New Ideas

PixelMagic has already developed a reputation among multimedia publishers as a producer of quality products. This gives us the ability to present new ideas to publishers in a way unavailable to new entrants to the business.

Our reputation is built on good ideas and high production values, especially our hand-drawn animation. Ideas are ten-a-penny, but good ideas are not. If you have some unique ideas for children's multimedia titles, then check our list of requirements below. If you can convince us that your idea meets most of the criteria, then contact us.

• New original idea
• No existing characters need to be licensed
• No shoot-em-ups (or car chases, etc.)
• Has lots of scope for good fun for 3 - 10 years old
• Lots of variety
• Use high quality illustration or animation
• Must have international appeal

Remember, multimedia is not TV or a book on a CD. There must be a compelling reason for the idea to be on an interactive medium. Being able to jump from one video clip to another, or one page to another does not constitute interactivity.

How to submit your idea

If you would like to submit an idea you can do so in one of several ways.

1. Outline a proposal on paper, indicating how it conforms with most or all of our requirements.
2. Prepare a simple demo on computer in addition to the paper proposal. This could consist of a series of screenshots, simple animations or (if you're really hot) a small prototype.
3. Do a storyboard presentation in addition to the paper proposal.

What not to do.

Don't phone us with your idea. Don't do a back-of-an-envelope presentation. Don't assume that because your mother says "that's a lovely idea, dear" that it's a sure-fire winner.


Copyright and other legal stuff.

First, ideas in themselves cannot be protected by copyright, but the expressions of ideas can (e.g. the idea of a photo of the Pope with Baywatch stars cannot be copyrighted, but the photo sure as hell can.)

Second, somebody may already have had the idea. (This has happened to us already. We thought of a great idea for a CD, until someone told us that a company in Germany had already started on it. One more for the bin !) The more detailed your idea, the less likely that there is something exactly like it.

So, what's to stop us pinching your brilliant idea and claiming that we thought about it last week? In short, nothing. But the more developed your idea is, especially with high quality graphics and concepts that only you can do, the less likely we or anyone else will be able to do the job better than you.

The only practical protection you have is:

1. Post the idea to yourself by registered mail (and don't open it when you get it back)
2. Sign a non-disclosure agreement, which gives some protection to both parties.

What if we like your idea?

If we think your idea has some merit, we'll want to discuss it with you, and flesh out the proposal. At this stage we will negotiate an agreement with you regarding what happens if the idea turns into a project. We may then show the idea to a couple of our publishers for their gut-reaction. Alternatively, we may want to do a demo version internally. Either way, we can't afford to make any payment, except for any work or time given by you in helping to develop the idea or demo.

If you'd like to have a discussion with us prior to showing us your complete idea, put the essential points on paper or e-mail and send it to us. We'll give you a reaction as soon as we can. Remember, your idea must fit in with our company strategy and the principles outlined above.

[email protected]

PixelMagic Ltd., 3 Sandyford Village, Dublin 18, Ireland.

+353-1-2941-410