Every conference has its “sleeper” session. At the XML Film X-tended conference day, everyone agreed that transmedia has reached the tipping point and (going forward), media properties will be evaluated in terms of their ability to generate revenue across a range of platforms.
Then out of the blue, Gavin McGarry, last speaker at the end of the day when most people were heading to drinks, got the crowd’s attention.
The thing that made Gavin McGarry stand out was the completely matter-of-fact way in which he presented his pitch for Jumpwire Media, a company that accumulates data about illegal file sharing and sells it back to the copyright holders.
The team at Jumpwire have found a way to track TV and movies downloaded via the Bit Torrent platform. For a fee, they can tell you how many times your show has been downloaded, where, and what you can do about it.
Bypassing the dubious source of his data, Gavin invites content creators to use his data to find receptive audiences.
A sample case study on Jumpwire’s website shows that the programme Being Erica was heavily downloaded in Poland and Russia the day after it was released on US TV.
Gavin invites the producers to get the programme into the legal media market to capitalise on pent-up demand in those countries.
Gavin even advised us on the best platform for downloading torrented content. It’s VUSE, if you really want to know. More data for Gavin.
Contrast this approach to the one coming out of the AFACT consortium as reported last week in Media Wave.
In an interesting parallel from the other side of the fence – some trans-media content creators are publishing a Peer to Peer edition of their films.

Nathan Mayfield - Hoodlum
TV is not shrinking, but online is ubiquitous. The future of TV is online.
The crossover between games and linear entertainment is the sweet spot for Aust content creators.
There’s a misconception that this content is for GenY - content for older demographic is viable.

Consumers don't want to pay, but they don't want to miss out.

A couple of signposts to the future of online content:

Community Channel - Sydney based YouTube channel with huge audience.
Shane Dawson - YouTube comedy content with big audience.

Suzanne Stefanac
The Bannen Way - example of Sony/Crackle series which is pointing to a more serious direction in online video.
Crowd-sourced content example from Radical Media - Johnny Cash video

Josh Shore
Showed Illuminated - a multi-platform release for a brand.
This is a project of immense ambition which is worth a close look. Illuminated is a bit like The Secret as a trans-media project.
Advice to content creators - use a graphic novel to get studios interested in your feature project. Execs don't read scripts. If it gets to first base, produce Animanga - light animation with soundscapes.
Crowd-sourced expertise gives you a cost-effective production methodology plus intelligence about global sensitivities and proclivities.
“USB-stick-in-a-crystal” merchandise - The Secret missed out on this one!
Use Torrent sites to deliver lo-res version of your project and upsell downloaders to HD version. The community is the asset.
The OMG why didn’t I think of that? moment for me was dreamcatcher.net – a shared dreaming platform, running parallel to Illuminated. Launching this week.

Jeff Gomez Starlight Runner Entertainment
Transmedia has evolved - the early models had pieces that didn't fit together. The new versions result in a property where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
We are at a Golden moment in transmedia - but creators need to establish authorship.
Transmedia storytelling is conveying messages to a mass audience by artful and well planned use of multiple platforms.
Money is being left on the table with some major properties (eg Star Trek) because the various corporate partners are reluctant to jeopardise their existing revenue base.

Pitching methodology