I challenge you to go to the Cicada Club and dip your feet into a smaller scale and less threatening experience. The Cicada Club is an event that takes place every Sunday at the Art Deco Oviatt Building in downtown LA. The event is essentially just an evening out that includes dinner and dancing, with live performances in the gorgeous Mezzanine of the Oviatt. However, it is encouraged (if not practically required) to dress up in vintage clothing anywhere from the 1920s to the 1950s era. The experience is an absolute blast to the past, complete with staff interacting in character and a live broadcast of the music performances. For more information check www.clubcicada.com.

Final Announcements

1. I wanted to point out that last Friday I attended the Transmedia Hollywood 2.0 conference that was held at UCLA, and I’ll be posting a full wrap up of all the panels by this weekend.

2. Also, if you haven’t heard yet, I’m also performing an experiment on Transmedia Definitions. I have launched the 12 polls in 12 days challenge. Please take the time to vote every day and share the polls. I will post my findings of the study in the weeks to follow.

3. Wanted to leave you with a few great LARP videos you might enjoy, most of them brought to you by Improv Everywhere: Leia gets arrested in the Subway, A proper battle is fought in the forest, Deatheaters take over Grand Central, Ghostbusters invade the library.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/14/kcymaerxthaere-the-league-of-steam-wyrdcon-and-why-you-should-care-about-larps#comments 6 Defining Transmedia: 12 Polls in 12 Days April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/11/defining-transmedia-12-polls-in-12-days Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:15:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/11/defining-transmedia-12-polls-in-12-days here to take part and vote. And remember to share and enjoy!

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/11/defining-transmedia-12-polls-in-12-days#comments 0 Last Week in Transmedia (West Coast Wrap Up - Part 2) April Arrglington April Arrglington Transmedia News Roundup:

1. Culture Hacker’s Transmedia Talk Podcast over at the Workbook Project recently released their new podcast showcasing most if not all the Transmedia Panels at this year’s SXSW. A direct link to the super special podcast http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/06/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up-part-2 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:05:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/06/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up-part-2 Transmedia News Roundup:

1. Culture Hacker’s Transmedia Talk Podcast over at the Workbook Project recently released their new podcast showcasing most if not all the Transmedia Panels at this year’s SXSW. A direct link to the super special podcast here.

2. A new Transmedia Podcast has been released! Hollywood 2.0 with Peter Katz and Rich Silverman should now be on your radar. On their first episode they discuss study cases and practical uses for Transmedia. Click here for direct link to itunes to listen now.

3. Simon Staffans has posted a convenient Storify feed for all things Transmedia here. BTW, he is also doing daily wrap ups from MIPTV here.



Exciting Transmedia Funding News:

1. I will start you off by linking you to a great article by Gary Hayes: 10 Reasons Public Multi-Platform Funding is Broken and Ways to Fix It. Most relevant in his list, at least to me, is point number 2: Dispersed funding means drop-in-the-ocean pots of money. See full article here.

2. That being said, N.Y. film institute just recently announced their plans for funding interactive storytelling with $750,000 in Transmedia grants. The original CNET press release is here. Michael Andersen over at ARGNet gives a deeper analysis of the grant terms here.



Multiplatform Convergance Deals in the News (Not to be confused with Transmedia Storytelling!):

1. Flatiron Film Co. will conduct cross platform releases of “specialty titles” for Gotham Distribution. The new label plans to release doc-centric pics via VOD and theatrical, with an eye toward engaging fanbases through social networking and new-media marketing. Full Variety article here.

2. Content Media Corporation plc, gets ready to establish global brands across all its platforms including TV, VOD, broadband and mobile. Full Press Release here.



3. ‘Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop’ Documentary gets unique multi-platform distribution deal that includes Theatrical, TV, Video, VOD, and mobile. More at the Wall Street Journal here.



