OTT & Transmedia

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg Companies like Iconic Arts are already proving that transmedia can be built from inception. They’re developing IP across film, TV, games, and merch simultaneously, separating the story and world from the format. So while the risks you mention are real, the industry is clearly moving toward designing transmedia at the start, not just after success in one medium.

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/iconic-arts-studio-launches-la-tokyo-12...

“One thing that we do as a transmedia studio is separate the IP, the world, the story and the characters from the IP format,” Yazdani said. “That’s why we don’t call ourselves a film studio or a game studio … basically, we can do continuous storytelling with a unified narrative through new formats that come in the next few years.”

Game IPs are increasingly becoming the backbone of transmedia storytelling, evolving far beyond their original medium. We’re seeing titles extend into film, TV, comics, and even interactive formats that blur the line between entertainment and participation. A good example of this crossover can be found in the gaming sector itself, showcasing how audiences are drawn to interactive, narrative-driven spaces, such as live dealer casino games, that feel immersive and connected across platforms. It highlights how the demand for engagement is shifting—people don’t just want to watch or play; they want to experience a world. That’s exactly why strong IPs have the power to anchor transmedia strategies in the years ahead.

It’s fascinating how game properties are evolving into extended universes now — one moment it’s a console title, the next it’s a comic, novel, or interactive series. What I’ve come to appreciate is how cohesion across mediums matters more than sheer breadth. I actually got introduced to the concept of cross-media consistency through a resource https://ercncte.org/ I stumbled upon: ercncte.org, which explores collaborative storytelling and narrative frameworks. Through that lens, I began to see how each new medium needs to complement, not just expand, the original game’s identity.

Absolutely right, Fred Smith, I couldn’t agree more, strong game IPs are becoming the anchor for immersive transmedia worlds.

Lemon Kovronskiynick Interactive storytelling shows you truly understand your audience. It reflects how well you grasp not just what they want to see, but how they want to experience it. It’s also great to pick a story you can visualize clearly in your mind, one that stays exciting as you build it out, and can handle added layers without losing its core. Once you find that kind of project, that’s the one to expand.

I'm looking forward to seeing Alien Earth, Ashley Renee Smith! I've been waiting for all the episodes to come out before I watch it.

I think a long-running franchise can successfully reinvent itself across new formats without losing what made it iconic by building upon what's already in the franchises, tying the franchise into what people relate to at that moment in time, setting the stories in new locations, adding characters, and coming up with new storylines, threats, etc.

I’ve always loved the Alien franchise; Ashley Renee Smith it’s iconic, and there are a few key tricks that help keep franchises fresh: genre blending, adding more action for interactive play, introducing new characters and creatures, shifting the time period, and creating multiple potential protagonists or antagonists to branch out from. I especially love villains as main characters; they flip the narrative, challenge morality, and often reveal deeper truths than heroes ever could. Gradually attaching A-list talent and expanding the creature mythology also helps scale the world and keep audiences invested across formats.

Alien franchise from 1979 onward, managed to change with the times, eg character tropes shifted & stories morphed, yet it did not lose original core theme. Reckon part of its success aside talent & big budgets. Regards Transmedia:- New story lines, unique on each platform, to take story another way & possibly in different genres. Demographics, obviously, to reach target audiences. Hollywood favours 4 quadrant viewing at once, however since Transmedia is an eco system of content, I’ve a comic for kids, an adult film & cross generational novels in progress. LOL Sadly can’t fund a blockbuster, right now UK budgets are cut to the bone, particularly Indie. However, a TM "strand" that becomes established with built in audience, gives opportunity for split deal rights, if lands on the table of high end studio execs. It is possible to afford the time out from other projects to write a Franchise, if play the long game and box clever. Currently, I don't waste too much time writing very high budget, without the building blocks already in place.

You're welcome, Daniel Nedyalkov! That Duck Hunt-inspired idea sounds like a lot of fun. I usually imagine my stories as anime or games first, and I think adult animation can be a strong target too. Do you feel like Pranky Wolf could also work as an adult animated series?

I'm usually working on three or more projects at a time, but my main focus right now is The 11 Doors—a martial arts paranormal fantasy that blends elements of 47 Ronin, Afro Samurai, and Kill Bill. It's packed with layered myth, intense action, and interactive storytelling.

You’re absolutely right, Dwayne Williams 2 , Pranky Wolf is definitely meant for a more mature audience, it’s not exactly aimed at little kids. What you’re working on with The 11 Doors sounds truly fascinating and inspiring.

Thank you, Daniel Nedyalkov that means a lot! I really appreciate your energy and the creative spirit behind Pranky Wolf. It’s exciting to see how you’re building something playful yet layered, especially with mature themes woven in. Looking forward to seeing where you take it next!

