amarimclovin28-blog

[amarimclovin28-blog]

“Transmedia Will Shape the Future of Hollywood and Fortune 500 Firms”

This quote from Jeff Gomez that started my blog on transmedia proved to be true. I’ve learned so much about transmedia storytelling over the past few months and I think the future is very promising. Transmedia storytelling is the process of telling stories across multiple platforms. While this may sound intimidating at first, transmedia is less about being tech savvy and more about powerful storytelling. All semester we’ve seen transmedia incorporated in campaign strategies and even scriptwriting from major media companies. We’ve also seen transmedia used on smaller scales, including colleges and local podcasts.

Looking forward, I believe transmedia will have a huge impact on all the media and content we consume. Major companies from HBO to Facebook to Disney all see the importance of engaging the consumer on a multitude of platforms. Simply put, traditional storytelling and communication with consumers are no longer enough! I can’t wait to see some of my favorite brands like Adidas and Spotify take a hack at transmedia storytelling. For now, it seems like fantasy based alternate reality related content are the main ones focused on this approach to storytelling. Thank you, professor, for an awesome semester and for leading me to this very interesting topic. I’m curious to see how my new found knowledge of transmedia storytelling effects me in the future.

Tumblr it’s been real,

Amari McFadden 

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Women’s private liberal arts school Agnes Scott College is the first college I’ve seen pursue transmedia storytelling. This week Agnes Scott communication graduate students are launching Found Prophecies, a project produced by their transmedia storytelling school. Found Prophecies interweaves three fictional stories on three platforms that college students can’t stop using Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Participants will immerse in a multi-platform, interactive fictional story centered around three characters. Although they didn’t go into much detail, the story includes a few fortune cookies, I believe the fortune cookie you choose dictates which journey you go on.  

“We’re telling the stories of three distinct and unique women as they find renewed inspiration and discover their own power. Our goal is to put the audience at the very center of these stories, so they can see and experience the stories and characters from the inside. But for this to work, we need people. Consider this your invitation to the party.” I love that this all-girl program is producing culturally relevant content lifting up their gender while getting a head start on transmedia storytelling. Consumers can interact with the individual characters by replying to content on these different platforms. Agnes Scott grad students did a great job by including the consumers in the storyline and content as well. Unfortunately, the project will only last for 48 hours. They’re doing great work at Agnes Scott College and now I’m wondering when Syracuse will begin to pursue transmedia storytelling. I know professor Branagan would be the one to start a similar program at Newhouse if students encouraged him. It is really nice to see people my age creating powerful innovative content. I know that I can also pursue this storytelling as someone very familiar with transmedia storytelling after following the topic all semester.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Red Bull Music Presents Antariksha Sanchar is a collaborative, trans-media project inspired by the culture of South India. The live performance is essentially a dance opera with visual projections from the video game based on the storyline of the live show. A little confusing right? We can expect some confusion when this is India’s first ever immersive cultural trans-media live performance. This is actually the first example all semester of transmedia involving live performance and theater. This story set in early 20th Century Madurai blends traditional art form with modern storytelling techniques.

This article discusses the challenges of joining so many professionals with different backgrounds together to tell one cohesive final story. “The three mediums of the live performance – dance, music and visual projection – work collectively to take the audience through the story as Ramanujan moves from one location to another, discovering new devices to help him in his journey.” They use text slates and voiceovers, providing the audience with a movie experience rather than traditional theater. Design Consultancy company Quicksand will use the play storyline to create a video game which will release in 2019. The plot, dance, and music all blend together to aid the storytelling process. The projections on stage are more graphical with the video game animation. Overall, they’ve approached the project like a film rather than traditional theater, providing the Indian audience with an immersive cultural experience. I love to see theater venturing into transmedia storytelling as well.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Folktellers has partnered with Ahmet Zappa to pursue transmedia storytelling after the success of their Guidebook Series. “The formal partnership between these two parties brings together an international team of experts to build a franchise that truly leverages the power of storytelling across a broad entertainment platform.” They plan on providing a forum for folktellers to tell stories across multiple digital and traditional platforms. Phases of the Moon has experienced so much success since it’s release, including 2018 International Book Awards, a Mom’s Choice Gold Medal and Moonbeam Children’s Book. Their dedication to pursuing transmedia storytelling shows that success in one category isn’t enough anymore. In 2019, and moving forward, even miniscule media companies and brands will look to achieve success across as many platforms and “categories” as possible.

