seeking transcendence: demystifying transmedia for game developers
DESCRIPTION
[PLEASE REFER TO THE SPEAKER'S NOTES IN THE SLIDES or TRANSCRIPT in the SLIDESHARE VIEWER!] How & why to take a Transmedia approach to creating and nurturing entertainment IP, with a specific focus on video games and film. Presentation given by Raphael van Lierop (HELM Studio) and Zak Kadison (Blacklight Transmedia) at the Montreal International Game Summit, November 2012. | For more information about Raphael: www.linkedin.com/in/rvanlierop | For more information about Zak: www.linkedin.com/in/zakkadisonTRANSCRIPT
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SEEKING TRANSCENDENCE
Demystifying Transmedia for Game Development
Presented by
RAPHAEL VAN LIEROP (HELM Studio) & ZAK KADISON (Blacklight Transmedia)
Montreal, November 14th, 2012
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Legal Notice
All text content © 2012 Raphael van Lierop and Zak Kadison, unless otherwise credited.
All images are the property of their respective rights holders.
We encourage readers to share and distribute these slides. However, we ask that any re-publication of the slide content be attributed.
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A Recounting of Events in Order
Introductions
What is IP?
What is Transmedia?
The Biz
Mis-alignment
Anatomy of an IP Deal
Bite-Sized Best Practices for Transmedia IP Development
Questions
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Introductions
Raphael van LieropGame Director
– Relic– Radar– Ubisoft Montreal– Relic– HELM– Unannounced
Zak Kadison Film Producer
– Jerry Bruckheimer Films– Spyglass Entertainment– Gold Circle– Fox Atomic– Blacklight
We are storytellers and IP creators!
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A Love of Storytelling
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Why should you care about storytelling?
A fundamental human imperative– Joseph Campbell
Healthy!– Community, Mental Faculties, Spirit
Interpreting them is an ingrained capability– 6B+ install base!
Games are a unique offering– Ask not what story can do for games, but what games can
do for story!
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Digital storytelling
Modern technology allows us to tell & share stories much more efficiently than ever before.– Computers & desktop publishing– On-demand printing– Free distribution (Web)– Social media– Virtual participatory media
This is fundamentally changing the way we tell stories.
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Why should you care about Transmedia?
Transmedia is the form of storytelling native to our epoch.
It’s the evolution of where storytelling is going.
Games have the potential to be at the heart of all transmedia, due to their unique participatory qualities and highly engaged audiences.
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WHAT IS “IP”?
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IP = Creative DNA
The conceptual framework that defines the creative constraints of something that is created.
A set of building blocks that contains all the potential of your creative & what it can become.
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IP Creation is Architectural
Allows for individual creativity within defined conventions.
A process of Ideation, Validation, and Execution.
An iterative “construction” project vs. purely hypothetical intellectual exercise.
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IP Creation is Archaeological
Identifying anchor elements and extrapolating the whole from those parts.
Gradual “unearthing” of the IP’s heart and soul over time.
Constant challenge and validation of beliefs.
Must be flexible and change based on feedback/data.
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Sample IPs
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IP Creation is…
…a huge topic that encompasses many elements, and deserves its own talk…
BUT, generally it is about:
• Context• Storytelling• Audience Engagement• Community
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WHAT IS TRANSMEDIA?
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Henry Jenkins (MIT) says:
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In other words, transmedia is about:
Storytelling
Reach
Participation
Promise
Non-Exploitation (Respect)
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Early Transmedia
88 weekly issues, 1840- 1841
20 monthly issues, March
1836 – October 1837
Charles Dickens
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Contemporary Examples
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MarvelHuge fan base aware of characters & universe
After bankruptcy applied transmedia approach to launch new titles
Self contained yet complimentary stories– Hulk, Iron Man, Captain
America, & Thor– Led up to The Avengers
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Star WarsFranchise has continued to grow and evolve for more than
30 years
Multiple inter-related storylines
Movies, TV shows, video games, books, toys, etc.- 6 Movies-130 Video Games- 358 Books
Huge cast of characters
Deep mythology which was revealed over time
Fan community highly engaged and very vocal
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LOSTShow ran for 6 seasons, 121 episodes
Multiple inter-related storylines
Huge cast of characters
Deep mysteries to be “unlocked”
Online fan community highly engaged and “teased” by show creators
Fan support kept show running for years (…beyond its logical life, perhaps…)
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Halo 4Halo 1 was a runaway success Bungie and MS didn’t fully anticipate
Brought people in to help flesh out IP
MS created 343 to manage and extend the IP
Halo 4 = Campaign + SPARTAN Ops (co-op) + Multiplayer + linear (live-action shorts)– Everything has story!!
