Jeff Gomez’s “8 Defining Characteristics of Transmedia Production”
A few posts ago I mentioned the new blog, The Extratextuals, and an (at the time) upcoming event . The session was put together by Jeff Gomez:
Jeff Gomez (Moderator), CEO Starlight Runner Entertainment
As the host of the seminar, PGA member Jeff will familiarize producers with the history, criteria and relevance of trans-media storytelling. An expert in the field of trans-media development and creator and producer of highly successful fictional worlds, Jeff exponentially increases the value of intellectual properties by preparing them at early phase to be extended across a wide variety of entertainment platforms. Jeff has written and produced elaborate trans-media universes (including content such as feature and episodic animation, video games, comic books, novels and web portals) for 20th Century Fox, The Coca-Cola Company, The Walt Disney Company, Acclaim Entertainment, Mattel, Hasbro and Scholastic. (bio from The Extratextuals)
Check out Starlight’s company description:
Starlight Runner Entertainment, Inc. is a leading creator of highly successful fictional worlds, maximizing the value of intellectual properties by preparing them for extension across multiple media platforms.
Starlight Runner produces animated and live-action feature films, as well as advanced media content. The company also packages books, comics and graphic novels, and develops video games and alternate reality experiences with world-renowned partners and clients.
The Producers Guild of America blog reports on Jeff Gomez’s insights at the ‘Creating Blockbuster Worlds’ event:
The 8 defining characteristics of a transmedia production:
- Content is originated by one or a very few visionaries
- Cross-media rollout is planned early in the life of the franchise
- Content is distributed to three or more media platforms
- Content is unique, adheres to platform-specific strengths, and is not repurposed from one platform to the next
- Content is based on a single vision for the story world
- Concerted effort is made to avoid fractures and schisms
- Effort is vertical across company, third parties and licensees
- Rollout features audience participatory elements, including:
– Web portal
– Social networking
– Story-guided user-generated contentExamples of contemporary trans-media properties include: The Blair Witch Project, The Matrix, Hot Wheels: World Race / Acceleracers, Bionicle, Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, James Cameron’s AVATAR, many Disney projects including High School Musical, Pirates of theCaribbean, Fairies, Hannah Montana.
Great! I love reading how other people describe the form. I’ve described it in so many different ways according to my audience. I agree with all that he says though I’m wondering why he says three or more platforms rather than just two? I guess that fits in the franchise approach that he is working in. But of course, the continuation of a property across media platforms is not the exclusive domain of conglomerates.