Turning tales in to Storyworlds

Star Wars will always be part of popular culture because fans will continue to expand the storyworld universe. Once upon a time (pun intended) stories were told simply, they moved from the campfire to stages, cinema screens and then beamed out of our TVs, and that was that. Now with the abundance of devices and global connectivity, entire story universes can be told across time, platforms and across the world.

Star Wars was one of the first truly epic storyworlds unleashed in 1977, which continues to reverberate today. Described as an ‘epic space opera franchise’ (LOL!) on Wikipedia, the original film series has expanded to death star proportions through merchandise, side stories, back stories, comics, animation, and 5 stand-alone films including Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985) and Lego Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 (2009). In fact there are so many associated side stories, back stories and character developments outside of the feature films, Star Wars fans have coined all this ‘extra’ material as theStar Wars Expanded Universe. Like a parallel universe to the official one, huge volumes of fan generated content, videos, comics, photos and artwork are revealed with a quick google search.

Creating a world for characters to inhabit has always sat comfortably within science fiction and fantasy based genres. Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter are two very obvious recent examples. But storyworlds extend beyond fiction. Deep levels of engagement can be achieved with all sorts of content, characters and themes from documentaries through to alternate reality games. In fact last year there was an entire conference dedicated to bringing writers, filmmakers and transmedia experts together in LA to discuss the latest trends and developments in this growing field.

“The interactive multi-platform space is rapidly expanding but, more importantly, it is also maturing. This means great opportunities to generate rich, engaging, narratively complex experiences. There’s never been a better time to be a storyteller because there’s never been more screens and media forms to tell stories on.” Mike Jones, Australian multiplatform expert and winner of the UK ICTommorow Digital Innovation award for Film & TV last year.

Technology doesn’t change what a story is, but technologies and platforms do change audience experience and the process by which writers develop ideas. For today’s content makers, this means seeing storyworld building as central to storyteller’s craft; storyworlds that can generate multiple stories across multiple media and envelop audiences in role-play and immersion.

In an Australian first, Metro Screen in collaboration with Mike Jones has launched an intensive development program for interactive multiplatform stories – The Storyworld Studio, subsidised by Screen NSW.

The rigorous program is an engaging and structured process for the development of meaningful, dramatic and sustainable storytelling in the interactive multiplatform world. Participants will be guided through storyworld design, rules and pressures taking point of view in to account. Narrative adaption, journey mapping and process will be explored along with Author versus Agency, role play and game mechanics. Practical demonstrations and expert advice on presenting and pitching rich creative concepts will see participants completing the studio ready to develop fully-fledged projects.

Applications are due by close of business Tuesday 14 May 2013. 

Apply >

Written by Tiani Chillemi, Development Manager at Metro Screen
@tianichillemi

Image found at: http://weheartit.com/entry/12549978

$115,000 FUNDING TO 11 PROJECTS THROUGH METRO SCREEN BREAKS – STORY TO SCREEN

Development and production funding for screen stories.

11 outstanding projects have been selected by Metro Screen to receive $115,000 in funding through the Breaks – Story to Screen program this month.

The comprehensive Breaks funding program is focused on getting stories from script to screen with a cash production budget, production facilities support and a craft skills development program including the Story Hothouse and the Directors Foundry.

Over the past three years, Metro Screen has been funding creative storytelling and emerging practitioners through the First Breaks, Break Out and Breakthrough programs.

The Breaks – Story to Screen program will produce eight short films and three web-based programs by early career film and content makers.  Cultural diversity is represented through the range of projects including content producers from Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds.

“These scripts were selected for their strong ideas and potential to develop into an exciting and diverse production slate for 2013.”
David Opitz Projects and Productions Manager, Metro Screen

Breaks- Story to Screen is proudly supported by Screen NSW and Screen Australia’s RAW NERVE program.

