This is what I get for waking up early to write the news this morning. About 8:00 AM today Scott Kurtz announced that he's launching an animated version of PvP in conjunction with Blind Ferret Entertainment, the company that is already producing the animated Ctrl-Alt-Del series. Kris Straub will also have a big hand in the series as co-producer and co-writer. (hat tip to Fleen for the quick write-up of this story.)
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The future of animation?
Is this the future of animation & webcomics? Where creators gain control & ownership of their work without going through all that red tape of broadcast TV? Just between creator& audience?
I'd like to hear Joe Manley's opinion on this! Heck, Warren Ellis' would be sweet!
Im curious as to what profit
Im curious as to what profit can/will be from these kind of ventures. I imagine the audience is from the more hardcore section of the fanbase, at least considering CAD's pricing of 2.95 USD a month, which was essentially one four minute episode.
Vir BonusVir Bonus
Break Even Might Be Enough
Another way to look at this is that it's enough for Kurtz to break even. This could be a trial run where he gets to "prove" himself sort of like when he first published a comic book through Dork Press only later to be picked up by Image. If he and Straub can produce a quality, popular-enough series someone from TV may come calling and Kurtz will have a lot more pull in the negotiations then if he hadn't taken this step.
I could see it. PvP is funny but rarely actually subversive in any way. It would fit on TV as is and probably attract a healthy audience on cable. But, and I suspect Kurtz knows this at some level - PvP isn't PvP without Kurtz involved and so letting someone else make the animated show would probably be a dud and PvP even with Kurtz unless he gets his feet wet in animation may not be enough. But this web-project could be the "training wheels" to get him further along.
I'm just waiting for the inevitable C-A-D post today in response to Kurtz's annoucement
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Xaviar Xerexes
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Gnaw.
TV ain't the way
Another way to look at this is that it's enough for Kurtz to break even. This could be a trial run where he gets to "prove" himself sort of like when he first published a comic book through Dork Press only later to be picked up by Image. If he and Straub can produce a quality, popular-enough series someone from TV may come calling and Kurtz will have a lot more pull in the negotiations then if he hadn't taken this step.
I doubt TV is the way to go, xerexes. Why not the Internet? Why not let all of the animated shows, not just PVP evolve & grow on the 'Net instead of TV. Broadcast TV is dying, xerexes. We have iPods, Zunes, PSP, the PC and all other medias to distribute into, one that guarantees more audience in a blink of an eye thanks to hyperdistribution on the 'Net. And more importantly, that work is creator-owned. I can't just repeat that anymore to emphasise it.
We have Steam, why not take advantage of that?
I agree with Altercator. I'm
Sure
The above was speculation on Scott Kurtz not my general thoughts on the trends in how video gets delivered to consumer and any corresponding business ramifications.
If we're talking general trends and thinking about how to get LOTS more creator-owned material to bigger audiences then sure you'd want to focus on the existing alternative means of delivery. And at some point in time I have no doubt that when anyone sits down at their tv they'll watch whatever they want via some box hooked up to their tv pulling in material. (Variations on this for anything with a screen - computer, phone, iPod, whatever). However, you're talking a multi-billion dollar business when you're talking about the infrastructure of producers, television and cable networks and cable systems owners. They're not going to cooperate - they're going to try to manage the transition from them being gatekeepers to this new world.
Back to Kurtz who's much further along then 99.9% of all webcomic creators in terms of edging up to mainstream audience acceptance - just speculation on my part but Scott seems to be motivated to getting PvP in front of lots of people. He's also motivated to keep control of PvP. But in some circumstances - like my post above - one might be able to largely achieve both goals.
Maybe he'll try other things in terms of distribution - why not start with pitching to your existing fanbase on your website though - if he covers his costs there any other avenues are just more on top of that.
I could be completely off on my speculation but moving to TV at some point, despite the growth of iTunes, etc, would still give Kurtz more money and a bigger audience than not doing TV. It's just that Kurtz wouldn't do it unless he thought he had enough control over the product that it would be good. I think Kurtz cares a lot about being in control of PvP. I don't think he's in it for a cause though - I think he's in it b/c PvP is both his artistic baby and his livelihood.
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Xaviar Xerexes
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Gnaw.
Distribution
Yeah. I don't think Kurtz is limiting himself by not immediately jumping to iPod downloads. I mean, if the content is online, I think most people will view it online, ya know? Not only that, but as more and more animation/video content flash floods the internets... well, I think that's what's going to drive the external technology-- forcing the iPods, Zunes, and watchamacallits of the future to come up with more flexible and universal formats.
This early in the game, I can see why Kurtz wouldn't want to limit himself and take on the additional cost of making sure that all the episodes are iPod/Zune compliant, ya know?
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writer @ yirmumah
:O
Kurtz does iPod
I've been reading his Q&A on this forum.
And I'm puzzled why you think he won't do iPod when he confirmed he did? Zune's new to Kurtz though, but nevertheless, he does confirmed that you can view it on mobiles, iPods, and so on.
Oh snap!
My bad.
writer @ yirmumah
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writer @ yirmumah
As long as we're quoting
As long as we're quoting from that thread how about the top message here:
I'm not sure I want to even think about that on day one of this thing. Of course we would all love for what we're making here to get on TV one day. But right now I think we're just hoping you guys like it enough for us to break even.
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Xaviar Xerexes
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Gnaw.