Digital Vision – Interview with Adam Sigel

As part of the assessment of projects submitted to the experimental stream, the CMF calls upon highly renowned international experts. In the Digital Vision series, we present interviews with members of our past juries with the simple objective of letting ourselves be inspired by the talented minds that shape our industry. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our jury members as well as to those who kindly answered our questions. Moreover, you can consult the list of all jury members since the inception of the experimental stream.

In this interview, Adam Sigel shares his thoughts with us. Writer, producer and content strategist, Mr. Sigel works across multiple platforms. Amongst many projects, he served as a writer and story editor for Steven Spielberg’s video game project for Electronic Arts and was a writer/producer of the award-winning web/mobile crossplatform series Afterworld distributed by Sony International TV (Adam Sigel's complete bio).

Mr Sigel, when you think about your work as a writer, producer and content strategist, what would you say...

Is the best / most amazing thing that has happened in your field in the last 3 years?

The rapid adoption of mobile devices (particularly  tablets). This is totally changing the way we need to think about the entertainment experience.

Keeps you awake at night?

Platforms and technology that do not work. As video downloading intensifies, the Web's current infrastructure will become strained, and countries will need to update it. My concern is that with the austerity measures of most world governments and a lack of coordination among private companies the infrastructure will not be maintained.

Describes the future of your profession in 140 words?

The future of my profession will be about creating more content across platforms. This will mean creating ecosystems for major IP works (such as feature films and TV series) that include content across various platforms – interactive, games, social, etc There will also be more branded content live on multiple platforms. This will require new thinking and a new model of content creation that includes creators and storytellers from many different disciplines. For example, filmmakers will be working with programmers and creative technologists to create new kinds of stories and experiences that will be monetized using a blend of new and old business models.

Are the changes that you would like to see happening in your field within the next year?

• More sharing of analytical information from major distribution platforms.

• Investment in infrastructure and expansion of broadband

• Greater investment by traditional media companies in new kinds of entertainment experiences

Are the 3 things that make your job (or field) absolutely awesome?

• The ability to still experiment with different media

• Working with people from different disciplines and businesses

• Witnessing the emergence of new models and technologies

Finally, from a more global perspective, what has inspired you recently? What was the most inspiring project, book, article, presentation or idea you were exposed to?

The video "First Follower".

Adam Sigel

Writer, producer and content strategist, Adam Sigel works across multiple platforms. As a writer, his list of credits include feature films and TV series for companies such as Alcon Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Paramount and Hearst Entertainment. He served as a writer and story editor for Steven Spielberg’s video game project for Electronic Arts and was a writer/producer of the award-winning web/mobile crossplatform series Afterworld distributed by Sony International TV. He has developed digital content and served as content strategist for a wide range of companies including Disney, Microsoft, Activision, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, Sony/Columbia Tri-Star, Fox Searchlight, Suzuki, GE and NBC/Universal. He has been brought in as an expert and to mentor cross-media producers by international organizations such as Nordisk Film and TV, Screen Australia, Torino Film Lab, Power to the Pixel, Independent Filmmaker Project, Berlinale Talent Campus, Atlantic Film Festival,  Merging+Media, Distrito Cinema of Columbia, Forum Brazil, and the National Film Board of Canada. Currently, Adam Sigel is writing and producing The Red Book, an action digital series for executive producer John Woo, and developing a pilot titled The Window with Kickstart Entertainment. Adam Sigel studied film production at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and graduated with high honours from Wesleyan University (film and history). He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

 


Gabrielle Madé
As a former editorial coordinator at the CMF, Gabrielle Madé today manages Le Slingshot, a creative studio representing YouTubers. Launched in 2015, Le Slingshot represents the majority of popular French-speaking YouTubers in Québec Le Slingshot is part of the Attraction Média group. At the end of 2015, Gabrielle was named among the Top 30 Under 30 by Infopresse, which recognizes the accomplishments and potential of youth under 30 who work in communications in Québec.
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