This Is Transmedia

This is so incredibly corny and gimmicky. How is this any different than putting little plastic Transformer toys in Happy Meals? Is he getting paid by Verizon to do this? Where are the Herman Melvilles and Charles Bukowskis of film? Where are they dying and laughing themselves to tears at this?

Umm…I definitely agree with John, this is really gimmicky and quite lame. Why would people want to be involved in this? The story is stale and doesn't offer people anything meaningful. The whole idea seems catered to fifth graders, not adults. Or maybe Mr. Weiler is an elitist that feels like he's so much smarter than his audience that he must dumb his ideas down to them.

Perhaps I can add some relief to commentators here in terms of expanding the conversation on the transmedia. The territory that Ted is exploring is a new producing vision that has been made possible in part by technical advancements such as digital storage/recall and transport capabilities of media. In our case, our transmedia project “Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense” is a four part TV mini-series on Doc Channel USA, Sky Arts UK, Globosat Brazil, DBS Israel, Mezzo France, DR Denmark, TVE, TVC Spain and a feature film that has passed through the festival circuit and AFI's 20/20 program. Also, a DVD/VOD (feature only at this point, four-part series to come, educational version available next month via Naxos) with Indiepix/FilmBuff and a soundtrack in the works with a jazz field guide (ebook & soft cover) also being developed. This multi-stream exploration of narrative is not for short sighted. On the producing side it takes a great deal of effort but if you have a successful platform or brand (Icons Among Us®, next iteration is “Icons Among Us: the eco evolution” on sustainability innovators) then you have established a spring board and or gained brand recognition with distribution flowing through multiple channels. You have to have quality and timely production and narrative values, critical recognition and in our case the entertainment partnership financing to advance. A fictional play that has risen lately is “Carlos” (airing on Sundance as a 5 part series as well as a Comcast VOD feature length after coming over from Europe via TV and Euro Festivals). In addition, the PGA also recently created an official credit for transmedia producer. So, it is becoming a viable path for fiction and non-fiction narratives with the right material, execution and vision. As always it comes down to quality and originality of the filmmaking. Hope my commentary sheds some light on the emerging possibilities.

Transmedia and Lance's work in alternate forms of storytelling may not be for you, but why not just say that? Why the need to hurl a few personal insults around? It's no wonder you guys hide in anonymity. Wouldn't be surprised if all three posts were by the same unfulfilled and resentful person.