The Alexander Wilson Project Blog

Power to the Pixel - The Pixel Market

2010-11-02T10:37:00.001-07:00

Day 3 - Thursday 14th October

The Pixel Market was a day of hook-ups and meetings. I was there as part of the Pixel Lab contingent along with other teams from the Pixel Pitch finalists and shortlist. We all had the chance to meet with experienced practitioners, producers and commissioners of transmedia productions.

It was great to catch up with the rest of my group from the Pixel Lab. For me the Lab had been such an intensive course that there was a real bond between us.

I should mention them here:

Rob Alexander - The Bow Project
Lena Thiele - Farewell Comrades!
Gabriel Festoc – Clandestino

Look out for their projects.

Brian Newman was our group leader. Great guy. He is very sharp and smart and word-up to him. Check his blog here

Of course I was here specifically to pitch The Alexander Wilson Project.

My meetings:

Michelle Kass - Literary agent
Mickael Ivorra - Orange France
Iain Tweedale - BBC Wales
Pasa Mustafa - Endemol UK
David Varela - nDreams
Morgan Petrie - Creative Scotland

Most of these went very well. There wasn't a whole lot of business to do - it was quite informal but some great leads. For the most part it was just great to bounce around ideas for AWP with people who understand what we're trying to produce and have useful input on that.

So all in all it was great - tiring, intensive and brilliant. Thanks to NFM for providing a contribution towards my attendance and thanks to everyone at PTTP for making it such a valuable and memorable experience.

Power to the Pixel have instigated a great new website resource called the Pixel Report where you can find articles and reference materials and get on the list for a report from the London Forum Think Tank.

http://www.thepixelreport.org/

Power to the Pixel - The Pixel Pitch

2010-11-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Day 2 - Wednesday 13th October

The Pixel Pitch - I was there last year pitching AWP. This year I saw a few of the pitches, it was great to see a shift away from the big conspiracy stories to some whacky art projects (Petrus, The Artists) and ideas that really took the essence of the internet into new dimensions (Socks Inc, Lion Vs Midgets) – the winner was Granny’s Dancing on the Table. Congratulations to Helene Granqvist and Hanna Sköld.

Power to the Pixel - London Event - Speakers and themes

2010-11-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

DAY 01 - Tuesday 12th October

The Power to the Pixel London forum has become the 'go to' event for anyone interested in the future of media in this country. Transmedia, Cross-Media, Interactive, Multiplatform - whatever you call it - it happens here.

Last year I attended for the first time and was amazed to find a whole community of like minded people striving to find the best way forward in new areas of storytelling. Again at the London Conference this year there was an even split between; creating new narratives using technology AND using new technology to improve old media business through distribution, funding and audience engagement.

IT IS FASCINATING STUFF!

Over the last year I have been plugged in to PTTP's various info streams (they keep very up to date on news and business in this area) and was lucky enough to attend the revelatory Pixel Lab in the summer. So my anticipation was high...

The conference delivered on its promise starting with a well considered keynote 'The Gamification of Life' from Arte France's Michel Reilhac.

Go and read, it's great. ---- Or watch it here

Following on was Mike Monello from Campfire, who was a producer of The Blair Witch Project. He gave a fascinating view on transmedia based on his own revelatory experiences (enough to bow out of film making after BWP and concentrate on transmedia) and some great observations about the legendary Coney Island funfair to back it up. His talk was called Babies, Buns and Buzzers.

His 5 main points:

Design for communal experience
Make it tangible
Foster discovery
Make it personal
Build a world larger than your characters

Jean Paul Edwards from Manning Gottlieb then gave a wide ranging talk on technology, culture and brand expectations.

Wendy Bernfeld from Rights Stuff talked about new distribution models – I had heard some of this before at the Pixel Lab – the headlines to think about:

Different windows and regions
Produce shoulder material (extra content)
There are commissioning and broadcaster hold backs
Keep deals non-exclusive wherever possible
Start deal negotiations early

Maureen McHugh from Nomimes is storyteller through and through. She was very astute in drawing comparisons to what has been before and totally on the money in describing the problems and potential solutions she sees in the new areas. She is contributing articles to the Pixel Report - have a look.

Lance Weiler - a regular at PTTP and a visionary transmedia producer in his own right gave a talk about Storyworlds. The most interesting point was about making sure the audience has a beginning, middle and end on each platform. He had some other great points and has produced some great work. Check out http://www.workbookproject.com

Then we were into case studies - I'll cover them quick and put the links inline so you can make your own minds up :)

Keith Quinn from Paramount talked about LXD (Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) - this is a big business/ big budget success in short form and long form. See a report here

Tommy Pallotta - producer of Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly gave a very personal talk focusing on his new project in collaboration with Submarine Channel from Holland - Collapsus - everyone's talking about this one...

