Transmedia storytelling
Transmedia storytelling is the telling of a narrative over several different media platforms. An example of transmedia storytelling is The Matrix franchise because in order to get the whole story you need to participate in multiple media and go beyond the movie. A cohesive storyworld is developed and used over several media and new information is gathered from the contribution of each platform in order to further a complete understanding of the whole. This is an all-encompassing approach to marketing a product by making it a franchise. It demands more of the consumer; encouraging involvement across all of the different media. In his book, Convergence Culture, Henry Jenkins defines transmedia storytelling as follows, "Transmedia storytelling is the art of world making. To fully experience any fictional world, consumers must assume the role of hunters and gatherers, chasing down bits of the story across media channels, comparing notes with each other via online discussion groups, and collaborating to ensure that everyone who invests time and effort will come away with a richer entertainment experience" (Jenkins, Henry, Convergence Culture, New York University Press: New York, 2006, p. 21).
According to Jason Mittell, there are 5 different categories for stories in transmedia, specifically videogames.
1.) Retelling the Plot: These are games which let the player experience a plotline over again. Example: Lord of the Rings and Spider Man 2.
2.) 'New Episode' Model: In these games, the player is not sure whether the content transfers to the show or if it stands alone. But it deals with similar characters and situations. Examples: Buffy, Alias
3.) Diegetic Exploration: Games with different worlds to discover and explore. Examples: Star Wars Galaxies and The Simpsons Road Rage
4.) Gap Filling / Interweaving: Games that help you understand the films. Examples: Enter the Matrix, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
5.) Radical Reinterpretations: Games that alter a story in radical ways. Examples: American McGee's Alice
External Links
- http://www.enterthematrixgame.com/index-ghost.html Enter the Matrix Video Game.
- http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/ The Matrix Movies.
- http://forums.station.sony.com/mxo/forums/list.m Online Discussion Forum for The Matrix.
