OTT & Transmedia

The place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice to OTT - "Over the Top" streaming and Transmedia – the technique of telling a single story or story across multiple platforms including, but not limited to, games, books, events, films and television.

Visionary Filmmakers Beat Major Studios To Metaverse With First Production Office In Crypto-based Decentraland

Diamond’s Dark House LLC and Diamond Shadow Productions Inc. are the first professional film companies with an official presence in the “metaverse.” The companies are opening a studio office...

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Visionary Filmmakers Beat Major Studios To Metaverse With First Production Office In Crypto-based Decentraland

Diamond’s Dark House LLC and Diamond Shadow Productions Inc. are the first professional film companies with an official presence in the “metaverse.” The companies are opening a studio office and outlet store in cryptocurrency-based Decentraland. They are working with other companies there to reach global markets.

The initiative is headed by visionary director-producers Diamond Monique Washington and Shadow Dragu-Mihai. They are behind ground-breaking film properties including the much anticipated Eartha Kitt C’est Si Bon, as a directing team, and Diamond Monique Washington’s upcoming dark fantasy The Rabbit Hole. They join other forward-thinking companies like J.P. Morgan, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Bank of America and others, who all have offices in Decentraland.

No other professional film production companies have entered the space. Following Facebook’s rebranding as “Meta,” animation firms Pixar and Epic games announced their future work would be "metaverse friendly." The announcement seems to have been intended to attract attention to Epic Games’ animation product Unreal Engine by associating the term metaverse with the Meta brand. They do not have an active business presence in the decentralized metaverse.

Meta itself has not expanded into the space, either, possibly because it requires them to leave their controlled platform. “The metaverse is actually a decentralized world that has grown up for years with advances in block-chain technology. It’s not a product you can brand. Meta is years behind the times if they don’t understand this,” says Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Executive Director of the International Independent Producers Guild.

Why move into the space now? Diamond Monique Washington answers, “It’s about reaching my audience where they are at. With my brand of dark fantasy and horror at Diamond’s Dark House, there is a large crossover in demographic. People in the metaverse like what I create.”

Says Dragu-Mihai, “The major studios haven’t moved into the space because they think digital technology is about control. But it's about communication, not control. Digital technology has permanently lost them control over distribution, and they are failing in the same way as the major music industry did some 20 years ago. A measure of how much trouble the majors are in is that studios like Disney may be bought out by computer companies. That’s what happened when the music industry lost control of distribution. That’s what is happening in film now. Independent film producers are about to rise again, and Diamond Shadow Productions is at the forefront.”

The Decentraland office will highlight the dark fantasy work of Diamond’s Dark House. It

will offer branded media created especially for audience in the space. The initiative is represented by Legio XIII Imprimatur Inc. All inquiries should be directed to them.

Hi Everybody, I am a geek too. I am currently working with AWS and Blockchain. I have some ideas about providing sustainable housing and meaningful blockchain development and artisan jobs. Especially to people attempting to escape human slavery, addiction, violent marriages, etc. I do everything fro...

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Morgan Aitken

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1 person likes this
- Elaine Haygood
2 months ago

In camera VFX -- holy kapoosta, I am so all over this!

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Morgan Aitken
2 months ago

Yeah, it was used in Mandalorian for environments, too. Reduces the cost of CGI from about $1500/finished second to about $1100 a finished second, which is substantial.

Shellie Schmals

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3 people like this
2 months ago

She's an interesting choice for the honor. I wonder who the other jury members will be? and from what part of the industry they'll come from.

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Owen Ratliff

Yes we create your Avatar when you sign up and viewers can talk to each other during the fight. This particular event the broadcasting of the fight kept the viewers engaged. Here is a sneak preview in...

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Maurice Vaughan

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2 people like this
- Shellie Schmals
- Elaine Haygood
2 months ago

The metaverse boxing match promo looks incredible, Owen Ratliff! Congratulations on getting the opportunity to make it and congratulations on the upcoming metaverse Super Bowl game!...

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Maurice Vaughan
2 months ago

I have so many questions about the Metaverse! Do you create one avatar that can be used in multiple worlds? Or do you create a new avatar when you visit a new space?

We create an Avatar for our world only. Yes you create a Avatar when you visit a new metaverse world if they have that capability.

Thanks Owen Ratliff!

Morgan Aitken Essentially, consider that Decentralized and similar platforms (we're putting a presence on other as well) are a virtual world, literally mirroring the brick and mortar world, through in an interface which is like a game interface. You could consider it a kind of game of The Sims, except that, since it is real life, there's no game. People do in it what they would do in real life. There is the element of escapism of course, from the physical world. But as this so-called "metaverse" is maturing, people are actually doing what they do in the physical world, and for the same reasons. One of those reasons is to make money. That is Facebook/Meta's problem - and the problem for all businesses - it's not a product you can exploit, it's another territory to be active in. An alternate reality which is already growing and maturing. Facebook/Meta could participate in the metaverse, like everyone else, but it cannot sell it or control it. Decentraland is not actually a platform, which would exist on centralized servers. It's a virtual experience, built on decentalized crypto-technology. Therefore, the "servers" exist on dozens of nodes across the planet.

