OTT & Transmedia

(https://theconversation.com/why-film-adaptations-of-popular-video-games-...)

The Sandman season two has its Netflix release date.

I really enjoyed the first season and have been waiting for this for a long time.

How about you? Are you a fan of The Sandman? Who has been the best character so far?

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/the-sandman-season-2-release-date-tease...

Pop-up experiences tied to film, TV, and streaming content have become huge in recent years, and it feels like we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible in this space.

From Stranger Things pop-up stores, to The Last of Us immersive haunted house, to fan events recreating sets, costumes, or food from beloved shows: these experiences have become a powerful tool for transmedia storytelling and audience engagement.

They create something every fan wants: the chance to step inside the world they love.

For indie creators, this raises such an exciting question: how can smaller-scale or indie projects use this same strategy? What does a pop-up experience look like for a short film, a web series, or a graphic novel? It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be memorable and rooted in story.

Have you attended a pop-up or immersive event connected to a show, movie, or game that stuck with you? Are you working on a project where this kind of experience could deepen audience connection?

Let’s talk creative ideas and examples: I’d love to hear how you all see pop-up experiences evolving in transmedia storytelling.

There’s a quiet tragedy unfolding in a galaxy far, far away.

It’s not the recycled plotlines. It’s not even the divisive sequels. It's not the fans being "too nostalgic" or the actors being harassed online. It’s something more fundamental — something that once made Star Wars feel alive and now makes it feel... flat. The worldbuilding, once vibrant and mythic, has slowly eroded into a checklist of aesthetics and references. And this collapse is starting to cripple everything Star Wars touches, from Disney+ shows to comics, games, and toys.

Once Upon a Time in a Used Universe

Star Wars once had some of the best worldbuilding in pop culture. The "used future" of the original trilogy — sandblasted speeders, dented helmets, grimy cantinas — made the galaxy feel lived-in. It wasn’t just the visuals; it was the cultural depth. Jedi weren’t just space wizards — they were echoes of samurai, monks, and Arthurian knights. The Empire wasn’t just bad guys — they were a sci-fi reflection of fascism. Every background alien hinted at a wider galaxy. Every piece of tech told you something about who used it and why.

The world didn't explain itself because it didn’t need to. You felt it.

Compare that to today’s Star Wars, where entire planets exist just to be blue backdrops, and cultures exist for exactly one plot beat before they’re discarded. Characters jump from planet to planet like it's UberEats, but none of the places matter. Nothing feels rooted. It's cosplay worldbuilding — the kind that looks like Star Wars, but has no inner logic.

Lore Bloat Without Lore Depth

Star Wars has become obsessed with explaining things that don’t need explaining, while ignoring the things that do. Want to know how Han got his last name? Here's a scene for that. But want to understand how the New Republic collapsed so fast after winning the war? Or how the Force is understood in different cultures? Too bad.

Instead of building out the galaxy, recent entries collapse it inward. Everything is connected to the Skywalkers, the Death Star, or Tatooine. There’s a whole galaxy out there, but we’re stuck doing laps around the same ten plot points. The High Republic tried to go wide, but even that struggles under the weight of a franchise afraid to move beyond legacy.

It’s a galaxy that refuses to grow — or worse, one that pretends to, but always snaps back to its comfort zone.

Transmedia Is Suffering

Transmedia storytelling — comics, novels, games, shows — should be Star Wars' secret weapon. But it’s turning into an anchor.

Without a strong, evolving world, these spin-offs don’t feel essential — they feel like homework. A new show doesn’t expand the mythos; it patches plot holes. A new book doesn’t unveil a forgotten legend; it retrofits a character arc. The connective tissue has turned into duct tape.

Look at The Mandalorian. It started strong because it felt new — the Outer Rim, a lone bounty hunter, moral ambiguity. Then it became a cameo carousel for other shows. A backdoor pilot machine. Andor was a rare exception, but even that sits in a prequel box, trapped by canon. Meanwhile, the games (Jedi: Survivor, for instance) build stronger stakes than the films — but even they’re hamstrung by the need to tiptoe around the “big stuff.”

When transmedia feels like filler rather than foundation, you're no longer worldbuilding. You're brand-building.

The Heart of the Problem: Star Wars Is Afraid to Let Go

The biggest issue? Star Wars doesn’t trust its own galaxy anymore. It clings to the Skywalker saga like a security blanket, terrified of what happens when it steps outside. Every new thing has to tie back to something old. Every old thing must be repackaged and resold. That’s not storytelling — that’s taxidermy.