Halo is a full-on multi-billion$ transmedia empire:
– Game– Short-film(s)– Web series (Forward Unto Dawn)– Novels (Fall of Reach integral to worldbuilding!)– Merchandising– Waypoint– Wiki…
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Why should we care about Transmedia?
Transmedia is the “future” of how stories will be told and shared.
Games have special role in this as they are uniquely participatory.
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Why Does Participation Matter to Us?
People want to be part of something (community)
People want to share
People want to create
Primary work -> offshoot -> fan-made
Becomes an IP ecosystem with a high degree of audience engagement
Becomes self-fulfilling• Ex. Fringe
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SUPERFANS!
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Why should Transmedia matter to game developers??
Creative
Games should be at the forefront of IP creation
Hamstrung when shoe-horned by the constraints of other media
Whole generation for whom video games are the primary entertainment form
Business
Historically, games have a single revenue source
Transmedia approach means a video game becomes an IP which can drive ancillary revenue and library value
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THE BIZ
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Games business crash course
Developers– Make the game
Publishers– Pay for the game, market & sell the game
License-holders (IP)– Bring an audience; own and protect it
IP (creative + audience) is the “real” value
Controlled by publisher and/or licensor
(Basically must self-fund to have significant control over your own created IP.)
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Movie business crash courseProducers– Make the movie
Studios– Pay for the movie, market & distribute the film and handle the ancillary
rights
Studio / Financier owns copyright and controls movie and any ancillary not previously exploited
The overwhelming majority of revenue generated from a movie DOES NOT come from Box Office
To have significant control and upside you must bring money or real value to the table
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Conundrum
The way the games business works, we are not well positioned to take our game-centric IP over to Hollywood
The way the movie business works, Hollywood IPs are not well positioned to result in successful games
Most attempts to do cross-over IP exploitation (game -> film or film -> game) have failed.
Why?
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MIS-ALIGNMENT
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All game revenue figures in this presentation are:
Domestic ONLY
Console ONLY (Do not include PC, handheld, or mobile platforms)
Retail ONLY (Do not include revenue from digital distribution, in-game advertising, downloadable content (DLC))
NOTE!!
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The Licensing Business Model
Historically, entertainment companies would develop a hit movie…
…and then license the creation of a video game…
….or vice versa.
The result has consistently been low-quality products that fail to achieve their revenue potential.
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65$317mm
84$741mm
82$533mm
50$309mm
35$402mm
61$319mm
79$318mm
58$234mm
70$205mm
63$171mm
62Avg.
Avg. Domestic Box
Office : $353mm
Blockbuster MoviesDomestic Revenue Potential
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Blockbuster GamesDomestic Revenue Potential
93Avg.
Avg. Domestic
Retail:$228mm
93$159mm
94$614mm
94$403mm
96$69mm
85$370mm
98$347mm
91$165mm
96$60mm
94$50mm
88$47mm
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43$66mm
30$47mm
31$41mm
33$40mm
35$40mm
34$28mm
17$9mm
15$5mm
18$2mm
38$.5mm
Blockbuster Movies
$353mm
62
Game-Based Movies
$28mm29
Movies based on GamesRevenue Performance
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Blockbuster Games
$228mm
93
Movie-Based Games
$24mm
54
Games based on Movies, Day and DateRevenue Performance
60$17mm
61$27mm
52$61mm
42$33mm
55$6mm
55$27mm
53$20mm
65$15mm
42$9mm
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IP-based Games, Not Day and DateRevenue Performance
77$77mm
82$58mm
92$82mm
55$6mm
53$20mm
65$15mm
Licensed Games
$73mm
84
Movie-BasedGames
$14mm
58Definition:
Movie-Based Games – Based on the same IP, but linked day & date to a movie launch
Definition:Licensed Games – Based on a licensed property but the game is not connected to a specific movie launch
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Blockbuster Movies
Game-Based Movies
Missed Opportunity:
$325mm
$353mm
REVIEW
$28mm
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$73mm
$14mm
Licensed Games
Movie-Based Games
Missed Opportunity:
$59mm
REVIEW
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REVIEW
$28mm
Blockbuster Movies
Game-Based Movies
$353mm
$73mm
$14mm
Not Day and Date
Day and Date
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Question: Why?Answer: Quality!
