Award winning and Emmy nominated transmedia writer and producer Nuno Bernardo answers our questions “Why Transmedia?”
Nuno Bernardo is managing director of beActive which is seated in Lisbon, Portugal. Though the topic Transmedia Storytelling in Portugal is not yet as big as in other countries beActive is actively producing also in other countries and has bureaus there as well as in London, Dublin and Sao Paolo. Nuno has not only won an award and was nominated for an Emmy but he has also written a book called The Producer’s Guide to Transmedia
As a transmedia producer, why transmedia?
Transmedia is being used to describe several things. In our view, the work we do, is an approach to storytelling where stories are told organically on different platforms and medias in a complemented way. We’ve been using Transmedia to incubate entertainment brands, using on-line platforms to reach out audiences. But Transmedia is also being used to extend Film and TV brands and characters to on-line audiences, through short-form videos, games, eBooks, Social media apps and other content forms. As it’s still on it’s infancy, Transmedia is still evolving and Transmedia projects are more experiences than an already formatted communication form.
What’s driving the sudden activity and buzz around “transmedia”?
As audiences are changing their entertainment consuming habits, from traditional media to new on-line platforms, like Internet, Tablet or smartphones, content producers need to understand these new medias and how audiences get engaged with content on these platforms. New medias means new languages and approach. As Cinema is different from Theater or Movies are different from TV, producing for and engaging audience on new platforms need new set of rules, languages and formats. Transmedia is the new form of storytelling to the new digital platforms.
Can you think of any examples of content, either mainstream or niche, that are great case studies for how things should play out?
As a Transmedia producer myself I want to believe that my projects Sofia’s Diary, Final Punishment and Flatmates were good experiments of what Transmedia storytelling could be in the future. I’m also a big fan of Lance Weiler projects and the French project Supernatural Oddities. On the documentary side, I also like Prison Valey.
Do you think that only Hollywood and big networks are able to realize “cool” transmedia projects? What does it need to accomplish great projects?
My view is the opposite. Hollywood doesn’t need Transmedia. In the new Hollywood, everything is centered around a big feature film that costs 200 million dollars to produce and almost the same amount to market. What Hollywood does really well is to spend a lot of money producing digital experiences around their movies (or big TV series). Transmedia storytelling is the opposite. It’s a way to develop stories, worlds and characters using different platforms and using interaction and participation on the platforms to create the Experience!
What do you wish for your own/others upcoming transmedia projects?
The big issue in Transmedia at the moment is funding. Being a new and non-standard communication form, it lacks an established funding and business model. We need more Transmedia buyers and commissioners, not just TV or Digital commissioners. Smart buyers that understand that Transmedia is about creating entertainment brands side-by-side with the audience, and audience that in the future will become the buyers of the different entertainment products that will spin-off out of the Transmedia experience.
What is the transmedia scene in your country like?
Transmedia is not a subject (yet) in Portugal and that’s the big reason we develop most of our work outside the country.
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Let’s spread the word together! Thank you very much Nuno for taking the time to answer our questions. We are looking forward to more projects of your company and.
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