Then Steve Gallanan and Dan Garraway from Wirewax introduce their cool interactive video tool.

Jamie King from the innovative P2P distribution network VODO had some great ideas about 'attention currency'.

Rob Mcaughlin from the National Film Board of Canada showed their latest interactive documentary - Waterlife

Joel Ronez from Arte showed Prison Valley

Nuno Berdano from BeActive showed Final Punishment - article here -

TAKEAWAY THEMES FROM THE FORUM

Gameplay
Attention
Experience Design
Replayability

Is the Project dead?

2010-09-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Not dead but severely whacked.

I'll be blogging over here for a while.

Pixel Lab Summation

2010-07-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Pixel Lab was an immense success and I had an amazing time there. I learned a vast amount and it turned my project around. This was the first time that I have seen/heard of/been involved with great transmedia creatives being put together with influential commissioners and business people under the single banner of furthering this new form of storytelling.

As I sat at the last dinner (before running away swiftly from the dreaded 'organised welsh dancing') - I had great conversations around the table about the context of the Lab, transmedia, the wider world of rapidly changing media and what is to come. After 10+ years (many in the wilderness) trying to build a creative career telling stories with new technology I am now starting to feel that the world is catching up and this kind of work will find a home in front of a bigger audience than I have ever dared to wish for.

Lastly a quote from one of my favourite film makers - Stanley Kubrick:

'Sometimes the truth of a thing is not so much in the think of it, but in the feel of it.'

Pixel Lab Diary - Day 5

2010-07-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY 10th July 2010

Plenary Session: "The Games Industry and Cross Media" Ray Maguire

I can't ever really know what it feels like to live in an occupied country but this session gave me a flavour I think. Did Sony turn up in Humvee's? I don't know but it WAS like an invasion force with industrial strength power point tech and little scope for feedback or 'participation'. Interesting stuff mind you - they spent the most part demo-ing Heavy Rain which I have been mad keen to see as I was a big fan of the author David Cage's previous interactive game/film Fahrenheit.

I had a burning question which no b*gger would answer (probably because Ian Ginn who was sitting close by had given them such a roasting with the 1st question)...

Disturbing Fact #113: The internet accounts for 5% of global energy use and will soon eclipse air travel as the most un-eco activity for and on the planet.

...and the pitch gets closer.

Plenary Session: "Established Financiers, New Models" Michel Reilhac, Paul Grindley and Lizzie Francke.

This was fun and interesting - especially Michel from Arte. He filled the room with beautiful quotes that inspire him in the shifting world of transmedia.

'I used to be normal but it drove me mad.'

In comparison Paul was conservative in approach but Channel 4 are heading in the right direction - he even suggested Michel should apply for the new controller's job at Channel 4 - I wish he would too.

Lizzie seemed to be buying into the transmedia idea more than the UK Film Council have previously. Having been around all these guys with AWP 2 years ago I think it's time to try again as the commissioners are catching up it would seem..

Then I had an individual meeting with Monique De Haas - she was great offering good advice and contacts - I hope to continue this conversation and would love to port some of our work into Holland

Group work - practice the pitch - edit the pitch - practice the pitch - edit the pitch - practice the pitch - edit the pitch

Networking Lunch - Mel Exon gave me her iPad to look at Touching Stories - it's not great but I liked it - it reminded me how much I like good interactive video - stuff with agency (Touching Stories didn't have agency) - I guess I'm coming into transmedia with that as my thing - I really love audiovisual media delivered with pizazz(?) and enough attention to detail to make as compelling as a good console game.

Then the Project Pitches - I joined for the second half and pitched AWP - it seemed to go down quite well and there are lots of conversations following on.

Networking drinks - met Ian Tweedale from BBC interactive, Cardiff who is a great guy and I enjoyed talking to him.

Then food (with a tear in the eye - it's over....) and back to my room before the Welsh dancing started - but I still couldn't sleep!

Pixel Lab Diary - Day 4

2010-07-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY 8th July 2010

Plenary Session: "New Revenue Models & New Delivery Partners" Wendy Bernfeld

I had been looking forward to this - and wasn't disappointed. Wendy is really sharp and inhabits a new world of distribution - she works on behalf of networks 80% and producers 20%. The possibilities are endless with a non-exclusive approach it would seem...

