Press · March 29, 2019
Social video platform StringFlix helps you collaborate, create, and discover content
Tech Company News interviewed Magda Stenzel, CEO and co-founder, about how a String comes together.
From an interview in Tech Company News
What is StringFlix? Briefly describe how it works.
StringFlix is a social video platform to collaborate, create and discover content. It was created to unite people through video. In the app, a person creates a video project, known as a “String,” which includes a message, hashtags and a project deadline. Then the creator invites other people via social media, text or email to participate by adding their own videos or photos. Together they create a stronger unified video message than anyone could on their own. Whether people are contributing to a video birthday message, a call to action for a cause, or a brand they want to showcase, StringFlix lets users participate in that video post and share it openly online.
What are the main benefits of using StringFlix? What problems are you solving?
We are all addicted to online videos, but we have a real problem with creating a great group video. Trying to gather videos from friends and family after a wedding or a business event is time consuming, and it takes a lot of storage space if it is not done in the cloud. Only one person can collect and edit the clips at a time, so creating the video becomes a very isolated experience. Many times, the project is abandoned. StringFlix removes time, resource and budget obstacles for everyone.
Why create StringFlix now? What factors in the market make it important to launch at this moment?
We are at an intersection between customer behavior and technology. As the world becomes more integrated, people need to collaborate more. Millennials and Generation Z have embraced a group mindset and shared experiences. They prefer to collaborate online, yet the largest social platforms are still mostly individual experiences. Technologically, the cost of server space has dropped and mobile internet speed has increased enough to make high-volume video viable. Inviting people to a String through a link lets users rally around a project from their phone.
Where did the idea for StringFlix come from?
Three years before the interview, while working as a broadcast designer and animator for NBCUniversal, Magda tried to gather friends’ smartphone videos for a colleague’s farewell party happening that same day. She couldn’t do it. There wasn’t a good mobile app for collaborative video projects. After talking with friends and researching the problem, she decided to apply 15 years of video production experience to an app with video creation and teamwork at its core.
Who will be your users now? Who will they be in 3 years?
The initial core users are creators who regularly attend events and take part in organizations. They tend to take leadership roles and have a strong network. Many are millennials, but StringFlix is easy and interactive enough for anyone. The plan from there was to increase customization so even large brands and organizations can engage their communities, and to open a marketplace where people can sell creations and buy work from photographers, graphic artists, actors and musicians.
What makes StringFlix different from other social platforms?
StringFlix introduces team participation in social media through a project-based open platform. A post asks the audience not to comment with text, but with a photo or video that becomes part of the post. The aim is to turn spectators into content creators.
What are some occasions where people can create collaborative videos?
The main categories are birthdays, special events, travel and activism. The app offers free video title animations for those occasions, plus holiday celebrations, brand promotion and real estate.
Have you considered offering this service to businesses?
StringFlix already partners with brands and organizations. Custom title animations can carry a company or organization brand, so customers and community members can use them when sending video testimonials. Another direction explored is a SaaS branch, where larger organizations keep their own database, promotional videos, event videos and hashtags for participation across departments.