While the adoption of IP (intellectual property) blockchain and tokenization of assets is still in its early stages, more creatives in the entertainment industry are embracing what is called “tokenized storytelling.” This approach enables fans to participate in story development, contributing elements — such as characters and plot — that can be tokenized and owned as digital assets.
David S. Goyer — known for “Blade,” “The Dark Knight” trilogy, and “Foundation” — is the latest filmmaker and comic book writer to explore how blockchain technology can give his fans a voice in the creative process while also protecting IP.
Announced on Tuesday, Goyer (pictured above) teamed up with Incention, a new entertainment platform utilizing Story’s IP blockchain, to launch his new sci-fi franchise called “Emergence.”
Incention, backed by a16z crypto, aims to give IP holders a platform to protect their work and engage with their audiences. The company was founded by Chase Rosenblatt (CEO) and Spencer Marell (COO), two tech entrepreneurs who believe traditional IP development is flawed and new and rising creatives are being overlooked.
“I was intrigued with the idea of using the broader community and the tokenization of these ideas,” Goyer told TechCrunch. “What’s beautiful about these platforms is that if you create something, regardless of what it is, whether it’s a drawing, a short story, a t-shirt, it tracks your creation throughout all the subsequent mediums, and it creates a watermark, if you will, and it compensates you forever.”
Starting today, everyone is now welcome to collaborate on Emergence, the first IP to debut on Incention’s platform. This includes writers who want to create their own narratives, artists with visions for characters or landscapes, and musicians who wish to contribute to the soundtrack.
Once a community-created idea receives enough votes and is approved, it becomes part of the official canon. Fans are rewarded with ownership, giving them a stake in the story’s success.
Goyer revealed to us details about Emergence, which is centered around a white hole known as the “White Fountain” that ejects thousands of mysterious relics throughout the galaxy that possess incredible power. Much like his previous projects, Goyer’s new universe is carefully crafted and rich with intricate details and unique characters, yet also offers ample room for creative exploration.
Goyer and a team of award-winning writers also created a “World Bible” or guide that outlines the themes, characters, and evolving plotlines of the story. For instance, it details the various types of relics (micro, macro, and mega relics) and introduces the various types of lifeforms, including advanced humans known as “The Kind.”
A few characters have been fully fleshed out as well, including Captain Skadi (featured in the image below), who, as a child, touched a macro-relic and inadvertently turned her entire world into glass, including her parents and siblings. There’s also Darius, a service worker who travels the galaxy and witnesses “a lot of weird shit,” as Goyer puts it.
Beyond what is contained in the World Bible, much of the story remains untold. Goyer intentionally leaves many questions unanswered about the universe, including the nature of the relics and their origins.
Additionally, Incention built an AI agent called “Atlas” to help Emergence collaborators generate ideas and answer questions about the world or specific characters to ensure accuracy. Atlas can also create videos and images.
In the future, Goyer mentioned that fans will have the opportunity to vote on certain aspects of the story, such as the fate of a character (whether they live or die) and the introduction of new characters into the universe. There will also be a leaderboard for tracking points, as well as the ability to invite and collaborate with others on the platform.
The possibility of Incention users being able to monetize content remains unclear. The company declined to comment.
Although Incention may present exciting opportunities for fans to engage more deeply with influential sci-fi writers like Goyer, it’s still too early to determine if others will be on board. Many creators prefer to maintain direct control over their IP and are generally resistant to adopting new technologies like blockchain and AI.
Goyer remarked, “If anything, [Incention] is going to lower the barrier and allow people that might not have had a way to break in and make some money and get some recognition early on… Hopefully, based on my track record, that will create enough initial interest.”