July 13, 2009

Visual Radio Prototype

Filed under: BBC, Work — James @ 2:01 pm

Visual Radio is an emerging media platform that enhances the listening experience for ‘viewers’ who receive radio via a satellite or cable connection. Broadcasting multi mediacontent to accompany the audio signal in real time opens up a number of creative opportunities to enhance the user experience.

Pushbutton was asked by the BBC to explore the potential of Visual Radio, and prototype how it could be used to enhance the way people engage with radio in the future. The project took the two most popular stations – BBC Radio 1, and Radio Four, and mocked-up a number of ‘Visual Radio’ enhancements for popular shows like The Today programme, The Archers and Chris Moyles Show.

By taking a lead from what works well online and on interactive TV, the capabilities of Visual Radio can be hugely expanded. Information about the show, presenter bios, and mood graphics can all be displayed on the screen to reinforce the station content. Visuals can change when a song starts, for example, to match the mood of the track and provide song titles, artist names, and song words. Some tried and tested ‘red button’ features, such as BBCi links and Audio On Demand, can be made consistent across all shows.

Listener participation is simplified with ‘Visual Radio’ platforms and can be driven by on-screen triggers. For example, programmes which ask listeners to email or text the show to have their say, can direct listeners to the email address or SMS number via the screen, as well as the traditional method of the presenter reading out the contact points. Direct viewer feedback via the Visual Radio platform is an obvious next step. The results of listener polls, and other key statistics, can be displayed visually.

Did you see that video on Radio Four?

Short audio packages such as podcasts could also be made available on demand, giving listeners a more convenient channel to access pre-recorded content than via their PC. This also includes highlights of previous shows and most-popular content. Even video content could be accessed directly via the ‘red button’ if it is pertinent to the radio content, making it easier than ever for viewers to get what they want, when they want.

Our prototypes were developed for both BBC Radio 1 and Radio 4, and were tailored specifically to the type of content each station delivers. Documentary shows on Radio 4 are perfect for the kind of extra features that Visual Radio provides – exclusive interviews, maps, timelines, charts and stats, key facts, images and video footage make documentaries easier to follow and more engaging.

Multimedia with sound as core asset

Pushbutton developed ideas which would work across the entire range of shows on both stations, and then further examined individual shows to explore what would work best for each.

Pushbutton Managing Director, Paula Byrne, said “There are probably only two, or three companies in Europe that could make as intelligent a stab at this prototype as Pushbutton. It is much more than just knitting pictures and audio streams together. The prototype is based on our detailed knowledge of how audio, video, and still images work within the context of interactive television. That the BBC should come to Pushbutton for this prototype is a tremendous endorsement of our strong reputation and technical and creative vision.”

July 8, 2009

Stonehenge

Filed under: National Geographic, Work — Eugene @ 3:10 pm

Pushbutton has designed and built an interactive promotion for Stonehenge Decoded – a major documentary from National Geographic channel that presents new evidence about the origin and purpose of the ancient stones.

Thanks to a recent discovery of a lost city just two miles from the famous stone circle, our understanding of the era in which Stonehenge was built is transformed. Featuring dramatic recreations, new discoveries, and interviews with eminent archeologists, Stonehenge Decoded sheds new light on who built this ancient monument and why.

Pushbutton’s interactive was built around a cornerstone looping video, framed by several content options that the viewer could select using the Sky remote.

An interactive ‘Map’ enabled viewers to explore the stones and learn their names, age, and origin. ‘Timeline’ let viewers track the history of Stonehenge, comparing its key dates with other significant historical events and structures from around the world. Finally, ‘Theories’ enabled viewers to select and learn about competing views on the origin and purpose of the ancient monument.

Pushbutton Managing Director, Paula Byrne, said, “The Stonehenge Decoded skin for National Geographic channel is perhaps the single best piece of work we have done for Nat Geo. It shows how enhancing a documentary with interactive maps, timelines, and competing theories, can add real value for the viewer. This kind of enhancement works brilliantly live, but is just as useful before or after the broadcast.”