BUT to answer your actual questions: (1) one views the media by enterting Decentraland. You need an ETH wallet address to be able to buy/sell but you can actually just go to decentaland.org and enter from there. (2) The experience is 3D, still rudimentary to my eyes, but getting better. (3) Therefore the media is built into the models, avatars, etc. (you see it as you would any graphic) and we can stream audio and video content. In fact concerts from Ozzfest and others have already been streamed there. So it streams to your device or on a screen "in-game" so to speak. It can also be encoded into an NFT. (3) In Decentraland proper, transactions are done thorugh "mana" which is a side-chain of ethereum. You use it on the platform because while there you incur no "gas" fees for transactions. But essentially it is ethereum crypto and you can put it in or take it out as such. (4) At this time, the global daily user base of Decentaland is ~300,000 users (its' growing wildly and other platforms are coming up - there will eventually be links among all of them). That's a lot but not enough to make feature films profitable there by itself. So our presence there will use it for what it is good for - reaching a global audience and creating word of mouth - and distributing NFTs, which the space does make possible. We will get paid in mana of course, and can lik to briak-and-mortar world events and offerings.

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4 people like this
2 months ago

Link to the official press release, going out to news services tomorrow. S32 gets it first!

https://independentproducersguild.org/images/press-release-first-in-meta......

David Santo

This is brilliant! Thank you for the alpha.

Debbie Croysdale

2 months ago

@Shadow Fascinating, so cool this is making creativity literally available in an “alternate universe” and also bypass traditional gate keepers who cannot land grab for mass control. Re your answer to @Morgan seems involvement is less complicated than one may imagine.

P.S “Decentralized” love it, can see slogan on a tee shirt.

Piper Williams

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Christian Nommay
1 year ago

Looking forward to checking this out. Thanks.

HB Duran

Neat, thank you!!

Cherelynn Baker

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Christian Nommay
9 months ago

I think building the world is very important - and- having interactive maps for the audience! Fans love to select a "clan" and area to be a part of deepening their relationship to the story!

Shawn Jackson

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2 people like this
- Christian Nommay
- Elaine Haygood
4 months ago

When I first began to write I was all about hard world building. In fact it was more fun than the writing. The process became more important than the outcome.

In the end it was always a straight jacket...

Steve George

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1 person likes this
- Elaine Haygood
4 months ago

'Lessons From the Screenplay', as a You Tube channel, is quite good. Check that out.

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Maurice Vaughan
2 weeks ago

@Kevin Jackson , you made my day! Crikey, you've made my whole month!!! And it's Linux compatible to boot!

Have you done any storyboarding/artwork with this program? I'd love to see some samples. Cheers, mate!

Kevin Jackson

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3 people like this
2 weeks ago

Yeah sure I can show you some stuff I have done and possibly my students too. You can draw the storyboard panels or use built in blank 3 D models you can slightly modify. You can also export to your favorite drawing programme.

Ami Mariscal

Wow, Wonder Unit and Storyboarder seem awesome, thanks!

This is cool software for creating images as well: Ai Art creation https://mid-journey.com/ https://openai.com/dall-e-2/...

Yes Midjourney can be used to generate story board images

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3 people like this
3 weeks ago

Debbie Croysdale Crypto is just not a usable thing in film. NFTs are flavor of the moment merch vehicles, but of little other use. Aspiring filmmakers are always looking for something to distract them...

Sam Mannetti

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Morgan Aitken
2 weeks ago

Great article Shadow - thanks for sharing.

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1 person likes this
- Elaine Haygood
2 weeks ago

@Shadow Thanks for the update. I'm researching NFT's and how artists use them. It would be great to have a seminar here, so RB if you're reading this? Fascinating though subject is, as a non techie I...

Liora, how are your stories coming along? I’m excited about your ideas!

Liora Farkovitz

Hi Ami, it's coming... I do still write but I find it easier to just talk into the microphone. and I've been messing around with ChatGPT and Dalle2 a lot. This is my Substack page and my first posting...

Aye, here here @Shadow ! Really appreciate your vetting this one. The "family friendly" label is the first red-flag. Just shrieks ALT-RIGHT in my books.

Morgan Aitken I don't see anything wrong with family friendly. Problem is they use the phrase without even attempting to define it, as if it means something. They don't seem to have any actual underst...

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1 person likes this
- Elaine Haygood
3 weeks ago

The trouble with 'family friendly' Shadow, is it's use as a content filter. I'm thinking my family wouldn't fit the definition.

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1 person likes this
- Elaine Haygood
1 week ago

Morgan Aitken I suppose, but again they haven't even indicated what they mean by the term and we all filter our content anyway, right? I have so many content blockers on my browsers that I haven't see...

It all comes down to labelling, @Shadow : Labels, by their very nature are exclusive. And Family Friendly isn't actually a genra. I also agree that LGBTQIA (whatever) isn't a genra either, but discrim...

Elaine Haygood

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1 person likes this
- Morgan Aitken
1 week ago

You DO get that AI Art programs get their base material from stealing the work done by actual Artists on the web, right?

