What's Happening?
British director Hasraf 'HaZ' Dulull is transforming his debut indie game, Astro Burn, into a TV series through his new transmedia company, Beyond the Pixels. Dulull is in discussions with partners for an animated adaptation of the game, which was announced earlier this year. Astro Burn is described as a side-scrolling bullet hell shoot 'em up, set to launch on PCs via Steam, with mobile versions to follow. The game features a wisecracking astronaut navigating a mysterious structure surrounding Earth. Dulull is building alliances with consumer brands like Bitmap Books and Razer to support the Beyond the Pixels content brand. The series will feature a pixel art aesthetic reminiscent of classic console games.
AD
Why It's Important?
The adaptation of Astro Burn into a TV series highlights the growing trend of video game IPs being integrated into film and television. This convergence is driven by the video game industry's ability to engage audiences and build communities, a strength that Dulull aims to leverage. The video games sector is projected to generate over $522 billion in revenue by 2025, indicating its significant influence on entertainment. By engaging audiences early through platforms like Discord and Reddit, Beyond the Pixels seeks to create meaningful connections with its IPs, potentially reshaping content creation and distribution models.
What's Next?
Beyond the Pixels is exploring innovative financing models for content creation, moving away from traditional methods. Dulull is bootstrapping the company with funds from his debut feature film, The Beyond, and collaborating with strategic partners for project financing. The company is also developing a second season of its YouTube chat show, leveraging data from platforms like YouTube to refine its strategy. As Dulull continues to develop transmedia projects, the focus will be on aligning creative, technical, and ownership models across various media formats.
Beyond the Headlines
The shift towards transmedia storytelling reflects broader changes in the entertainment industry, where content creators are increasingly looking to video games for inspiration and audience engagement strategies. This approach not only diversifies content offerings but also challenges traditional production and financing models, potentially leading to more flexible and audience-driven content creation processes.
