Interestingly, as we've been putting the final pieces in place, Channel 4 announced Playing For Time, a four-part series in which comedian Rob Beckett and celebrities are stranded in the past, and will need to complete a level of a classic game in order to return to the present day. It might end up being amazing, but... on paper at least, it's seems to be the antithesis of what we're aiming for with Digitiser: The Show.
Many of you backed, and watched, Found Footage, so you know by now that I don't do things by halves. My aim with Digitiser: The Show is nothing less than a full-blooded web series that wouldn't look out of place on TV.
It's oft mentioned that the gaming show people most want to see is effectively "Top Gear for games"... yet nobody has tried it thus far. Because I'm clearly insane, that's the level of ambition we're aiming for. Albeit imbued with the essence of the video game shows we used to see on TV - Games Master, Bad Influence! - and the spirit of Digitiser.
I'm hopeful that if enough of you get behind this, we can produce the show that we all want to watch.
LESSONS
I learned a lot from doing Found Footage, but I also met a lot of talented people. All of that combined with my own 20-odd years of experience working in TV will hopefully result in a slick, professional, but anarchic, end product.
Obviously, that's only going to be possible if we manage to raise a big chunk of money (the biggest lesson I learned on Found Footage is that telly isn't cheap). Whatever happens, we'll still be making a show... but if we don't reach our goals, it'll just be the three of us sat on a sofa talking about old things.
The three of us? Yes: because Digitiser: The Show will have three hosts.
Aside from myself, there'll be Paul Gannon - a self-confessed non-gamer, who many of you will recognise from Barshens, Cheapshow and Found Footage. I first met Paul last year at a comedy night held at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, where he did a very funny, very warm and likeable, stand-up set.
After Paul hosted the Found Footage premiere last year, I knew I wanted him for the show.
Joining us will be none other than Gameplay Jenny, who some of you may know from the YouTubes, where her Let's Play videos showcase the grounded, but funny, demeanour she's going to need when Paul and I are misbehaving.
Alongside the core trio, we'll have a team of roving gaming hounds, who'll join us for certain segments. Many of them you should recognise... but more on those in due course, along with more details of what the show actually is. We've got some big ideas, some big name guests lined-up, and some big topics to tackle - none of which, as you'd expect, we'll treat with any degree of respect or reverence.
And characters? It's Digitiser. Of course there'll be characters...
The funding campaign will launch on Friday March 9th at 7am - one day before the famous Mario Day! In the meantime, enjoy the teaser video.