The irony is that Star Wars was once the boldest myth in pop culture. Now it’s cautious. Hesitant. Safe. And in a genre that thrives on imagination, safety is the kiss of death.

Worldbuilding isn't just maps and names. It’s the art of making a place feel real — so real, you want to live there. Star Wars used to do that. Now it sells the illusion of it.

And unless it finds its mythic courage again — unless it remembers how to build stories beyond the Skywalkers, and explore the weird, wild galaxy it once promised — the Force won’t just be asleep.

It’ll be forgotten.

Introducing VISTA: A New Way to Think About Storytelling Systems

For years, I’ve watched the entertainment industry operate like a billion-dollar lemonade stand—unbelievably powerful, wildly influential, but built on shaky tables and sticky fingers. It’s an industry full of brilliance, passion, and jaw-dropping talent... yet somehow allergic to structure, consistency, or long-term vision.

I’m not here to complain about it—I’m building something to fix it.

It’s called VISTA, short for Versatile Integrated Storytelling Architecture. It's a creative operating system designed for the kind of worldbuilding we’re all doing now—stories that span across film, television, games, comics, novels, digital media, and beyond. The kind of IP that lives in universes, not just episodes.

I won’t pretend VISTA is a silver bullet—but it is a foundation. A way to help creators manage the madness of modern storytelling without compromising the art. It’s built to support creative alignment across teams, maintain continuity across mediums, and preserve the integrity of a vision over time. It’s not about replacing writers or automating creativity—it’s about creating clarity, coherence, and control in the process.

Over the last year, I’ve been quietly developing VISTA as a tool not just for myself, but for other storytellers who are tired of building empires on scattered Google Docs, mismatched PDFs, and mental duct tape. We need better. And if Hollywood won’t build it—we will.

The entertainment industry is shifting. The walls between mediums are disappearing. The speed is breakneck. Audiences are sharper, more invested, and more connected than ever. And the truth is: winging it doesn’t cut it anymore. Chaos isn’t charming. It’s a bottleneck.

What I’m building with VISTA won’t fix every problem overnight. But it’s a start. A structure. A system built with the storyteller in mind—scalable, flexible, and designed to make the impossible just a bit more possible.

If you’ve ever dreamed in cross-medium arcs, struggled to keep your universe straight, or just want to stop losing sleep over story bibles that never get updated—VISTA’s for you.

More soon. Until then—build boldly.

In person networking event next week in the East Valley.

RSVP here

Marvel and Star Wars. Two titans of transmedia storytelling. They’ve set the benchmark for how franchises can extend across film, television, comics, games, and beyond—building immersive worlds where fans can lose themselves for years. But here’s the thing: they aren’t the only ones doing it.

There are other franchises out there—smaller in scale, but no less ambitious—that are quietly redefining how stories live across multiple platforms. And if you’re someone who creates intellectual properties (IPs) or simply loves the art of world-building, these lesser-known examples offer some fascinating lessons.

Let’s dive into a few.

1. The Expanse

What started as a tabletop RPG setting evolved into a best-selling book series, which then became a critically acclaimed television show. But here’s what makes The Expanse remarkable: its transmedia evolution feels organic.

Every medium serves a unique purpose. The books deliver deep political and scientific nuance. The show leans into the human drama and visual spectacle. And the original RPG invites fans to create their own stories within the universe. Each platform enhances the core narrative rather than simply replicating it.

Takeaway: Transmedia storytelling works best when each platform adds a new dimension to the world. Repetition is boring. Expansion is where the magic happens.

2. The Witcher

Yes, Netflix made it a household name, but The Witcher has a far richer history. It began as a collection of short stories by Andrzej Sapkowski. The books inspired a globally successful video game franchise before finally making the leap to television.

What’s fascinating is how each iteration found its own audience. The books built a cult following in Eastern Europe. The games took that mythology global. And the Netflix series reached audiences who never picked up a game controller. Instead of one linear expansion, The Witcher is a case study in how IP can adapt to different audience appetites.

Takeaway: Different audiences live on different platforms. If you want your IP to thrive, meet people where they are—but give each group a reason to care.

3. Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal (1982) was a niche cult classic—a gorgeous but strange fantasy film that felt like it belonged to another world. Decades later, Age of Resistance on Netflix not only resurrected the IP but deepened it.

