X|Media|Lab: Adrian Sexton

Adrian Sexton co-founded New Medici to innovate media, entertainment and lifestyle branding across digital and traditional platforms. He answers questions from The Big Idea community about the future economic models for independent films and how to time the release of films across multiple platforms.

“All entertainment (and possible distance learning/education) will have to go multiplatform and social media to survive.”

As former digital head of two media companies, Lionsgate and Participant Media, as well as founding partner of TAG Strategic consultancy, Sexton brings a hybrid background in operational digital strategy, content and marketing/ distribution. Sexton and the New Medici team’s passion is building audiences in untapped content niches.

Adrian Sexton is one of the international mentors at X|Media|Lab, Commercialising Ideas, in Auckland from May 22-24. The lab is designed to help local digital media companies get their ideas to market.

How do you see the economic model working for Indy films in the near future? Do you think a general cinema release will become limited to Tent pole movies while indies focus more on digital distribution... or are film festivals going to help keep a cinema release as a viable option?

Independent films will continue to suffer over the next few years. With so many of the major studios shuttering or closing their indie labels, only smaller micro-distributors will be willing to take small chances on these films. Analog or traditional production costs will drop down to near-digital, i.e., cheap, budgets. Indies will still perform well in festivals, which will suffer hard to keep them alive; but it will be the breakout indies like "Little Miss Sunshine" and similar that will make enough money to make it to the awards. In effect, they will function as actors/directors/above-the-line award vehicles, and hence pick up a little box office loot, and a trophy or two.

On the other hand, smarter, indie distributors will learn how to roll-up niches of indie audiences - i.e., grow a living database of engaged users who will show up to these films in theatres. They'll work the smaller exhibitors, cable and on-demand channels to channel very specific returns, then package them to create niche brands. So instead of a next-generation Miramax running all kinds of product, these new distributors will concentrate on very tight niches, then leverage those to enter other niches of content and consumers.

Big releases and multiplexes will be tentpole-centric, with the indies who cross-over peeking around the curtains from the smaller screens. Digital distribution will level the dvd window, but not help indies in the theatrical department, which is still the economic driver for the film's entire run.

Do you see this model of multiple-platform marketing being successfully applied to other entertainment or educational media such as publishing or television?

All entertainment (and possible distance learning/education) will have to go multiplatform and social media to survive. You'll start to even see multi-level marketing (MLM or Amway-style) begin to drive entertainment consumption, too. Again, audience-building, and moving them across all the platforms.

What are the main factors in determining the best timeline for release of a film across multiple delivery platforms?

Theatrical is always based on competitive landscape, and/or if there's a seasonal or school-event tie-in. Other windows' timelines are less important. Day and date releases typically cannibalize whichever stronger window they're in, but we'll see more and more that windows are shrinking: a failed movie will move quicker to straight on-demand as opposed to a quiet window into packaged dvd. We'll also see more marrying of dvd-mailer and on-demand, expanding content reach for at-home viewers.

When developing a new-media product, should we be developing it for our local market and expanding if it's a success or developing for the global market and hoping it works across borders right off the bat?

No good answer. So, BOTH...

Pick an original story with a universal narrative and make it unique. Unique works everywhere, in any culture, on any device. Also, comedy helps...

What is exciting you most right now in the digital arena?

Niche publishing "with extras." Given all the downfall of traditional publishing and the noise of social media, I'm interested mostly in how we can still build "voice" in non-traditional ways.

As odd as it may sound, I'm looking for a user-driven narrative that employs pop culture, social media and gaming (i.e., ways to constantly drive users to keep coming back, so maybe making it "game-like" or multi-player is the way to go). And yes, I'm working on this "social gaming narrative" model. More to come...

What are some of the challenges of ‘commercialising ideas’ in the current economic climate?

It's all about innovation - you've got to know the working models, the platforms and the currents of social media. What's against you? A lot of people are doing the personal branding, yet only a few of them will have the ability to create truly commercial yet innovative ideas, to differentiate themselves. As corporations have pulled back, it's also up to the niche and big-dreaming innovators to revolutionize their industries.

What is your “Big Idea” for 2009?

Social narrative - i.e., scalable voice without the tethers of traditional media ownership.  More at my keynote and lab. ;)