Think about:

Different windows and regions
Produce shoulder material (extra content)
There are commissioning and broadcaster hold backs
Keep deals non-exclusive wherever possible
Start deal negotiations early

Plenary Session: "Digital Rights Issues for Cross-Media Properties" Gregor Pryor. Gregor gave a presentation that was an overview of current law, new thinking and issues we all need to consider in the creation of new IP properties.

In summary:

Digital production and distribution is a core business driver for film industry moving forward
Latest production focus is on international cross-media property development
Clear divisional distribution and exploitation strategy attracts financiers
Beware digital seduction

Then a Group Session with Steve Peters. By this time I had radically changed the AWP plan and I tested the new pitch in front of Steve and my group.

AWP Plan - I had been thinking about AWP as a transmedia campaign with various outputs: feature film, game, tv series, mobile, events etc. £750k

New Plan - My thinking now was to have the feature film as the driving media platform - supported by a before and after transmedia campaign. £500k

The pitch went down well - I added in real world objects, 'secret cinema' type events and kept the transmedia delivery small and manageable. Will it stick?

Plenary Session: "The Social Web, Storytellers and Brands" Mel Exon. Mel was really good - she showed a number of key brand/advertising led projects. It was great to get up to date info on this world as it's a minefield to approach from the outside.

It seems that although brands are keen to tell stories, the commissions Mel showed are projects that encourage storytelling - i.e. encourages word of mouth recounting - rather than the telling of a fictional narrative. I can see how this is useful and a pretty solid approach but the pendulum will undoubtedly swing the other way - people always want stories told to them at some point.

I had an individual meeting with Mel Exon - my gambit was should/could I approach brands with AWP? - at last an honest answer from the murky world of brands - probably not! Mel did give me some other ideas and we talked a lot about a potential new wave of interactive video projects (inspired in part by the recent Touching Stories and the AWP team's previous interactive film Crimeface).

Group work - so close to the Friday pitch now and AWP undergoing big changes in my head - practice the pitch - edit the pitch - practice the pitch - edit the pitch - practice the pitch - edit the pitch

Pixel Lab Diary - Day 3

2010-07-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

WEDNESDAY 7th July 2010

I am exhausted by now. I can’t sleep and don’t seem to get a minute to work on the project – let alone to myself.

Plenary Session: "New Business Models & Finance Structures" with Brian Newman, Ian Ginn and Ben Grass.

This session was good but basically it outlined what we all should know by now = there are no rules/ no business models/ no easy answers BUT if you have good material and you can get an audience amassed around your story you can make it work for you.

Brian is very knowledgeable about the indie moviemaking scene in the USA where people are making amazing entrepreneurial moves and breaking new ground using digital/web and new distribution methods.

Ian is a British entrepreneur living in Holland. He didn’t really get around to his business models but told us the tale of his working life which includes 3d holograms, the open source software ‘Blender’, movie producing and now producing web serials with some really interesting technology to help tell his stories.

Ben is producer working in the UK. His company Puregrass have had some major successes making interactive web serials but was very honest about the pitfalls involved in his projects. It was really good to see someone passionate about creating good story and IP and the ways he is making this happen.

Then a Case Study: "Embracing the Audience" - Timo Vuorensola showed us his 2 projects - the incredibly successful "Star Wreck" and the upcoming "Iron Sky" - both made in collaboration with a global audience, check out these sites:

Star Wreck
Wreck a Movie
Iron Sky

Timo’s schtick covered:

Demand
Collaborate
Support
Share

Timo was very funny and enthusiastic – as well as very savvy about what he and his crew are doing.

Plenary Session: "Social Media & Audience Engagement Design" with Monique De Haas. Monique showed some great material from Holland – a TV reality game show where the winner gets a kidney and some footage of a teenage girl throughout her day showing the different touch points we can access an audience through. Then some points on designing for the audience:

Design for entry
Design for repeat
Design for referral
Design for the dive

This was good though the audience were baffled at some points as they had seen some of these concepts delivered differently by other tutors previously in the week so the difference in her approach was seen as confusing. (The funnel diagram was talked about for days.)

We get some time on the project! Group work: AWP is broken by now – I’m getting phased/tired/confused…

Then we have to get on a boat and go across the bay for dinner – which is a lovely idea but I only last about half an hour and get a taxi back to Cardiff to work on the project…

This blog entry is very poor admittedly - will try to revise later - wasn't my best day as you can probably tell...

Pixel Lab Diary - Day 2

2010-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY 6th July 2010

Hit the ground running again.