The successful Breaks projects for 2013 are;

Il Taglialegna (The Woodcutter) by Thomas McSweeney and Ross Hubbard
Horror short film

Pink by Lynne Vincent MCCarthy
Psychological-drama short fil

Showboy by Samuel Leighton-Dore
Drama short film

Latte e Miele (Milk and Honey) by Louisa Mignone and Andrea Demetriades
Dramedy short film

Bad Daddy by Elizabeth Taddic, writer Adam Szudrich
Drama short film

Touch by Adrian Chiarella
Horror short film

Dawney Slack by Elizabeth Wymarra
Comedy short film

The Fight by Tom Avery
Comedy short film

Dry Fire by Ngaire Oleary and Alex Williams
Drama web series

Love Bytes by Tonnette Stanford
GLBT dramatic/comedy web series

Defendant 5: The Fall of the House of Gunns by Heidi Douglas
Documentary web series

The Dark & The Light Side of the Internet

An Australian viral sensation is underway thanks to the stunning visual effects work of Duncan Elms and the down to earth explanation by Marc Fennell titled Bitcoin Explained, a decentralized digital currency. The video has racked up 196,000 views since Sunday! It is now the Vimeo staff pick and is being promoted across global tech site Digg. This short video is a wildly successful combination of stunning visual graphics and an incredible subject matter too big to ignore. Its also online video at its best, not dumbed down for a TV audience or full of hype.

Ahhh Which Editing Software??!!?!?!

It’s hard to keep up. Taking the time to learn new software or upskill is a big undertaking, so how do you decide where to put your time and effort? The consensus seems to be that currently, independent filmmakers use Final Cut ProX, the professional Film and TV industries run on Avid and Adobe Premiere is used by a combination of both.

To make this decision you really need to ask yourself some questions – What do you want to achieve with your editing software? How much are you willing to spend? Are you Mac or PC? Do you need other tools like Photoshop or effects programs?

Every month Metro Screen flings open the doors to anyone interested in digital media, film or television projects or career pathways. The next Open House Info Session, Thursday 18 April will give you a full run down of the opportunities available at Metro Screen, plus a free introduction to editing in AVID by renowned Editor – Jas Shennan. This is a free event for people at all levels to peak behind the curtain, have a sticky beak at the facilities and ask all the questions you like.

“I choose to edit with Avid Media Composer because its trim tool makes cutting a dream. I can focus on the content, not the software. Media Composer is robust and handles long form drama with ease.”
Patrick McCabe, editor
Credits: Exit, First Contact, One Night Stand. Website.

“I have used FCP7 for years and can use it in my sleep, it has been my editing application of choice. But with the future looking shaky in terms of support from Apple, the move to Avid seems the way to go for me.”
Craig Boreham, director
Credits:  Teenage Kicks.

“Metro Screen is currently moving away from teaching FCP7 and towards teaching AVID in our full-time courses.  This move is following recent industry trends, where the broadcast standard is the AVID platform.   We will also be teaching FCPX and bringing back courses in Premiere to support the independent filmmaking and multi-platform content-makers.  There is a place and a use for all the software platforms, and we will continue to tailor our courses and teaching to the industry demands.”
Rachel Fiddes, Learning & Development Manager

Buy in to the debate, take the Facebook Poll.

CONNECT EVENT | Thursday 18 April

6pm – 7pm Open House Info Session – What Metro Screen has to offer you.

7pm – 8pm AVID Editing Introduction workshop with Jass Shennan
at Metro Screen, Corner of Oxford Street & Oatley Road, Paddington Sydney

Free entry.

Book >

MEDIA MEGA-CHANGE

Senator Conroy is proposing Australian media reforms that will have deep impacts on all of our working and personal lives across all media. Here are a few concerns raised by media analysts this week to bring you up to speed.

ABC TV program Media Watch available on iView does a sterling job of explaining the lay of the land and the major tensions at play. Well worth watching.

Watch >

CONTINUE INTERACTIVE MEDIA FUNDING

An Open Letter to Andrew Stoner MP
NSW Minister for Trade and Investment

Dear Mr Stoner,

Motivated by Nic Watt’s recent open letter to you Metro Screen also requests that the Interactive Media Fund be continued beyond June 2013.

Metro Screen supports emerging screen practitioners in NSW. Our role is to provide a range of opportunities and activities that guide emerging talent through careers in the digital screen industries.

Until relatively recently there was a significant chasm between ‘heritage’ and ‘new’ screen media. These sectors didn’t often talk to each other, let alone work together. In the past three years, largely through the Interactive Media Fund, the gap has been closing at a good speed. Cross fertilization has begun and we’re starting to see the fruits of these initiatives.

