We Support Creators is a borderless solution-driven ecosystem aiming at contributing to driving the future of media towards increased respect for the creators and the viewers. One of its missions is to help creators from all over the world to connect, share and assist others in producing quality content.
We Support Creators began in 2008 as a Facebook group called “Je soutiens la creation.” Later, founder Timothy Duquesne initiated We Support Creators since creators are facing the similar issues globally.
Timothy is thrilled that We Support Creators is an official partner of the Melbourne WebFest. He says he believes web series festivals play a huge role to play in building the future of screen production or, as he calls it, the future of pixels.
“Festivals can acts as incubators and change accelerators,” he says.
Timothy shares web series, film, documentary, transmedia projects and music via the We Support Creators blog, twitter and other social media. Creators can become a part of this global network by simply using the hashtag #WeSCreators.
“Supporting creators is something everyone should do. Creators should be the first ones to be supportive of others’ works.”
The main intention of We Support Creators is to give exposure to the pixels that are most respectful of creators and viewers.
“This respect can take various forms and be communicated in different ways. For instance, pixels that contribute in building a better world, pixels that enlighten us about our world, pixels that are made available through approaches that are fair to both creators and audiences, and that tell compelling stories.”
Social Media is the most powerful tool for modern creators. It is not only instrumental in sharing pixels but there is also so much to learn from the online world. We Support Creators also focuses on informing creators and audiences about what’s at stake.
“I believe that one needs to be as much as possible aware of the issues all the players are facing.”
“The information I share on social media, as well as the sounds I repost on SoundCloud for instance, aim at helping everyone get a better understanding of what is going on in today’s ocean of pixels.
Timothy has himself worked on a few TV series and created and developed a few web series. His first episode was launched in 2007 for a web series called Le Conseil du Jour (translated as ‘The tip of the day’), which he created with a friend. He has since developed web series for several companies.
He is also a contributor for Wharton University’s Future of Advertising Program and is a frequent public speaker on subjects relating to the future of media.
Timothy will be releasing a book later this year, called The Future [of pixels] is in our hands. In the spirit of interactive media, he produced a film to promote his book:
My longest tweet from Timothy Duquesne on Vimeo.
The book shares inspiring approaches to the myriad ways that creators are telling stories and building audiences.
“The many new tools available to us represent the opportunity to tell our stories in unique ways and invent our own ways to interact meaningfully with the viewers,” he says.
The digital landscape continues to grow and although the ocean of pixels is immense it is still at a very early stage.
“Making a living out of our work as creators, having artistic freedom, finding ways to finance our work, getting the attention of viewers, and building an audience, are some of the challenges we are all facing.
“To overcome those challenges, I would recommend creators to view themselves as the entrepreneurs they are. The tools at our disposal are a great opportunity to invent our own models. If the tools we need do not exist, let’s build them and make them available to the other creators.
There is so much content in today’s environment but there is also so much left to be discovered and created.
His advice for new web creators trying to succeed in the changing media landscape is to build their networks and embrace the collaborative nature of digital media.
“Focus on identifying your allies (the first of them being the viewers) and tying bonds with them. Be respectful of others on social media, as social media interactions are all but virtual.”
“Our industry is going through a peaceful revolution. We all have a role to play in it.”
Lauren Colosimo is a third year Bachelor of Journalism student at La Trobe University. She is currently a staff writer for upstart magazine and writes for the Melbourne Forum. Lauren is obsessed with film, music and travel and hopes to pursue a career in broadcast journalism.