Digital experts are partnering with authors and publishers to create something much bigger than a traditional book series.They plan on expanding the universe of dynamic stories into something people can immerse themselves into. They have online platforms with visuals and stories planting the seeds for them to transition into transmedia storytelling. They encourage their consumers to share their stories and ideas with their team. I’ve noticed a common trend of fantasy themed games, movies, and books all hopping on the opportunity of transmedia storytelling. Going forward, I look forward to sports and more light hearted companies taking advantage of transmedia storytelling. Right now it seems like franchises that already have in depth universes and worlds in their content are the main ones looking to venture into transmedia storytelling.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

The legendary League of Legends will finally venture it’s way into transmedia storytelling! For those that don’t know, League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed by Riot Games. Riot Games will team up with Marvel Entertainment to bring their characters to both comic books and graphic novels. This is huge news for all self-proclaimed nerds whether you’re a Marvel fan or League of Legends player. They will begin this transmedia storytelling with the League of Legends: Ashe: Warmother, an origin story of the first League of Legends champions. Both players and comic fans will explore the fantasy world of Runeterra and learn new stories and meaning behind their favorite characters.

Those that aren’t familiar with League of Legends may be unaware of how huge news this is for the franchise. The most recent statistics state that League of Legends has an active player base of over 80 million monthly players (Unranked Smurfs). League of Legends fanbase represents a huge untapped community for not only Marvel but comic book and graphic novel enthusiasts around the world. If Riot Games can attract over 80 million monthly players it’s safe to say it’s a compelling product and fantasy world. Marvel editor-in-chief stated, “League of Legends is one of the most well-known games in the industry, and their unique world and extensive roster of rich characters … are a perfect fit for comics. We’re excited to partner with Riot and help build the League of Legends Universe for fans and players around the world.” The first issue will release in a few weeks on digital platforms, followed by a graphic novel in May 2019. We’ve seen so many gaming companies attach themselves to transmedia storytelling in the past few weeks. The whole industry seems to be adamant about aligning themselves on the right side of history with transmedia storytelling.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Experiencing so much success, What The Film?! presents an opportunity for IPs to get the opportunity to integrate into transmedia storytelling. As we’ve seen all semester, the possibilities are endless for transmedia storytelling. Look how natural of a fit it was bringing the film industry together with the game industry. I’m sure they could add a podcast feature to What The Film?! or even make a game show out of it! Scene It was an amazing moment for my childhood, and I really look forward to more gaming companies creating immersive and multi-platform content. The sky’s the limit!

Target’s exclusive party game, What The Film?! was named a finalist for Toy of the Year, Rookie of the Year and People’s Choice Award. This is the first game with a film or television focus to experience this much success since a really fun game from my childhood called Scene It. “What The Film?! is a party game where players combine an ACTOR, PLOT and SET card to create and pitch a movie.  Players vote on their favorite movie idea and try to earn points with the most votes or via Hollywood style backstabbing.  At the end of six rounds, the person with the most points wins.”

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Sandeep Joseph takes a look at transmedia and advances in digital marketing from the perspective of the advertising industry. For starters, he states that the internet was the biggest disruption advertising has ever seen. Media companies and ad agencies have been slow to adapt to the evolution of content. He lays out many examples of a disastrous iceberg ahead for the industry including stocks and shares declining throughout the industry, clients shifting media buying in-house and consultancies beginning to execute rather than just give advice.

In response to all these changes, Joseph believes advertisers and clients need to pay much more attention to the way media is changing. Attaching ourselves to transmedia storytelling, machine learning and riding the waves of native and content is critical to surviving evolution. It’s not even that traditional marketing is losing to digital, but traditional marketing is irrelevant overall and digital is indeed marketing now. If I was running an advertising agency I would encourage all my clients, no matter what field, to immerse themselves into transmedia storytelling. It is so important to engage and entertain today's convergent consumers on multiple platforms with cohesive communications and initiatives.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Transmedia consultant Nick Demartino wrote this blog post after he found himself pondering the fate of transmedia. He believes the term “transmedia” is dead due to the transmedia diaspora. Now leaders of the transmedia movement are focusing on the mechanics of the story rather than the categorization of the movement. Since transmedia has become such a fixture in today's media, most content can be termed “transmedia” making the term less impactful or distinctive.

Nick then went on to explain features of today’s media with roots of the “short-lived” transmedia era. The most obvious form of transmedia is multiplying platforms. We see all major media networks adapting to this form of storytelling. HBO has begun telling backstories for their TV programs like Westworld and Mosaic on multiple platforms such as iOS, Android and owned websites. With a much bigger budget, Disney will implement an immersive in-person transmedia experience similar to The Saguache Experience. Both of Disney’s Star Wars attractions will allow guests to live their own adventure via virtual and augmented reality.