4. In a similar story, Sundance London goes the SXSW route by launching multidisciplinary festival with AEG Europe that will include film screenings, live music performances, discussions, panels and other public cultural programming. Full Indiewire article here.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/06/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up-part-2#comments 0 Last Week in Transmedia (West Coast Wrap Up - Part 1) April Arrglington April Arrglington
Los Angeles Transmedia [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/06/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up-part-1 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:50:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/06/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up-part-1
Los Angeles Transmedia Ad Hoc Meetup with Starlight Runner Entertainment:

Last Tuesday the Transmedia LA Meetup headed to Trader Vic’s at the Beverly Hilton to hear the folks of Starlight Runner talk about the latest news on Transmedia. A short list among the main things discussed includes:

1. Contract negotiation. Transmedia is a new field for entertainment lawyers to deal with that encompasses the complexity of multiple platforms, budgets, revenues, copyright issues, new lexicon issues, content development and jurisprudence issues. The team commented on how all these concerns are still in the process of being figured out as they take on work.

2. Working behind the curtain. Many people in the crowd were curious to hear the day-to-day process of working as Transmedia Writers and Producers. The Starlight Runner team explained that, when dealing with a new property, their main focus is developing the bibles for the mythology of the universe.

The Starlight Runners explained how this practice usually means a lot of writing and coordination of art and fonts with the visuals department in order to always over deliver to the client something absolutely mind blowing. It is through this process that they have been able to make friends and not enemies with the original IP creators, who soon understand the Starlight Runners shared solidarity and passion for the story. Caitlin Burns also mentioned that it helps when IPs are strong and deliver an honest universal connection.

3. Transmedia is now a visible and less threatening term in Hollywood. As the main face for Starlight Runner, Jeff Gomez gave a sigh of relief when explaining how studios have finally come to have a better understanding of Transmedia. After years of investing in Transmedia education efforts, the Studios are finally grasping that there is a difference between Multiplatform Convergance and Transmedia Storytelling. Jeff explain how the Transmedia movement shouldn’t narrow it’s focus on technology, as this is a force that will be constantly changing. Instead, technology is a mere vehicle for the story to be told in exponentially bigger ways than through it’s driving platform.

Jeff also explained how the mind shift is still slow, but at least there is more willingness and an open mind to see the potential opportunities and benefits Transmedia can bring to a property. As for now Disney, and cablers like Showtime and HBO seem to be at the forefront of the movement. Paramount and Warner Brothers are slowly dipping their toes in the water. Universal, on the other hand, is lagging way behind.

4. Collective information trumps information exclusivity. The time of IP secrecy and exclusivity that has given power to the Studios since the conception of Hollywood is coming to and end. Technology has democratized the landscape, and now fans are in the position to take ownership over their favorite IPs by the power of social media collective data sharing. Fans are going to built an IP world to meet their needs one way or the other. If Studios don’t capitalize on this it’s a huge opportunity cost on their behalf, that soon enough they won’t be able to afford.

5. Let’s not forget, Transmedia is very relevant to the Non-profit sector. Nedra Weinreich brought up this issue, which I think is applicable to Transmedia storytelling since it has the immense power to directly affect social change.

There is a sense that, when it comes to non-profit and charity, people are oversensitive and sometimes walk on eggshells because of the politics of supporting certain causes. Jeff is a firm believer in the power of Transmedia to propel social change, and he is passionate about the philanthropic Transmedia efforts slowly sprouting everyday. After all, alternative realities are not that far removed from actual reality, and immersive storytelling has the power to impact not only the entertainment sector, but the non-profit as well.

Transmedia Properties in the News:

1. The main Transmedia property buzz these past few days goes to “Haunted City”. The idea came from screenwriter Chap Taylor, and now McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision are developing a graphic novel, a feature, a TV pilot, and a videogame. For the full Deadline Exclusive go here.



2. Moving onto less buzzed but just as relevant properties: “Anuvahood.” This is a British comedy that is launching its own cellphone app across the three main platforms (iPhone, Android, Blackberry). The app includes character profiles, games, quizzes, video clips, Twitter and Facebook feeds. For the full THR article go here.


3. Parrache Animation is developing the animated movie “Smog”, a steampunk property based on characters from miniature collectibles and concept art and designs by artist Christophe Madura. A board game is also currently in the works. See full Variety article here.




4. Videogame and publishing house Ankama is producing animated film “Mutafukaz”, based on comics and a short film by Guillaume Renard. A video game is also in the works. For full Variety article go here.

