Transmedia Digital Storytelling Course: Final Thoughts

Transmedia Storytelling Narrative Universe

I recently finished a free online course through FutureLearn entitled “Transmedia Storytelling.” I wasn’t all that impressed, but perhaps that is due more to covering ground I’ve already covered on my own in the past than the course itself, which is a mix of videos, articles and a comment strand. (Look: the course was free. I’m not really complaining. But FutureLearn ain’t no NetNarr!)

What I really wanted to see was some transmedia digital story projects showcased as exemplars for how digital stories can jump from platform to platform, creating an overarching arc of story while still maintaining independence on the platforms. Unless I missed them, I didn’t see nearly enough of those kinds of projects.

Transmedia Storytelling Branches

There was quite a bit of information about what transmedia is, and why it is an interesting new twist on the age-old elements of storytelling (which began with oral tradition, moved into print tradition, and now seems to be coming back to oral tradition with digital media, according to the course instructor.)

Transmedia Storytelling Media Works Together

I had the vague sense that the course was aimed more at business folks, who are learning how best to market in the digital age through digital immersion of content. That was never said outright, but that was my inferential take on some of the material presented.

Transmedia Storytelling No Barriers

Perhaps as Networked Narratives explores digital stories more deeply, I will try my hand at another transmedia composition. I’ve done a few before, and always felt like they pushed me to think differently as a writer. Writing across platforms and spaces, with threads to tie all the pieces together as a whole, requires deep thinking and extensive planning.

Transmedia Storytelling Platforms

When transmedia works, it’s magic.

Peace (in stories),
Kevin

4 Comments
  1. I signed up for that course and was also underimpressed by the content and delivery. But, as you say, it was free.

    Not really worth spending my precious free time on, though.

  2. A transmedia piece for Netnarr…..mmmm interesting. I wonder what the background story would be. I am now thinking about this in terms of connecting the disparate digital shards of Netnarr that appear on my various sides of the digital profile. I think you create more exemplars than you realise.

  3. I once took a workshop on “Innovative Narrative Research Practices” using “Narrative Metissage”. The description was far more interesting than the workshop results but I’ve kept the idea for further exploration.
    “Narrative Metissage is an arts based method of enquiry that interweaves personal stories and serves as a process of uncovering and co-constructing knowledge about self, others. and the world. It is “a way of merging and blurring genres. texts and identities: an active literary stance, political strategy and pedagogical praxis” (Chambers. Donald and Hasebe-Ludt, 2002, para. 1) This inter-active session will employ narrative ‘metissage’ to invite participants to create their own metissage, using their own stories and ideas around narrative initiatives, innovations, and research, then explore individual and collective themes, to dialogue deeply around the application and the possibilities of arts-based narritive research practices.”

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