Posts Tagged ‘producers guild of america’

Last week it was reported that the Producers Guild of America (PGA) Board of Directors approved the addition of “Transmedia Producer” to the Guild’s Producer Code of Credits.

This new producer credit acknowledges people who create multi-platform content for franchises and/or projects.  For those in Hollywood East who are considering producing, this new credit shows that there are even more options for them.

The full description of this new title is defined by Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily:

The Guild defines a Transmedia Narrative project or franchise of one that consists of three (or more) narrative storylines esxisting within the same fictional universe on any of the following platforms: Film, Television, Short Film, Broadband, Publishing, Comics, Animation, Mobile, Special Venues, DVD/Blu-ray/CD-ROM, Narrative Commercial and Marketing rollouts and other technologies that may or may not currently exist.  These narrative extensions are NOT the same as repurposing material from one platform to be cut or repurposed to different platforms

A Transmedia Producer credit is given to the person(s) responsible for a significant portion of a project’s long-term planning, development, production, and/or storylines for new platforms.  Transmedia producers also create and implement interactive endeavors to unite the audience of the property with the canonical narrative and this element should be considered as valid qualification for credit as long as they are related directoly to the narrative presention of a project.

An example of transmedia producing are the added web and gaming elements that were part of the billion dollar blockbuster Avatar.  Along with the film, there were downloadable iPhone apps, an “official guide to Pandorapedia (the world within the film),” and even a way for yourself to become an Avatar.

Jeff Gomez, a transmedia producer who has designed campaigns for film franchises including Avatar and is a big proponent of this new credit, states that “what’s so powerful about transmedia implementation is that it maximizes the potential of your story or message, while both building intense brand loyalty and opening up multiple revenue streams.”

Some, however, are upset with the the definition of this new position.  Most debate is aimed at the “three narrative thread” rule, which is thought to be aimed specifically at franchises.  Many argue, however, that that is only one implementation of transmedia projects.  Christy Dena, a well known transmedia producer, points out that books with accompanying DVDs or websites and special television episodes with web tie-ins are other forms of transmedia storytelling, but do not follow the three narrative rule.

Although there is a debate about the qualifications of a transmedia producer, this new credit shows that the entertainment industry is trying to adapt to the changing media landscape by recognizing a growing field.

Sunday marked the first day of PBS’s broadcast of the most recent documentary by Ken Burns, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. The documentary, which has been broadcasted throughout the week, is a six-episode series directed by Burns that showcases the grandeur of American nation parks such as Acadia, Yosemite, Arches, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades and the Gates of the Arctic. In addition spellbinding panoramas of the magnificence of nature, the film explores the human ties to the land, focusing on the people that are connected to these locations in a myriad of different ways.

Burns, who was born in New York but earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and currently resides in Walpole, NH, is most well known for his three documentaries The War, Baseball, and The Civil War, which earned over 40 major film and television awards including two Emmys, two Grammys, the Producer of the Year Award from the Producers Guild of America, the People’s Choice Award and the Peabody Award, among many others. Until today, many critics consider The Civil War Burns’ masterpiece.

Burns got his start on PBS with The Brooklyn Bridge, which he produced in 1981. The film detailed the history of the Brooklyn Bridge, formerly called the Great East River Bridge, and its effects on American culture past and present. It was nominated for an Academy Award a year later. Since then at least 19 films by Burns have been featured on PBS and he has produced and directed many others.

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is broadcasting on PBS throughout this week. Check your local listings for show times or visit the PBS website for a complete schedule of all the episodes within the series.