5. For those familiar with the movie “Catfish”, you will like knowing the latest developments regarding this property. *Spoiler Alert* The movie pertains a young man who discovers that the woman of his dreams is an Alternative Reality Game. Now the property is becoming a Reality TV Show for MTV. For full article go to Collider here.

6. The popular 1990’s New Zealand TV Show property “The Tribe” is ready for a come back. After releasing 18 bestselling novels and two soundtrack albums over the show’s five-year run, “The Tribe” is now being developed as a film by creator Raymond Thompson. The re-launch of the franchise includes a new TV show, as well as comic books, video games and promotional merchandise. For full Variety article click here.




7. “The Governator” was recently announced over at MIPTV by A Squared Entertainment. The film is part of a plan that will include an animated TV series, a comic book and a web series. For the full article go to Deadline here.


8. Sam Raimi’s and Rob Tapert's movie “Evil Dead” is getting a new life in the form of an iPhone and iPad action-heavy 3D shooter game.The game expands the movie’s mythology across 30 new engaging levels. Raimi and Tapert’s Ghost House is also eyeing a web series, mobile shorts and other portable app games for the rest of their dormant properties in their portfolio. See full THR article here.




9. The “Immortals” movie is getting the graphic novel treatment. Joe LeFavi, of Quixotic Transmedia, facilitated the partnership. Full article at The Wrap here.



10. The popular “Resistance” web series could blossom into a TV series and even a movie. The TV version will be split into pieces for iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation Network, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube, DailyMotion and MetaCafe. Full article over at THR here.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/04/06/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up-part-1#comments 0 Hot Property: The Dark Shadows Case Study April Arrglington April Arrglington Q: Why is Dark Shadows set to be a hit?
A: The property reaches a multi-generational fan base that, for some years now, has been painstakingly awaiting for an awesome reincarnation.

I had never heard of Dark Shadows in my entire life before I first [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/29/hot-property-the-dark-shadows-case-study Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:04:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/29/hot-property-the-dark-shadows-case-study Q: Why is Dark Shadows set to be a hit?
A: The property reaches a multi-generational fan base that, for some years now, has been painstakingly awaiting for an awesome reincarnation.

I had never heard of Dark Shadows in my entire life before I first came across it in 2007. Warner Brother’s had just announced they had purchased the film rights a year after the show’s creator, Dan Curtis, had passed away. Apparently Curtis had kept a tight grip on the property, which was finally becoming available due to the finalization of his estate.

To my astonishment, as of 2007, Dark Shadows still had a great following. I asked around my circle of friends-which ranges in a wide variety of ages, races, and nationalities-and was surprised to find the love and nostalgia for the property very much alive. My oldest acquaintances remember with fondness coming from school to tune into the original series, which premiered in black and white TV in 1966. My younger contemporaries remember coming across the property in some form of reincarnation. The TV series was remade, syndicated, released and rerun as recent as 2003 in the Syfy channel. It was also turned into a film in the 1970s, a stage play audio drama, printed novels, a comic, and even a festival. There’s also been at least two board games and a vast variety of collectible merchandise.

To this very day multiple wiki and fan pages populate the Internet producing over 6 million search results. That’s just under half a million search results you would find for a similar goth property, say Sleepy Hollow. The clearest example of the success of the property’s following materialized for me when I heard from a friend of mine that the very first vampire story he had ever heard was the one his aunt would tell him as a kid of Barnabas Collins.

And that’s when it hit me. This cheeseball gothic soap opera is still a goldmine.

Q: Why should Dark Shadows be the next big Transmedia property?
A: First off, the property’s universe is vast and encompasses a malleable mythology.

Dark Shadows is not the story of Barnabas Collins, even though he was the most popular character of the series, but the story of at least 10 generations of The Collins Family. There are over 200 characters that get developed in the course of 3 centuries in the whole of the series. Amongst the plot lines the property features vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel and a parallel universe. In short, there is not one thing the property hasn’t tried since its conception 45 years ago.



