It’s more important to appeal to everyone in a small, targeted group – like fanboys, for example – rather than a large, broad group, says Benedict Carver.

The partner in L.A.’s Dark Hero Studios was among the panelists doling out advice on the Navigating the Digital Domain panel at the Whistler Film Festival’s Summit, moderated by Zeros 2 Heroes Media president Matthew Toner.

Carver has worked on a number of film projects with an existing fan base, including video game film adaptations of Silent Hill (pictured), Resident Evil and Underworld.

“When adapting, we’re primarily concerned about bringing the core audience to the next platform, but we’re also worried about the credibility with fans,” he said about walking that fine line. “Execution isn’t always what you want, but we hope they come and that we can also extend the audience.”

Among the challenges of adapting a video game to film is that they’re not always story-driven. “Video games are a visceral experience, so intrinsically, they don’t lend themselves to being adapted,” he explains, “Be ruthless, but make something that makes sense to be a movie.”

But targeting the fans of any brand can be valuable, as they often feel a sense of ownership over the property and that can work to a producer’s advantage.

“I love getting them involved, but you have to figure out how to get them to become a part of the process without giving them the control,” said panelist Jesse Albert, an L.A.-based digital consultant and strategist. His advice? Keeping fans in the loop with development and production will draw more interest and bigger audiences.

This way, filmmakers also have the opportunity to hear what the fans want, as Albert noted, their ideas “kick ass.”

“Get them to feel a sense of ownership,” Carver chimed in. “Then you’re halfway there because they feel like they were consulted.”

As for industry folks themselves, Vuguru chief creative officer Kristin Jones said in the face of the changing landscape, “Everyone can be and should be a multi-hyphenate. It’ll make you better and you can take risks.”

Carver agreed, adding that he knows very few producers doing just one thing. “Whichever medium is moving forward, you need to be there,” he stated.

“If I was just in digital, I couldn’t survive,” said Albert. “There shouldn’t be discrimination by platform anymore.”

But the digital domain doesn’t come without its challenges, as the industry is still trying to find a workable financial model. Jones believes that once it matures, as premium content did for TV, that will be the way to go.

“At the end of the day, though” she said, “Good stories are what’s important and it doesn’t matter what platform it’s on.”

The Whistler Film Festival runs until December 5.