To close, I’d have to disagree with Nick about the transmedia movement being dead. I actually think that transmedia storytelling impact on the industry is just starting. However, I understand thinking the movement is over from his perspective. Nick is looking at transmedia from the same scope that professor Branagan explained the difference between trends and tremors at the beginning of the semester. With transmedia storytelling being mainstream now, it may turn off some of the early adopters, but it presents such a promising future for the rest of us in media communications.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

This post shows how transmedia is starting to be utilized on a local level and with outdoor experiences. In Colorado, The Saguache County received a $25,000 grant from the states tourism office. The Saguache County Tourism Council plans on developing a county-wide Transmedia story titled The Saguache Experience. They will interweave a fictional story with a scavenger hunt experience, encouraging locals to explore their surroundings. The whole game is intended to connect outdoor adventures, historical sites and businesses throughout their county with puzzles unlocking clues throughout Saguache.

This is an interesting approach because while it’s a forward-thinking way of media communications, they’re using more traditional platforms. Saguache’s version of transmedia storytelling includes books, photographs, and theater, with the only real digital aspect being your smartphone. Participants receive awards every step of the way ultimately leading to a grand prize at the end. I love how they are using transmedia storytelling to build up county pride and knowledge. Maybe after a successful first attempt, they will implement more tech-savvy transmedia storytelling at next years Saguache Fall Festival.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

I really appreciated this article because it wasn’t based solely on transmedia. Instead, the premise was embracing designed complexity to grow your brand. The author Sergio Brodsky, start off by mentioning that as humans, we are typically afraid of complexity due to its misleading association with confusion. However, “good strategy is about: making complex things simple to understand, easy to implement, and delightful to experience.” The most impactful and long-lasting brands such as Disney and Google are able to remain complex and multifaceted without befuddling the consumer.

The article started to tie really well together once they explained how transmedia storytelling represents a creative opportunity from a media communications point-of-view. In a nutshell, transmedia storytelling will become a very powerful tool in media. As the number of media channels continues to grow, the convergence of all these channels will become imperative for the best brand and consumer experience. Transmedia storytelling enables continuity and marketing of brands from every touchpoint, allowing us to provide the consumer with fresh and engaging content. With lines and boundaries continuing to blur, it is critical for brands to adapt to transmedia storytelling and find new ways to communicate with their fans.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

“Unknown 9, an ambitious transmedia franchise from Reflector Entertainment that plans on revealing its occult mystery across television, film, video games, podcasts, novels, comic books, live events…and an alternate reality game.” Reflector Entertainment introduced Unknown 9 in two phases. The first phase was during New York Comic Con, where they intended to establish the occult setting for this fantasy world. There’s a lot to this fantasy world, The IHK Enrollment Initiative is an alternate reality game that guides players through a series of eight gated “doors”. In terms of seamless transition across various media channels, content includes records from a call-in radio show, mystery podcasts, copypasta on Reddit, comic books and even a visual novel. There are so many dimensions to this fantasy world, including a secret “Leap Year Society” that meets every four years on a leap day. Fans that engage with their “Leap Year Society” podcast can engage in between episode releases and try to figure out unsolved crimes before the show’s host.

The experience you encounter with Unknown 9 depends on what you’re specifically looking for.’ Groups of friends can join together and solve mysteries together. Overall, the game seems very fulfilling and creepy. Take this quote for example, “ A man describes entering that state after taking a “heroic dose” of psychedelic mushrooms. And an Irish priest receives a warning for his Monsignor from a man who is clearly possessed.” New fans can learn more about this world by catching up on their podcast and trying to solve some of IHK’s online puzzles. This is the first example of transmedia from a gaming perspective and it appears very promising. Once a few influencers or broader communities take a liking to this alternate universe, I can see Unknown 9 becoming mainstream.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

AMC wants in on the future of transmedia storytelling! AMC president Charlie Collier announced that the network is developing a “multigenerational universe” for The Walking Dead. They’ve placed emphasis on “re-energizing” the fan base. This reiterates my stance that traditional storytelling and communication with consumers is no longer enough! The Walking Dead, one of the most popular dramas ever, is looking for new ways to tell their story.

“It starts on television, said Collier… “But you’ve got to connect with people where they live — on TV, on the ground, online. We are spending a lot of time trying to better understand what drives our fans.” Their plan is to cater to fans of their universe for the next decade. “I’m hoping to do a variety of different projects that are probably more in line with what we see on TV but maybe in different rhythms and formats and things like that,” Gimple told THR. I personally can’t wait to see what avenues and approaches The Walking Dead take moving forward.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

SKAM Austin teenage show consists of video content on Facebook. One posts could be focused on a  high school sophomore taking an online quiz about losing her virginity. Two days later, you can find the star football player taking selfies and preying on this same virgin sophomore on Instagram. Is this a real school? Are there actual teenagers receiving over 400,000 views on social media? SKAM Austin, produced in partnership with Facebook, is one of the best examples of transmedia storytelling in America. Ahead of the curb, SKAM Austin blurs the line between fake and real, nothing new to those over at Facebook. The kids that attend the school that SKAM films their show struggles separating reality from fiction. On one hand, some media-literacy experts say the show could be a teaching tool about Gen Z’s usage of social media. On the other hand, this transmedia approach can be misleading the youth watching.