The Collins Family Tree


The premise for the new reincarnation of the property is still under wraps. It can be deduced that at the very least it will concern the arrival of Barnabas Collins to Collinwood, his most notable love entanglements, and his arduous pursuit for the cure for his vampirism.

However, due to the vastness of the property’s universe, the applications for Transmedia are wide open. This broadens the opportunities to reach the property’s wide ranged demographic in unique new ways. And what’s more, there is already a foundation for the property in place across multiple platforms. It will be but a huge opportunity cost if the powers that be pass on this.

As it stands right now, these same powers that be can make an executive decision to rest the success of the reincarnation of property solely on the shoulders of the famed director-actor team, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Each one with a pre-established fan base that adds to the property’s original following. However, it would be a disservice to the property's history and cult status not to move in a Transmedia direction when the property already stands in such advantageous position to do so.

Add to the fact that Tim Burton is-either consciously or not-already Transmedia savvy. The latest examples of his Transmedia tendencies include:

  • The release of the 25th Anniversary Music Box in collaboration with musical partner Danny Elfman. The Box includes a zoetrope, an illustrated book, a 16 CD library, a bonus DVD, and a flash drive.
  • In addition, Burton ran a crowdsourcing Twitter story called Cadavre Exquis as an audience collaboration experiment last year.
  • And finally, it goes without saying that all of Burton’s recent movies have developed rich websites featuring interactive games applications.


Listen up GK Films & Dan Curtis Productions, ACT NOW!

Dark Shadows starts principal photography in about two weeks time at the Pinewood Studios in the UK. Warner Brother’s has set a release date of 2012, giving the creative team still plenty of time to develop a Transmedia experience for the property. Hope is not yet lost!

Let’s follow Barnabas back in time, could we trace his bat appearances through the centuries? Or maybe explore his adventures in a parallel universe, would he still be the dashing heart-breaker? What was it like while he was stuck in a coffin for a century? Where is his famed portrait hanging now? Is there really a cure for his affliction?

Transmedia gives us so many ways to answer these questions. And history tells us it is well worth it to explore these avenues.

Cause if we were to compare Dark Shadows with the latest Burton/Warner’s released property, Sweeney Todd, we will find that both properties share similar budgets. Sweeney Todd at 50 million, Dark Shadows at 60 million.

However, Sweeney Todd opened under 9.5 million domestically, breaking even at 51 million for the national boxoffice when it was all said and done. Most of the profit (65%) coming from foreign ancillary.

I’m a firm believer that, if done right, Transmedia can raise property awareness by around 11%, which could mean a rise in profitability on opening weekend.

So I ask, what’s there to lose?

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/29/hot-property-the-dark-shadows-case-study#comments 0 Failing Transmedia Property of the Week: Monogamy (The Movie) April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/16/failing-transmedia-property-of-the-week-monogamy-the-movie Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:14:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/16/failing-transmedia-property-of-the-week-monogamy-the-movie


Even though the movie is a relationship drama, it is stylistically dynamic thanks to the director’s Dana Adam Shapiro documentary background. The cinematographic rawness of the film gives it a very realistic feel that enhances the film’s voyeuristic elements. Which is the very thing that propels the property into an advantageous position for a ARG type Transmedia experience.

I see enigmatic stalking pictures posted around different urban areas, even sites like craigslist, prompting audiences to jump into the rabbit whole. I also see character profiles posted in different mediums (facebook, match.com, etc), inciting audiences to take sides. I would also create an interactive hub for the movie featuring a morality poll game built around the movie’s premise. What would you do if you find yourself in the character’s position? Do you root for the anti-hero? Can you successfully assess your current relationship? How do you feel about relationship experts?

The possibilities are vast, mainly because the actual story is based on reality. Shapiro’s 3 year research before writing the film was well rewarded last year when the movie won Best New York Narrative at the Tribeca Film Festival.

So how exactly was this a lost opportunity?

This property shows no efforts at attempting to reach to it’s audience beyond the silver screen. Other than a facebook page, the movie lacks any online presence whatsoever. It doesn’t even have a website! Which in this day and age is just unforgivable.

You could argue that the main problem was lack of funds, as the movie was budgeted at around 1 million. But Lance Weiler’s fabulous Pandemic 1.0 experience that ran during this year’s Sundance Film Festival had virtually no budget, just a lot of sponsors support.

