The Rise of Co-created
Storyworld Communities
Hash tag: #SXSW #CCSWC
Esther Lim
Scott Walker
Presented at
J. Craig Williams SXSW 2012

#CCSWC
Text CCSWC to 50500
http://cocreatedswc.tumblr.com/

Challenge: Acquiring Audiences

Effort: Keeping audiences engaged

Effort: Managing growth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwren/6872623955/lightbox/
Result: Still losing our audiences

Dream: An evergreen community

Shared Storyworlds

What is a Shared Storyworld?

What is a Shared Storyworld?
a framework for co-creating value
with currently unknown collaborators

Value Co-creation
Consumers are a source of competence
Contributing official content is the
deepest form of audience engagement
User-generated content (UGC)
inherently has value

Traditional Entertainment
Official Content
(canon)

Traditional Entertainment
Official Content Unofficial Content
(canon) (fandom)

Shared Storyworld
Official Content Unofficial Content
(canon) (fandom)

Shared Storyworld
“Official
Fandom”
Official Content Unofficial Content
(canon) (fandom)

Shared Storyworlds
Sci-Fi
Fantasy
Drama
Webisode
TV
Fiction
Online
Video
Audio
Text
Photos
Art
ARGs
LARPs
RPGs

“BUT...
...how do
you build
one?”

3 Key Practice Areas
Creative Operational Legal
fun necessary important
Storytelling Submissions Copyright
Worldbuilding Systems Trademarks
Inviting Community Money

3 Key Practice Areas
Creative Storytelling
• What’s the core narrative (characters)?
• Is it a compelling narrative/experiences?
• Are there additional narratives (i.e., transmedia)?
• How will contributions be integrated?
• Will official but non-canonical contributions be
allowed?

3 Key Practice Areas
Creative Worldbuilding
• What’s the tone/setting of the world (genre,
mythology, attributes, etc.)?
• How high is the hurdle for contributors?
• How dependent on contributions are you?
• Is it a single or multi-platform experience?
• What mediums will be used internally?

3 Key Practice Areas
Creative Inviting
• How will you scope participation (limitations)?
• What mediums can contributors use?
• How will invitations be designed (entry points)?

3 Key Practice Areas
Operational Submissions / Systems / Marketing
• What technologies/resources are necessary?
• What is the process for submissions?
• What is the content workflow process?
• What is the process for payments (if applicable)?
• How will you scale based on submissions?
• How will you identify, connect and engage
audiences?

3 Key Practice Areas
Legal Intellectual Property / Money
• Assignment of rights for accepted contributions?
• Can audiences remix each other’s contributions?
• Are there limitations on trademarks?
• Under what conditions will contributors be paid?
• Any additive licensing (e.g., Creative Commons)?
• Do you have a rights management system?
• Do you have a revenue payment system?

ultimately, the
real answer
to all of these
questions is:
“it depends”

Storyworld Communities

Steps for architecting a
scalable community
Implement a social
listening program
Establish a curation
system
Have a community
growth strategy

Listening leads to insight,
1
which leads to action
EARN ABOUT COMMUNITY
DENTIFY ADVOCATES/TALENT
ET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
EACH

What am I
listening or
looking for?
‣ Storyworld
comments
‣ New fan content/
discussions
‣ Community leaders
‣ Volume of
Conversations

Social metrics provides direction
Insights + Actions = Loyalty, Advocacy, Evangelism

Free Tools
How do I “hear” the conversations?
Inexpensive
Paid Tools
Tools

Establish a Community
2
Curation System
Hierarchical review and
approval structure
Guidelines on roles and
expectations
Established rules/work flow
for content submissions

Sample Curation System
creators
^
contributors
^
Community +
^
Curators
^
Spotters
^
Community

3
How to manage growth
Create a system for introducing new
members into the community
Senior community members
educate new members on
storyworld rules
Provide a clear path of progression
for advancing in the community

Community progression
• Storyworld Contributor unlock through
positive feedback mechanisms from
community and content creator(s),
completion of escalating content
creation tasks
• Advocate Role unlock through
progressing a series of levels with
positive feedback from community peers
• Levels unlock community privileges.
Unlocked through a combination of
earned and social points
• Use Points (Social, play) for P2P
recognition and engagement rewards
- redeemable for community goods

Co-creation Legalities

The Basics
Intellectual Property Enforcement
Copyright Cease & Desist
Trademark Takedown Notice
Patent Federal Lawsuit

Types of Contracts
EULA
Terms of Use
Relationship between the parties
Sole proprietorship
Partnership - general and limited
Limited Liability Company
Corporation (sub S)

Self-Protection
Insurance - broad form
Advertising Liability
Copyright Coverage

Monetizing Your I.P.
Ideas Designs Code
Register Register Register
copyright trademark patent
$35 $375 $190
www.uspto.gov

Do I Need An Attorney?
Trademarks? Probably (~$1,000)
Patents? Probably (~$15,000)
Drafting Contracts? Ideally
Who, what, why, how, where,
when
“Now that I’m in this mess,
how do I get out?”
Cost depends on complexity

The Rise of Co-created
Storyworld Communities Q
Esther Lim @geekgrl
&
A
Scott Walker @scott_walker
J. Craig Williams @jcraigwilliams
#CCSWC
http://cocreatedswc.tumblr.com/
Text CCSWC to 50500 Presented at
SXSW 2012

image attribution
“My Listening Ears” by Niclas Lindh “Hoops” by Benjamin Carnevale
“Photographer_2FL” by James Russo “Me” by Luis Avilesortiz “Concert Crowd (Osheaga 2009)” by Anirudh Koul
“Circus comes to town” by Ken Conley “Day 18: Red on Blue, Return to Reilly” by Mike Wren
“You are Here” by Scott Walker “Biosphere” by Márcio Cabral de Moura
“Star Wars Uncut” logo from http://www.starwarsuncut.com/ “Feet Week - On the Backs of Others” by Justin Litton
“501st Legion Singapore Garrison Christmas Kettling“ by gordon (TD8316) “Listen, understand, act” by Steven Shorrock
unknown image (source: http://imgfave.com/view/1965036) “Writing-in bowings” by izzyplante
“Hollywood Sign” by Sjors & Jennifer “Getting to the Truth”, by Xoe Craft
“Hunt for Gollum” image (source: http://www.thehuntforgollum.com/) “Clip-Wings” by Dark Helmet