What will we be watching? (Exciting times are upon us!)

New technologies in video entertainment industry have changed the way we watch content. With the rapid evolution of these new viewing technologies might come corresponding change in the content itself.

Recently, New Media Age presented an article entitled, "Television Futures - Independent Producers: Time to switch?"¹ Several lines stood out with me.

"Now the trends are personalization, social networking and broadcast-quality video over the Internet." "The problem is that … the penetration of interactivity into broadcast commissioning is relatively limited. …there isn't a great deal of professionally made formats outside of broadcast."

"Faster, widespread broadband is enabling the evolution of cross-platform content to take off in other genres like drama, comedy and documentary."

"The strength of TV companies like ours is storytelling. We can take an idea, shape a narrative and deliver audience-centered content. As the audience migrates to different platforms, the key for us is to migrate our skills onto those platforms and make the best content for them."

A key underlying theme to all of this is that where and how we view video entertainment content is changing. When I was a child - and if I must admit it, even well into my adult years - broadcast television and movie theaters were the only two choices for experiencing motion picture entertainment. Now, we add a variety of mobile devices, personal computers, and a multitude of cable/satellite alternatives, and home theaters to the list.

Might this change in how video entertainment is watched, and the diverse preferences of viewers, lead to changes in the content itself? The New Media Age article directly mentions "evolution of cross-platform content." Movie theaters are changing as they slowly transition to digital projection by adding new content - more advertising, live sporting events, concerts, and gaming. Might other new types of content evolve, created for Internet-based and portable devices and the wide range of consumers using them?

Perhaps one of the greatest reasons for change is that many of these new devices come with more limited storage and/or transmission capacities, but maybe more importantly is that the user is viewing with these devices with different preferences, in different locations, and in different social situations. How might content be adapted for these new uses?

Interactivity may not be the only new twist to portable and Internet-based devices, although it is an extremely important twist that will become even more important as personalized capabilities are enabled. Creation of a wide range of content alternatives based upon new viewing situations alone may offer new opportunities.

One would certainly expect, at least in the short term, many new short-form productions. These may be specifically created, custom productions or they might be spin-offs or modified / alternative storylines for existing broadcast drama or comedy productions. Alternative bundling or specifically shot concert or sporting events might be created for these other devices, although they might eventually make their way to the traditional television or cinema screens.

Of course, this is not a particularly new or novel idea. Similarly, once cable television took hold, creative folks developed all sorts of new, targeted programming content with channels dedicated to food, sports, weather, music, cartoons, and on and on. And Screen Digest² recently reported on over a dozen short mobile format initiatives, which is already an indication of change in this direction, albeit moving slowly.

So, this may once again be an opportunity for independent, creative storytellers to create new types of programs. One challenge may be that the content should work well across platforms as the wider the content can be shared, the more profitable it may be. Repurposing and repackaging of the content is likely to be critical for profitability.

That repurposing and repackaging of content is one reason that Kodak cares about this topic. Film remains a high quality, archival medium for originating content that can be repurposed and repackaged in high enough quality - for any viewing alternative.

1 "Television Futures - Independent Producers: Time to switch?" 23 August 2007, Centaur Communications, New Media Age

2 "Mobile Movies' Slow-Motion Start" September 2007, Screen Digest