Plenary Session: "The Cross-Media Challenge: How to produce content for different platforms" - Nuno Bernado, creator of many successful web/TV crossovers talked about his projects: Sofia's Diary, Flatmates, Beat Generation and Final Punishment.

Some wisdom from Nuno:

Remember the audience have different levels of obsession/interest
Find out when your audience are watching – tailor your delivery to them
Plan with military precision
Initial story is broken down between video episodes and interactive activity
Remember a terrible TV show starts with an audience – the best web show in the world starts with none

Nuno’s projects are interesting - not to my taste stylistically but his franchise is on fire with and he repeatedly sells the formats internationally.

Plenary Session: "Shattering the Fourth Wall with Social Media - How the future will tell stories" - Steve Peters talked about his own ARG projects - Why so serious?, Vanishing Point, Dead Mens Tale and Six Minutes to Midnight - then he outlined some golden rules for what the audience want and need.

How to connect-reach-interact with your audience in a meaningful way:

Let the audience touch the story
Let the audience find you – discovery = ownership (but not too stealthy)
Surround the audience – push the story into their lives
Get Bloggers onside
Design so the audience always wants more
Stay out of audience space – let them have ownership
Keep audience interactions positive
Maintain low barrier to entry
Let the audience tell the story to each other
Let the audience feel like they live in the same world your story does
Don’t betray the audience’s trust
Setup the update schedule and maintain pacing, momentum and focus
Let the audience feel smart by letting them do it themselves
Balance the reward with the ask
Let the audience see themselves in the story
Build in viral potential
Keep the essence of the story simple
Voyeurism creates a strong emotional connection with the characters (character blogs etc)
Build in opportunities for UGC

Brilliant stuff – these are great pointers for anybody creating content that will be delivered online or via social networks - please post a comment if you want further explanation of any points.

Also – did you know – Facebook accounts for 25% of all web page views in the USA – that means a quarter of the population only go only as far into the web as Facebook…

Then a group session with Nuno Bernado - Project planning, workflow, schedules. Nuno's background - business models etc. Nuno had the same problems with our delivery schedule as Christy did – uh oh!

Then group session with Jeff Gomez - Creating story universe. Really liked this and got to quiz him a lot - very cool chap. Did Jeff have a problem with our delivery schedule? Yes!

Then Plenary Session: "Transmedia Production - New models and New Possibilities" - Jeff Gomez took us further into his world.

Later, an individual meeting with Steve Peters - great guy – gave me lots of useful tech tips, ARG rabbit hole techniques and more besides...

Ok - so by this point AWP is getting a fair amount of criticism for the proposed schedule - the fact we have put material out already and the way we intend to reversion the material for a feature film version.

Pixel Lab Diary - Day 1

2010-07-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

MONDAY 5th July 2010

Ok - before diving into the week headlong - here's how it works…

The time is split between:

Plenary Sessions - Experts present in main room to all groups
Group Sessions - Experts discuss their subjects and feedback on projects
Group Work - Project teams developing their projects
Case Studies - Projects of interest presented in main room to all groups
Individual Meetings - One to one meetings with experts
Networking - so it goes…

Participants/Projects:

There are 35(ish) participants in the Lab split into 4 groups
Half of the participants have a project (I have one)
Those without a project are assigned a collaborator with a project
They work together to develop the project over the course of the week The projects are pitched publicly at the end of the week

So Monday.... a great day! We started at 9am with Plenary Session: "Creating Blockbuster Worlds" - Jeff Gomez talked about his experiences creating storyworlds. There were some really key points in his presentation:

Telling stories with Transmedia means:

putting ears on your story
platforms become instruments (in the orchestra of the story)
maintaining logic and consistency
using timeless themes – artfully presented
the cultivation, validation and celebration of fanbase
story/platform extensions that maintain integrity of the brand
interwoven stories and continuity over different platforms & product lines
careful market segmentation
coordination, attention to detail and quality is all important
recognising your driving platform
having a creative visionary and IP stewards
storyworlds have to stand up to deep analysis
needing a central message for the storyworld (preferably upbeat & aspirational)
complex narratives need a simple, mythic essence
audience participation without the dialogue becomes propaganda

Jeff was a veritable oracle about the relevance of storyworlds in today’s connected world - and what a good project needs - this is crucial to what we're doing with AWP and Sheerport.

Apologies if the headlines listed above are too abstract without the context of the PowerPoint - I can’t post the power point here but if I can find relevant stuff over the next few days I will amend it here.

