Big Air and Cisco Level Playing Field for Filmmakers Through New Digital Distribution and Interactive Audience Experiences
SAN JOSE, Calif., March 14, 2011 – Cisco today announced that Big Air Studios, an innovative motion picture production, acquisition and distribution company, will use the Cisco Eos® social entertainment software platform to build interactive online and mobile experiences for films produced and distributed by Big Air. Using Cisco Eos, Big Air will help filmmakers find, interact with and engage audiences for their films.
Big Air Studios specializes in the ability to market and distribute both mainstream and independent films to an expansive global, digitally savvy audience in any format, on any device. Big Air’s approach offers filmmakers a platform for efficient, consolidated marketing campaigns and social media interactions for their films. Big Air is using Cisco Eos to create highly immersive online experiences that support the film, increase awareness and connect with audiences large and small.
Big Air’s Independent Distribution System (IDS) further connects filmmakers and consumers to buy and watch the films through the leading retailers in the industry across all available business models, including electronic sell-through, video on demand, pay per view, subscription services, and ad-supported online streaming. Through its Cisco Eos-enabled experiences, Big Air will offer filmmakers the opportunity to create interactive online and mobile experiences around their movies, and consumers will be able to discover films that were previously unknown or inaccessible. As part of this differentiated experience, fans will have access to social interactions, unique marketing materials, specialized versions, “digital extras” and more.
Cisco Eos is a hosted “software as a service” platform that enables media and entertainment companies to more efficiently create, manage and grow high-value social entertainment experiences built around their branded content. Unlike stand-alone solutions, Eos offers media companies an integrated approach that delivers website creation and social media features, content management and audience analytics in a single easy-to-use platform.
Highlights/Key Facts:
- Big Air will create Cisco Eos-enabled sites for films it owns and/or distributes in the coming months. Big Air plans to use Cisco Eos to create branded destinations for its film sites that elevate the brand value of each film and enable more direct audience engagement. Each Cisco Eos-enabled film site lets Big Air efficiently market each film and provides a central destination for easy integration with Big Air’s distribution partners.
- Now live, the Cisco Eos-powered site for the award-winning teen-dramedy “My Suicide” will build buzz for the film’s theatrical release in May 2011.
- In addition to featured blogs, movie trailers and screening details, the “My Suicide” Web community will also offer fans a subscription service for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive offers and content.
- Big Air’s corporate website (www.bigairstudios.com) is also delivered on the Cisco Eos platform.
- Films produced or acquired by Big Air will be able to utilize Cisco Eos-enabled sites with interactive features such as video tools, blogs, Twitter feed integration and forums to allow deeper connections between consumers and content.
- With its centralized administrative platform and content syndication features, Cisco Eos can serve as a central hub for Big Air to push content out to third-party sites such as Facebook and YouTube, but still draw audiences to the official Big Air portfolio of sites to interact with their content.
Supporting Quotes:
“It is difficult for many independent films to find the viewership and attention they deserve via the traditional Hollywood distribution and promotion model. With the help of Cisco, Big Air is empowering filmmakers of all sizes to take control of their destiny and access alternative channels for mass distribution, conversation and commerce. The Cisco Eos platform enables us to offer filmmakers intuitive rich media templates to easily create online and mobile communities that will source audiences, facilitate interactions and lead them straight to opportunities to buy and watch their films on all devices.”
- David Lee Miller, writer-director, “My Suicide”
“Big Air Studios is a truly revolutionary distributor for independent films like ‘My Suicide.’ We made an award-winning film with a powerful message, and now we have a platform that can distribute this message to today’s audience. This kind of company will open doors to countless filmmakers and storytellers whose movies don’t fit today’s big studios’ business and marketing models.”
“With the continued rise of social media and ubiquitous digital distribution channels, media and entertainment companies are challenged with how to share content with the widest possible audience while maintaining control of their content. We’re excited to be working with the innovators at Big Air who understand the importance of harnessing their content for competitive advantage. With websites powered by Cisco Eos, Big Air doesn’t have to give away its content to third parties and can instead create interactive, rich experiences around films on its own branded destinations to provide more-direct engagement with fans.”
Supporting Resources:
- Check out the Cisco Eos-enabled Big Air Web corporate website. You can allow follow Big Air’s news and activities on the Big Air Studios Twitter feed and Big Air Studios Facebook page.
- Follow Cisco’s news and activities on Cisco’s Digital Media blog and Cisco Eos Twitter feed.
- Read more information about Cisco Eos and Cisco Media Solutions Group.
- Subscribe to Cisco’s RSS feed at http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/rss.html.
Tags / Keywords:
Cisco, Cisco Eos, Eos Software Platform, Cisco Media Solutions Group, CMSG, Video, Social Networking, Social Entertainment, SaaS, Media & Entertainment, Digital Content, Digital Community, Big Air, movie studio, film industry, digital distribution, My Suicide, social media
About Big Air
Big Air Studios is a motion picture production, acquisition and distribution company focused on providing genre-targeted, high-quality entertainment to consumers anywhere, anytime. The company is delivering mainstream and independent films to the rapidly growing, digitally savvy media consumer.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
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Press Contacts
- Jim Brady Cisco Systems, Inc. +1 408-424-2150 jimbrady@cisco.com
- Benjamin Culp Cisco Systems, Inc. 949 823-3787 beculp@cisco.com
- Matthew Tractenberg Cisco Systems, Inc. +1 408 525 3170 matthew2@cisco.com
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