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Producing Multiplatform

On 11 November 2004 NMK held an afternoon conference in which an expert panel discussed the outcomes of Stephen Jeffery-Poulter's 2-year MPhil Research Programme for ICDC, Liverpool John Moores University.

On 11 November 2004 NMK held an afternoon conference in which an expert panel discussed the outcomes of Stephen Jeffery-Poulter's 2-year MPhil Research Programme for ICDC, Liverpool John Moores University.

After an introduction by Michael Blakstad, Stephen Jeffery-Poulter explained the background to his research. During 2001 and 2002, after leading the Digital Synergies Programme - a joint season of events with NMK, PACT and BAFTA, he identified a need to examine multiplatform production methodologies. After spending nine months reviewing all available literature on the subject, he had identified his research aim:

To establish the need for the development of a new converged production methodology for making multi-platform digital entertainment projects, and propose a possible new paradigm in which it would operate.

His research questions were:

• How successful have current and previous attempts been in developing efficient and sustainable integrated production methodologies for creating original interactive entertainment projects across multiple digital platforms in the UK?
• What are the practical and psychological barriers to collaboration in an integrated production team?
• What processes, tools and methodologies might be appropriate to consider when designing and implementing a new production paradigm for interactive multi-platform digital entertainment projects?

Thesis contents:

• The Development of Television Production Methodology in the UK
• Defining Digital Media: Interactive CD-Rom/DVD; Web Design And Development; Computer Games; Interactive Television Common Characteristics of Digital Media Production
• The Principal Challenges of Producing Digital Media
• Three Case Studies of Multi-platform Development:
  Big Brother UK Series 1; Network of the World; X Files Game

Michael then interviewed participants from two of the three case studies. First up was Morgan Holt, talking about Big Brother series 1. He described the setup – interactive was done through Channel 4, the web site was set up with help from Intel (Channel 4 didn’t have their own web infrastructure in place at the time). Endemol handled editorial on the web site, while their technical partners Victoria Real provided its technical facilities. The physical set-up at the Big Brother house was chaotic, with too many production personnel present (more than 300) and a series of portacabins wired together. Major problems, like BT plugging an ISDN line into the wrong place, necessitated lots of hasty improvisation.

The setup worked up to a point, but there was conflict between the TV producers and the software developers. The software developers had an iterative mentality whereby their work could continually be improved on once it was live. The TV producers were of the opinion that the technical side had to be perfect right from the get go. The TV people started to take the ITV side seriously because of editorial concerns – they had to pull the plug when one of the contestants undressed on air. This emphasised that the editorial content had to be owned by the whole production rather than by one platform. The web could pre-empt the TV show. When the ‘Nasty Nick’ controversy broke, the website was the only place for people to keep up with developments as they happened. The CMS was built to fulfil an unknown requirement. It evolved into a precursor of a typical modern web CMS.

David Stranks talked about Network of the World. It had been the world’s first fully converged TV and internet service, with four hours a day of television content available via satellite and streamed on the website. An interactive panel on the site was designed to take users to relevant content deeper in the site.

Funded from Hong Kong, the operation was based in West London. The set-up was very ‘dotcom’: trendy workspace, rapid expansion, frequent office moves. David described relations between the web and TV teams as ‘poisonous’. Communication between them was terrible – each had its own agenda, neither understood the other. Initially the web team dominated, but as deadlines loomed and content was required, the TV team became more important. The CMS was a lost opportunity. It was developed by the web team to handle everything – asset management, scheduling, publishing etc. They didn’t do it very well – the final result hindered what it was meant to achieve. The satellite is still broadcasting programmes, but the web site no longer exists.

Stephen then presented his findings. Multi-platform projects are too varied to support a standardised methodology, but guidelines could be developed that will make life easier for producers. He pointed out the contrasting production paradigms between the different types of media. Linear media typically have hierarchical project teams, a three-phase product process, a creative/technical/producer split, and they deliver a concrete product to a definitive deadline. Digital media tend to have democratic project teams, an evolutionary model of production, an editorial/technical/commercial split, and they deliver an iterative product, perpetually improved and upgraded after launch.

He identified the core challenges for each new multi-platform project as being: definition of deliverables; project management methodology; creating inter-disciplinary teams; CMS strategy.

He went on to discuss each of these in detail. He first stressed the importance of comprehensive planning, with everything accounted for in scope documentation. The purpose of each platform must be clear, along with its costs and expected returns. Just as important, how each platform relates to the others must be understood (ideally they will connect in a ‘virtuous circle’).