So what gives?

Sorry Dana... but Monogamy is a Transmedia Fail.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/16/failing-transmedia-property-of-the-week-monogamy-the-movie#comments 0 Last Week in Transmedia - West Coast Wrap Up April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/14/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:31:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/14/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up
MONDAY: Transmedia Los Angeles Meetup

Steve Peters from No Mimes Media came out to Cafe Metropol on his birthday to take us through a little Transmedia experience called Mime Academy. It was designed specifically to explain Transmedia to No Mimes clients and new people coming across the term for the first time. The experience takes about 10 to 15 minutes total and is available to anyone here.

The biggest lesson learned by the newcomer was the concept that, unlike many other forms of entertainment, you can’t pirate a Transmedia experience. The fact the experience is built-in across multiple platforms makes it impossible to steal. Mainly because you are banking on the adrenaline rush the audience feels at discovering that next clue, problem solving a riddle, or getting a direct phone call from the villain himself.

Other topics also discussed:

1. Do not feed fans commercials. Steve talked about the TV Show 24, and how the interactive experience they had built into the show felt more like marketing than anything else. A Transmedia experience shouldn’t be so encryptic as to involve hieroglyphic decoding, but it should at its very core keep the experience inside the story world. Marketing tends to break the fourth wall, taking the focus away from story flow. Don’t do it.

2. The quintessential question of how to go mainstream came up. Steve explained how Transmedia experiences should be built in different tiers of complexity to not only reach the hardcore fans, but also the casual audience.


3. By the same token Steve explained how the invert effect of this issue is also a problem. He mention Year Zero, a Transmedia experience launched by NIN a few years ago. He emphasised how, when you already have a property or client that is already mainstream, any Transmedia built-in experience poses the problem of being solved in a matter of minutes by a large core audience.

4.The best solution for this particular problem is to built an experience that develops over a longer lifespan. Of course larger budgetary resources are required for this particular model. Take for example the Tron ARG (Alternative Reality Game) Flynn Lives, which took place over a two year period (from the time the movie was first announce at Comic Con until right before the movie was released).


5. The group also discussed the problem of a Transmedia experience living beyond an ARG lifespan. If built correctly, and ARG experience can live online for future generations of fans to discover and enjoy. The film Eagle Eye still holds in its website an interactive game that mimics the original ARG. You can find it here.

The most interesting questions I heard that night, actually came from a couple of content creators in open forum. These two ladies were wondering how exactly a Transmedia experience could translate to a foreign market, and how they were supposed to cater a property at the end of the day:

  • By Techonology? For example, in Panama (Central America), as of a year an a half ago the number one mobile device was still the blackberry. Currently, most content creators in the US are mainly making applications compatible for the Iphone. Technology discrepancy is a huge hurdle for the International Transmedia community.

  • By Age? Take for example, older demographics. In under-developing countries they still feed from older models of distribution. When you reach across multiple platforms, how much effort do you allocate to each demo? Can you successfully brand an experience without alienating sectors of your audience?

  • By Culture? The first problem that arises is that the property needs to be universal enough to reach a larger international audience. Even then, in order to avoid ‘lost in translation’ problems, the best solution for Transmedia practices is to collaborate with national professionals. This, however, usually involves bigger budgets and resources.


TUESDAY: Fourth Wall Entertainment big press release puts an end to months long gag-order secrecy




WEDNESDAY: I read in the Variety paper (yeah, the actual paper!) the announcement of the Transmedia property: The Runner by Disney/Imagine Entertainment

Press Release Deadline NY

Press Release The Wrap

Press Release Variety

THURSDAY: The Film Finance Forum West wrap up hints to Transmedia future for Indies Films

“Peterson and others at the 3rd annual Film Finance Forum West, presented by Winston Baker in association with Variety, agreed that instead of going to one entity to distribute content across theatrical, homevid and digital platforms, producers are better off splitting the rights among different entities.”

Full press release here.

FRIDAY: SXSW Kicks off, Transmedia goes wild.

