Xtranormal

Xtranormal Technology, Inc.
Incorporated Company
Fate Website shut down
Founded 2007 (2007)
Defunct 2013
Website www.xtranormal.com

Xtranormal Technology, Inc. was a digital entertainment company that produced do-it-yourself animation software for the web and desktop and turned words from a script into an animated movie using text-to-speech and animation technologies.[1] In June 2013, the company announced that it would be shutting down its online services as of July 31, 2013.[2] As of August 2013, the content of their web site had been replaced by a holding page showing "pause", hinting at a future relaunch. However, in early October, the placeholder went away and the web site was shut down completely. It was during this time, the company filed for Capital 1 Bankruptcy, before a different company named Nawmal purchased their property and technology, thus allowing the service to continue, although commencing operations in late 2015.

History

Xtranormal was launched after four years of software development.[3] It was established as a storyboarding tool for writers and film directors. The original intent was to allow users to create videos by choosing from a menu of predesigned characters and sets, and scripting their own dialogue.[1][3][4][5]

Xtranormal's State platform allowed casual users to create their own animated videos. State was replaced with a newer version of the animation software called Xtranormal Desktop (or, XD). XD was free to download from the Xtranormal website but is no longer distributed.[5] Xtranormal also released a web-based animation software tool called Movie Maker (alternately known as "Text-To-Movie"). Movie Maker offers users a more limited subset of functionality from Xtranormal Desktop in exchange for the convenience of a web browser. Xtranormal videos could at one time be created through an interface directly on the YouTube website.[4]

In 2011, Xtranormal launched a subscription service called Xtranormal for Education. This program aimed to empower teachers and students by giving them a new way to express themselves in the classroom. Teachers can create and grade animation-based assignments directly from their web browsers. Xtranormal for Education has been implemented in K–12, university and special needs classes all over the world.

In January 2013, Xtranormal's CEO at the time told Forbes magazine that Xtranormal had a viable web subscription model, but believed that the real opportunity for growth was now in mobile. .[6] At the end of June 2013, Xtranormal announced that they were discontinuing all current subscriptions, point plans and existing services after July 31, 2013. They encouraged users to use up existing points and to publish and download created movies before that date.[2]

In August 2013, their online services were taken down, with the content of their web site replaced by a holding page showing the company's logo, a set of media player control buttons, and the word "pause", but in early October their site was shut down completely. Its official YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter pages have also been deleted.

Around December 2013 the site was home to a store called "the college shop" but that disappeared as the following event took place.

As of April 2014, Xtranormal's domain now hosts a close mirror of the site of Nawmal Ltd. which acquired Xtranormal's intellectual property.

As of July 2014, a new placeholder site, announcing that the assets of Xtranormal had be acquired by Nawmal, Ltd, had replaced the old site at xtranormal.com.[7]

As of August 2015, Xtranormal is acquired by Nawmal Ltd, but Nawmal is releasing the first of its products.

As of 2016, Xtranormal's new parent company, Nawmal Ltd, have split Xtranormal into 2 different animators named after the company itself, both just like Xtranormal, except one being for professional use and one being for education.[8]

Legacy

Some user-created videos reached more than a million views on YouTube.[1][4][9][10] In 2010, the short film Sleeping with Charlie Kaufman by director J Roland Kelly, animated entirely with Xtranormal, premiered at the Little Rock Film Festival and was shown at The Rome International Film Festival in Rome, Georgia.[11] Xtranormal videos once formed a recurring feature on the late night Fox talk show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld, and were featured as part of a GEICO advertising campaign.[12] The Micros series of shorts about the world of online has been the most popular Xtranormal web-series on YouTube.[13]

Another popular video was Graphic Designer vs Client, where it shows a Graphic Designer dealing with a difficult, ignorant and cheap client, who's design ideas, recommendations and deadlines enrage the professional designer. This video inspired other Graphic Designers to post sequels of the video as well as people who work in Web Development, Photography and Music to post videos of what its like to deal with similar clients in their industries.[14]

Some videos created on Xtranormal videos have appeared on shows such as The Colbert Report, The Kroll Show and Howard 100.

Closure

In June 2013, Xtranormal announced their services be shut down in July. In August, the whole website was suspended, leaving nothing but a screen showing the logo, media buttons and the word pause. By October, the website shut down, causing the company to completely shut down altogether.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Stein, Jeannine (April 24, 2011), "Using video to combat job stress: On Xtranormal, a movie site, people let off steam by satirizing their workplaces", Los Angeles Times: A22.
  2. 1 2 Inc, Xtranormal (June 28, 2013), "Important Message From Xtranormal", Xtranormal Blog.
  3. 1 2 Albrecht, Chris (October 8, 2008), Xtranormal Launches Text-to-Movie Making, gigaom.
  4. 1 2 3 Newman, Jared (March 24, 2011), "Make Your Own Cartoons and Slideshows on YouTube", Time.
  5. 1 2 Grotta, Sally Wiener; Grotta, Daniel (April 2, 2010), "Make Bobbleheaded Animations Easily With Freebie Xtranormal State", PC World.
  6. ↑ Wing Kosner, Anthony (January 30, 2013), "Tellagami Makes Fast, Fun User Generated Video Content For The Mobile Generation", Forbes Tech.
  7. ↑ "Xtranromal". Nawmal, Ltd. 31 July 2014.
  8. ↑ http://www.nawmal.com/
  9. ↑ Humphries, Matthew (July 2, 2010), Best Buy suspends employee for making funny iPhone 4 vs HTC Evo video, Geek.com.
  10. ↑ Siegler, MG (July 1, 2010), Best Buy Trying To Fire Employee Over Those Hilarious EVO Versus iPhone Videos, TechCrunch.
  11. ↑ Sleeping with Charlie Kaufman at the Internet Movie Database
  12. ↑ Hart, Hugh (October 26, 2010), "Video: Robo-Talking Superhero Ad Uses Text-to-Voice Trick", Wired.
  13. ↑ Hustvedt, Mark (June 3, 2011), "The Micros: Nerds Web Series Flops a Boat", Tubefilter News.
  14. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfprIxNfCjk

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