Dwayne Williams 2 The next chapter I’m considering will focus on Karate Pig, Lil Pig & XXL Pig. Right now though, my main task is to find a publisher for Pranky Wolf. Thanks so much for your interest, it truly makes me happy and keeps me inspired! :)

You’re welcome, Daniel Nedyalkov! I’ll be here anytime you have more questions or want to share updates.

Hey, Dwayne Williams 2. Thanks for sharing the video. All four of the projects I'm working on could survive without their main characters in sequels, prequels, spin-offs, comics, etc. The other characters, the objects, the backstories, the locations, and unanswered things from the originals would make the sequels, prequels, etc. compelling.

Love that, Maurice Vaughan 5 it’s such a strong sign when your world can stand on its own beyond the leads. Curious from your experience: which genre do you think is the hardest to build a compelling story world in? And out of the four projects you're working on, which one challenged you the most during worldbuilding?

Probably straight Dramas, Dwayne Williams 2. My Horror Action feature script since I had to come up with my own version of the Home Shopping Network and a lot of things and rules for it.

Yeah, I agree Maurice Vaughan 5 dramas can be deceptively tough, especially when you’re building out original systems and rules. Do you think a drama could work with creatures only, or set entirely in a fantasy-type world? Like something closer to a novella fantasy, where the emotional core still drives the story even without human leads?

Definitely, Dwayne Williams 2. I'd watch a Drama that only has creatures and a Drama set entirely in a Fantasy-type world!

Dwayne Williams 2 Sounds impressive! Tell me more! Got a link? :)

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg Excellent questions, thank you. One of my reasons for posting here was to stress-test, so I appreciate your perspective very much. If you're up for a pm chat I'd love to talk more directly.

To overview, I spent several decades as a genre fan wondering why I didn't feel understood by the current entertainment system. I went on a long journey of study, investigation and (eventually) invention. Happy to discuss at more length another time, but some "short"(!) answers...

- I'm a filmmaker, so the principle media from me would be in that vein. However any "universe" IP that only thinks one media-form misses the point, and so Ex Uno is open to creators from any. The design in the DNA is to allow them to work together and combine in unexpected ways. They do now (Star Wars books, comics, TV series and films etc.), but typically in a disjointed way, as this sort of bolt-on approach is an afterthought.

- The existence of fan-fiction highlights the market I'm trying to reach. In sum, any IP that causes a fan base has a market that desires interaction, not simply consumption. The fact of cosplay and people speaking Klingon (amongst many examples) proves this. The fact that the current understanding of IP, which is 200 years old, doesn't account for it, only shows that a new approach would better cater for this aspect. If one is possible. And I believe it is.

My use of the term "fan fiction" only serves to communicate how this phenomena plays out in a way people can see today. Open-IP (or non-IP) media is created all the time. Who own's Santa Claus? Or Zeus? Not owning the copyright to Rudolf, ugly Christmas sweaters or Mount Olympus does nothing to remove a studio's right to copyright, protect and profit from any films they make featuring those characters or elements.

The stories we make movies of today featuring (for instance) the Greek Pantheon weren't created by priests in a temple, or employees of a rights-owning organisation, but by individual authors, or families by the campfire. The carvings and statues we have from those days are the equivalent of fan art today; self-identified members of a community, contributing to the community and expanding the lore. This is how what we now call "fandoms" have treated story for thousands of years. Capturing a way to manage that with a coherent IP strategy has taken some work, but has proven to be possible. We just have to drop the preconceived "consumer/creator" paradigm long enough to see that alternate methods are possible.

- I will disagree strongly on one point. You say fans don't create original material. They most certainly do! They just don't use original universes as the basis. The stories they tell, and often the characters they create, are entirely original. No less so than JJ Abrams or Alex Kurtzman, albeit without the license from the IP owner. It's only the context of the creativity that doesn't fit our current understanding of IP. This is what I'm aiming to change (at least as a proof of concept).

- Axanar is one of the lessons-learned that I've used for study. I actually spoke with Alec to get his take and learn. Interesting character! What I'm doing is the diametric opposite of that, and would avoid a situation like that ever existing. I also spoke with "Star Wars Theory" about his experience making the Vader fan films. Very nice guy! The fact that his short film has far more views than most episodes of The Acolyte shows the gap I'm talking about. The market is there, and the studios are missing it.

I would LOVE to discuss the specifics on how the project will protect and manage copyright if you have time. I've talked too much already for now. Are you aware of the "A Corp" project by Yancey Strickler?

You're welcome, Jon Hill.

Jon Hill Yes, it’s called Arubix, a gritty cyberpunk FPS and feature film hybrid, featured on my profile. https://www.stage32.com/profile/1151190/Screenplay/Arubix

Jon Hill Well it depends on your definition of "fan" because mine separates them from audience. Inasmuch as independent filmmakers are fans - those people are already doing what they do, in film festivals, etc. and some of them are original. Extrapolating on someone else's idea though, expanding the Star Wars or Star Trek universe, is by definition uncreative and while fans might do it as part of their participation in fandom, you can't fool an audience into thinking this is your own idea. If your story is original - put it into an original world because again by definition, your idea is derivative within someone else's world - and that tramples on the Moral Rights of the artist (whether they object or not is another matter). Artists don't want to be thought of as unoriginal or derivative, so they build their own scenarios and worlds. If they borrow from another world, there is an artistic point to it.