62
29
84
58Blockbuster Movies
Licensed Games
Game-Based Movies
Movie-Based Games
REVIEW
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Quality Issues w/ the Current Model
Stories– Always an afterthought
Talent– Licensees don’t invest in best talent
Timelines– Film & game timelines out of sync
Communication– Very little cross-industry knowledge sharing– Little direct access to talent
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How does Transmedia help?
Evolves existing licensing-based business model to better accommodate present market realities
Results in higher quality products in all media
Creates significant opportunities for revenue growth
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Because the licensed incarnation is not part of the original creative plan one of two things tend
to happen:
The game and film have almost nothing to do with
each other
PROBLEM: Story & Narrative
The game tries to retell the story of the
film
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“Transmedia Bibles” – Create Story Worlds and Universes in which many stories can be told.
Allow audiences to experience and interact with those worlds in ways that complement each other, across all media, including:
Film Games Television Books/Graphic Novels Social Networking
SOLUTION: Story & Narrative
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Talent: Blockbuster Games
• Blockbuster games are made by “AAA” developers
• Many of these companies are household names
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Z-Axis
• Licensees tend to contract lower-quality developers
• None of these developers would be considered “AAA”
• Many of these developers are no longer even in business
Talent: Licensed Games
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James Cameron
Christopher Nolan
MichaelBay
MichaelBay
John Favreau
Steven Spielberg
Gore Verbinski
BrettRatner
Christopher Nolan
Stephen Sommers
Talent: Blockbuster Directors
• Blockbuster movies are made by the “best” film directors
• Most of these directors are household names
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Talent: Licensed Film Directors
• Licensees tend to contract lower-quality directors
• Few of these directors would be considered “AAA”
Jan DeBont
ChristopheGans
JohnMoore
PaulAnderson
XavierGens
AndrzejBartkowiak
AndrzejBartkowiak
UweBoll
UweBoll
J.F.Lawton
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Solutions to Talent Issue
Must see game and film as equally vital to success
Partner with top-tier talent and empower them creatively
Bring creative teams from respective disciplines together to collaborate
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Problem: Incompatible Timelines
Game and film development cycles are very different.
– Games• Original games tend to take much longer• Unlike film, games cannot be “proven” using a foundational
“document” (i.e. script) that is relatively low-cost/low-risk• Progress is less predictable b/c of continuous tech iteration
– Film• Developed from script (“story-derived”)• Process, methodology, tools, skills much better established• Progress is more predictable• Success is not guaranteed
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Pre-Prod. Production Finaling
Typical Original IP Game Timeline
6-12 Months 12-18 Months 4-6 Months
24-48+Months
Pre-Prod. Production Post
Typical Movie Timeline
2-12 Months 2-6 Months 6-12 Months
10-24+Months
Pre-Prod. Production Post
Movie-Based Game Timeline
2-3 Months 8-12 Months 2-3 Months
12-18Months
Comparative Timelines
TAKE-AWAY: Licensed movie-game production cycle much too short achieve
quality.
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Solution: Lead With the Game!
Pre-Prod. Production Finaling
Typical Original IP Game Timeline
6-12 Months 12-18 Months 4-6 Months
24-48+Months
Pre-Prod. Production Post
Typical Movie Timeline
2-12 Months 2-6 Months 6-12 Months
10-24+Months
Dev.
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Currently, the creatives on either side are separated by publishers and studios, creating a
dynamic that inhibits effective collaboration.
What we have here is a failure to communicate!
Broken Telephone
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Transmedia Production Studio
SOLUTION: Communication
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ANATOMY OF AN IP DEAL
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Structuring an IP deal
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BITE-SIZED “BEST PRACTICES”: PREPARING YOUR GAME IP FOR TRANSMEDIA
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Raw Material
Same building blocks for every IP.
– Characters– Aesthetics– Tone– Worlds– Storylines– Themes– Etc.
FOR TRANSMEDIA: Some elements translate much better across media: storylines, characters, settings, factions, histories, etc.