Then Plenary Session: "Story Design for the Four Key Cross Media Types" - Christy Dena talking about story and user experience design. I had seen some of her presentation before but it's worth refreshing on a couple of points:

Think: pre experience – during experience – post experience
Wayfinders: orientation of audience – where are they on arrival? what do they need to do now?
Think about including a tutorial

My notes are not that comprehensive but Christy finished her PhD on transmedia recently - you can download it here - she's ace!

Then we had a group session with Erica Motley - "Finance Plan". My project partner Mira Stavela (Deputy Director of Sofia IFF/Art Fest Ltd) and I worked on the financial structure of AWP and put it in front of Erica.

This was a most useful meeting having previously struggled with this side of financing projects - Erica really made it clear in an A B C kind of way - we need to establish partnerships with co-producers and a sales agent. That's how we're going to do it.

Then a Case Study: Alexandre Brachet of Upian showed 2 great interactive documentary projects they created with the web as the primary platform - both worth checking out:

Gaza Sderot
Prison Valley

Then a group session with Christy Dena. Christy thought that the timing of our planned AWP release not being real time causes a problem in the suspension of disbelief. She might be right...

Pixel Lab Diary - Day 0

2010-07-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY 4th July 2010

I make my way to the Pixel Lab, taking "The Alexander Wilson Project" with me to develop and pitch amidst the cream of Transmedia experts from around the globe.

The list of experts/tutors is here:

Nuno Bernardo, CEO, beActive Entertainment (PT)
Wendy Bernfeld, MD, Rights Stuff BV (NL)
Guillaume Blanchot, Director of Multimedia and Technical Industries, Centre National du Cinema (FR)
Alexandre Brachet, CEO, Upian.com (FR)
Christy Dena, Director, Universe Creation 101 (AUS)
Mel Exon, Managing Partner, BBH Labs (UK/USA)
Lizzie Francke, Senior Development & Production Executive, UKFC (UK)
Jeff Gomez, President & Chief Executive Officer, Starlight Runner Entertainment (USA)
Paul Grindey, Head of Legal & Business Affairs (Scripted Content), Ch4 (UK)
Monique de Haas, Audience Engagement Expert, Dondersteen Media (NL)
Ray Maguire, President, Sony Computer Entertainment UK, Nordic, Ireland (UK)
Erica Motley, Film & Digital Consultant, Terbish Partners (USA)
Steve Peters, Experience Designer & Partner, No Mimes Media (USA)
Gregor Pryor, Digital Media Lawyer and Partner, Reed Smith (UK)
Timo Vuorensola, Filmmaker (Iron Sky) & Internet Pioneer (FIN)

The Group Leaders:

Ian Ginn, Producer, Hubbub Media (NL) – GROUP A
Ben Grass, Producer & MD, Pure Grass Films (UK) – GROUP B
Brian Newman, Consultant and Former President, Tribeca Film Institute (USA) – GROUP C (my group)
Michel Reilhac, Executive Director ARTE France Cinéma (FR) – GROUP D

We hit the ground running with an intro at 4pm and by 5.10pm I was pitching AWP to my group. Then meet and greet in the bar, food and now typing up....

Jeff Gomez of Starlight Runner introduces an intriguing central theme to the transmedia storyworld of the Pixel Lab.

2010-07-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

ARG? Not ARG? Read on - Warning: Transmedia themes to follow...

Now I hopefully have your attention. I want to tell you about my serendipitous week at Power to the Pixel's recent Cross-Media Film Workshop, The Pixel Lab.

Jeff Gomez brought the theme of "keiretsu" early on in the week and inspired a brilliantly open approach to information and contacts between all levels of attendance to the Lab - and in every direction. The true meaning of keiretsu I cannot be sure of but I took it to mean something like "strength through the sharing of ideas". (Jeff please correct me if I'm wrong!)

It was inspiring stuff. Christy Dena, Steve Peters, Nuno Bernado and a veritable bevy of transmedia experts also kicked knowledge-transfer ass all week and a good time was had by all.

This coming week I will post the up to date thinking that was disseminated at the Lab on transmedia/multiplatform/interactive stories and film making (did i miss one?) - in the order of events as they happened last week in Cardiff.

There was no ARG there unless I am mistaken.
The Alexander Wilson Project is not an ARG either.

And Then...

2010-07-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

...things started to shift... taking Sheerport and AWP to the Pixel Lab.

Great Online Video Player

2010-06-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

I just found this video player - We're designing something similar already for AWP video - I like the way this one works though - have a look see - check it out when it goes full screen - it's a total video browsing experience...