But I still don't understand what you are trying to organize, in truth. I don't see it stated on your site. Can you explain that and what it aims to do? Media projects do not start randomly nor do they get complete randomly. Specific people, sometimes a specific person, organizes it and gets it done. It's not a democratic process. Look at what is happening with the Baldur's Gate 3 expansion mod in process right now - done by "the community" with ~200 people working on it - but organized and directed by only a couple people. And it's not created by pure FANS of the game, but by aspiring and working game coders and developers. That phenomenon is part of the gaming community, which is very collaborative, in contrast to the filmmaking community which tends to more self centered and collaborative only in specific parts of the production process.

Whaaa, that trailer is incredible! The graphics look so cinematic, I’m definitely watching that! Great choice Maurice Vaughan 5.

I didn't know there was a trailer, Dwayne Williams 2. Can you post the link?

Maurice Vaughan 5 I think it might be a fan creation, but it’s still really cool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QehqE4LNDG8

Thanks, Dwayne Williams 2. That is really cool. I only watched a little of it because I want to go into the feature film knowing as little as possible about The Last Ronin universe.

Such a great breakdown and Batman is a perfect example of how a strong core identity can flex across tone, format, and audience while still feeling cohesive!

Another franchise that nails this balance is Star Wars. Between the original trilogies (PG adventure with mythic stakes), animated series like The Clone Wars (kid-friendly but layered), darker content like Andor (political thriller), and even LEGO Star Wars (pure fun), the galaxy far, far away constantly expands its reach while deepening its lore.

Thanks for sharing the video, Dwayne Williams 2. I like the term Superstory. I'm a Superstory teller when it comes to worldbuilding, like Houston Howard talked about toward the end of the video. I don't think about Superstory when I worldbuild. I focus on the script I'm outlining, but sometimes I develop so much of the world, I have things for other media and sequels.

You're welcome Maurice Vaughan 5. I like how you create. There's a natural rhythm to the way your worldbuilding flows into other formats.

Quick thought: when do you usually start thinking about the timeframe of the story? Is that something that comes up early when you're outlining, or does it fall into place once the world and characters start locking in?

Also, do you have a project where the budget’s off-limits—like something so close to your vision that cutting it down wouldn’t even be a conversation?

It usually falls into place once the world and characters start locking in, Dwayne Williams 2. I usually focus on the logline, theme, etc. first.

I don't worry about the budget that much with my big-budget scripts and fan fiction scripts, but I'm open to cutting the budget of any script.

Love this, Dwayne Williams 2! Thanks for sharing this video.

imagine them as the good guy. it’s only perspective that makes the viewer perceive them as the good guy after all!

Hey, Dwayne Williams 2. I give the antagonist a reason for the way they are/what they're doing (they were raised that way, they believe what they're doing is right, etc.). The audience might not agree with the way the antagonist is or what they're doing, but they'll understand why.

That’s a great point Mandi Allen! What exact aspects do you usually take from the good guy’s perspective and give to the antagonist? Or what traits do you think work best?

Perfect set up Maurice Vaughan 5! That’s a nice template for writers to learn from.

Ashley Renee Smith Pokémon Go, I think, really solidified Pokémon’s domination in transmedia. It feels like the pinnacle of what transmedia can do, taking a beloved universe and blending it with real-world interaction in a way that reaches beyond just games or shows.

100%!!! And the fact that they made it part fitness app is truly genius!

Thank you Dwayne Williams 2, I usually have the stories cook in my consciousness for months, even years at a time, and it's especially important for Petal since the universe loves expanding (I'm strongly considering a continuation so far known as The Second Movement). I love a world that feels lived-in.

I think the setting of the Star Wars franchise is already adult. There's a lot of killing and dying, and the lack of blood, sex, and swearing is a convention. I would watch an R-rated Star Wars movie. However, I'm not sure if other viewers would appreciate it.

Personally, I'm not attracted to violence in Pokémon. An R rating won't make me go to the movies or buy the game.

This awesome Ashley Renee Smith (how did I miss this?)! I do wonder how Skydance will affect those plans though. I grew up with Star Trek so the transmedia approach was in the forefront of developing "The Jupiter Chronicles". Plus, (you already know) worldbuilding is a bit of an addiction!

Ashley Renee Smith Incredible for Star Trek! I’ve noticed how the exploration of space naturally sets up endless opportunities for worldbuilding and transmedia expansion. Star Trek was definitely ahead of its time.