Elaine Haygood , I didn't 'get that AI Art programs ... stealing the work done by actual Artists' -- I do now. Kinda gross. Also Kevin Jackson just pubbed a Stage 32 blog post The Light and Dark Side...

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1 person likes this
- Morgan Aitken
7 days ago

The problem isn't so much the "learning" from the work of others that's how we ALL learn.

But, to scan an artist's work and then pretend as if it's an original piece sucks. And I'm not blaming the software. But, oh do I have some choice words for the Developers.

6 days ago

Words for the Devs... Ooo, I ken that, @Elaine Haygood. My day job, among others, is software engineering/contracing. Especially using AI to predict turbulent flow patterns, stock prediction/probabili...

4 days ago

I have been lucky so far. But, there are several Artists that I follow via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter who have posted about their work being scanned by AI or worse. Stolen by someone who grabbed th...

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4 people like this
5 months ago

Morgan Aitken - love this breakdown, thank you!

Jeffery K Gilchriest

Morgan, you are correct. I might also add that each element must contribute something new to the storyline, and not be a replay of what appears on other platforms. Each "leg" of the eco-system must be...

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1 person likes this
- Morgan Aitken
3 months ago

Elaine Haygood Elaine, I always feel like we are on difference sides of an issue, and I hope I don't annoy you! We both want to encourage people to do their work. My own bias is to focus people on the direct task of film-making and getting to a paying market. To that end, crypto of any kind is just a distraction, and one which may cost them dearly in time, money and effort. As for crypto applications in film generally, I have covered the issues exhaustively in my article at https://independentproducersguild.org/blockchain-in-the-film-industry - but to make a long and technical story short, there is absolutely no film producing or distribution application for crypto. Apropos Decentraland specifically (the notes by the poster doesn't seem to know how much money has been LOST in Decentaland in the last couple years - it's way move volatile that real estate), I have been involved in it for a couple years, including discussions with the developer/operators on potential distribution applications, and there is really nothing useful there. Let me clarify this though because it is confusing for most people. First, the actual learning curve to understand crypto and finance is steep - it's adding the issues of niche markets, coding, international cultures and peculiar securities laws onto the already byzantine legal & accounting issues of film finance. Second, Decentraland is essentially a decentralized game of the sims with you as a sim, and "mana" is an in-game crypto-token. It is not money, though it can be taken out as money - and that process is becoming highly scrutinized by law enforcement (and taxing authorities). Third, streaming of filmed content can be done in-game, as has been possible for quite a while now, but Fourth - crypto enthusiasts are not in the entertainment buying business - they buy, accumulate and speculate on crypto. That market simply does not cross over into the paying audience crowd, which is the only crowd a filmmaker should be interested in. Finally, the copyright, SEC and union rules which govern distribution and film finance are ripped apart in this scenario as those rules are far enough behind the tech to be unclear, but applicable enough to be legal minefields. The active users on Decentraland are 300,000 or so, scattered around the entire globe, so the active paying market for entertainment content, based on experience and established internet conversion rates, would put the possible sales to somewhere between ~30 and ~300, possibly less depending on cultural and language issues which are, by the nature of Decentaland, impossible to estimate. There is no observable crossover from such a platforms into actual paying markets so far that I know of. So for the work that would go into integrating with such a platform... no, it's not a reasonable option. HAVING SAID THAT, I have developing structures which may extend the reach of Eartha Kitt C'est Si Bon by creating a super-exclusive streaming experience in Decentraland. It is experimental and the ONLY reason I can consider it is because of the high profile of Eartha Kitt, and because there is a possibility to gamify the experience which would appeal to crypto enthusiasts. The purpose being to break new ground with a recognizable film, not to make money by this very, very narrow venue itself (because it is not possible to make money there).

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3 people like this
3 months ago

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq - fantastically useful info! This is great. I am a trader, not in crypto or forex, but stocks, bonds, futures, options... booooooring stuff. I totally see where you are coming...

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Morgan Aitken
3 months ago

Morgan Aitken Thank you. Consider that a platform such as Decentraland is by definition an allegory to the brick and mortar world - though populated with and built for people who are crypto speculator...

Morgan Aitken Further to my last comment, watch for my announcement next week here and on "your stage" lounge.

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2 people like this
- Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq
- Geoff Hall
3 months ago

I'm looking forward to it Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq -- have a brill weekend!

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Shellie Schmals
3 months ago

Congratulations on SHAOLIN WOLFMAN being optioned three times, Tom Freyer! And congratulations on being a Semi-Finalist, Finalist, and Winner! The cover looks great!

"I'll either crowd-fund for the r...

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2 people like this
- Elaine Haygood
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Tom Freyer - what a really interesting story! I can see why its getting so much attention. Here's an article I found on the subject >>

https://scriptarsenal.com/blogs/screenwriting-tips/turn-your-scree...

Debbie Elicksen

That's very cool. What an epic cover. I love repurposing content.

I'm currently adapting a screenplay into a Graphic Novel. I'm doing all my art, etc., to save money as artists aren't cheap.

This link is to an article that explains what artists in the Comics Industry...

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