SXSW is essentially a multiplatform festival encompassing Film, Music, Interactive, etc, which makes it the ultimate Transmedia Festival. Is no secret Sundance is sooo 1999. SXSW is the Festival you want to take your property now-a-days. If you are an indie filmmaker you are more likely to find a deal and better buzz in Austin than in any other Festival year round. The broad audience of true indies, DIYs, hippsters, and geeks makes for the perfect range of talent you want to showcase your property to. Even the Library of Congres is on board.

For the complete list of film screenings click here.

In the meantime, those of us who didn't make it to SXSW this year took solace in playing #SXSTARWARS. Thankfully, Simon Staffans is doing daily wrap up summaries over here.

WEEKEND: Battle LA, a Transmedia win or fail?

Out of all the properties being released this past weekend, many in the Transmedia field agree Battle LA is the biggest disappointement and lost opportunity. The premise alone sets the story in an alternative reality that immediately puts the property in an advantageous position for a ARG type Transmedia experience. However, other than your expected social media buzz, the property lacked interesting efforts at jumping across platforms.

Only two redeeming attempts at Transmedia were developed for the property. First, the 'W.A.T.C.H.'
site disseminated via Facebook, which consisted of a central hub for the property displaying a TV broadcast, videos of eyewitness testimonials, and experts analysis. However, the main problem with 'W.A.T.C.H.' is that it lacks immersible or interactive dynamics.

Second, we have the interactive game featured on the movie's website. However, ‘Unknown Enemy’ lacks story world development and, much like the plot of the movie, consists mostly of ‘shot to kill’ dynamics.

If only 'Unknown Enemy' and 'W.A.T.C.H.' had merged...

Interestingly enough, however, Battle LA debuted amid inadvertent catastrophic circumstances this past weekend that, whether we like it or not, make for a collective consciousness that results in an accidental but Transmedia rich landscape. Gunther Sonnenfeld explores this very thing in his post ‘Lost Angeles’ here.

So, did all these elements combined hurt or helped Battle LA release? The movie, as of Monday morning, stands number one at the boxoffice with 36 million.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/14/last-week-in-transmedia-west-coast-wrap-up#comments 0 Winning Transmedia Property of the Week (Publishing Edition): Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult April Arrglington April Arrglington As I explored in my last blog post, Transmedia practices are slowly spreading in the publishing world. This week I’m excited to put the spotlight on Jodi Picoult’s latest release (March 1, 2011) 'Sing You Home.' [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/10/winning-transmedia-property-of-the-week-publishing-edition-sing-you-home-by-jodi-picoult Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:30:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/10/winning-transmedia-property-of-the-week-publishing-edition-sing-you-home-by-jodi-picoult As I explored in my last blog post, Transmedia practices are slowly spreading in the publishing world. This week I’m excited to put the spotlight on Jodi Picoult’s latest release (March 1, 2011) 'Sing You Home.'

Jodi Picoult is the type of author that is not tech shy. Her website is a media hub for all her properties, where she interacts directly with her fans via twitter, on her forums, with a podcast, a news feed posting latest interviews, and a photo slide section showcasing her book tour photos and candid family pictures.

However, for 'Sing You Home' Picoult went a step further by, not only releasing a trailer for the book, but also an inclusive CD with a playlist of 10 songs to accompany the novel. In addition, Picoult is promoting the property with a multimedia concert tour.



Why is this property a Transmedia win?

1. Picoult is incorporating Transmedia storytelling practices by literally giving her main character, Zoe Baxter, a voice. In the novel Zoe is a music therapist, and it’s her voice that we hear reaching to us by song on the CD.

2. 'Sing You Home' is a controversial property. It touches on miscarriage, separation, homosexuality, alcoholism, religion, in vitro fertilization, and surrogacy. By giving the property an extra layer of engagement, Picoult is able to bring the buzz back to the characters and the story.

3. Picoult’s team was smart enough to release the property in different formats including a hardcover, a paperback, a hardcover & CD combo, audiobook & CD combo, and an ebook edition that includes audio and video readily available for download. Funny enough, the ebook version includes a richer storytelling experience that allows for the music to play along with each chapter, and at 14.99 this is the most affordable format of them all.

