original content
"Touching Stories" App Offers Four Interactive Short Films, Designed Specifically for the iPad
Interactive production company, Tool of North America (note: for more on Tool, see the interview with its digital executive producer, Dustin Callif, that was published on itvt.com, June 9th, 2009), has teamed with "technology-infused" creative agency, Domani Studios, to develop an application, dubbed "Touching Stories," that contains four interactive live-action short films shot by five Tool of North America directors and designed specifically for the Apple iPad. According to the companies, the app allows viewers to "navigate, unlock and reveal unexpected variations" in each of the films by "touching, shaking and turning" their iPad. The app is available in the App Store, free of charge.
News Round-Up
--Rob Gelick Named SVP and General Manager of CBS Mobile
--CCI Producing Multiplatform, Interactive Scavenger Hunt-Themed Kids' Show, "GeoFreakZ"
--Version 3.0 of the Layar Augmented Reality Browser Released
--Soft Ad Market Impacts SeaChange's Earnings, but VOD Server Revenues Nearly Double
Here is a round-up of some other interactive TV-related stories we didn't have room for in this issue:
Interactive Programming Round-Up: Current TV Punks Italian Newspaper, "1 vs. 100" Returns to Xbox
--Oxfam Uses Interactive Doc to Raise Awareness of Climate Change
--Fox and Lionsgate Enhance New Home Video Releases with iPhone Apps
Current Media--the company founded by former vice president, Al Gore, and his business partner, Joel Hyatt, that operates Current TV, an interactive TV channel devoted to short-form informational programs, dubbed "pods," around 30% of which are contributed by viewers via its Web site (note: the channel, whose distribution partners include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Verizon, AT&T, BSkyB, Virgin Media, and Sky Italia, also invites viewers to help determine its programming schedule by voting for video submissions on its site)--has launched an interactive, scripted Web drama series in Italy,
Paramount Digital Entertainment Launches Interactive Thriller Series on MySpace
--Broadband Video Round-Up: Babelgum Interactive Series, Break.com, FA Cup, Last.FM, Colbert, Vevo
Paramount Digital Entertainment (PDE) on Tuesday launched an original, interactive supernatural thriller series, called "Circle of Eight," exclusively on MySpace. The 10-part series, which was produced in association with Mountain Dew's Green Label Studios, is billed as using gaming and social media to propel its story forward. Its first three episodes are currently available on MySpace (myspace.com/circleof8); episodes four and five will be made available November 3rd; and the remaining episodes will be made available each week through the series' finale on December 8th.
FFE Launches Fox Digital Studios to Produce and Distribute Programming for New Media Platforms
--Names Roger Mincheff SVP of Branded Entertainment for Digital Content
Fox's Fox Filmed Entertainment (FFE) arm on Monday announced the formation of Fox Digital Studios (FDS), a new group dedicated to the development, production and distribution of original and derivative programming for initial release on new and emerging media platforms. The group's creative will be overseen by former Fox Atomic executive (note: Fox Atomic is now defunct), David Worthen Brooks, who will be tasked with guiding its content strategy and all creative aspects of show development and production.
Babelgum, Metacafe Form Strategic Partnership, Launch Babelgum-Powered Metacafe iPhone App
Web and mobile content provider, Babelgum, and broadband video site, Metacafe, announced a strategic partnership Monday that they are billing as aligning Babelgum's premium content offerings and mobile technology with Metacafe's audience of around 46 million monthly uniques.
Kent County Council Launches Interactive TV Drama, "Hollywould...," on Kent TV
--Kent TV Broadband Video Service Is Operated for the Council by Bob Geldof's Ten Alps
The UK's Kent County Council has launched an interactive TV drama series on its broadband video service, Kent TV (note: the latter, which launched in 2007, is intended to bring public information and features about the county to the people of Kent; it is operated by Bob Geldof's media company, Ten Alps).
