If you follow all the rules, you miss half the fun'

1
If you follow all the rules, you miss half the
fun. Katharine Hepburn
www.forgettherules.com
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• forget the rules is the first comedy/drama series
  
• in the world to broadcast all episodes over
• TV, mobile phones and broadband
• Format
• Nine minutes per week targeting 18-30yo male
  female
• Released in three episodes of 3 minutes on Mon,
  Tues, Wed
• Audience is given 3 story options following
  Wednesdays episode and they vote via SMS and
  online
• Next weeks episodes are written produced Thurs
  - Sun

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three unique viewer attractions

• The audience plays an active role in driving the
  story
• 2. Scalable Interactivity allows the viewer to
  choose the level of involvement they wish to
  enjoy on a daily or weekly basis.
• During 1st season viewers have had
• Their photo from a big night out shown on a
  Ponys phone
• Lyrics turned into a song to serenade Lisa
  performed by Joel Turner the Modern Day Poets
  in a cameo role
• Rock pose/photo featured in a street magazine
• Designed a motivational poster that featured on
  set
• Chance to win a walk-on role 15 seconds of
  fame!
• Songwriters artists had songs used in FTR via a
  promotion with MP3.com
• 3. Virtually a live production dialogue
  stories can touch on topical issues - shoot
  scenes at real events such as sport music gigs
  etc.

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• Forget The Rules Pty Ltd controls all IP in FTR
• and is owned by Global Dilemma private
  investors
• Global Dilemma Pty Ltd is a joint venture
  between
• Jim Shomos and Catfish - Paul Baiguerra Peter
  Dixon.
• Catfish - produce and direct award winning TVCs,
  music clips and corporate films in Australasia.
  In-house facilities in Port Melbourne include
  production and post-production, graphics and 3D
  motion graphics
• Paul Baiguerra - Producer/director photography
  acting before directing producing short films,
  TVCs music clips
• Peter Dixon - Producer/editor extensive post
  production exp before directing producing
  short films, TVCs music clips
• Jim Shomos - Producer/writer creator of FTR
• Neighbours storyliner, copywriter on Sale of The
  Century, songwriter, extensive business
  marketing exp
• forget the rules is our first production

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The FTR roller coaster part 1 (quick part)

• 2004, July 1 Film Vic Digital Media Seminar (Mark
  Pesce facilitator)
• - FTR format comes to Jim (scribbles
  furiously)
• - first coffee break meets Paul business at
  first sight
• Mid-Aug Jim, Paul Pete finalise JV, set-up
  Global Dilemma
• Sept Apply for 18,000 Film Vic DMF grant
• Oct Shoot pilot 4 x 3min episodes
• Participate in 3-day Xmedia Lab
• Nov Film Vic grant approved pilot
  post-production, legal research, expert
  marketing advice
• Dec Finish pitch doc business plan

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The FTR roller coaster part 2 (frustrating part)

• 2004, Dec Pole dancing, FTR style!
• to March 05 - cold calls meetings with Telstra,
  3, Optus, Foxtel, Channel V, MTV, Yahoo,
  Sensis, ninemsn
• - potential private investors
• - everyone loves FTR, but love their
  more
• April 3 V firm as key distribution partners
• July finalise deal with 3
• Aug 2 investors say yes within 5 minutes yay!
• finalise deal with V
• investor deal memo 1st installment yay,
  yay!
• start pre-production yayyyyyyy!
• Oct 05 on-air Monday 10 Oct

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• distribution
• Australia Season 1, 10 October 2005 8 January
  2006
• Channel V FTR website Hutchison/3
• 3 had exclusivity for first season only and at
  time of launch were effectively the only 3G
  carrier in Australia
• 3 deal revenue share
• V deal we controlled sponsorship in lieu of
  license fee
• International
• FTR has representatives, or is negotiating
  directly, with TV broadcasters and mobile
  carriers in the UK, Canada, Italy, Scandinavia,
  New Zealand, the USA and Asia.

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Cross-platform sound bytes

• Web, mobile and podcasting isnt new media to the
  U/30 market
• They dont even think of it as media they just
  watch stuff - on different stuff when they can
  be stuffed not when it suits heritage broadcast
  programmers
• You dont need to know the technology in detail
  there are experienced partners that can help
  re-purpose your content
• If mobile is to be a key part of your
  distribution, be aware of the limitations
  content duration, lighting, sound, no fancy
  editing etc
• In todays entertainment world, you cant not do
  it

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Focus is still on story If your core show is not
consistently entertaining to your target market,
interactivity cross-platform elements wont
save it. You need more story-per-minute for
short-form comedy/drama not less Our creative
driver on FTR to consistently deliver engaging,
entertaining stories for the target market. Our
interactive challenge to continually find
interesting ways of involving our viewers without
detrimentally affecting the narrative
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Forget the rules nobody knows anything!

• On todays digital ocean all paradigms are
  virtual
• - no one really knows what will work and what
  wont
• - great opportunity for new content creators
  original shows
• TV broadcasters will drift to wherever the ad
  are ad agencies brands will sail to wherever
  the punters are swimming
• TV is hemorrhaging to internet and Pay TV in both
  audience
• Pay TV originally focused on sport, music
  lifestyle
• little original content
• Now Pay TV is funding a lot of local content,
  including drama
• Mobile TV is initially focusing on sport, music
  lifestyle

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Forget the rules nobody knows anything!

• For Paul, Pete and Jim, FTR has
• Opened doors we could not have achieved with
  heritage TV projects
• Created a niche in interactivity cross-platform
  entertainment that we enjoy and can be leaders in
  (for a little bit)
• Given us the chance to prove we can write
  produce an entertaining show (we love these
  characters!)
• Forget the rules especially ours!