All in all, 'Sing You Home' is not a picture perfect example of Transmedia storytelling, but is an absolute great start in the right direction.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/10/winning-transmedia-property-of-the-week-publishing-edition-sing-you-home-by-jodi-picoult#comments 0 Charlie Sheen RUINED the term "Winning" for the rest of us - Showcasing blog categories: Win, Fail or Hot April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/10/charlie-sheen-ruined-the-term-winning-for-the-rest-of-us-showcasing-blog-categories-win-fail-or-hot Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:05:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/10/charlie-sheen-ruined-the-term-winning-for-the-rest-of-us-showcasing-blog-categories-win-fail-or-hot

Winning Property: IP that has incorporated or explored Transmedia storytelling at a basic level at the very least. Baby steps people, I do not expect greatness today... but I’m holding you accountable tomorrow for sure. At least you are appeasing your fans with an Achievment Unlocked! status. Props, you rock.


Failing Property: IP that has multiple elements that perfectly align to develop a great Transmedia experience, however the powers that be for that property are clueless about it’s potential and possibilities. Disappointed fans often refer to this lost opportunity as Epic Fail. Basically, you suck.


Hot Property: IP that is either old and dormant or new and in development that contains those perfect elements for a great Transmedia experience, however the true success for these properties lies in the hands of the powers that be that may or may not be clueless. Only time will tell, grasshopper. In the meantime we are rooting for ya!

The main reason I am doing this is because even though everyone in Transmedia is talking about miss opportunities every day, people across other industries are clueless that this is happening. And it's important to ask content creators, authors, filmmakers, publishers, etc for some accountability. Wake up people! Your fans called and left a voice mail while you were snoozing: 'Don’t you mess with our IP!'

I encourage you to join in the conversation and bring up relevant IP case studies under your radar every time I post one of these three categories. I’m hoping to come up with a graph at the end of the year showcasing Transmedia IP behavior in 2011. Who’s with me?

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/10/charlie-sheen-ruined-the-term-winning-for-the-rest-of-us-showcasing-blog-categories-win-fail-or-hot#comments 0 Slideshow section: Telling it to you like a two-year-old April Arrglington April Arrglington The Publishing Evolution in the Transmedia Age Slideshow. Share & Enjoy! [...]]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/07/slideshow-section-telling-it-to-you-like-a-two-year-old Mon, 07 Mar 2011 23:54:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/07/slideshow-section-telling-it-to-you-like-a-two-year-old The Publishing Evolution in the Transmedia Age Slideshow. Share & Enjoy!

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/07/slideshow-section-telling-it-to-you-like-a-two-year-old#comments 0 Publishing Evolution in the Transmedia Age April Arrglington April Arrglington http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/03/publishing-evolution-in-the-transmedia-age Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:20:00 +0000 http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/03/publishing-evolution-in-the-transmedia-age
The biggest irony about this statistic is that, at the same time, the publishing industry is at odds with this notion that the Internet is not only killing the music and film star, but is out to bring a horrid death to the author star as well. Pessimists are spreading doom and gloom with ‘Print is Dead’ stickers all over the place because they thrive in feeding from panic. With Borders filing for bankruptcy some say these naysayers are right. But they are wrong.

Borders boat sank from a domino effect that started with a very bad executive decision back in the early to mid 2000s to not go digital. They resisted to put up an online store for years just as Amazon was thriving, not only at selling books online, but adding to that electronics, apparel, music and movies. By the time Borders got with the program it was too late, they were already bleeding losses profusely. Their demise had nothing to do with publishing, and everything to do with resisting change.

Two weeks ago was The Tools of Change Conference in NYC. I didn’t go, but heard that the highlight of the entire conference was Margaret Atwood’s talk on the state of the publishing industry.



As you can tell from her slideshow, the new consensus is that publishing is not dying. What is dying is the old business models that are not relevant to the new emerging technologies at the forefront of the consumer market.

So what are the new business models that actually translate to profitability, you might ask? Well, in the words of Atwood herself:

“... we are in the midst of a sea change in transmission tools, the likes of which we have not seen since the Gutenberg print revolution. As with that historical moment, there was a lot of turmoil, and nobody could foresee all the consequences.”