The News at last...

2010-05-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

We have decided to put a delay on the next round of activity so we can get it right before we start delivery - a somewhat different approach for us but the best thing for AWP.

So the next full on campaign is going to start in September 2010. We're changing the site but the material will be as brilliant as ever.

So more news soon on the collaboration with Live Theatre in Newcastle, Power to the Pixel in Cardiff/London and plans for Summer.

Stay in Touch!

Collaboration

2010-05-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've been alluding to a collaboration in the blog and vlogs for some time and now I can confirm - we're going to be working with Live Theatre who are based in Newcastle to produce the next batch of content, the ONE LONG NIGHT IN SHEERPORT campaign and a theatrical happening sometime in July.

We're very pleased about this and it will be really interesting to see what we can come up with - very excited and will keep things posted here...

1 Long Night in Sheerport

2010-04-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

A very young Announcer? Could be...

I've been busy working and 'celebrating' Easter so not been around here much. Things starting to move again on AWP - all the leads we've been making business wise are seemingly coming together and we're about to start ONE LONG NIGHT IN SHEERPORT - a campaign that leads up to AWP episode 3 EXTRACTION and another live event in Sheerport.

Thanks to you all for taking part so far - there's more coming in the next couple of weeks.

Springtime for Mungo

2010-03-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

We're fighting on a number of (cold) fronts here at the AWP.

But it's been a helluva hellish ride so far!

I'm personally very peeved at myself for missing Feb out on the blog but I was waiting for news that never came - lesson learned I guess - should just keep going on so there's some focus.

So... business as unusual!

The 'design a poster for AWP' has been fab - check out the entries, enter (2 days left) or vote here

AWP Episode 2 'PLAY TAPE' is previewing for Sheerport Citizens - going live soon.

...and keep talking to us - we're definitely on to something and we want you to keep getting involved and keep us on track.

Best Regards from Sheerport Xxx

Beneath Zero in Sheerport 2010

2010-01-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

Behind the scenes we're authoring new content with new characters. Danny Trelson, the Journo and the Mayor. Plus Alex, Becky, The Announcer and Mungo.

I've been recording video blogs but they're all a bit random and crap so have been holding off. Will try and upload soon.

Seen this?
http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1263053163906RA97

You can make your own too - I really thought the idea was well executed.

We'll be running a graphics competition soon and would like to run a soundtrack competition through YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/sheerport

Hook up with us there

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine - Meet your Real Neighbours again! - Sign out forever!

2010-01-05T04:03:00.001-08:00

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine - Meet your Real Neighbours again! - Sign out forever!

This is good too!

And the future of visual storytelling is...

2010-01-05T03:59:00.000-08:00

I really like this guy's illustrations - his name is Austin Kleon - check him out here

Just had to show you this - Gary Hayes Social Web Word Widget

2010-01-05T03:52:00.000-08:00

Get yours HERE

Pre XMAS shutdown

2009-12-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

Signing off from 2009. Still shellshocked from the intense activity December brought forth around the project. Now at the stage of recovering, regrouping and preparing to re-engage with the audience and new contacts we've been making.

It has been odd to be blogging the project this year yet keeping so much information close to the chest. I feel that next year we need to open things out and find a voice for this blog that can talk about the pressing issues of the day as they happen - we're learning so much in this new area of storytelling and we want to share it out and make some new connections.

Can we do it? We'll have to give it a go...

Salut from 2009 at AWP Xxx

Pre Xmas Saturday

2009-12-12T05:27:00.000-08:00

The response to our AWP launch has been amazing so we're heading into the New Year much enthused. Our XMAS 2008 footage is going up really scrappy so we'll have to refine that along the way. Membership is rising steadily - the tech is holding up (though we're crying out for a new server) - and some really interesting partnerships in the offing.

We're talking with a couple of excellent musicians: NSG and James Kelly about using their music for AWP. Both really talented guys, so hopefully you'll get to see the results on a screen near you soon.

We're going to try some new things out next year: new stories, concepts and characters. Not sure how much to say just yet so will assemble my thoughts on it now...

Post AWP Launch

2009-12-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

...that was hard work - but the clips look great!

Last night was frantic, disorganised, late, bizarre and exhausting. I'm writing about the launch of The Alexander Wilson Project' - a special screening of exclusive AWP footage and the shooting scenes set at Alex and Becky's media studies xmas party 2008.

Neil Bell was an excellent compere playing the disengaged tutor Simon Quilter. I'm just running the tapes now and we have stacks of good stuff from everybody.

