WebMadeMovies

Mozilla’s open video lab for filmmakers

WebMadeMovies is Mozilla's open video lab and production studio. We're bringing together the world's most innovative filmmakers and web developers to show what open video and HTML5 can do. Producing cutting-edge examples and reference implementations that showcase new ways of telling stories online. And collaborating on new web tools for filmmakers and developers everywhere. Our goal: a new kind of cinema that works like the web.

Video doesn't yet behave like the rest of the web

Video today is on the web, but not of the web -- difficult to search, link, quote or contextualize. We "embed" videos in pages, usually with closed players sealed off from the rest of the web. It's just TV in a web page. More critically: filmmakers lack the techniques to tell interactive stories that break out of this box. They rarely work closely with developers, and don’t have examples of how to pull the web into their stories.

Hackers and filmmakers can fix this by working together

New open video tools and standards like HTML5 can help unlock video's 21st century potential. We need to bring innovative hackers and filmmakers together to exploit this creative power and give the world a taste of what's possible. This is what WebMadeMovies will do, connecting independent filmmakers, CSS hackers, cross-media scriptwriters, JavaScript wizards, PHP developers and graphic designers. All working to create web experiences that showcase what open video can deliver that “TV in a web page” can't.

Making compelling films that show what open video can do

We'll start with demos and reference implementations. Mozilla will build open video reference implementations around compelling short films about the open internet, with custom interfaces that enhance the story by pulling in content from across the web. Next we'll collaborate with other filmmakers and feature productions, delivering the interactive open video wrapper around their work. And creating web video tools and award-winning productions

We'll also develop tools open video needs right now, including "popcorn.js," a JavaScript library enabling video to interact with the rest of the web -- mashing up Google Maps, image feeds, Twitter accounts and other semantic data. We'll help filmmakers use these tools to produce marquee productions that generate buzz, set trends, and become high-profile examples audiences love and other filmmakers reference and emulate. Ultimately changing the market and culture around interactive productions online.

Our ultimate goal: a new cinema that works like the web

HTML5 and open video have created an exciting opportunity: cinema and journalism that can pull people and data from across the web into the story. Creating new ways to inform, educate and entertain online.

Project Roadmap

End of 2011 - 18 months

High-profile productions that showcase open video as the new standard in interactive.

• 5+ high-profile productions that demonstrate open video's potential.
• Open video tools like pocorn.js exist in the wild. Other developers building on our work.
• A vibrant, bustling studio / lab. Independent filmmakers, CSS hackers, cross-media scriptwriters, Javascript wizards, PHP developers, graphic designers -- all working as a team.
• Buzz. WebMadeMovies productions at festivals and interactive events like Sundance, TIFF, IDFA and SXSW.
• People referencing open video instead of Flash when pointing to best of breed interactive productions.

End of 2010 - 6 months

Reference implementations that demonstrate what's possible.

• 6+ compelling open video demos and reference implementations. Filmmakers want to work with us. Bringing their productions and funding to the lab.
• "Mozilla Movies" episodes released and providing compelling content for demos.
• Filmmaker community also contributing content around "open web heroes" and themes.
• Popcorn.js 0.9 released.

Sep 2010 - 3 months

Early demos and active development.

• 3 demos and episodes complete.
• Active developer community in place. Building up a deeper pool of developer talent.
• Building popcorn.js. Software sprints completed in Toronto, Brazil, Lebanon and New York.
• Course devoted to WebMadeMovies underway at Seneca College.
• Recruiting filmmakers.