TVBEurope talks to Stornaways Kate Dimbleby about the companys new editing software that aims to democratise content creation across video and gaming
By Jenny Priestley
Published: December 8, 2022
TVBEurope talks to Stornaway's Kate Dimbleby about the company's new editing software that aims to democratise' content creation across video and gaming
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
First launched in 2020, Stornaway.io is a production tool that aims to enable producers to create and deliver interactive films and TV series without the need for coding.
The tool's player is built with open standards, and content can be published on Stornaway's own platform or exported to other systems.
Fast forward two years and the company recently received a grant to create what it describes as a radically new type of video editing software, designed for the next generation of interactive and immersive video stories and games.
TVBEurope caught up with co-founder and creative director Kate Dimbleby to find out how the company has navigated the past few years, and its plans for the new editing software.
Kate, we first talked about Stornaway in 2020, how has the company developed since then? That's a big question! When we last spoke, we were beta-testing with TV and film production companies, theatres and gamemakers to perfect an interactive film workflow. As we launched properly in 2021, we were discovered by thousands of people wanting to make video more exciting in lots of different industries around the world.
We knew that this was our eventual aim but the pandemic really escalated that because of the way that video was adopted in so many different ways.
How did you navigate the pandemic? Before the pandemic, Netflix were increasing investment in interactive entertainment and all the other platforms were figuring out what would be possible. When lockdown hit, the huge rise in demand for linear content across platforms meant that this kind of innovation took a backseat for a while. Luckily for us, the trends everywhere else outside of TV were not just for more video use but also to increase interactivity, personalisation and gamification. TV remains a bit slower in this area because of its existing infrastructure constraints but you can see from what's happening at places like Peacock that they are now catching up with interactive content.
What's been your biggest achievement over the past couple of years?
In terms of the people using Stornaway, it's been amazing to enable small independent filmmakers like Aviary Films to release The Gallery (pictured) on consoles, apps and in cinemas, saving money and time, retaining full ownership and selling directly to their audiences. At the same time, we are being used for campaigns by huge international names like Deutsche Telekom, Diageo and the UN but probably our happiest achievement is that everyone always says they love using Stornaway.
What's been the biggest challenge? As a small company with an ambitious vision, there is quite a lot of cultural pressure in the start-up industry to take investment and grow inorganically. But we're really proud of staying lean and independent and winning hard-to-get grant funding to dream up the future of video without needing to work to anybody else's agenda.
You've just been awarded a SMART grant to develop what you describe as a radically new type of video editing software are you preparing to take on the likes of Avid and Adobe? My co-CEO Ru Howe's background is in broadcast post production workflow and he's built the whole product vision on interoperability and integration with best in class tools like Adobe and Unity. So, no, we're not so much trying to take them on, as we are standing on their shoulders to build the future of video production.
It's obvious to us that video and games are converging rapidly but none of the existing vendors have any helpful solutions for this. Making any kind of game or interactive experience using video is way too complicated and expensive for the vast majority of people who don't know how to code in Unity and Unreal.
Tell me more about the software The first version of Stornaway.io that people are using right now lets non-technical producers create interactive and immersive stories for the web, apps, consoles, YouTube, VR and cinema without coding.
What we are building in this next phase, funded by Innovate UK, is a much more fully featured interactive video editor and game engine, letting producers visually design, edit and deliver interactive journeys through all kinds of media. And it'll be built on an Object Based Media model to allow for interoperability with TV streaming platforms and broadcast production tools.
Who are you aiming it at? Our aim is to properly democratise' this type of content creation. So it's aimed at all the people who would currently use, for example, the Adobe toolset from their high-end After Effects and Premiere power users to non-experts using web-based tools like Adobe Express and Canva. Making game-like experiences with video should be as easy as it is to make linear video now but should also have the advanced features required for high-end workflows.
When will it go to market? You can sign up to use Stornaway for free now at our website www.stornaway.io and see the range of story games already being made. We'll be releasing new features incrementally over the course of this next phase so tick the box to stay in touch when you sign up for a trial and we'll let you know.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
TVBEurope talks to Stornaways Kate Dimbleby about the companys new editing software that aims to democratise content creation across video and gaming