There are many new business models popping up everyday that are constantly changing and adapting to better serve specific properties. Here are some examples of this fragmented phenomena:

  • Novelr highlights how Amanda Hocking has taken the stigma out of self-publishing. She is the living proof, Techdirt reports, that authors can actually make a living by releasing cheap ebooks. Hocking is essentially one of the most successful web fiction authors that has never been traditionally published. Shunned by the conventional publishing model, she was able to skip the way how the publishing pie gets cut (printer, publisher, seller, agent + author) by bypassing print and going straight to digital. Her costs only include the ebook and cover art designer costs, which enables her to pocket most of the profits. Her case study is relevant to us cause she was able to cut a niche for herself in the YA market by using trailers to promote her book series, and engaging directly with her fans with social media. These sort of practices, as Simon Pulman illustrates, are becoming more and more common. To top it all, one of her properties has jump the web fiction driving platform and has been optioned for a film.


  • Atwood, in her slideshow, also explored Mark Jeffrey’s case study of the Max Quick Series. Jeffrey released his property ‘Max Quick: The Pocket and The Pendant’ as a free podcast first, sold an app, self-published on Lulu and then, and only then, got a deal with Harper Collins. His site for Max Quick is essentially a social hub for fans of the property.


  • Last in my list, but certainly not least, is the Patick Carman’s Trackers Series, which encompasses a series of short films, puzzles, texts and video games that drive and complement the novel series. Carman was also able to secure a film option with Intrepid pictures for a couple of his properties.


What all these case studies have in common is the innate ability of these authors to use Transmedia strategies to publish their properties, in some cases not even realizing that this is what they were doing. These authors were forced to think outside the box, and because of all the approachable technologies at their disposal they were able to succeed.

Technology, however, is still changing. Which means that new strategies are bound to come into the fold. Examples of built-in Transmedia technologies are already surfacing. The creators of Alice for the Ipad are working with Random House so that in the near future all books will look like a fictional version of what Wired Digital is doing for the Ipad.





Following that trend most publishing houses are now following in those footsteps. Other industries are doing the same.

This is all very cool and exciting, however different apps for different properties bring up the problem of a saturation of proprietary technology. Thankfully, Simon Pulman over at Transmythology explains on his post ‘The Future of Publishing’ how this problem will be resolved in the future:

“Ten years from now, such proprietary technology will be unnecessary – all eReaders will have interactive and video sharing capabilities built in. Additional elements will provide new revenue possibilities, either in the form of an elevated purchase price (subscription model) or microtransactions that enable readers to access more content on a pay-as-you-go basis. Readers will maintain an account, either with an aggregator such as iTunes/Amazon or directly with the publisher.”

Did you get this? Publishers will cease to be the ones nagging authors to promote their properties across social media, and become IP curators ready to use Transmedia to turn properties into rich story worlds. They will become like mini studios catering directly to fans! Believe it or not this mini studios notion is already happening in the way of publishing collectives, like Mischief & Maygehem. This particular group hasn’t jump into Transmedia yet, but at least their heart is set in the right place.

This idea of publishers becoming IP curators will also solve the other problem that self-publishing poses, which Atwood also mentioned in her talk, of how most authors are bad at self-promotion and not all of them know how to diversify by themselves. I think that it’s OK if some authors are more dependant in publishers than others. At the end of the day, cutting the publishing pie in two (author + publisher) is way better than cutting it in five (printer, publisher, seller, agent + author).

The most important thing to understand from all of this is that you can’t expect to build an audience just by signing up to facebook or twitter. These are just marketing tools. At it’s core, Transmedia exists to serve the story. In order to succeed at implementing Transmedia you need to use technology to drive the story forward, and not viceversa. Cause the story, and the way you put it out there, is ultimately what your fans are going to crave and want to pay for.

That been said, I’m pretty confident when I say that publishing is not dead, mainly because the human interest in stories is not dead. If 72-year-old Margaret Atwood can somehow get that the future stands in Transmedia, then so should you.

]]> http://thearrglingtonjump.com/blog/2011/03/03/publishing-evolution-in-the-transmedia-age#comments 0