Viral video hitmaker Xtranormal is headed for your phone
By Laurie Segall, staff reporter
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The viral video maker known for breakout hits like "iPhone4 vs HTC EVO," and "So You Want to Be a Journalist" has plans to reach beyond the Web.
Xtranormal, a site that allows users with no video production experience to create their own animated movies, is looking to expand its horizons to both the mobile space and throughout social networking giant Facebook's domain.
In the next month, the Boston company will roll out a new version of the Xtranormal app that will allow users to easily create and send video messages from their smartphones.
Creators can choose a character, pick a set and type a message, and the app will create a movie that's easily transferable. The Xtranormal app also utilizes "augmented reality," allowing users to take a picture of a setting and use it as a background for the scene.
"The idea is that we make it easy for folks to make movies and easy for folks to then publish and distribute those movies," says Xtranormal CEO Graham Sharp.
The company is also cooking up a Facebook app, which will let users send Xtranormal birthday wishes or comments through the social networking site.
It's all part of a business strategy that's evolving as quickly -- and as unpredictably -- as the site itself. Initially, Xtranormal was a tool for professional movie makers to test out scripts. But it caught on with a mass audience when everyday Web surfers found solace for their frustrations by creating videos cast with monotone characters.
Xtranormal, which is backed by Boston-based venture capitalist firm Fairhaven Capital, isn't turning a profit yet, but Sharp says the company hopes to break even by mid-year.
It's currently operating under a "freemium" model. Making basic videos is free, but virtual goods like new characters and cooler backdrops cost extra.
And while the service didn't catch on in Hollywood, Sharp likes the new direction his business has taken.
"I think everybody has a certain something that says 'look, rather than flat communication, let me communicate by making a short movie,'" he says. "We're going to bring a little bit of Hollywood to most people.'"
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
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