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This post will recap the AMA with Blackdove CEO Marc Billings that took place on the Mogul Official Discord Server on Monday, November 8th.
Question 1: Would be great if you could introduce yourself and Blackdove to the Mogul community?
Marc Billings: Thanks, Nathan. As you mention my name is Marc Billings, I am the founder and CEO of Blackdove.
It’s a pleasure to be here, I look forward to feedback, questions, and general discussion on anything NFT.
Question 2: Awesome, and for anyone who’s not aware, could you share a little about what Blackdove is working on?
Marc Billings: In the simplest form, we take any NFT and allow it to be displayed on any display in the world.
We have been spending the last few years figuring out how to make digital artists proud by showing their art on amazing screens!
Here’s a quick highlight video; https://vimeo.com/630546037
Question 3 (@Sol): Who are the artists you work with for the NFTs? How do you choose which to make? How do you set the price points for the NFTs?
Marc Billings: Great question, thank you.
Blackdove is expanding now to include independent curators who wish to represent and sell digital artists from around the globe.
Historically we have focused on very high-quality moving image artists that we feel our clients will enjoy.
Digital art is an amazing new medium that has true value in the world as a way to allow the voice of artists to be shared globally.
The average museum-goer looks at a still image painting for 4 seconds.
Our customers linger from 30seconds to 2minutes.
Moving image works, especially when completed with the seamlessly looping model that we require provides a very meditative and exploratory experience that is unequaled in the world.
Question 4 (@buzzmogie): How do the physical NFTs prove that they have digital authenticity within the physical display?
Marc Billings: Perhaps our most popular feature request actually…. 🙂 For Art Basel this year we will release a new feature that showcases if the on-screen work is ‘authentic’ from an ownership standpoint.
NFTs are the most powerful form of digital ownership the world has ever created. They solve the biggest challenge that we had previously where customers felt that there was something missing after they purchased a digital artwork from us.
Question 5 (@MageFrost): Can you share how the NFT is authenticated?
Marc Billings: We have a set of NFT features in our web app that allow for a collector/owner of NFTs to pair their wallet. Once paired, we then scan and import the media files to their account.
In this model, only the NFT owner has access.
We do offer artists the ability to rent and earn royalties, so that is when it gets important to validate ownership.
Question 6 (@MageFrost): In the unfortunate incident where someone’s wallet is compromised and the NFT now sits in another wallet, then there is no remedy for that right?
Marc Billings: The stolen NFT is likely out of our hands unless the purchase was made via Blackdove and then we will step in.
Question 7 (@Sol): Can you explain the art rent?
Marc Billings: Our mission is to create a sustainable revenue model for artists which includes NFT sales, short-term licensing (currently 30 days), and subscription royalties.
Question 8 (@Sol): What is the story of your name?
Marc Billings: When we sat as a team together early, we were searching for a name rooted in history. Our co-founder Marisa referenced Greek history where Blackdove’s were considered the important messages versus white doves being regular messages when sent via carrier birds.
Question 9 (@MageFrost): What commercial clients have reached out to use your digital canvasses? Where can we expect to see Blackdoves’ digital canvases in public places?
Marc Billings: Oh, that is definitely happening.
Hotels are adopting digital canvas installations and we have been completing some amazing large-scale installations.
Actually, LG just announced they are bundling Blackdove with their large-scale LEDs for commercial installations.
Question 10 (@MageFrost): How are Blackdove’s canvasses different from an ultra-high def large TV (with access to a web3 page?) aligning to the LG info
Marc Billings: We worked with LG to develop the perfect combination of dependable technology and custom software integration.
So unlike traditional television, there are some very important features that are must have’s for digital art installations.
First, these displays are designed to hang in a portrait installation. Consumer televisions will die out quickly due to the way in which heat gets dissipated from the electronics.
Our displays have local hard drives, so the art gets stored locally versus streaming.
Our software when loaded takes over the display, so it automatically boots into art on startup versus having to select an app on screen every time.
The displays are designed to run 24/7/365 for five years and come with a three-year warranty.
They are also about 2x as bright as a regular television which is key because they hang in more public spaces with more light.
These are indoors only, but we do have integration into an outdoor display setup also.
All of this gets managed through our mobile or web apps.
Question 11 (@Bemuri) How much do your displays cost?
Marc Billings: We are currently focused on large-scale displays (but our app is available on ALL televisions other than Roku. AppleTV, Vizio, LG, Samsung Android, and Fire TV. So anyone can download the app and start enjoying on your home television.
Which (drum roll please) is why the Mogul partnership makes so much sense
Question 12 (@MageFrost): So I can already broadcast my NFTs to my SmartTV? I just need to find the Blackdove app?
Marc Billings: Quick steps;
1. download our mobile app
2. download the TV app
3. head to www.blackdove.com and pair your wallet.
Here is a quick link to the mobile app
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blackdove-motion-art/id943637063
Question 13 (@Barcell1): How is the partnership with Mogul gonna work?
Marc Billings: Mogul is a great expansion for us, the first time we are exploring outside of purely digital art. The NFTs purchased from Mogul will be preloaded onto Blackdove for an even better UX for you. We will be exploring new territory together.
Question 14 (@Bemuri): I was just wondering where you sell the most, Asia, North America, specific countries?
Marc Billings: 52 countries monthly right now.
Question 15 (@MageFrost): About displaying the NFT pieces, I am assuming your software has solved the problem of properly presenting the NFTs between landscape and portrait settings depending on the NFT automatically?
Marc Billings: Yes, for the most part. We are still working on a new set of features to allow cropping and rotation for square NFTs.
Question 16 (@Bemuri): Can I buy blackdove stocks or tokens?
Marc Billings: We are launching tokens on December 1st. Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/blackdoveart
