Rezzable Productions: The slippery slope of turning art into a revenue stream

I don't envy RightasRain Rimbaud and his team of swashbuckling buccaneers as they seek to marry art with retail and promotion amidst Second Life's cynical winds. Still, with 30+ sims on the grid and many of the best VW content creators on its payroll, no one stands a better chance of turning art into a revenue stream than Rezzable, the largest art funding group in Second Life.

Since it exploded onto the Second Life scene at the beginning of August 2006 with the introduction of Greenies - surely the best-loved sim on the grid - Rezzables' branding has struck me as ranging from brilliant to quirky to even mildly annoying at times.

Recently though, it has had more moments of goodness than not. I must say, I'm relieved. Rather than allow themselves to be categorized and nudged into a corner everyone knows and understands (a mall, a gallery, a store, an entertainment center...), Rezzable has floated a bit, testing many different waters, thereby giving itself a broader canvas to draw on. New developments hint at a growing understanding of the motivations behind virtual consumption and, if this is true, we all stand to win in good measure. The bottom line... thanks to this company, a lot of the best things about Second Life exist... and even thrive.


Rezzable Sandboxes

While they have nothing to do with retail, Rezzables' sandboxes are venues where some of the most entertaining horseplay in my own Second Life has taken place. Friends build there and even non-Rezzable top tier content creators with access to these by-invitation-only sims simply show up to relax and hang out. For admission to this alone - and as a non-builder - I'd be willing to pay a monthly fee. *covers head with arms in anticipation of the swipes I'm gonna get for that one comment* Okay, okay... at least set out a tip jar, guys!


Some moments in Second Life are extraordinary and this was definitely one of them. A few weeks ago, Jurin Juran and I were hanging out at a Rezzable sandbox, and then Sabine Stonebender - with TXGorilla Falcone - and Betlog Hax showed up. Soon after, Flea Bussy, Madcow Cosmos and Douglas Story joined us. The rest is history... one helluva avatarathon!



Flea Bussy, who is not a Rezzable creator but had dropped in for a rare break, tells me that "this is what happens when I have a spare hour." That's an average-sized tree to one side there, to give you some idea of the scale of this thing.


... and there's the wee Flea if you look close in on that same avatar!


Rezzable Creators

Becoming a Rezzable creator shoots you up to, at the very least, minor celebrity status in Second Life. Then again, several of the builders who work for Rezzable, such as Light Waves, Pavig Lok and LittleToe Bartlett, have heavily contributed to the caché it enjoys. One thing that RightasRain Rimbaud has done especially right as Rezzable's steward is that he doesn't stifle creativity; both young and seasoned content creators appear to be given the freedom to experiment and explore new ideas.


This photo taken at the Black Swan sim by ColeMarie Soleil

I will never forget the moment I was first teleported into what Rezzable now calls Black Swan (teleport directly from here). This sim marked the official return to Second Life of Starax Statosky (now known as Light Waves), and was unquestionably one of the highlights of 2007. To Rezzable's credit, Light Waves - who could have worked with just about any company in Second Life, or enjoyed much success by coming out on his own - elected to release his creations under their label.


Pavig and LittleToe's kitchen plus Light Waves' Greenies and ballerina and birdcage instantly put Rezzable on the map...


Rezzable Promotions

So what else is Rezzable doing right that's actually going to turn a buck or two?

I thought the ginormous sculptie handbag Pavig Lok crafted for the L'Oreal promotion at Greenies Home Rezzable (teleport directly from here) was stupendous. Not only did I revisit Greenies expressly to see it, but the experience jogged my memory of a L'Oreal lipstick shade I favor. Consequence: I purchased that lipstick and also ended up buying several other L'Oreal cosmetics while at the store, including the mineral-based make-up featured in the promo.



Rezzable Collectors' Gallery - Saleable Art

Another example of how Rezzable is marching to the beat of a different drummer is the way it showcases and sells art. As far as gallery spaces go for saleable treasures, its just-opened Collectors' Gallery is the new gold standard. Tasked with creating a retail showplace for not just any art - the opening show features Light Waves' sculptures and fanciful creations for both the Greenies and Black Swan sims - Miki Gymnast designed two sweeping, undulating, exuberant spaces.

