Trigger Global / Sony Pictures Entertainment · 2 3 Sony Pictures’ big Hollywood movie Pixels...

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Pixels is the smash 2015 science fiction action-comedy movie starring Adam Sandler and directed by Chris Columbus. Gaming runs in the movie’s DNA. With computer animated video games characters, special effects and references to classic games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, the film was an obvious magnet for hard- core gaming fans – along with millions of popcorn-munching multiplexers looking for a good night out. The stakes were high and the pressure was on for Trigger Global, the digital agency working with Sony Pictures to deliver a second- screen experience worthy of the movie. Trigger turned to Intrasonics to deliver the audio watermarking technology that would bring their ideas to stunning life. Trigger Global / Sony Pictures Entertainment Pixels movie second screen app

Transcript of Trigger Global / Sony Pictures Entertainment · 2 3 Sony Pictures’ big Hollywood movie Pixels...

Pixels is the smash 2015 science fi ction action-comedy movie starring Adam Sandler and directed by Chris Columbus.

Gaming runs in the movie’s DNA. With computer animated video games characters, special effects and references to classic games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, the fi lm was an obvious magnet for hard-core gaming fans – along with millions of popcorn-munching multiplexers looking for a good night out.

The stakes were high and the pressure was on for Trigger Global, the digital agency working with Sony Pictures to deliver a second-screen experience worthy of the movie. Trigger turned to Intrasonics to deliver the audio watermarking technology that would bring their ideas to stunning life.

Trigger Global / Sony Pictures Entertainment Pixels movie second screen app

Because we had good results from a previous project, Intrasonics felt like a natural fi t for Pixels. We felt comfortable with the reliability and fl exibility of their technology, and we knew we could contact the team if we got stuck.

Perry Wang, VP of Production, Trigger Global

Challenge • Deliver a second-screen experience for cinema and home viewers of the Pixels movie

• Rise to the occasion and do justice to the subject matter on the big screen – gaming with a capital G

Solution• A second screen Pixels app that fi lm fans could use to play along with the movie in cinemas and in their homes

• The app delivered quiz and gameplay interaction, along with rewards for high scorers

Key results• Literally a game-changer – Trigger describes it as the fi rst time any audio watermarks have been added to a major Hollywood theatrical release

• A real second screen boost for home entertainment sales as the technology was transferred into Blu-ray, DVD and iTunes releases

Los Angeles-based Trigger Global is a digital agency that has built a brilliant reputation in augmented reality, mobile applications and game development. They take pride in their success at fusing mobile innovation with the creative output of Hollywood studios. The Trigger team partnered with Sony Pictures Entertainment for the Pixels project.

Arcader badge creater.

Sony Pixels second screen interactive app.

In app quiz.

In game action.

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Sony Pictures’ big Hollywood movie Pixels plays out to fi lm and gaming fans watching in cinema

theatres, or in their own homes

The fi lm soundtrack is embedded with the magical Intrasonics code – ready to trigger

an interaction

The code is detected by the Pixels second screen app which viewers and listeners have

downloaded to their mobile devices

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The app detects the code. Everything is now synchronised perfectly, and users can play along as the second screen interaction adds another

thrilling dimension to the movie experience

Users can answer quiz questions and shoot light cannons during battle sequences

to earn points and gain rewards

The badge creator feature allows users to make their own custom Arcader badges to

save or share

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Saving the world from alien invasion – it’s all in a day’s work for Intrasonics!

Hollywood studio Sony Pictures pressed all the right gaming buttons for their fun, action-packed movie Pixels. The premise is that intergalactic aliens discover video feeds of classic arcade games and misinterpret them as a declaration of war. They attack earth – as you do – using video games as the models for their assaults.

The US President calls on old-school arcader friends to save the world from being destroyed by Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Centipede and Space Invaders. Cue epic battle sequences and high-grade Hollywood hokum! The subject matter was ripe for a humdinger of a second screen app – and Trigger Global duly delivered with the help of Intrasonics audio watermarking.

The second screen experience features fi ve quiz questions that relate to the movie,

Anita Brown, Trigger Global’s producer on the project explains.

Points are gained for each correct answer. Then during the two main battle sequences – Centipede and the fi nal battle – the user points their device at the screen and uses their camera view to tap the screen and shoot a light cannon at enemies in the fi lm. Points gained throughout the battles are then added together at the end of the fi lm so the user can see their score.

In the cinema version, users could see who had made it into the top 10 leaderboard. Those that did could unlock a special spinning coin reward.

The badge creator feature allowed users to create a custom Arcader badge – named after the heroes of the movie – with their own photo and name in three different styles. They could then be shared and saved to their device.

Anita paid tribute to the simplicity and effectiveness of the Intrasonics technology when it came to implementation.

Watermarking the audio streams was fairly straightforward, and was very easy for us to fi gure out and take care of here in LA. Sony actually wanted to watermark the audio streams themselves, so after walking them through the process they were able to do it easily as well.

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Perry Wang is VP of Production at Trigger Global. He paid tribute to the relationship forged with the Intrasonics team.

We had confi dence going into each project because of Intrasonics’ prior experience with so many types of venues, video formats and audio encoding types. The team was very helpful and responsive in delivering watermarks to us, and making sure we had enough to work with just in case. They were also able to hop onto calls with us and Sony to talk with their sound team to allay any concerns. They also collaborated with us to determine the best solution for moving the second screen app over to home entertainment formats.

As far as Trigger is concerned, the app marked the fi rst time any audio watermarks have been added to a major Hollywood theatrical release. Sony reported hugely positive audience responses in Asian and Australian cinemas. The technology went on to deliver successfully for home entertainment formats Blu-Ray, DVD and digital download, including iTunes.

The relationship worked: Perry Wang on partnering with Intrasonics

• The app was created and released for cinema releases in Australia, China and Japan

• Versions were made available for iOS and Android mobile devices

• Trigger Global says that this was the fi rst time audio watermarks have been added to a major Hollywood theatrical release

• Pixels can also claim to be the fi rst ever major feature fi lm to be released on disc carrying Intrasonics watermarking

Quick facts . . . Pixels on the big screen, small screen and second screen

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Watermarking the audio streams was fairly straightforward, and was very easy for us to fi gure out and take care of here in LA. – Anita Brown, Producer for the Pixels Second Screen project, Trigger Global

The Pixels project was so exciting and a delight to be involved with. It has helped set the benchmark for second screen movie interaction in cinemas and the home, and opens up an exciting future for the genre globally.– Michael Woodley, Director of Consumer Products, Intrasonics

We had confi dence going into each project with Intrasonics because of their prior experience with so many types of venues, video formats and audio encoding types.– Perry Wang, VP of Production, Trigger Global

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