Thanks to all who contributed and came and saw. Will post media up soon.

Standing up in the kitchen

2009-11-25T14:10:00.000-08:00

that's where I'm writing this...

Strange day (another) getting ready for launch. All sorted with actors and Dawn is helping with some organising which is a huge help. The original Alex Wilson* is helping us edit the half hour edit for the launch which is cool.

*- story to be told at a later date

Lots of dev going on the website - keep checking it and there's a few days left on our first editing competition so if you want to win some cinema tickets, a t-shirt and a mug then get to it but the competition is harsh - check out the entries so far....

I'm booked to do a thing (possibly a workshop?) with Scott Kirsner who has a great book out at the moment called 'Friends, Fans and Followers'. It's in January in Liverpool so maybe seeyou there - should be very interesting - Scott's book is right on the money about the new ways that artists and creators can earn a living by connecting with their fanbase on a global scale.

I'll put links in later as my LT is about to run out of b

AWP in the real world

2009-11-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

It feels like I should write something but not sure what to concentrate on...

We're getting things ready for the launch event on the 3rd December. We'll be shooting scenes for AWP half the time and screening AWP for the other half - 1 input 1 output same crowd same actors. Could be hard to do but it feels like the right thing.

I can't really give the game away about the scenes we're shooting yet so what's the launch part going to consist of?

Neil Bell will MC the evening in the guise of disengaged media tutor, Simon Quilter who will run a workshop about multiplatform entertainment shows. Then:

Screenings of Alex's and Becky's short film work.
Live music from The Announcer's band.
Special Guest Stars.
Screening of AWP trailer competition winner.
Games and online hocus pocus.
Previews of exclusive AWP footage.
Screening of AWP Episode 1 - MELTEZ.

03-12-09 LAUNCH

2009-11-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

The launch of episode 1 - MELTEZ is coming up fast. There's plenty to do organising the party in Newcastle (or is it Sheerport?), getting ready to go to 5 clips a week with extra content and developing the technology that will really make this project tick-tock in 2010.

The launch party is on the 3rd December coinciding with the public unveiling of the episode on the web here, here and here.

We're shooting lots more footage and heading into the darkside of Sheerport as the story unfolds. We will start running 5 new clips a week soon, soon, soon...

We're still ironing out some issues with the system we're planning to use to deliver the full AWP experience starting in January 2010. Is it a grid, a storyfeed or a world of interactive video you get into for hours at a time - a bit of everything probably.

See G-MAN's latest ideas here:

Episode 1 INCOMING!!!

2009-11-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

It's a dark month of creative differences and resource problems... membership working ok, timelining the next 6 months of material, automating delivery, mixing 2 interfaces together and a launch event to organise... oh fuck I;m writing another list...

be thankful for Tandi in times of stress

Halloween in Sheerport

2009-10-31T02:01:00.000-07:00

Whooo! Scary! I have been blogging the AWP process on the quiet for a while but it now seems like a good idea to open things out. Both in terms of making the blog visible and also using the blog to talk in more detail about what how we're making this sprawling beast of a project.

I guess this new focus is derived from some of the transmedia* projects I have seen recently and the researching of Vloggers and Musicians on Youtube while looking for collaborators for AWP.

I'm astounded at how the barriers have come down and the line between the scene and behind the scene has blurred totally.

What this means I don't really know - let's see what happens.

* latest in a long line of buzzwords

and the winner is...

2009-10-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

not us - some people have no taste!

Power to the Pixel was a really great event. Highly recommend you all attend next year if you are interested in new forms of filmmaking infused with the power that computers and the internet can bring OR if you are interested in new ways of distributing and financing more traditional feature films.

AWP was well received in its fledgling state at the Pixel Pitch - thanks to everyone who supported us and congratulations to the winners of Pixel Pitch - Desedo Films with 'Heart of the City' and best of luck to all the other participants with their projects as time rolls on...

So what's happening with AWP?

Plenty - we've 3 new clips a week going out and we're launching Episode 1 - MELTEZ on the 2nd December 2009. Following on will be 'The Sheerport Convention' where the story will start to unfold - as it should be told.

2 posts in 1 day

2009-10-02T00:50:00.000-07:00

The project has been shortlisted for the Pixel Pitch at Power to the Pixel 2009. Great chance to get the project in front of some interested parties and push further into the public conciousness.

Hmmm

2009-10-02T00:42:00.001-07:00

Re-reading the prvious post from 6 weeks ago and sniggering at life's cruel irony - things have changed again and again - it's all good - the new website is cracking allowing us to throw loads of story and media at it.