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Visual Direction
The aesthetics of your world.
The strongest, most immediate expression of an IP
Becomes a major part of the identity of your game, and IP
FOR TRANSMEDIA: Highly transferable to film which is also very much a visual medium, so focus on iconic elements that work in both media without watering either down
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Iconic Character Design
Viewer’s strongest connection to the experience (game or film)
Highly visible, highly brandable
Adds massive value to the IP
FOR TRANSMEDIA: Highly transferable to film and other story-based media. Also, merchandising & cosplay
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Setting
The reason for the world’s existence, your audience’s reason to be there
Informs the tone and mood of your IP
Lays the foundation for all other IP elements
FOR TRANSMEDIA: This sets the ground rules for the IP universe, which must be respected across all media!!
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World Rules
Magic, Laws of Physics, Gravity, Politics, etc.
These rules put constraints on the world, add flavour, and can provide great gameplay opportunities.
Can be micro (local) or macro (global).
FOR TRANSMEDIA: You need these to create a backdrop for interesting action and conflict in your storytelling.
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Rule: Zombies React to Noise
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Rule: The Force = Good/Evil
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Rule: Magic Exists
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Rule: If You Die in the Matrix, You Die in the Real World
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History & Backstory
Detailed histories add authenticity and continuity to the setting, and make the promise:
“There is more to discover here, if you only take the time…”
A rich world history and deep character backstories can provide nearly endless opportunities or future IP expansion.
– Ex. Mass Effect team did 1 yr of worldbuilding
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History & Backstory (cont’d)
But you can also hint at this stuff and create a sense of mystery…
Remember the iceberg principle
FOR TRANSMEDIA: This is one of the best investments to make if you’re preparing your IP for transmedia exploitation.
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Factions (=Conflict)
Clear faction relationships set the tone for great conflict that you can use for gameplay & storytelling.
FOR TRANSMEDIA: These become potential hooks for future IP and story.
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Villains
These become the focal point of your drama. Heroes are only equal to the villains they overcome.
In games, villains make a great “carrot” to pull the player forward.
For games, often the best way to infuse character personality into your experience.
FOR TRANSMEDIA: Try to develop fully-fledged villains, not just fodder for boss fights.
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Deep MythologyGreat IPs have a rich mythology that can support multiple storylines.
This means the same IP can be extended across multiple media.
It also means you have room for sequels and/or content expansion.
Especially important for long-running franchises.– 25 yrs. of Metal Gear
FOR TRANSMEDIA: This is one of the best investments to make if you’re preparing your IP for transmedia exploitation.
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RECAP: What Makes an IP “Transmedia Friendly”?
Deep mythologies
Multiple primary characters that are highly fleshed out
Interesting secondary characters that can support their own stories
Multiple narrative threads
Clear aesthetics, flavour, and rules in the world
Factional conflict
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What’s in an IP Bible?
A foundational document that documents the framework for your IP.
IP Bible includes:
– Logline– Frame story synopsis (ex. the Rebel Alliance, the Jedi, etc.)– Character bios (for primary and secondary)– Plotlines– Gameplay outline (tailored to game genre)– Aesthetic direction (concept art, mood boards, etc.)– Expansion strategy– Up to 100+ pages long
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What’s in an IP pitch?
A presentation for a development or business partner that evangelizes the IP values and sells the potential.
Should have:
– Pitch Deck• Less than 30 slides
– Bible• Story synopsis/synopses• Character backstories• Concept art• Mood reel
– Transmedia Strategy– 1-pager– 10-page “look book”
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Great Transmedia Resources
The Art of Immersion, by Frank Rose
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Convergence Culture, by Henry Jenkins
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Special Thanks
Special thanks to Ben Hoyt, creative consultant at Blacklight Transmedia, for gathering the sales and Metacritic data used in this presentation.
Special thanks to the MIGS advisory board for inviting us to speak at MIGS_2012.
Special thanks to everyone who attended our talk at MIGS_2012, and in particular to the many of you who contacted us afterwards to continue the dialogue about transmedia and games.
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Thank You!
Raphael van Lierop
Creative Director, HELM Studio
Email:[email protected]
Web:www.helm-studio.com
Twitter: @raphlife
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/rvanlierop
Zak Kadison
CEO, Blacklight Transmedia
Email:
Web:
www.blacklighttransmedia.com
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/zakkadison