The Tech View

by Kelly Lynne Ashton

It’s a brave new digital world–be part of it

Last issue we talked about the ever-changing world of digital terminology. Just so you know, there have been a few more terms coined since the last issue, but we’ll just have to wait and see what sticks. This column will try to put it all into context and let you know why you should care about the digital world.

Even if you’re a Luddite you need to face the harpsichord music and deal with the digital world–and not just so you can keep up with your 12-year old. There are two major ways that digital technology will impact you.

First, there is the digital use of existing material. This could be the download of a TV movie or an episode of a series through iTunes or Google Video, or the archiving of old programs on the CBC website, or Video On Demand through the cable company.

The world is very rapidly evolving into a space where the audience can control where and when they view their entertainment. Imagine being stuck on a plane and your only choice of entertainment is craning your neck to see the B movie the airline has chosen. Now imagine your laptop is loaded with several new movies just released by Movielink that you downloaded before leaving. [Don’t get too excited–at press time iTunes Video and Movielink are not yet available in Canada–but they will be.]

The world is rapidly evolving to the point where the audience here and around the world will be able to bypass broadcasters and their fixed schedule, as well as theatrical distributors and their limited releases, and download to one device or another all the content they want, when they want it.

New digital methods of enabling delivery directly to the audience are popping up every day. Some are merely methods of distribution (for example, the secure download of a program to a school is still traditional educational use), while others really are digital use. The WGC is looking at each and every one of these new developments and negotiating standard terms to properly compensate members for the new uses of existing materials. You can help by letting WGC staff know whenever you discover your traditionally written material is being distributed or used digitally.

Then there are the new digital formats such as video games, websites and cell phone shorts. These are growth areas in a time when drama production is shrinking. This is why you really should care about digital–there’s work out there!

But it is still a new industry for both producers and writers. In some cases the producers are only now becoming convinced that their hot new project needs a professional writer instead of only a game designer, but the digital writing community is rapidly developing. Writers working in these formats tell us that there are only minor differences between writing for digital and writing for traditional media.

For example, in a video game the game designer develops the initial concept, and then the writer is brought in to work with the game designer to flesh out the character interaction and write the dialogue. With multiple possible paths, the writer’s work can run to thousands of pages with a really big game.

At the other end of the spectrum are webisodes or mobisodes–which are rarely more than five minutes long. However, because of the small screen and short length this format is even harder to write for as the writer needs to tell the story quickly and only through character. No car chases or explosions.

It’s interesting to note that both traditional television producers and ‘new media’ producers are all very excited about the financial potential of downloadable content. Consumers are used to paying their phone and cable bills and are very likely willing to pay for content that they wouldn’t pay for when it came to them through a website. There may be money out there!

How can you get started writing for digital technology? More and more producers know that they need to hire professional writers who understand story and character. Get to know these producers. Attend digital conferences (NextMedia, Montreal International Game Summit, iSummit) to network and learn about the new platforms. Read articles on the International Game Developers Association website about game writing (http://www.igda.org/writing). Play games–yes, play games–and download videos so that you understand the format and can speak the producer’s language.

Start with some Canadian video games such as Prince of Persia (written by Kim Nguyen) from Ubisoft Montreal, or Jade Empire by Bioware in Edmonton. View the Degrassi webisodes written by James Hurst and Brendan Yorke on http://www.the-n.com.

It’s a brave new world and you’re going to be part of it.