OTT & Transmedia

Really cool that instead of using funding limitations as an excuse to stop, you and the team found creative ways to launch the brand and create intellectual property that you can continue to build around. Awesome lesson for creatives. There is always a way when you believe in your creative vision. Thanks for sharing, Terrence Sellers!

Congrats on getting your first chapter published Terrence Sellers! What's the next step for you on this project?

Nick Waters We will be releasing the first 3 issues of the comic series in August and the second chapter of the novel. From there, we will continue to release chapters of the novel monthly and issues of the comic bi-weekly.

Will Maurer hi Will, I’ll DM you with more context of the story.

Hi Will Maurer! Thanks for doing this AMA! I would love to know if there's been a particular transmedia project you've loved working on and what it was that made it such an exciting project?

Hello Emily, apologies for the delayed response! What a great final question.

I've worked on quite a few projects where we've developed a transmedia strategy that I really loved creating, including projects for Stan Lee, The Humphrey Bogart Estate, Happy Madison, NBC and Disney. My particular favorite is still in development, but the stories branch into music and digital+physical theme parks, which are really quite unique mediums to expand our stories across. I'm hoping to be able to share more info on this project soon. I'm very excited about it!

@everyone - WOW! What amazing questions, and what a fantastic community that I got to share my day with. I really hope that everyone was able to gain some meaningful insights from this AMA.

Until next time...

Thanks again for having this AMA, @Will Maurer! And thanks for all the phenomenal answers! Have an incredible weekend.

@Fran Harris (sorry, tagging isn’t working) but the likes of Pluto are good for consumers, but not for producers of content, which was my point. They don’t appear to be commissioners of content, but curators of it.

@Travon Toussiant (yup, you guessed it, no tagging…again) yeah, it does have that feel of what goes around comes around, doesn’t it?! For the consumer there’d be no change in viewing experience, as network TV is jammed pack with ads. I will have to dig deeper into Pluto TV to check out their buying model, unless anyone on here knows if they take on Indie Produced films?

UPDATE: I’ve contacted Pluto TV and asked them about content partnerships and indie producers. I’ll let you know when/if I hear anything back.

Pluto was at one time an independent company. Like Vudu, it was purchased in 2020 by Paramount (Vudu by NBC owned Fandango) the moment the antitrust order was vacated against the studios by the DOJ. Overnight it became a major studio platform. To my knowledge you must be distributed by one of the majors or their own subs to get on Pluto (and Vudu) - which answers the question, if you ever asked yourself, why you see it leading with the same titles as you see on other major platforms, rather than independent. Tubi's title timeline has been changing as well, since they were bought by Fox.

I'm a big fan of Pluto. But I'm on a very tight budget. I've noticed Paramount uses Pluto to stir up interest in shows on their streaming service also in their new release movies. All the Mission Impossible movies show on Pluto with ads for the new MI movie. I think it's a good advertising platform.

This is fantastic, thanks for sharing!

Love this! Thank you for sharing, Will Maurer! The Witcher has been such a great transmedia franchise to follow over the last few years! I haven't had a chance to start the new season yet, but I'm hoping to this weekend.

I love this Will Maurer . Whenever I create an IP, it's with transmedia in mind. One of them (Haven of Dante) has a lineage with others owning the mantle before her all the way up to Dante Alighieri. And in order for one to earn the mantle, they must travel through the terraces of trials somewhat like Geralt and make their way out before they can start their journey.

What an amazing group of innovators and thought leaders on that panel. This is a a great share and I recommend everyone dig into this as this topic needs constant discussion and attention. Thanks, Ashley!

I think they're gonna be great as Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane, Ashley Renee Smith. They have the looks and talent.

James Gunn, is certainly a "big name", international figure, it will be a highly anticipated film, particularly after the relevant highlights, that was given. Both actors according to general comments, "They certainly have the looks and abilities, for their roles". The suspense, will interesting!!

Rachel Brosnahan seems like an inspired choice for Lois Lane. Excited to see her inhabit that role. I'm not as familiar with David Corenswet's work but like way back with Christopher Reeve it can be great for Superman to be a fresh face. Very cool.

I completely agree, Sam Sokolow! It's a great opportunity to have a newer face and perspective on Clark Kent.

I will probably sit this one out.

While I'm not a huge fan of Henry Cavill. He got a bad deal as they insisted he quit The Witcher series in order to do the next Supes movie ONLY to them dump him AFTER he'd made the public announcement about leaving the show.

This looks so cool, Sam Sokolow! I can't wait to check this one out.

I'm excited for this one, Sam Sokolow! I haven't been able to find a lot of info on writing video games, so this webinar's gonna be helpful!

So excited for this webinar - such an incredible career path for writers!

It's a terrific idea and the conversation needs to happen given where we are. Good luck with it, Ami!

@Ami Sounds a cool idea, I'd definitely join as a participant & reader but I'm no good at technology if needed to make co creations, for my own material others are executing it. Agree with @Sam "given where we are", with ever morphing Transmedia, Web 3 and the metaverse possibilities for growth are becoming encyclopedic.

I think this sounds pretty cool, Ami!

I"m interested to learn more

Marvel movies, Will Maurer. And "Godzilla," "King Kong," "Transformers," "Indiana Jones," etc. Basically, epic movies.

Emily J, I had the same thought! I would love to be in the Star Wars world if I could do something fun, but I would likely end up being a random crew member or with a boring office job for the Republic or something.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Always been a dream.

Sam Sokolow, that would be such a fun world to get to explore and play in!

I'm gonna go with Star Trek. Though Harry Potter would definitely be cool. Even "Lower Decks" makes it look cool. Though I'd still have to get a job on a ship!

Great thanks for sharing I'm keen to hear what Thomas has to say.

Of interest to everyone is that the US Copyright Office has taken the official policy of denying copyright registration to AI generated content. The reason, which is in line with copyright law, is that copyright has always and only been a limited time protection for human expression. So those who have imagined they can use ChatGPT or other to write their stories & scripts for them will be out of luck - as such content is NOT "IP". As well, the way those AI systems work is by comparing and copying, despite the term "generative" - which means that by definition an AI generated story line is old, overdone, and without a doubt violates one or more other writer's copyright. ON ANOTHER POINT - the tentative agreement the DGA reached with the AMPTP stipulates in it that AI cannot and will not be used replace a human or human work for any DGA production, since AI is not human. This all seems to be going in the right direction to me.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg makes a lot of sense to me

I am really looking forward to this one!

This is so helpful right now, thank you, Sam Sokolow!

It's relatively simple. How many people $, how much equipment $, and how many hours $ to a finished product? Then add at least %20.

It’s the age old question… how much does a house cost? Well… how big is the house, where is it located, what are the amenities, decor, et al. Like any project it comes down to the ambition of what you are creating and what it’s immediate purpose is. I always recommend making lists of your resources and then penciling out a budget and production schedule and then can make a reasonable assessment of the costs of either project (or any project, for that matter) and make an informed decision.

thanks everyone ! lots of good points. i'm so busy writing content that to take time to produce the game, means i need the help with that.

I agree with Sam. I also think most money people are looking for franchises.

Bulent Hasan To be honest, and with respect, the question itself indicates that you are not focused on what you want to create. You can't sell a generality to anyone. A game is not a film is not a series is not a novel is not a comic. I would say focus on what you want to create and what media you want to create it in first, and do that. Worry about transmedia franchise later if you find traction.