He described Project Management Methodology as the most difficult aspect of a project. The unique needs of each platform must be understood, but they must also be drawn together into a unified whole. Milestones must be identified, and relevant documentation, communication and reporting strategies developed.

Three key personnel are needed to head a project (producer, visionary, project manager). The team must be able to bridge the cultural divides between the different platforms. Chain of command must be clearly established from the start, and any changes in roles and responsibilities must be communicated quickly. An effort should be made to ensure that everyone understands the different needs and cultures of every department so as to create a more harmonious and successful project.

Finally, a Content Management System must be developed that allows the storing, managing and publishing of digital assets on all platforms – throughout the entire lifecycle of content. It must be easy to use, scalable, flexible and fast.

The panellists then shared their thoughts about Stephen’s conclusions. Emma Somerville said that while scope documentation is important, it’s necessary for it to evolve as the project does; most problems that occur aren’t anticipated during kick-off meetings. (Stephen agreed with this – scope documents are a starting point, and nothing is set in stone.) On the subject of cultural differences, she said that while communication within a project is useful, shared success criteria and benefits are just as important. She also thought that the ‘virtuous circle’ wasn’t always relevant, as too many platforms could overwhelm users. She said that each platform’s role and relevance must be examined without losing sight of the overall picture. She agreed that choosing the team was essential, but that the hierarchy must be unambiguous – someone must own the project.

Peter Jones agreed with Stephen’s conclusions. He said that in the games industry there has been a tendency to miss deadlines and milestones – they now produce scope documents to try and minimise this problem. Management is getting more and more difficult – teams are expanding, and outsourcing is becoming necessary. The advantage games developers have is that they develop products for a series of discrete platforms that don’t have to interact with one another. The games industry, he said, is moving more towards the TV production model than the film production model. He described his experiences of working on a Harry Potter game as a perfect example of how to successfully co-ordinate a production that was based across several different companies.

Jonathan Webb said that the conclusions seemed a bit utopian. He says that there has to be a unified production model for new media – the narcissistic ‘we’re different to everyone else’ attitude has to end. He feels that new media should aim towards the TV production model. He agreed with Emma that the ‘virtuous circle’ isn’t always effective – he believes that TV is the most important platform, and the others don’t contribute all that much. He claimed it’s often too expensive to have both a producer and a project manager. He says that content management systems are unnecessary; the same effect can be achieved by having a few people updating content manually – this costs more in the long-term, but allows greater flexibility.

Questions and comments were then taken from the floor, broadening the discussion. If one element in a project has problems, fixing it can sometimes eat up the budget for other elements. So who has overall control of the budget? Stephen said it should always be the producer. There’s a lot of talk of interaction, but can something be truly interactive if its sole purpose is to drive people to a TV show? The panellists said that the web provides good ways to interact with audiences – through bulletin boards and chat – that are unavailable to TV. The importance of creating properly defined, standardised new media job titles and skillsets was also raised.

There was a lot of discussion of the fact that Stephen’s work seems to address the concerns of large companies while ignoring those of smaller companies. Stephen denied that his work was just about big companies; he pointed out that there was a total of 24 companies involved in Big Brother, and that none of them knew who had overall editorial control.

The chairman concluded by thanking Stephen for his work, and suggesting that perhaps someone might want to take on the task of teaching smaller companies how to work together more effectively.

About the speakers:

Michael Blakstad is chair of a government-funded B2B broadband initiative and a regular chair and speaker at conferences on interactive media. He is external professor of digital media at the University of Glamorgan and he advises clients on broadband and interactive strategies.

In 1984 he founded Workhouse, which became one of the UK’s leading independent agencies producing web and interactive TV programmes. He is a member of SEEDA’s Media, Telecommunications and Technology Task Force and was Chair of the Executive of the Broadbandshow. He is also Chair of the Advisory Board of Digital Public, an independent consultancy advising public sector organisations on the implementation of broadband. He has worked with the Chichester Festival Theatre to develop an broadband educational outreach programme.

Michael has also been a Director of the Chrysalis Group and Zenith Entertainment plc; Director of Programmes of TVS; and from 1974 to 1980 worked in various senior roles at BBC television.

Stephen Jeffery-Poulter is a Digital Content Consultant with 20 years experience in commissioning, developing and producing original content across traditional and new media. As a consultant he has been involved in the development of CandT Theatre Company's online education portal Livingnewspaper.com as well as projects at Exeter University, Bristol University, and the University of East London. Previously he worked for new media agencies Mousepower, RTSe and Pittard Sullivan; and was a Senior Producer at Network of the World. He spent the first 15 years of his career working TV Drama initially at the BBC and later in the Independent Sector.

