The new animated kids series, scheduled to premiere this year, will not head to the TV network. Or streaming services. Instead, We Ghost Media Plan, founder of Production Studio, is about to launch it on a decentralized web platform that uses blockchain technology.
And yes, crypto wallets are involved.
Founded by Chris Jamal, assistant director of “Bob's Burgers,” and Jaclynn DeMas, producer of the hit children's show “PEG + CAT,” Media is a television production studio that abandons traditional ways of releasing shows, in favor of a decentralized approach commonly referred to as Web3.
On Friday, the studio announced that it will work with Lamina1 to launch a new Animated Kids' series entitled “Owen Nowhere.”
Lamina1 was founded by Neal Stephenson, author of “Snow Crush,” and was launched in 2022 as a Layer 1 blockchain platform designed to provide creators with an environment that protects, controls and monetizes their intellectual property. However, Lamina1's comprehensive mission is to build an open metaverse. Stevenson's Vision of Metaverse – The concept he coined in a 1992-acclaimed novel consists of a virtual world where users can get their own realistic 3D avatars.
Blockchain technology and metaverse are the world buzzwords of technology and were slow to achieve large-scale adoption. It's particularly bold to showcase children's shows in this space. Production studios are especially bold considering how children need to know how they navigate platforms that require crypto wallets.
However, Jamal and Demas are banking at the freedom of decentralized platforms. This allows viewers to interact and even participate as a selling point to beat the user.
The new show chronicles visits to rare tourist attractions, centering on Owen B. Gres, a preteen avid content creator on family road trips. The family dynamics are interesting, sweet and slightly dysfunctional. It features Owen's adoptive vampire parents, a magical makeover, a pet cat and a stroller fish.
But, as Jamal and Demas told TechCrunch, this is more than a show. It is about their mission to set “a new standard for the future of children's entertainment in a dispersed era.”
This project is developed and displayed in the yet-to-be-released space in Lamina1, allowing creators to create their own virtual worlds. In these worlds, creators can build interactive experiences, digital items and content in a variety of formats, including 2D, 3D, Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR).
Jammal and Demas imagine “Owen Nowhere” as an immersive experience that allows fans to interact with the world and contribute to the series' ideas.
Virtual spaces also include online community-driven experiences such as exclusive behind the scenes content, collectable digital assets, and voting. The studio believes that the most fascinating feature is the opportunity for viewers to make important decisions in the story, such as suggesting destinations for family adventures.
“We thought the darkness could vote for the next place where we could travel. Do you want them to come to your hometown? Maybe they want them to buy that souvenir Owen picked up at the Grand Canyon with their digital assets. Maybe they want to change his outfit,” Jamal said.
While it is clear that the show has all the elements that resonate and attract attention to the audience, it has challenges, such as persuading parents to manage their children's crypto wallets.
Parents may be concerned that by indirectly referring to their children, even those who control their wallets, they can expose them to financial manipulation and losses.
However, some parents are more open to ideas, and some parents send their 5-year-old children to crypto summer camps. In 2022, Zigazoo introduced NFTs to several IPSs, including Coco Melon.
“It's a big topic of discussion. It's like, 'What permission do you need around it?”,” Lamina1 CEO Rebecca Barkin said, “I'm not saying there's a perfect answer right now.
Owen Nowhere's digital assets are positioned as a way to enable fans to engage in the show and contribute financially to the production of the show by owning a digital collection of artwork, characters, costumes and more.
“The token can be used as a loyalty token. It's not necessary for cash and transactions or traditional crypto. It's about paying off access to the tokens and people who share what they really make a creative contribution to the community,” Birkin explained.
The new series is primarily aimed at children and preteens, but is designed to appeal to adults. This is similar to how “Bob's Burger” attracts many adult fans through a hilarious story about parenting.
“We're not following that super young demographic,” Birkin said.
Nevertheless, they may need to approach this with transparency and perhaps even parental control to appeal to all viewers.
Lamina1's space products are scheduled to be released in the fall. Another virtual world to be released in space is Artefact. This is a project by visual effects company Wētā, known for his work in the “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy.
Lamina1 has raised $9 million so far from well-known investors and angels, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Bloq co-founder Matthew Roszak.