[PAML] Production - Production models

All performing arts companies and practitioners have to compete with highly sophisticated forms of entertainment where any poor-quality promotional materials are a disadvantage. The PAML Pilot Project provided participant companies with the opportunity to create quality 'offspring' products from their live recordings, which would promote their work across new and existing markets. The companies created a multifaceted program of products which used material already being produced or in existence to create these new multimedia products that could expand and service their audience base. The aim was to attract audiences to live theatre rather than to consolidate audiences for other media.

Source material

Working through potential production models can be complex, particularly if you have little or no experience in producing or distributing new media. Considering the range, depth and potential of the source material in your live performance can help determine the selection of possible "offspring" products.

Any live theatrical performance will encompass several forms of media including costume, script, live performance and lighting. In multidisciplined contemporary performance significant portions of the design can be analogue or digital audiovisual.

The following chart outlines a range of source material and the possible products, which may be created from this source material.

Determining the market

Generally there is no single target audience but a number of target audiences for a given product. Determining the market objectives will assist in defining these audiences, and consequently, the appropriate format for the new media products to reach them. Each of the participating companies determined their products as the first stage in defining their production model. The companies then researched the suitability of the chosen formats for accessing their target markets.

See

Marketing Stream.

Considering the technology

Creating high-quality electronic and digital products ,incorporating movement and sound requires high-end technology. Key factors in choosing the format for creating new digital product include the capacity for the format to store data, the speed at which this data can be accessed and the quality at which audio and image can be captured. Another significant consideration for determining product format is the ease and cost effectiveness for end user to access and navigate the material. If the chosen format requires the high-end of technology to deliver, it may limit access only to those with the appropriate equipment to view the work.

The choice of format is also dependent on the skill levels and budgetary requirements, as well as ongoing maintenance costs. As a rule the more interactive the product, the more cutting edge the technology, the more costly. It is difficult to determine at which end users will take-up new technologies, however an estimation of the end users' technical sophistication is vital in determining which formats to choose.

It is helpful in determining formats, to clarify which functions you wish to incorporate into your products. This will enable you to assess whether your considered formats will meet your needs.

The following list provides examples of possible functions:

Products survey

It is difficult to determine end users take-up in new technologies,however, an estimation of the end-users' technical sophistication is vital in determining which formats to choose. The following charts offer an indicative estimation of the key technological factors relating to the range of current technology.

The following charts offer an indicative estimation of the key technological factors relating to the range of current technology.

Analogue video: key technological factors

Digitally encoded video: key technological factors

Once a video is shot encoding is required to be streamed or downloaded for online viewing the following budget category assumes video production already complete.

Digital interactives: key technological factors

The following budget category assumes video production already complete.

Artistic requirements

New media products offer a range of artistic and creative opportunities. Translating live to screen effectively requires creative consideration. Some delivery mechanisms allow for quality audiovisual and provide the end user with the opportunity to interact with the product. All the companies participating in the PAML Pilot Project considered the formats of the products they wished to create based on their artistic requirements in relation to style, content and form.

Production models

Determining the Products