SKAM is definitely frontrunners in terms of transmedia storytelling, especially involving the youth market. “Our goal is to create immersive experiences through Facebook Watch which allow viewers to experience video in a whole new way,” a Facebook spokeswoman said in a written response to questions. “Advancing a show’s storyline through social posts, texts, and teaser drops is not standard practice, and SKAM fans have really responded well to it.” As consumers, we love to interact with the content and brands we consume. Whether it’s experiential marketing or following your favorite characters on social media, we love to be apart of the action. I look forward to seeing other companies imitate SKAM’s approach with different audiences.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

This Variety article gave me a really cool look at how transmedia is being incorporated in campaign strategies and even scriptwriting. Transmedia provides an opportunity to advertise and market in new media that consumers are more receptive to. “We live in a world where marketing is becoming increasingly opt-in and where consumers are turning to ad blockers and turning the channel” This perspective made a lot of sense to me. As a consumer, I understand that we don’t like being interrupted and preyed on in our free time. Companies are well aware of this and we are seeing a shift in the industry. Now there are avenues such as transmedia and specific advertising based on your interests and place in the consumer purchasing journey.

A Norway teen drama called “Skam” was able to reach the millennial market by incorporating social media into their actual plot. They would release scenes online at specific times rather than the typical one week approach. This rationale makes a lot of sense, teens spend most of their time on social media. Why not bring their favorite programs directly to them? American programs like Westworld created elaborate interactive websites for fans to interact and engage with their favorite storylines and characters. Overall, transmedia seems like a really dope innovative approach to engaging consumers and creating content. 

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Today I write my inaugural blog post on transmedia, a topic recommended by professor Branagan. In this Forbes article, we basically get an introduction to the purpose and methodology behind transmedia storytelling. “Transmedia storytelling is the process of telling stories across multiple platforms.” Finding success with transmedia is less about being tech savvy and more about powerful storytelling. 

Jeff Gomez makes transmedia sound like creating worlds for your content. Your transmedia should include a multitude of characters with rich history and backstories. The content should be able to connect and entertain across all platforms. Overall, fans should be able to immerse themselves into these worlds and simply get lost in it. The whole time I was reading this article I couldn’t help but think of my favorite show Game of Thrones. Readers and watchers are obsessed with every little detail of Westeros and they’ve created one world that has led to many others. 

Looking forward, I want to see how transmedia storytelling translates into media besides TV shows and movies. I’m sure it does since my professor recommended it. However, there weren’t many recent articles about transmedia and the first in-depth one I saw explaining it focused on entertainment. 

[amarimclovin28-blog]

In this article Maria Breaux claims that omni-channel marketing is the reason brands separate their programs into different departments. This reminds me of the NewsCred Integrated Marketing Program I wrote about last week. Maria is right, customers look at the final product and only see one brand. It simply doesn’t make sense to have all of your staff working as separate disciplines, instead, they should be agile teams.

A Unified strategy is the answer to the omni-channel dilemma. However, this article points out the problems in the way of flawless execution. Lack of collaboration leads to conflicting agendas and goals for two teams ultimately working on the same goal. Although separate divisions may be working towards the same greater good, they set separate campaign goals and have different means of getting there. I think collaboration and similar goals are critical. Even if these divisions are speaking different languages or have different tasks, with the right program the common goal can be achieved. I can’t wait to see more companies in the industry figure out omni-channel marketing.

[amarimclovin28-blog]

Econsultancy writer Nikki Gilliland wrote an interesting blog about the struggles marketers have executing a customer-first approach. Basically, every brand's main objective is to provide the best customer experience possible. Yet, 51% of marketers say they aren’t able to truly put the customer first. Fitting with the current theme of my blog, Nikki believes that omni-channel marketing is the key to a customer-first approach.

Omni-channel marketing allows marketers to keep up with customers changing behaviors and reach them across all mediums. This industry is struggling with executing omni-channel strategy. Ironically, this digital heavy approach to marketing’s biggest struggle is marketing offline. Apparently, marketers lack of time and resources is a huge factor to their recent failures. This supports one of my last posts when I recommended that companies place more of an emphasis on preparing their employees for these new strategies. I’m beginning to notice a trend, a healthy chunk of the people in the industry don’t know what they’re doing.