“The street finds its own uses for things- uses the manufactures never imagined,”
William Gibson, “Rocket Radio” (published in Rolling Stone, June 15 1989)
Transmedia Storytelling, like technological convergence, is an inescapable concept that is becoming increasingly prevalent as world is becoming digitalised. Also known as, multimodal storytelling or enhanced storytelling, the term is used to describe storytelling across various types of media in order to have diverse “entry points” into the original story. It is the outcome of independent yet merging segments of digital media. Through initiation of diverse entry points, the prospective market has the ability of expansion through transmedia storytelling, allowing entry to various audience sectors. Subsequent to viewing a movie or a television series, people who would not generally read comic books may be able to access a franchise world, networks have the ability to “expand into market niches of which they would not otherwise have contact with,” (Caccamo, 2008).
 | |
| (Askwith,2009) |
According to Henry Jenkins, author of Convergence Culture, audiences crave contemporary insight into character profiles and innovative familiarity of the fictional world. If media company’s plunge into that market, increased understanding and investment will be the emotional outcome from the viewers, if it is overlooked they will lose interest in the original story and therefore a loss in revenue will occur. Frequently, a transmedia story is narrated in real-time. Characters often post to their Twitter accounts, produce YouTube videos or record blog posts, to create a sense of friendship between the character and the audience member, particularly if interaction is encouraged.
 | |
| Some pointers for businesses determined to utilize transmedia storytelling (Scolari,2008) |
Thriving transmedia stories generate consumer desire for other elements while inducing them back to the core product. With these various media extensions advertising is effortlessly created, which “provides the ability for content creators to tell more complex stories, while generating new sources of revenue,” (Sonnenfeld, 2009).
Along with the highly sought after television series, Lost, a wide range of narrative extensions have been created that blur the line between advertising and the product according to Ivan Askwith 2009. The producers of Lost have created numerous websites for imaginary organisations promoted in the show, such as Dahrma Initiative and Oceanic Airlines, and various webisodes highlighting the main cast, a best selling conundrum novel that was available as a concluding manuscript by a character on the show, a video game that allows players investigate the island and network with the characters in an inventive plot and the list goes on.
 |
| An example of an extended media form from the Lost television series (Smoluch, 2008) |
A notable extent of viewers easily and truthfully feel that the show is driving them outwards to the other series extensions, in order to obtain the other particles that conclude the narrative, even though it is believed that the majority of the transmedia extensions around Lost are primarily designated to guide fans back to the original television series.
Marketers from various trades, such as food and entertainment have introduced distinguished and thriving campaigns using the transmedia storytelling concept. As I wish to follow the career path of marketing, I will integrate transmedia storytelling to connect and network with clients whether it is online or through other pathways.
Nokia Productions are soon to produce the world’s first social film; users are able to submit their footage using any collaboration of music, images, text or film, which will then be united into one inventive multimedia movie. It will be established completely by everyday people and their mobile appliances in order to procreate and present inventive footage, encouraging consumers to ‘take part’ and use the full capacity of their devices and potentially non-Nokia users to make the switch to Nokia as devices comes across as very user friendly. This is an example of an excellent marketing tool, it features everyday people and builds on the good reputation of Nokia.
“By making your user an active invested part of the story you make them a loyal supporter and a vehicle of the story. They become the word of mouth campaign” (Mani, 2010) Twitter, is another example of a savvy marketing tool as it keeps followers up-to-date, allows users to voice their opinions and hear the opinions of others to gain a different viewpoint to their own. Furthermore it has the ability to link followers of the campaign to other stories and medias, leading it to be described as “the most brilliant marketing strategy I’ve ever been lucky enough to see used” (Mani, 2010).
Transmedia storytelling is very related to a marketing career path as it is a marketer’s job to create a need for a product or service and tailor that need to the demands of the market. The more inventive and innovative the story, equals a growth in interest and investment, and the reputation of the media company grows, leading to a growth in revenue. Transmedia storytelling is and will be a fundamental element of our upcoming success as media individuals and content suppliers, regardless of if you are a publisher, a studio, a brand or an agency.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Askwith, I. (2009, February 7). Transmedia & Advertising. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Slide Share: http://www.slideshare.net/ivanaskwith/transmedia-and-advertising
Bradshaw, L. (Director). (2008). Transmedia Storytelling & Convergence [Motion Picture]. Australia.
Exon, M. (2010, July 10). A Perfect Storm The Social Web, Storytelling And Brands. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Slide Share: http://www.slideshare.net/melex11/the-perfect-storm-the-social-web-storytelling-and-brands-08-07
Harris, J. (2010, July 2). Transmedia: It's not just for geeks anymore. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from iMedia Connection: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/27116.asp
Jenkins, H. (2003, January 15). Transmedia Storytelling. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Technology Review: http://www.technologyreview.com/biotech/13052/
Mani. (2010, October 6). What is Transmedia Storytelling and how will it help you sell more games? Retrieved October 19, 2010, from Infinite Unity 3D: http://infiniteunity3d.com/what-is-transmedia-storytelling-and-how-will-it-help-you-sell-more-games/
Scolari, C. A. (2008, July 17). Transmedia storytelling Narrative strategies, fictional worlds and branding in contemporary media production. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Slide Share: http://www.slideshare.net/cscolari/transmedia-storytelling-narrative-strategies-fictional-worlds-and-branding-in-contemporary-media-production
Smoluch, M. (2008, January 7). The Lost viral campaign. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from The Creative Wedge: http://www.thecreativewedge.com/2008/01/lost-viral-campaign.html
Sonnenfeld, G. (2009, September 8). The revolutionary power of transmedia storytelling. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from iMedia Connection: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/24339.asp
Waele, R. D. (2007, May 15). Mobile Digital Storytelling. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from Slide Share: http://www.slideshare.net/rudydw/mobile-digital-storytelling-at-cheil-worldwide-seoul-presentation
Weinreich, N. (2010, June 25). Transmedia Storytelling for Social Marketers: A Sample Campaign. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Spare Change: http://blog.social-marketing.com/2010/06/transmedia-storytelling-for-social.html