What stood out? The team didn’t stop at the show. They released behind-the-scenes documentaries, comic series expanding the lore, and an interactive online fan hub. For a franchise many assumed was a relic, this thoughtful transmedia approach transformed it into a living, breathing world.

Takeaway: Legacy IPs can have new life if you treat them with care. Fans don’t just want to consume; they want to explore and engage.

So, Why Does This Matter?

It’s easy to point to Marvel and Star Wars as the blueprints for transmedia success. They have the resources and reach that most of us can only dream about. But these lesser-known franchises prove something important:

A) You don’t need to be a billion-dollar machine to craft a compelling transmedia story.

B) What you do need is intentionality! Each platform should expand your world in a way that feels organic and essential.

For IP creators, this is an exciting time. Audiences are hungry for worlds they can explore across mediums and if you give them something worth diving into, they’ll stick around for the long haul.

Which lesser-known franchises do you think are pushing the boundaries of transmedia storytelling? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Apple TV+ has launched an innovative immersive series titled Adventure, designed specifically for the Apple Vision Pro. This groundbreaking series utilizes Apple Immersive Video technology, capturing 180-degree 8K recordings with Spatial Audio to transport viewers into the heart of each story.

Each episode of Adventure follows pioneering athletes as they undertake awe-inspiring challenges in some of the world’s most spectacular locations. For instance, the episode “Ice Dive” features freediver Ant Williams attempting to break the world record for swimming the longest distance under ice in a single breath. This immersive format allows viewers to experience the intensity and beauty of such feats firsthand.

The series exemplifies the evolving landscape of transmedia storytelling, where traditional narratives are enhanced through cutting-edge technology to create deeply engaging audience experiences.

Learn more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiTwkAU9n38

As creators and storytellers, how do you see immersive technologies like Apple Immersive Video influencing the future of narrative experiences? Are there particular stories or genres you believe are especially suited for this format? Let’s discuss the potential and challenges of integrating such technologies into our transmedia projects.

Hey Transmedia Creatives!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the potential of expanding a film concept into other formats like video games and comic books, not just as companion pieces, but as fully immersive extensions of the story.

So here’s a question for you all:

If your current film project was the center of a transmedia universe, what would the video game or comic version look like?

Would the video game explore untold backstories? Would the comic book dive into lore or alternate perspectives? How would each piece complement (but not duplicate) the story of your original film?

I’d love to hear:

What projects you’re working on that could lend themselves to this kind of expansion?

How you’d approach adapting your world across mediums?

What challenges or successes you’ve had exploring multiple formats?

Let’s inspire each other to think bigger and broader when it comes to storytelling.

And if you’re actively developing a transmedia concept and want help navigating the right connections or resources, definitely reach out to our Stage 32 Success Team at Success@Stage32.com—they’re amazing at helping you find support for multi-platform storytelling.

Excited to hear what you’re building!

When people ask what I do as an IP architect, I tell them this: I build worlds—and make sure those worlds can stand the test of time.

World-building and intellectual property might seem like different things, but to me, they’re two sides of the same coin. Both are about creating something bigger than a single story or idea. They’re about crafting a universe that feels real, one that can grow and evolve while staying true to itself.

Here’s how I see it:

It Starts with a Solid Foundation: Every great fictional world needs a structure that holds everything together. When I approach IP, I think about how each piece fits into a larger framework. What are the rules? What’s the core idea? Without a clear foundation, things fall apart.

Room to Grow: The best worlds aren’t static. They change. They adapt. I build IP frameworks with that same mindset—making sure ideas can expand into new stories, new formats, and new platforms. If you do it right, your world can live beyond the page or screen without losing its essence.

Protecting the Heart of the Story: Just like a world’s lore needs to stay consistent, so does its intellectual property. My job is to protect the core vision—whether that means creating legal safeguards or building internal guidelines—so that no matter how much the world expands, it stays true to itself.

Balancing Structure and Creativity: Creativity thrives with the right amount of structure. Too much, and you stifle new ideas. Too little, and things become chaotic. I’m always working to strike that balance—building frameworks that give creators freedom while keeping everything connected and secure.

At the end of the day, being an IP architect isn’t just about legalities—it’s about building something that lasts. Whether it’s a fictional universe or a brand-new idea, my goal is to make sure it doesn’t just survive—it thrives.

What do you think? How do you approach building something that lasts? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

#WorldBuilding #IPArchitecture #Storytelling #CreativeProcess