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What is Transmedia?
What is Transmedia?
According to Henry Jenkins, Media Scholar and Professor at USC who coined the term "transmedia storytelling", transmedia is said to mean "simply 'across media' and implies a structured or coordinated relationship among multiple media platforms and practice" (Jenkins, 2014). Transmedia is a relatively new concept. It is based on creating content that is flexible to be introduced into various media platforms and adding to the content being presented by audience participation.
So why the hype? It is said that transmedia helps to make content reach a higher audience. We can now make traditional and modern platforms work together to expand on content as well. The entertainment especially, has profited from transmedia to enhance storytelling. Marketing experts "may disperse the story across multiple locations- traditional books, eBooks, websites, Twitter feeds, Facebook accounts- creating story worlds in which readers can co-construct their literary experience" (Pullinger, 2013). Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel, Disney are all popular due to the use of transmedia and fans contributing to the story and the interactivity of the fictional worlds. The success of house name brands could not be possible without the support of transmedia.
"Transmedia storytelling is a relatively new phenomenon and, in terms of production and analysis, is still in it's infancy"(Schiller, 2018). One can only start thinking of future possibilities for transmedia like virtual reality, interactive literacy, and more dynamic solutions where the audience as well as the author can collaborate to expand on ideas.
Transmedia for Storytelling
Transmedia for Storytelling
"Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience" (Jenkins, 2014).
Transmedia fiction, new media narratives, hypermedia stories, are some of the other names Transmedia is called within the storytelling community. Transmedia can be a great tool for story tellers to engage, and present their stories. it also invites collaboration from readers, as it needs the participatory aspect of fans of stories to expand and share. Audience members engage in the story because they are part of the story in by interactive means. "Readers are invited to not only engage in a narrative but to interact with it, clicking on links to videos, sound clips, additional documents, and navigating their own way through the story" (Pullinger, 2013).
Transmedia has also been an advocate and forces big corporations to see the need of inclusivity in story-telling since information's and stories are now accessible globally. "The industry will have to produce and enhanced diversity of characters and story world representations" (Schiller, 2018).
Transmedia for use in a Language Classroom
Transmedia for use in a Language Classroom
As educators, how can we also benefit from the many communicative opportunities transmedia offers? In the education field, transmedia is said to offer "potentially greater immersion, multiple timelines, and interactive storytelling" (Schiller, 2018). Transmedia has the ability to empower and educate students moving forward and using media consciously and effectively to send out powerful messages and their personal as well as fictional stories. The following are 5 characteristics we can try to integrate in the classroom for student learning success:
References
References
House, Regan. (May 3, 2018) . Transmedia in Education. Retreived from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJHEDhsVSc4&feature=youtu.be
JENKINS, H. (2014). The Reign of the “Mothership”: Transmedia’s Past, Present, and Possible Futures. In MANN D. (Ed.), Wired TV: Laboring Over an Interactive Future (pp. 244- 268). Rutgers University Press. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5hjgb2.15
Pullinger, K., Havard, A., & Hundley, M. (2013). Conversation Currents: Digital Storyworlds: Transmedia Literature in the ELA Classroom. Language Arts, 91(2), 126-131. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24575037
Sanchez, Laura. What Transmedia Storytelling is and How to Apply It in Your Marketing Campaigns. WAM Global Growth Agents. Retreived from: https://www.wearemarketing.com/blog/what-transmedia-storytelling-is-and-how-to-apply-it-to-your-digital-campaigns.html
Schiller, M. (2018). Transmedia Storytelling: New Practices and Audiences. In Christie I. & Van den Oever A. (Eds.), Stories (pp. 97-108). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv5rf6vf.10
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