Over at the WorkBook Project the gang at Culture Hacker have a new podcast called Transmedia Talk. Transmedia Talk is co-hosted by and looks to shed light on the topic of transmedia storytelling with…

Ryan Watkins-Hughes, founder of the FCKD Mag project, is a deconstructionist through and through. In this latest project, Ryan is making a social commentary on advertisements by purchasing the flashiest, advert filled magazines and altering…

Wild animation by A.F. Schepperd commissioned by Ninjatune Records for Blockhead’s “The Music Scene.” (Hat tip yvynyl)

“The Music Scene” from Anthony Francisco Schepperd on Vimeo.

Interesting new app awaiting approval from apple that provides music viz and connects sounds to patterns.

The Summer issue of Filmmaker Mag is now on newsstands. For my Culture Hacker column I look at how transmedia can be used for R&D around stories.

The Summer issue of Filmmaker Mag is now on newsstands. For my Culture Hacker column I look at how transmedia can be used for R&D around stories.

It’s tempting to get distracted. It happens to filmmakers all the time. Concern over gear, building audiences, developing social media strategies, new tools, new services. The promise of transmedia (the ability for a story to live beyond a single screen, device or medium) offers such rich storytelling potential. But for some it will become yet another distraction. Case in point: After a recent speaking engagement I was approached by a group of filmmakers. Some were trying to figure out the value of transmedia while others said with a sense of pride that they’d designed the perfect transmedia experience, as if it was something to check off a list. There was the Web component, a mobile series, a game and an app, not to mention an assortment of social media accounts thrown into the mix. It was if by adding more to their project they’d be guaranteed an audience in a media-saturated world.

Now don’t get me a wrong, I’m a strong proponent of filmmakers embracing emerging creative opportunities. But when I posed a simple question asking what the filmmakers with the perfect transmedia strategy were trying to say there was a moment of pause. I wasn’t asking about the plot or characters. I was looking for the passion behind the project. What was it that the filmmakers needed to say? What was their story really about? Interestingly, that simple question became paralyzing.

I’ve been there. I’m guilty of it. After all, most films are underdeveloped. It’s easy to fold to the pressure of what seems like a limited window of opportunity. The gut-wrenching feeling of “it’s either now or never!” But after finishing my last project I made a promise to myself that I would let the next one grow organically. By doing so I discovered that I could use transmedia as a way to develop the stories I wished to tell.

Transmedia is so much more than marketing and promotion. Of course, transmedia can benefit a project during a release or before, when a filmmaker attempts to build an audience. It also has value with regards to how a project can be funded and packaged. But let’s put that aside for a moment and focus on the creative side.

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For those in Europe who are interested in how storytelling is evolving, I’ll be part of a three day workshop called Transmedia Next which takes place in London Sept. 8,9,10. It’s a comprehensive look at how to fund, design, produce and distribute transmedia projects. Space is limited for more info visit http://www.transmedianext.com

A look at the 140 most influential people on Twitter and what they said first and when. It’s available as a poster printed on high quality paper. Another excellent piece from iA – more info

Adolescents have been called “digital natives,” but data suggests that they are both comfortable with new technologies, and yet not always as technically savvy as we collectively believe them to be.

Half of teens send…

Will Bella end up with Edward or Jacob? This 8-bit odyssey consists of a choose your own adventure which plays out over 13 vids. Initially hit with a DMCA takedown due to copyright infringement but…

Stumbled upon this wicked series that re-imagines 1977 as if the tech from today existed then. View the full set

Erika Iris Simmons uses analog things like vhs tapes, audio cassettes and 8mm film to create her art. “Ghosts in the Machine” is a series that creates 50 portraits using things that have become junk to many.