XMediaLab Session 12: Brian Seth Hurst from The Opportunity Management Group
Brian Seth Hurst is CEO of The Opportunity Management Company, Inc., a strategic consultancy and cross media production company that is driving the next generation of entertainment. Referred to as “the father of cross platform”, Hurst coined the term in 1998 as MD of Convergent Media at Pittard Sullivan, where he launched TV Guide as the first ever cross platform brand.
Great start: he commanded us to sit up straight, plant our feet on the ground and pay attention! Opportunity is not in the past or the future; it’s in a present. Time is hugely valuable; if you’re going to pitch me, you’d better have your act together and be on time.
“Money is like manure; it should be spread around, encouraging young things to grow.”
He asked what our purpose in life is. Your purpose is what you live from. You have a purpose, your product or concept has a purpose, and you’d better know what it is.
His purpose was seeing opportunity where others see tragedy.
Mentors and experts: Brendan has set up something really wonderful here. You need to have mentors and experts in your life; you’re not going to know everything. It’s wise to take constructive criticism in, and let destructive criticism go.
For God’s sake, you have to be a business person! Don’t just say, “I’m creative; I don’t know about that stuff…” What is the value proposition? What is the audience going to get out of it? How is your audience going to talk about it? His company is techno-pologists (anthropologists and technologists). If you don’t want to run a business and you just want to sell your idea, do that.
With a brand, you make a promise to consumers, and you have to keep that promise. Life is a sales job and you are a brand. Don’t let people take away the seed of light that is in you about your idea. This world is at your disposal. Go read Deepak Chopra: the more significant you make your idea, the less you will be able to communicate it to the people who can help you.
Alternate reality games are the fusion of linear, television stories, social media network gaming, and video games. To him, this is a new genre that is organic to the people creating it.
Showed a video about participation drama: fiction without limits. The story was called The Truth About Marika. Marika disappears without a trace but her best friend is convinced she has joined a secret society. The series used TV, online, and physical gaming in an integrated way — looks way cool. People from all over the world are trying to buy the format rights.
The only thing you really have of true value is your integrity. Some of your ideas won’t work. If your heart isn’t in it, you’re not in it. Finished with that ‘Boldness has genius, power and magic…’ quote that I put up recently.
Great presentation.
Afternoon tea!
