Collaborative Films - Help? Hype? Hubris?

Angel room - 11:30am

Prom Queen (vuguru)

http://www.promqueen.tv/episodes/watch/2

• Create an online series of 80 (90 second) episodes and distribute via social networks
• High school drama
• 80 x 90 second episodes, forums, Myspace character pages
• Launched on Myspace then on other social networks
• 1 investor - Tornante + sponsorship deals
• Pros - feature length story, well funded, Myspace integration
• Cons - DRM only downloads
• Status - Season One released, Emmy Awards
• Next steps - Season Two...

A Swarm of Angels (ASOA)

http://zero.newassignment.net/filed/interview_matt_hanson_director_crowd_funded_open_s

• "create a £1 million film ($1.95M) and give it away to over 1 million people using the Internet and a global community of members."
• Story genre undecided
• 1100 investors to-date (paying £24 each)
• Status - Online conversations. Teaser and promotional material. User-generated content initiatives.
• Next steps: Web promotion, script development
• Pros - Online forums, marketing, Crowdsourced film concept
• Cons - Expensive community management, "Too many cooks" criticisms

Sanctuary (MOD Films)

http://modfilms.com/sanctuary

http://zero.newassignment.net/filed/interview_michela_ledwidge_modfilms

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michela/sets/72157600324224237/show/ (not public)

• "A film you can fuck with" - develop a new story universe like a MMORP starting with malleable high end content.
• Virtual reality
• 11 minute film, virtual studio platform hosting all production material under version control (approx 1TB)
• 2 investors - part funded by NESTA Invention award and Australian Film Commission
• 100 contributors
• Pros - Expensive production values, Creative Commons clearances, small team
• Cons - Expensive production values, long timescale (project commenced 2004)
• Status - VFX post production, virtual studio closed alpha
• Next steps - film release, virtual studio release

Studio systems

vuguru

http://vuguru.com

• a.k.a. Hollywood - vuguru owned by Michael Eisner (ex Disney CEO)
• online storytelling = advertising and marketing
• IP is All Rights Reserved
• DRM - e.g. Prom Queen downloads required Amazon Unbox DRM - [[http://www.boingboing.net/2006/09/15/amazon_unbox_to_cust.html]Boingboing review]
• Pros - Advertiser funding model emerging
• Cons - same old same old

MOD Films

• independent experimental business model
• online storytelling = opportunity to explore new forms and empower audiences
• Aim to make IP more accessible and help stories to stay alive longer. Sanctuary (CC licensed) is case study in open film content
• DRM is defective by design. Horses for Courses (using b3d engine) is case study in film vendor lock-in
• Pros - grassroots support for open film content (like ASOA) , synergies with open source movement,
• Cons - early days, no advertising = little revenue