Convergence is where media products appear across different platforms and countries. For example the Lego Movie film is part computer generated imagery (CGI) and part real bricks. Lego brand designers were heavily involved in the construction of the film's content. The ideas were then used by the Australian animators who made the film.
Task 1: You need to read this article where the writers/directors talk about how they made the Lego Movie to be about the value of creativity, not selling a product, and about the toy company’s involvement in the filmmaking process. Click here to find the article and then write a summary of what the article tells you about the making of The Lego Movie product.
This convergence went further with several tied in merchandise releases. This included 17 different Lego sets based on different worlds in the movie (City, Wildest, Space and one names Wildstyle Chase. There were also 16 collectable mini figures that included The Lego Movie Game from TT Games and a range of stationery, stickers and activity books by a range of global partners.
The Lego Movie twitter site and website was launched to promote the film. There was also a Lego YouTube channel offering sneak peaks of the film ahead of the first trailers.
WB Games is the trade name for Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment. WB Games developed a video game to release alongside the film. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainments have developed games on Apple iOS and the Lego Dimensions game. WB Games is a publisher, developer and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.
Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment is part of the larger Warner Brothers conglomerate which produces the Lego Movie and distributes it to audiences. It also uses its own subsidiary companies to release the DVDs and BluRay discs. This is known as Vertical Integration and allows a business to maximise the potential of a brand, in this case Lego. It gives the existing audience new experiences and further pleasures outside of the film while reaching new non-cinema going video game players. Today there is a successful global sub-culture of Lego thanks to vertical integration of films, games, magazines and competitions. The Lego brand can reach out to a larger market through its range of products.
Digitally convergent media is when digital/online media content, networks and technologies are interconnected. Video games consoles are an excellent example of a digitally convergent device; as well as play games you can also access social media, surf the internet, stream films and Tv content and upload content into cloud-based servers.
The video game offers 15 levels and 90 playable characters, many of which can be purchased as Minifigures, so the Lego brand benefits from this as both the game and the film also act as an advertisement for their consumer products. The Lego Movie Video Game saw everything made out of bricks. This allowed a cross-over for the plastic construction bricks within a gaming world for audiences - although it was not a game where you could use the bricks for construction like Minecraft (which Lego Worlds arguably mimics).
Cross-media products (Minifigures) were also available and this cross-media content help to maximise profits and also improve reach to new customers. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainments have developed games on Apple iOS and Lego Dimensions.
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