In a world where audiences are increasingly getting their video content on mobile devices, production companies are scrambling to find ways to bring profitable media to mobile users.
Enter Ficto.
Ficto is a new platform that delivers shortform subscription video programming via mobile devices. The platform announced its launch today.
Ficto comes from production company Fiction Riot, which is run by former UTA agent Mike Esola. The platform launches with 20 series already in production, and its programming will be available in the coming months via its mobile app. The subscription will cost $3.99 to view content with advertisements, or $6.99 to go ad-free.
Each new series will be three to five episodes. Each episode will be five to seven minutes long, resulting in full series that are roughly 30 minutes long each. The content is kept short for easy viewing. The company is calling this content “fast fiction.”
Ficto promises an immersive and interactive experience unlike anything in traditional narrative media. Its official site states users will be able to "chat, live-stream, 360 and more." Viewers will even be able to make decisions that influence their version of the narrative.
Fiction Riot spent the last year buying up intellectual property and securing content creators. In at least one case, a new series will air in conjunction with an upcoming film. Project X-traction, starringJackie Chan and John Cena, will have a supporting promotional series on Ficto, which will also star Chan and Cena. According to the Hollywood Reporter, each series is budgeted somewhere between $30,000 to $50,000 per minute of content.
Perhaps most uniquely, Ficto promises to reward its creators in real time. Through blockchain technology, royalties will automatically be paid based on episode views. Royalties will be split 50-50 between Ficto and its content creators.
Although Fiction Riot already has its first group of content creators set, the company will be meeting with additional creative teams for its second round of programming. You could be among that group, if you have unique shortform ideas that could push the boundaries of mobile media.
Check out Ficto's latest video for more information, and let us know what you think of this new platform.