Stephen also works as a part time lecturer overseeing students’ digital media projects at Ravensbourne College and Kingston University; and has spent the last 2 years researching cross-platform production methods for a part time MPhil at the International Centre for Digital Content (ICDC) at Liverpool John Moores University. As Convergence Programme Consultant at NMK over the last 4 years he has developed and produced 20 high profile seminars and conferences, as well as contributing as chair or speaker to numerous national and international digital media events.

Morgan Holt is Executive Producer at Endemol UK with responsibility for interactivity on all broadcast TV projects, as well as other platforms such as mobiles, the web and gaming consoles. He is a former journalist, and began working for Endemol on the first series of Big Brother where he was in charge of the editorial for all platforms. Subsequently he has worked as Executive Producer for all the company's leading interactive projects: all five series of Big Brother, The Match, Restoration, Fame Academy, and The Farm. He has Executive Produced smaller shows for Endemol such as Orange Playlist, Cosmetic Surgery Live, and the Bristol Studios projects. He has also created broadcasts such as I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Hell's Kitchen with Granada, and Bump 'n' Grind with Flextech.

David Stranks is Series Producer/Head of Production, Gamer.tv. David started in TV as one of the first four Continuity Announcers on Channel 4 in 1982. Since 1987 he has worked in the independent sector as a Producer/Director with a bias towards factual entertainment/magazine shows. Programmes/series worked on include: Saturday Night At The Movies (Initial for GTV), Rough Guide To Careers (Diverse for BBC2) – but have ventured into wider pastures including South (global documentary magazine for C4) The World At Their Feet (Kids drama for Disney & BBC1) and Wanted Marjory & Oliver (Anglo/Georgian drama-doc – Initial for C4).

Between 1992-7 David ran London and LA offices of Capricorn Programmes, an independent company producing up to 10 entertainment, music and videogame series per week for ITV and international distribution. He spent 2 years from 2000-02 as Senior Producer at NOW (Network of The World)- the "world’s first fully converged TV & Internet Service" - co-produced by TWI and PCCW, where he created and ran the music channel: MP3tv. Since 2002 he has been Senior Producer, Series Producer & Head of Production at Gamer.tv - a niche entertainment production company producing TV and web content centred on the world’s biggest entertainment industry, videogames.

Emma Somerville is Head of BBC’s interactive TV programming, responsible for developing integrated strategies for the BBC’s enhanced television (eTV) services, focusing on integrating eTV commissioning as part of TV’s broader commissioning process. Emma joined the BBC in September, 2002 as Head of 24/7 - the BBC’s ‘always-on’ information services – to implement the rollout across digital Satellite and FREEVIEW.

Previously she launched the UK’s first-ever digital interactive content services at Open..., subsequently taking on the additional role of Head of Content and Enhanced TV at Sky, responsible for creating and implementing the interactive content strategy that currently supports Sky One, Sky Sports, Sky News and Sky Movies. Emma started her digital media career at Teletext where, as New Media Manager she set up its website which, within a year, won the BT and Yell award for Best Online Publication.

Peter Jones is an Executive Producer, Lionhead Studios. Peter has been working in the software entertainment industry for more than 18 years. With his initial training in operating and programming mainframe computers, he wrote his first commercial program at home in the early 1980’s, at which point he decided to begin his games career. His first games company was Mirrorsoft Ltd. Since then he has worked for many companies including Sega, Acclaim and Argonaut in a variety of Production roles, culminating in his current position at Lionhead Studios. With a great deal of experience behind him, Peter is surprised each day to find that he still continues to enjoy working with so many talented people in such a diverse and rewarding industry.

Lionhead Studios is one of the world's most successful games developers. In 2001 its game Black & White was released and sales now top the 2 million mark. The studio’s second game, Fable, released in September 2004, broke several US sales records, selling over a million copies in its first month of release. A further four games are currently under development and Lionhead now numbers over 230 employees.

Jonathan Webb is Channel Controller of Trouble and Challenge. Since joining Challenge, Jonathan has moved the programme strategy from game shows to the games we play. The channel has recently launched a new series of casino based shows including Celebrity Poker Club. Jonathan is also responsible for the development of Trouble with a raft of new US comedies coming to the channel in 2004.

In addition, Jonathan is Flextech Television's Director of Interactive Programming, responsible for creating a convergent vision for Flextech's wholly owned channels. The role covers the development of Flextech's interactive multi-platform strategy across interactive TV, mobile telephony and web/broadband.