Emerging screen practitioners are beginning to realize the opportunities of multi-skilling across screens, large and tiny, and to develop creative concepts that leverage new digital platforms along with new audiences.

Despite the recent signs of cross-pollination and entrepreneurialism, much of the interactive screen community is still in experimentation and start-up mode. There is still some way to go in defining best practice and creating the most effective skills development pathways. This experimentation is a positive and bodes well for the future health of the sector.

This year, with funding from the Interactive Media Fund, Metro Screen is managing the Digital Kitchen initiative. Digital Kitchen provides a cash grant (up to $5,000 each) for three to five emerging developers to mature their interactive projects beyond concept stage to a ‘ripe for investment’ or market ready level. The project specifically targets interactive content including games, transmedia narrative projects, virtual worlds and mobile content. At the end of the program participants pitch their project to a panel of industry investors and interactive companies with a view to fully realising the project.

Several of our past students have secured funding directly from the Interactive Media Fund for their projects including Hear Right Now, a game to identify potential hearing loss in pre-schoolers and Crime Plays a locative mobile game which places crime-based narrative in the palm of your hand. In the latter example the funding allowed the team to start their own games-based business rather than having to develop their interactive ideas as an addition to their day job. These same projects do not meet the eligibility criteria for interactive project funding available through Screen Australia.

Metro Screen supports Nic Watt’s observation that although Screen Australia’s newly announced Australia Interactive Games Fund is welcome, it is targeted at experienced and credentialed practitioners. The Interactive Media Fund, administered by Screen NSW, specifically supports new and emerging talent and provides a critical step in the development pathway for a sustainable interactive community in NSW.

It is not possible for the majority of organisations working in this space to self-fund interactive development initiatives therefore the future health of the sector in NSW relies upon ongoing support from the government in the form of the Interactive Media Fund.

Yours sincerely,
Christina Alvarez
CEO, Metro Screen

The Script Sessions

The Script Sessions is a program of intensive one-day script workshops with professional screen writing Editor and Analyst, Karel Segers slicing and dicing screenplays to bring out the best in each story.  Five writers will be chosen for each workshop to present their scripts for analysis, with 10 spots reserved for participants who want to learn from this process by observing the transformation.

Each script will be scrutinized for concept, story, character, theme, style and script presentation. The writers will walk away with in-depth notes and recommended steps for further development.

There are three sessions this year on Saturday 22 June, 7 September and 7 December 2013 with 5 writers and 10 participants at each workshop. Writers can revisit the process more than once and observers are encouraged to apply the knowledge gained through this unique process to their writing. Applicants must submit a logline, half page synopsis and the first ten pages of their screenplay for review. Observers don’t need to apply, just pre-book and bring your notebook.

“Karel Segers is Australia’s Robert McKee”
Stephen J De Jager, Creative Director at Roadshow Entertainment

Karel Segers is a story consultant, script editor and producer with 20 years of experience in international film rights acquisition, script development and production. His lectures on screenwriting have inspired and trained students in Australia, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and his clients include international award-winning filmmakers as well as three Academy Award nominees.

Karel founded Australia’s leading screenwriting web site The Story Department and ranks in the world’s Top 10 most influential ‘tweeters’ for screenwriting. In 2012 he launched “Logline It!”, the world’s only online resource exclusively dedicated to the craft of writing loglines.

Script Session One

Saturday 22 June 2013 from 9.00am – 5.00pm
Metro Screen Corner of Oxford Street & Oatley Road, Paddington | Map
Writing Participants: 5 Places by application due by 1 June and $330
Observing Participants: 10 Places by booking $110

Script Session Two

Saturday 7 September 2013 from 9.00am – 5.00pm
Metro Screen Corner of Oxford Street & Oatley Road, Paddington | Map
Writing Participants: 5 Places by application due by 16 August and $330
Observing Participants: 10 Places by booking $110

Script Session Three

Saturday 7 December 2013 from 9.00am – 5.00pm
Metro Screen Corner of Oxford Street & Oatley Road, Paddington | Map
Writing Participants: 5 Places by application due by 15 November and $330
Observing Participants: 10 Places by booking $110

Writer Applications

To apply for one of five Scriptwriter participant places at each workshop, please submit a logline, half page synopsis and the first ten pages of their screenplay for review by via email by the due date. Once your application has been approved, you will be notified and your place will be reserved when payment is received.
Submit your application by the due date, along with your contact details and the date of the workshop you wish to attend to metro@metroscreen.org.au

If you have questions about the process please call (02) 9356 1818 for more information.

