Illinois Filmmaker’s Latest Project Brings Gaming Right to Fans’ Living Rooms. Not that long ago, the thought of a small decentralized company that can deliver entertainment product directly to a consumer’s home without massive overhead was unthinkable. But, thanks to rapid advancements in print-on-demand technology, secure crowdfunding platforms, and social media outlets, Aegis Studios and Plastic Age Productions are able to do just that.
Founded by Illinois-based filmmaker Travis Legge, Aegis Studios creates tabletop roleplay games while Plastic Age Productions produces feature length films. On the surface, these two businesses are poles apart. In actuality, they share some fundamental similarities that reflect the changing world of media and production of art.
By utilizing social media, Travis is able to get instant feedback from fans as well as directly promote the projects that his companies are producing. In addition to that valuable dialogue, he is also able to scout for talent and other promotional opportunities. By seeing what others are talking about and what is trending on such sites as Twitter and Facebook, he able to discern what movie-goers and gaming fans are looking for.
Once a project has been embarked on, crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter can be employed to help raise funds. These platforms give backers a secure way to donate to the projects that they would like to see funded. They also provide content producers avenues to incentivize funding donations by offering exclusive rewards for doing so.
Print on demand outlets provide a way for Aegis Studios to print gaming manuals for its customers without having to fill a warehouse full of stock. These outlets also arrange for shipping. Aegis Studios regularly creates product using online freelancers, promotes the product directly to its customer base, funds it via crowdfunding, and has it physically produced and shipped to its customers all without having to have a central location or massive overhead.
Most of the vendors in Aegis Studios/Plastic Age Productions’ production chain utilize a commission structure rather than upfront fees. This effectively lowers the overhead for
Legge’s companies even more.
The abundance of online distributors as well as streaming services have allowed Plastic Age productions to forgo the need for costly DVD manufacturing and storage. Also, in recent years, digital cameras and editing software has come down steadily in price while achieving ever-better quality and functionality.
Aegis Studios is currently fundraising for its latest game, Glimpse the Beyond, which can be found here: www.kickstarter.com
The game itself is a set in the modern world where players assume the role of a Magi who is charged with fighting the hidden horrors that lurk in the dark.
If you’d like to know more about low overhead high quality content creation or to interview Travis Legge, please contact CJ Hurtt at cj.hurtt@gmail.com