Long Way Down

Filed under: National Geographic, Work — Eugene @ 3:01 pm

Pushbutton has designed and built an interactive portal to promote ‘Long Way Down’ a series of ten documentaries following Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman on a 15,000 motorcycle trip from John O’Groats to Cape Town.

Long Way Down was a major plank in National Geographic Channel’s prime time schedule for the Spring 2008 season. The interactive was designed to both promote the series and help ‘lock in’ viewers for the full, ten show run.

The interactive was built around a cornerstone looping video, framed by several interactive content options that the viewer could select using the Sky remote.

An interactive map showed the Long Way Down route episode by episode, mapping the countries featured in each programme, and charting the distance remaining to Cape Town.

Additional interactive options included a fact ticker, guide to the equipment, the bikes, and interviews with the Charley and Ewan.

Pushbutton Managing Director, Paula Byrne, said “The Long Way Down skin for National Geographic channel shows interactive promotion of a major series at its best. The clever use of looping video and engaging interactive content is a text book example of top notch enhanced TV.”

Phineas and Ferb Game

Filed under: Disney, Work — Eugene @ 11:58 am

Pushbutton has designed and built a Phineas and Ferb game for Disney Channel, which viewers can access and play for free via the red button on the Sky digital satellite service.

Phineas and Ferb is an Emmy-nominated music-filled, 2D animated comedy series for kids, tweens and families, starring ingenious Phineas Flynn and his resourceful stepbrother, Ferb Fletcher. The boys set out to conquer boredom and make every day of their 104-day summer vacation count.

The game is called ‘Cows Come Home’ and is a strategic video game, in which the boys have to work together to herd cattle through various obstacles and into pens. Inspired by an episode of the series called ‘The Magnificent Few’ in which the boys become heroes and drive a herd of cattle.

To herd cattle in ‘Cows Come Home’ the player presses a button on the remote to get the cows to follow Phineas or Ferb. Pressing another button switches between Phineas and Ferb. Getting the boys to work strategically is essential if you are to successfully make it through several progressively more difficult levels.

The ‘Cows Come Home’ game passed Sky’s exacting ‘SSSL’ technical compliance test at the first attempt, and was launched to live in October 2008.

Managing Director, Paula Byrne, said “This was a real labour of love for Pushbutton. My son is a huge fan of Phineas and Ferb, so I knew we had to get this one right, and we certainly did. This is an original and highly entertaining game – and it meets the high standards for animation and general production values that you would expect to see on Disney channel.”

July 7, 2009

Winter Olympics iTV App

Filed under: FOXTEL, Featured, Work — Tags: — Eugene @ 3:53 pm

Pushbutton has completed work on an interactive application to support FOXTEL (Australia’s leading pay TV provider) in its ground-breaking coverage of the Winter Olympics from Vancouver, in February 2010.

FOXTEL’s multi-channel coverage will be complemented by a Pushbutton-designed interactive application offering a rich array of statistics and up-to-the-minute information about the events and competing athletes. By simply pressing red, viewers will have access to the latest results, top picks of what’s on each hour and athlete profiles.

According to FOXTEL “lt’s the ultimate viewer experience and will change the way you watch live sport on TV. And not only will you experience all the excitement, beauty, daring and triumph of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games but we can promise every gold medal event live and every competing Aussie live and in full, with on—air real time medal and Aussie event alerts.”

FOXTEL Chief Executive, Kim Williams AO, said: 
“We will complement our television broadcast with mobile, broadband, and interactive delivery platforms making the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games available anytime and anywhere. We will take all of the extraordinary possibilities of our digital platform – our iQ set-top-boxes, SD and HD channels, surround sound, interactive services, electronic programming guide, and mobile and broadband services – to showcase the 17 days of competition with greater depth, breadth, excitement and relevance than ever before.”

Pushbutton Managing Director, Paula Byrne, said “We are delighted to have opened our account with FOXTEL, and to have done so with such a high profile project is a tremendous compliment to Pushbutton. The Winter Olympics is one of the world’s top sporting events. We have designed an interactive TV application that both ourselves and FOXTEL are proud of and one that we are certain will engage, entertain, and inform the watching millions.

© Pushbutton 2010