The SBS2 Rebrand Delivers What SBS Needs. Probably.

By guest blogger Dan Barrett, Televised Revolution

Today SBS announced the rebrand of their digital multichannel SBS2. Starting April 1, SBS2 wil now target younger audiences aged 16-39 with a direct focus on “thinking 30-somethings”. SBS are billing SBS2 as a “place to share their passion for emerging cultural ideas and experiences with diverse content from around the world that is edgy, adventurous and fun, and connects audiences with the world”. While yes, that is a lot of “world”, it also sounds like SBS are onto a good thing with this rebrand.

SBS2 has been aimless. Serving more as an extension of the primary SBS channel rather than a service with its own sense of purpose, SBS2 has largely diluted the SBS brand with viewers torn not just between viewing content on SBS or other channels, but between the two similar SBS TV offerings. By providing this focus on “thinking” youth viewers, SBS are not just creating a distinct focus for their channel, but are also catering to an audience that is not being catered to all that well by existing networks. The youth audience that Go! cater towards are those who seem perpetually aged 16 years-old, while Ten’s three channels don’t quite have a clear focus on any specific audience.

In chasing this audience, like any traditional broadcaster, SBS have a major hurdle to overcome: The Internet. 16-39 year-olds are, by and large, a connected audience. Furthermore, a focus on a “thinking audience” of viewers in that age group would typically mean an audience who are university educated. They are seeking an audience for of whom have had a long relationship with online access – one that has matured and one that has established related behaviours. This is an audience of whom are dissatisfied with traditional broadcast television and have grown up with illegal downloads and DVD’s as a core part of their viewing habits. Furthermore, it is an audience who are mobile and spend less time at home. This is a hard to reach audience.

“SBS 2 will be a channel which is fun and inclusive and all about giving our younger audiences content in the fast-paced way they want it, when they want it and on a device they choose to view it.” – Michael Ebeid, SBS Managing Director

But SBS are in a better position than most to be able to succeed with this difficult demographic. Working in their favour is that the content that viewers expect from SBS is material that is harder to find from sources beyond SBS. All of the international content broadcast by the commercial channels in Australia can quite easily be found on torrents online, purchased through vendors like iTunes, viewed on Foxtel, or purchased on DVD. The content is hardly exclusive. Yes, the audience are connected and more than willing to source their content from beyond the bunny ears, but fortunately for SBS, their content is generally hard to source elsewhere. SBS can cultivate an audience that go to SBS to explore and discover new content. SBS are less a broadcaster of content and a curator of content.One of the most impressive aspects of today’s SBS2 rebranding announcement has been the integration of their catch-up platform SBS On Demand into the new-look service. In an effort to successfully implement a synergy across SBS2 and On Demand, SBS have recognised that the youth audience they’re courting don’t consume television in the traditional manner. Instead, acknowledging the non-linear binge-consuming way that youth audiences watch television nowadays, SBS have unveiled their Back 2 Back strategy which will provide every episode of a show online as soon as the first episode has premiered on TV. Three series will be made available initially under Back 2 Back, with more to follow.

SBS’s Director of TV and Online Content Tony Iffland has embraced this new programming strategy “We’re delighted to bring Back 2 Back to our audiences meaning they can watch all the episodes of a new series via SBS On Demand. We know our audiences don’t necessarily want to wait eight weeks or more to make an appointment to-view a series and now they don’t have to. They can go straight to SBS On Demand and watch all the episodes back-to-back or whenever they want.”

Of course, all of this is all very good and well, but if the content on SBS 2 doesn’t interest the viewers, the rebranding strategy simply is not going to fly. Based on today’s announcement, SBS2 is heading in the right direction. While there is nothing particularly outstanding at launch, there’s certainly a number of shows of interest. At launch SBS2 are offering two UK series starring Russell Tovey (Threesome and Him & Her), season 7 of Skins, the Eddie Izzard led Canadian series Bullet In The Face, Belgian hidden camera comedy series Benidorm Bastards, and Russell Howard’s Good News. There are also a number of doco’s and factual series on the schedule which seem to be a deliberate attempt to embrace extreme blokey reality adventure shows, among other hip subject matter like advertising/marketing: Don’t Tell My Mother, Be Your Own Boss, The Pitch, and Warrior Road Trip.