You know something special awaits you from the moment you arrive at the base.



You then teleport from here...



... to an organic form sheathed in raspberry pink glass panels, and cradled in an enormous, curvaceous aquamarine bowl. Inside, works of such beauty or whimsy: Light Waves' sculptie ballerina, the gigantic evil-eyed cat, the Lovers' Rock, the Man Angel... even Dreaming and the birdcage, which I hope to own someday. Teleport directly from here.



Rezzable Community Relations + Retail

In sharp contrast, and yet another indicator that Rezzable is becoming better attuned to what people hope to find in Second Life, is the opening of a new sim called simply The Dump. Built primarily by Paulo Cassell, with contributions by Beatrix Newt and Foolish Frost, this slightly apocalyptic, dusty industrial environment is a site where you'll find free or dirt cheap, well-made junk strewn about for the taking. It's stuff like this that breeds loyalty and prompts folks to get behind a brand.


You'll notice that the quality of the photography has suddenly soared. I turned to Second Life's exceptional photojournalist Stephen Venkman for this and the next five images. Thank you, Stephen!

In addition to junk quests, sewer jet ski races, and an industrial dance club, The Dump also offers a gladiator fighting arena. Teleport directly from here, and then touch the sword for a local teleport.


This photo by Stephen Venkman

The arena for gladiator challenges awaits you up in the sky.


This photo by Stephen Venkman

Get dressed to kill by purchasing a detailed gladiator outfit designed by rob Balder ...


This photo by Stephen Venkman

... and prepare to battle in the arena, surrounded by a fire pit.


This photo by Stephen Venkman

Call me a purist, but one thing I do object to is the use of an image of the Aztec calendar for the floor of an arena that seems otherwise Roman. It just doesn't fit, ya know?


This photo by Stephen Venkman

Rezzable Fashions

Rezzable has discovered that one way of taking a satisfying bite into the lucrative end of Second Life's marketplace is to play off of its unique sims by turning them into catwalks for fashions, accessories and avatars to match.

Just this week I attended Pits of Hell... an intimate, yet dramatic preview produced by Emee Flanagan of Timeless Modeling Agency featuring Rezzable's fashions for Crimson Shadow (teleport directly from here), and Carnival of Doom (teleport directly from here). One designer whose work I cannot get enough of is Moxie Polano. I was also happy to see that Rezzable is moving away from ultra premium pricing.



Moxie's wedding dress is a royal gown and cape, accessorized with a top hat (there are several colors and designs to choose from). I'm told she is working on a new store line, under the label Haute Style & Co, and while she does not have a store, she does work under her own label TAILOR MADE for custom designs. It's PIRL but it works.



These extraordinary sculptie wings - called Shattered Seraph - are available in five different styles, spread wide while flying and also feature blood particle effects and bits and pieces of Gothic prose when touched. They are by Kaeli Candour, and Kaeli's own shop is called Fractured Psyche. The little red and white number - called Blood Bigtop Tutu and Lingerie is by Allegory Malaprop, and I want it NOW. Allegory's own shop is called Schadenfreud.

Rezzable Productions has had its missteps and generated head scratching moments along the way. Some creators have been more than irked by its requirement that their creations be handed over with full perms, but this is understandable when you consider the sheer number of people involved in the process of bringing those items to market. Others have shared that they were offended by the pay they were offered for what turns out to be many hours of hard and experienced work, and this raises other questions that are best dealt with in another blogpost, but can be summarized by simply pointing to other exceptionally talented creators, such as Aley Arai, who flatly refuse to accept payment for anything they do, and set many if not most of their creations to full perm. It's a mixed bag out there and the waters are muddy, indeed.

Making a brand a lasting and prosperous success is no mean feat, but building loyalty is even harder, and in this area, Rezzable appears to have already won the game.