synchronous second screen TV. Itʹs
all about capturing the moment
whilst youʹre watching a show –
and enhancing it. Then that can
lead you onto other experiences
after the show. Far too often second
screen services add an extra layer of
distraction to the very experience
theyʹre supposed to be amplifying
and the audience ends up
disenfranchised and not caring. Itʹs
not about the tech for us but the
emotional engagement you elicit.”
“Too often we, as an industry,
think people just love TV. What
actually people love are the TV
shows that meet their passions.
Good second screen services need
to play to those passions and
understand what makes the viewer
tick. At the moment weʹre still
serving up one‐size‐fits‐all menus
and links, and expecting the
audience to come to our party
rather than vice versa. In time weʹll
understand each user much better
and provide tailor‐made
experiences they canʹt afford to be
without.“
MAKING IT SOCIAL
Though the SyncScreen platform
for kids is not tied into social media
such as Facebook and Twitter, it is
still social. Marc says: “On the kids
services we donʹt plug into
traditional social media platforms.
But that doesnʹt mean the play‐
along elements arenʹt social.
Children are less interested in the
chat but they do like to feel that
they are involved and not playing
in isolation.”
BUSINESSMODELS
The business model includes a
creative consultancy with licensable
prototype and development
software. There is also an API so
others can build on their
synchronisation and authoring
frameworks and have a number of
3rd party digital agencies starting
to integrate their modules with
their system.
Marc has spoken at many events
about how he believes the emergent
two screen industry has already
passed the ʹpeakʹ of inflated
expectations (as described by the
Gartner Hype Cycle) and is likely
to get stuck in the ʹtrough of
disillusionmentʹ unless creatives
actually start integrating the
services into their story and format
development: “The sector is being
driven by technologists and
advertisers when really it needs the
production community to embrace
what synchronised apps have to
offer.”
SyncScreen is already working
with some of the UKʹs top
production companies, from Lion
TV to Zodiak Kids and Fresh One,
as well as a number of small
independents. 2014 could be the
year the second screen sector will
finally get out of the starting blocks
– and a two screen kids service will
be among the offerings.
NEED TO CHANGE
Goodchild says that production
companies and broadcasters need
to change in order to meet the
future needs of second screen with
more planning up front, more
money and they need to take more
risks: “The best ideas come through
allowing the team to experiment.
Our rapid development tools mean
the producers can have a rough and
ready service in the hands of kids
in a week. Thatʹs when you see the
magic. Then the producers and
writers start to loosen up as, for the
first time, they can see the direct
feedback in the development stage.”
“Right now itʹs chicken and egg.
For many producers second screen
seems just too expensive to
speculate on and few can see the
upside. If you exclude the big
Saturday night entertainment
shows, sport and news, most TV is
recorded and the team is usually
dispersed by the time the show
transmits. So we need to make it far
easier for them to produce in
advance, automate the TX system
and demonstrate the return for all
the extra aggro. This means… more
great case studies across the
industry.”
“Itʹs about telling great stories
across platforms for audiences
however they want to consume
them. The only difference the
producer really has to consider is
whether this is a ʹmulti‐instanceʹ
model (the same story told again on
each new platform), a ʹmulti‐
episodeʹ model (where new stories
are released and co‐exist across
platforms whilst remaining
consistent to the narrative
backdrop) or the ʹintertwined
narrativeʹ (where every aspect of
the story builds towards the
universe mythology). But there is
no categorical ‘right’ or ‘wrong’
approach – regardless of what the
purists will tell you.”
“How the stories are presented
shouldnʹt conform to some rule
book. What works best is when the
director or producer really puts the
audience member at the heart of the
journey and understands what they
want to consume and what makes
them tick.”
■
Kids will
embrace a
new tech
instantly if
it works
for them
“
”
Richard Kastelein is an award winning
publisher and global expert on TV
innovation.
He has guest lectured extensively and
worked with broadcasters such as the
BBC, NPO, RTL, Eurosport, NBCU, C4,
ITV, Seven Network and others on
media convergence strategy -
particularly Social TV, OTT, DLNA and
2nd Screen. He is a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Arts.
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