An interesting curiosity on the schedule is Community. Previously broadcast on Go!, Community will now be airing on SBS2 nightly. While there is certainly a loyal audience for the show, it’s cool factor has begun to wane of late with the current season from the US following the departure of showrunner and creator Dan Harmon. With much of SBS2′s desired audience torrenting the show as soon as it airs, while also discussing how badly the new season of the show sucks (it really does), this feels like less of a coup programming choice than it may have been even just a few months ago when the rights to the show were likely purchased.

From the outset, SBS2 seems like a clever strategy. It appears well thought out with both its on-air content and the integration of SBS On Demand and has quite a bit to offer. We’re yet to see a full schedule for the new-look SBS2 but it’s promising.

About the Author

Dan Barrett spends far too much time talking about TV. When he isn’t editing the Televised Revolution website, he hosts the TV Rev podcast. When he isn’t doing that, Dan can also be heard on the Televised Revolution: In Review podcast where he reviews television. He can be found on the couch with excessive regularity.

Short Film Controversy

‘Scene 16’ was funded by Metro Screen through the Breaks program and screened at Tropfest 2012 in the finals.

Post-Tropfest there has been heated debate about short films right across mainstream media and the blogosphere, and I think that’s a good thing. Short Films are front and centre of the debate which is the best news.

The film industry is fixated with the length of content, which screen it’s watched on and currently relies on a model where thousands of people work for free in the hope of the attaining the dream – to be paid to tell their stories. If Tropfest is the catalyst for bringing short films to the forefront of industry discussion and alternate viewpoints then hooray for Tropfest!

Some highlights from the presses:

Colin Delaney focuses on the importance of short films in launching careers and providing a stepping-stone for fillmakers to ‘cut their teeth’ on in Mumbrella. Colin also suggests that festival prize money is a movitating factor – “One of the only revenue streams for shorts is festival prize money which can help to offset the cost of production and the fee to enter the film in the festival.” A one in 600 chance of recouping some of your budget seems like a stretch for a financial incentive.

Cail Young wrote a really interesting in-depth open letter to Tropfest, a self-confessed cynic who would like the festival to CHANGE “…into one that celebrates excellence for its own sake, not as some constructed journey from hardship.” Cail’s 10 detailed suggestions for improvement and bingo-card for predicting winners really adds value to the dialogue about short film festival models.

And then there was the controversy over plagiarism with Micheal Bodey picking up on the Tropfail.com website in The Australian and Giles Hardie rushing to defend the Tropfest winner’s reputation in The Sydney Morning Herald. Plagiarism versus adaption will be an ongoing issue for all screening events and channels as more and more content is created, shared, remixed and re-shared often without crediting anyone along the way.

It’s so fantastic to feel the passion lifting off the pages as you read through all the comments, suggestions, accusations and justifications. What we now call short film, will be a normal part of our screen diet as faster internet connections start to feed our big surround TV screens.

In 2012 Metro Screen invested over $170,000 in new productions through financial funding, production subsidies, mentoring and support for film and content makers in NSW. Special funds were also earmarked for Emerging Filmmakers and an Indigenous program.

By Tiani Chillemi – Development Manager at Metro Screen

MUSIC VIDEO SHOW+TELL AT CAKE WINES TROPFEST BAR

Metro Screen presents the second installment of Music Video Show+Tell, a chance for filmmakers and music makers to get together and talk about the process of making music videos.  It’s happening Thursday 28 February from 7.00pm – 8.00pm at the Cake Wines Tropfest Pop-Up Bar at the Rocks.

Join us at to hear from a panel of experienced music video makers including Natalie van den Dungen, who has produced and directed over 25 music videos for local and international artists, recent FBi Radio Sydney Music Arts and Culture Award finalist, Melvin J Montalban, who has clocked up over half a million views on Youtube for the clip ‘I met You’ and cinematographer Adam Howden, who has worked with numerous directors to create visually vivid music videos . Each filmmaker will screen their clips and talk about their trials and challenges that they over come to get the job done.