There's a bunch of new clips weekly and the story is really startingto happen.

From Bios Mode

2009-08-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

The Sheerport Convention is coming soon. We have had our excellent actors back to shoot some more brilliantly intriguing content: 'Why I Killed Lady Di', 'Remy Da Costa's Foneclip Fiasco' and 'Alex Wilson 2007'.

Counting down to episode 1!

Also enjoying some thoughts from Cluj, Romania - check it out here:
http://www.sectorulcultural.info/etribalart/

Interactive Thriller 'The Alexander Wilson Project' Teaser - Jawbone.tv

2009-07-15T00:52:00.001-07:00

Interactive Thriller 'The Alexander Wilson Project' Teaser - Jawbone.tv

Shared via AddThis

Save Our Sheerport

2009-06-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

a random post from Sheerport where things are on a go slow... that's not to say there's nothing happening... it's been a maddening few weeks with many more revisions to the plan... and there's still a long way to go till we can let the cat out of the bag... there will be some more material soon...

Current Trends in Urban Living?

2009-05-22T12:38:00.001-07:00

A Late Tribute

2009-04-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry Mr Jim for the lateness of this post but I was busy all yesterday. Your influence on this project and the lot of us involved in it is huge and not just in the (ab)use of your name. I am thankful that you were such a prolific writer and there are many of your stories I have yet to read. Dystopian Comfort. We are all still abuzz about your last great work 'Kingdom Come' - who knows where your back catalogue will take us now... You are a shining fucking star!

Read on Viewser

The Best Laid Plans

2009-04-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Signing off for a rest over Easter - the news is good though - we will be in touch soon and you can meet the rest of our characters - you haven't seen much of this project yet because we're making sure it's right.

It's worth noting here a lesson already learned several times before - you can plan and plan and write the script, polish the strategy, ask the experts, consult your audience, run it up the feckiing flagpole, throw on the lake and see if it skims (and you really do need to do all this) but until you see it on that monitor/phone streaming in off the server... you don't know anything - does it work? Probably not.

Why? Because there is nothing like this out there... yet! No reference points - just a feeling in the gut. This isn't just a random stream of nervous twitching. We have been here before.

I NAME THIS SHIP...

2009-04-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

April 1st 2009 - more appearing here soon...

POST PILOT SHOOT

2009-03-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's exactly 7 days since finishing the pilot. It was a great shoot - hard work but we're sure we got it. More to show and tell soon...

Moving Swiftly Onwards

2009-03-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

Casting is now complete - thanks to all involved for contributing their skills and hard work. We were very sorry to let some very talented actors go but we are now sure we have the right cast to go forwards.

So who has been cast ? - we're not going to let you know that yet - you'll have to wait and see...

Shooting starts this Wednesday (11th March 09) - expect the unexpected!

Shortlist

2009-02-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

Following on from last week's exuberance we are having a call back audition this Friday with a shortlist of 5 actors for the 3 main roles. Then we need to be shooting very soon afterwards...

Auditions

2009-02-18T01:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday on the 17th of February 2009 we held the final auditions for the project at DNA Performance Resource in Manchester.

The good news is we have a cast - we are going through the tapes and are very confident we can let everybody know what's happening next by this Friday (20th). The bad news is we saw some excellent people and will be sad to inform some of them that we don't need them at this stage.

But WE HAVE A CAST!!

Casting

2009-02-13T07:47:00.001-08:00

Ok - so now we're casting - newcastle on the 14th Feb and manchester on the 17th Feb. We're seeing about 50 people and heading fast towards shooting the pilot early in March.

We will keep you posted along the way and I also want to use this space tosound off about other projects we like: SufferRosa, Four Eyed Monsters and loads more.

Also look out for ongoing calls for music and other related content which will be happening on a regular basis but for now it's goodnight at 3.55pm

over and out!

Sum explanation

2009-01-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

What is this?

This is a blog about a new interactive film -
The Alexander Wilson Project.

Is it a film?

Yes.

Is it a game?

Yes.

Who is Alexander Wilson?

Who are you?

What is this?

2009-01-19T08:29:00.001-08:00

What is this?

Is it a film?

Is it a game?

Who is Alexander Wilson?

Sheerport Maryland?

2009-01-16T15:47:00.000-08:00

We're in Baltimore... imagine the views... the vistas

Not Baltimore MA - but Baltimore Court, Silver Quays, Sheerport, NE99 1XQ.

Email the Silver Quays Client Liason Department: happytobehere@visitsheerport.com

Let the show begin!