We Have Seen the Future…And It Is Digital
by Jeff Tamblyn, Head of New Day Streaming
Jeff Tamblyn
When I first came to New Day in May, 2008, I was very excited - my first feature documentary had been accepted by this great and amazing group of filmmakers who I was sure knew everything about making and distributing films. I was eager to learn, but what I found was even more exciting: a few visionaries in the ranks had realized the growing importance of the Internet as a means of delivering content.
These New Day pioneers persuaded the others to let them build a beta-testing site for streaming films to the academic market. Led by New Day’s Peter Cohn, New Day Digital’s sales steadily increased as more filmmakers joined the effort. Today, our entire membership accepts that digital opportunities hold the most promise. Most of our film collection is now available through streaming – over 185 films, with a host of licensing options and availability through any mobile device.
Although we were first among our peers to provide this new service, we realize customers already expect more…and we intend to rise to the challenge! In the coming months and years, you’re going to see 41-year-old New Day Films learn some eye-popping, new tricks! What will this look like? Well…
What do you want?
No matter what brilliant, digital virtual-gizmos we might dream up, none of them matter unless our customers want them – so we are asking you: What works best for your institutional needs? Our latest survey revealed that librarians are experiencing requests from their patrons for more advanced digital tools – ways to increase the viewer’s control of the content and their connection to the social issues that drive our filmmaking. The web, after all, reaches its greatest potential as an interactive medium – one in which the user’s input helps create the experience.
Drawing on a phalanx of bright, technically savvy new members, we commissioned a special team to research and prototype a project with the tantalizing title, New Day 3.0! These filmmaker/owners – led by Paco de Onis, one of the visionaries who proposed streaming five years ago - will dive into the rapidly expanding digital universe constantly evolving new species of video players, game interfaces, connection protocols and mobile devices. They’ll leverage all their knowledge and connections in an effort to create not just new delivery vehicles for New Day’s films, but also new ways of using social-issue media to affect the world around us.
So buckle up – because New Day’s next ride will take you somewhere you probably haven’t been before. Watch this space for further developments, and feel free to get in touch with specific ideas or requests – we love to hear from you!
