What I took away from these readings was something similar to what I wrote about in my previous blog post. Transmedia storytelling, for me, means a way that the digital age offers to make a story be told and come to life in a whole new way. Aside from a story within a book, transmedia storytelling offers a multimedia and multi-platform way to engage the reader and convey a story. One of the main ideas that was in Transmedia Guide to Storytelling was how it let readers become immersed in the story, and allowed for more creativity as an audience can interact with a story.
I had talked about how the story of Harry Potter had expanded much farther from its seven books and has taken on a new way of storytelling through its website Pottermore, and the interactive nature of site which brings the story to life. If I had to dig into a more local example of transmedia storytelling, an example would be really through Rhode Island itself. One story I know took off was that of Viola Davis (fun fact, my best friend's mom went to high school with her!). The actress from Rhode Island has had a incredible acting career and is seen as a role model in Hollywood. This is from the films and shows shes done, in addition to the media attention as she has carried herself through her career having had noteworthy things to say that have made headlines. She has won multiple awards for her work and is currently in the series How To Get Away With Murder (highly recommended, my friends and I watch it every Thursday!). She is not a viral star but she is one who in her career has created her own story of how she started to where she is today.
A main part of her story was when she won her Emmy, and in her acceptance speech thanked the writers for giving her the opportunity to star in the show. She commented on race and how the only difference between color is opportunity, and how she was thankful for the opportunity she received. She has told her own story through her acceptance speeches, her performances and her career. Not similar to an online forum or a specific media, Viola Davis is a figure from Rhode Island who has made her mark on Hollywood already and who locally in Rhode Island is a big deal.
I liked your transmedia example of telling a story across different platforms that don't necessarily relate to digital or social media. A person can tell their life story using several platforms, especially given the access to these platforms and exposure that a known actress like Viola Davis has. A small, seemingly insignificant story can make its way from small-scale to newsworthy if told properly across effective platforms.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Claire. I thought it was really cool how to not only talked about a person, but also related it to a place. I often forget that states have huge advertising budgets in order to attract more people to go and visit as tourists. It makes me think of all of the commercials, such as the one for California, that encourage people to visit. I think that it is cool how Rhode Island is somewhat "branded" through the sharing of a single person's identity.
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