Transmedia Storytelling

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Transmedia – Reinventing the art of storytelling

Turo Drakvik

“Not long ago we were spectators, passive consumers of mass media. Today, we are media.”

– Frank Rose ”The Art of Immersion”

Transmedia: the definition

• Transmedia storytelling is the technique of telling stories across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies, not to be confused with traditional cross-platform media franchises, sequels or adaptations.A transmedia production will develop stories across multiple forms of media in order to deliver unique pieces of content over multiple channels.

source: Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmedia_storytelling

What happened to traditional storytelling?

Short answer: The internet happened

• The internet is teaching us new ways of storytelling. Narratives are no longer linear and more often than not are told, or at least informed, by the participation of a consumer community.

• After centuries of linear storytelling, we are witnessing the emergence of a new form of narrative – one that’s native to internet in the same way the novel is native to the print.

Why is this happening?

• As soon as the audience can step in, create content and direct, they do so.

• That’s why the old model crumbles. We know that just from looking at the numbers. Box office sales, DVD sales, music sales have all plummeted in recent years.

So now it’s all about participation

• Transmedia storytelling is converging the worlds of movies, TV, gaming, social media, advertising and adding to it real life & real people –> participation.

• Transmedia story is the creation of information through experiences we can relate and interact with.

Transmedia storytelling example: Collapsus

• Collapsus looks into the near future and shows you how the imminent energy transition affects a group of ten young people, who appear to be caught up in an energy conspiracy.

Collapsus walkthrough

Some charasteristics of transmedia

1.The blurring of author and audience: Whose story is it?

2.The blurring of story and game: How do you engage with it?

3.The blurring of entertainment and marketing: What function does it serve?

4.The blurring of fiction and reality: Where does one end and the other begin?

Why use transmedia storytelling?

“I can’t order people – I have no authority – but as a marketer I have the responsibility to get people excited. If you take responsibility to make something interesting, to tell a story that people choose, – that’s marketing.”

– Seth Godin

Sounds complicated? Well it’s not.

It’s just different from what we are used to.

That is why it takes a bit more effort than it used to.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity...

Most marketers aren’t interested in storytelling.

Most storytellers aren’t interested in marketing.

Here’s you chance!

Transmedia in marketing: examples

• Batman – The Dark Knight was a transmedia experiment with over 10 million participants in over 75 countries that played across hundreds of web pages, interactive games, mobile phones, print, email, real world events, video and unique collectibles.

Warner Bros – Dark Knight

• Coca-Cola created the Happiness Factory – a virtual world of characters living inside a vending machine. The series lives across multiple channels, including commercials, interactive video games, and a musical soundtrack that features a variety of artists.

Happiness Factory – A documentary

• Brisk Machete is a minute-long stop-motion video in which Danny Trejo reprises his role in Robert Rodriguez's Machete movie on behalf of Brisk Iced Tea.

Brisk Iced Tea – Machete

Transmedia sounds great!

But how can I benefit from all this?

1. Create a consistent brand story

2. Bring people together and give them something to do.

3. Make sure the experience across all platforms

is unified.

4. Let each platform do what it does best.

Try doing this:

“It’s not about ROI. It’s about ROE – return on engagement.”

-Brendan Howley, Fresh Baked Entertainment

Sources

• Frank Rose

• Seth Godin

• Jawbone.tv

• Fresh Baked Entertainment

• 42 Entertainment

Books

• Frank Rose: The Art of Immersion

• Teresa Iezzi: The Idea Writers

• Daniele Fiandaca & Patrick Burgoyne: Digital Advertising: Past, Present and Future

• Carolyn Handler Miller: Digital Storytelling