I’m currently working on an exciting new cross-media project. I can’t go into exact details yet but I can say that it’s big. It came out of the experimentation that we did with Hope is Missing last fall. Cross-media has become a focus for me. I find the concept of telling stories across multiple mediums and devices not only exciting but a necessity. In many ways it mirrors how media consumption is changing and gives a degree of power to the audience to choose how and where they enter the story.

Yesterday I spoke on a panel about alternative models of distribution. The panel got me thinking about how cross-media storytelling is exactly what traditional distribution needs. Sure traditional distributors have experimented with day and dating a film but the future of media distribution resides in the ability for the audience to have total control. I’m sure that the thought of the audience taking control would send shivers down the spine of many executives and filmmakers alike but when the audience takes over amazing things can happen. Not only will they help to spread the media they will amplify and extend the story. This can be seen within fan fiction where fans build out storylines and publish their own works for other fans to share. Creating a conversation with the audience and allowing them to not only consume but to also create has the potential to develop new revenue streams for filmmakers, revenue that can be found in the cracks of what some would argue is a crumbling traditional model.

I recently returned from SXSW

Answering questions after a SXSW panel. – photo by Mike Hedge

During the festival I spoke on two different panels about the work that we’ve done around HT. The first panel was on “Digital Cinema for Indies” moderated by Scott Kirsner of Varitey and cinematech the panelists included

Ted Mundorff CEO, Landmark Theatres

Josh Green VP, Distribution, Emerging Pictures

Russell Wintner Pres, WinterTek Inc

Christian Zak VP Indepedent Feature Svcs, Technicolor

The second panel was entitled “Independent Film Distribution: It Takes an Online Community” Here’s a description from the SXSW catalog. “Tech-savvy filmmakers are redefining “Indie.” Learn how to use interactive technologies to distribute your film and build community. Susan Buice (Four Eyed Monsters), Arin Crumley (Four Eyed Monsters), Brett Gaylor (Opensourcecinema.org), Micki Krimmel, moderator (Mickipedia.com), Lance Weiler (Head Trauma)”

AN INTERVIEW:
Christy Dena, a cross-media entertainment strategist, mentor, designer, writer and PhD researcher conducted an interview with me for her universe creation podcast. In the detailed discussion we cover a variety of subjects with a focus on the creation of story worlds. To listen click here