Synopsis: Jawbone.tv takes an early look at Power to the Pixel’s cross-media forum at the London Film Festival, including keynote by indie film vet Ted Hope, and announcement of The Pixel Pitch competition finalists.
It’s a mixed up, muddled up, cross-media world. Can Power to the Pixel make sense of it?
Power to the Pixel (www.powertothepixel.com) is a UK based company – principally funded by Skillset UK (www.skillset.org) “dedicated to supporting film and the wider media in its transition to a digital age.” What does that mean, exactly? It means they connect media professionals and content creators to audiences around the world through cross-media services that include consultancy, education, training, and events.
One such event is the Power to the Pixel Cross-Media Forum held at the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, with keynote to be delivered by indie film vet Ted Hope – producer of American Splendor, 21 Grams, In The Bedroom, and Happiness.
“Wondering why cinema wasn't changing and thinking about where we can take the narrative form has sometimes felt like a solitary pursuit,” says Hope. “It was an incredible relief to me to find Power to the Pixel. [They] make the future the present and clean the gloom off our old ways of thinking.”
Of particular interest to independent creators is Power to the Pixel’s first competitive undertaking, The Pixel Pitch, a cross-media pitching forum that showcases the best UK and international cross-media film projects – stories that span film, TV, online, mobile and gaming.
“The Pixel Pitch demonstrates how quickly cross-media innovation has moved from futurism to a means for creative genius to reach audiences today,” says Power to the Pixel’s founder Liz Rosenthal. “It will show that digital means business.”
Seven projects have been selected (see below) – from 120 submissions originating in 14 countries – to compete in the The Pixel Pitch. Each will be presented to a jury of international commissioning executives, decision-makers and financiers and in front of an audience of Power to the Pixel delegates. Babelgum is sponsoring a winner’s purse of £6,000 (approximately $9,900 USD), trumped only by the obvious larger prize of attracting investors.
Each team will have 10 minutes to pitch, with a further 20 minutes for comments and feedback from the jury. Pitches will be followed by one-to-one meetings with potential financiers and partners, and the winner will be announced at an evening reception on 15th October.
- 14th October, Conference – NFT1, BFI Southbank
- 15th October, The Pixel Pitch – RSA House, The Royal Society for Arts
- 15th October, Workshops and Meet the Expert Sessions – RSA House, The Royal Society for Arts
- 16th October, Think Tank – RSA House, The Royal Society for Arts
PIXEL PITCH FINALISTS (in no particular order)
1. The Alexander Wilson Project – film web series, live event, game
Logline: The Alexander Wilson Project is an interactive thriller for young adults and culture vultures of all ages. Containing action, intrigue and multiple wow moments, this high impact cross-media film serial will be played en masse by an entire generation and talked about for years to come.
Producer: Krishna Stott Production Company: Bellyfeel / Visit Sheerport (UK). Manchester-based Bellyfeel won the Jury and Audience Award at the 2008 Webby Awards for Crimeface, an interactive cross-platform film. Crimeface also won a BBC IPTV development deal at MipTV Content 360 in Cannes.
Project site: www.thealexanderwilsonproject.com
2. Angels – film and TV series, ARG, live event
Logline: Angel tells the story of René, a 583 year-old coach who teaches younger angels how to survive in the real world amongst humans. Narrated as reportage through Monsieur Dénarié, a TV reporter, this comedy unravels as a TV series and online game, which will overlap into the real world.
Producer: Matthieu Chéreau & Sandrine Girbal Production Company: Happy Fannie (FRANCE). Happy Fannie combines the best elements of traditional narratives with online interactivity. The company is based in Paris.
Company site: www.fdp-serie.com
3. Brand New-U – feature film, interactive web series, game
Logline: Desperate? Unhappy? The company BRAND NEW-U offers a new identity, a life better than your own. The price for a new life? A single killing. Brand New-U re-arranges the barest elements of a thriller into the looping logic of a nightmare: because we must all kill our old selves to create ourselves anew.
Producer: Janine Marmot Production Company: Hot Property Films (UK). Hot Property Films was set up in 1995 by BAFTA award-winning team, producer Janine Marmot and writer/director Simon Pummell. The company’s cross-platform project Bodysong won the BAFTA Interactive Award and a BIFA and was a Tiger Award nominee at the Rotterdam Film Festival.
Company site: www.pummell.com
Past projects site: www.bodysong.com
4. The Dark Forest Game – documentary, multi-platform game for web and mobile, live event
Logline: The Dark Forest Game is for the mobile, environmentally-conscious generation. A game of forest management for mobile and web, using live data from two very different iconic forests. Players find ways to protect the forests before the trees reach tipping point. The game is part of a larger multi-platform documentary project.
Producer: Rachel Jacobs Production Company: Mudlark Production Company associated with NewTV (UK and Brazil). Mudlark is a cross-platform production company incorporating a digital arts company, games company and a TV production company.
Project site: www.thedarkforest.tv
5. Heart of the City - feature film, web series, live event, ARG and video game
Logline: What if Kanye West met Lord of the Rings? Heart of the City is a cross-media story set in the world of urban teens. When our heroes Jai and Sash find a magic talisman that unlocks their daydreams, NYC becomes a funhouse of mysteries and monsters, damsels and danger.
Producer: Karin Chien Production Company: Desedo Films (USA). Desedo films creates content for new media and minority markets, working with brands and agencies to craft strategy and tell stories. The company has produced content for Sony Pictures, Panasonic and HBO’s True Blood and consulted for F500 brands.
Company site: www.desedo.com
6. Slick – feature film, web series, live event, ARG, mobile
Logline: Slick is a transmedia experience combining film, live events, and interactive technology to create an alternate reality where the audience follows Ian, their disaffected guide, through portals into an alluring parallel world—but each trip increases the odds that this time they won’t be able to find their way.
Producer: Benham Karbassi Production Company: No Mimes Media (USA). No Mimes Media brings you full media entertainment experiences. The award-winning team – Benham Karbassi, Steve Peters and Maureen McHugh – have between them worked on ground-breaking alternate reality experiences including Why So Serious? for The Dark Knight, Ilovebees, Year Zero (Nine Inch Nails) and 6minutestomidnight.com for Watchmen.
Company site: www.nomimes.com
7. Third Rail – feature film, web series, game, mobile app, interactive blu-ray
Logline: Third Rail is a murder mystery set on a New York City subway. The episodic story follows the form of a classic whodunit, but with the grit of modern-day New York City as a backdrop. The interactive series will launch simultaneously on several global platforms.
Producer: Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo & Zachary Lieberman Production Company: Exit Strategy (USA). Exit Strategy are the award-winning creators of the online series The West Side, which garnered international press (The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Spout) and won Best Drama Series at the Webby Awards 2008. Bilsborrow-Koo and Lieberman were named two of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film.
Past projects site: www.thewestside.tv
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For more information about Power to the Pixel, The Pixel Pitch, or to attend the forum at the London Film Festival, visit www.PowerToThePixel.com.
