2. Why Big Picture?
Immersive, narrative-based, interactive story-
telling
Engage the user
Create new story-telling forms
Encourage internal creative thinking
An evolution from earlier narrative forms
4. Control
Clear, exposed navigation divides the content into smaller topics
Viewers can skip to portions of interest and/or replay parts
Tips
• Use as a standard feature of any interactive story
• Try text that looks clickable (underlined)
• Add recognizable visual cues; some people remember icons or images better
than words
Examples
Big Picture left-side rundown: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
Driving vacations: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/summer_driving/decades/
Darkest Day: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/wtc_terror_experience/
5. Depth
Saves presentation space
Puts context directly where it is most relevant
Tips
Opt-out – where the presentation stops until the user makes a choice
• Exposes additional information
• Disrupts story line
Opt-in – asking follow-up questions or pausing to launch a slideshow
• Provides a smooth transition to more information
• Easily missed
Supplemental – such as factoids appearing in sequence with video
• Provides clarification
• Can be distracting
Examples:
Big Picture: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
Driving vacations: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/summer_driving/decades/
6. Introspection
Directly challenge the audience to think about an issue
Voting/polling prompts people to express themselves
Tips
Placement driven by purpose
• Consider the facts first? Put it at the end.
• Disprove the viewer’s notions? Put it at the beginning.
• Taking the audience’s pulse? It becomes the segment.
Dissect an issue into many smaller points requiring ‘yes’, ‘no’, and ‘unsure’
• Broad vote topics elicit more gut reaction
Decide whether to show the results before, during or after a vote
• Consider the impact results will have on the viewer
Examples
Big Picture: Iraq http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
Big Picture: Election http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/elex/
7. Community
Connects viewers with the story
Audience is part of the presentation by leaving their mark or interacting with
each other
Tips
• Include a ‘write-us’ and ‘e-mail this’ button somewhere that’s clearly visible
during the entire presentation
• Read viewer e-mail
• Consider soliciting viewer opinions and then using them in the piece
Examples
Big Picture: Iraq http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
StrikeOut! http://www.msnbc.com/modules/sports/pitchinggame/
8. Comprehension
The active, involved viewer is more likely to retain information than the passive viewer
Active = listening, reading and making connections
Tips
• With complicated issues, emphasize key phrases with text in synch with audio
• Add third-party analysis where appropriate to give the viewer perspective
• Break up audio tracks with short pauses, sound bites or sound effects
• Ask viewers to perform tasks that teach
Examples
Enron 101: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/enron/
Conflict with Iraq: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/iraqmain/
Baggage screener: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/airport_security/screener/
9. Our Latest Effort – Oscars v2
Intro on the launch page
Multiple entry points
Larger window size
Re-order playlist
Related info box (persistent vs. transient)
Hide option
Eliminated “save for later”
15. Used playlist: 52%
Changed order: 15%
Sent
comment: < 1% Used related info: 14%
Used hide
for guide: 24%
16. Try it out yourself
http://bigpicture.msnbc.com
Editor's Notes
-- Start Day Two --
(ASHLEY/backup ANGIE)
Explain:
We use interactivity in our pieces for several reasons
It’s provocative.
When used effectively, it empowers the viewer to get what they want and think about what they got.
For the next few minutes we’ll talk about what interactivity can add to a story.
Note: as you talk about control and other aspects of interactivity, be sure to include data about use where possible
Examples – Ask: which of these examples are good control and which are bad?
Big Picture left-side rundown (good)
Driving vacations (good)
Darkest Day (bad)
(ASHLEY/backup ANGIE)
Explain:
The depth interactives provide allow people to get more out of their news in a way only the Internet can provide.
Opt-out depth: Limit this type to the end of a presentation or find another way.
Allows the viewer to choose not to interact
Supplemental depth can especially help clarify content you didn’t create.
Examples – Ask: which of these examples are good depth and which are bad?
Pearl Harbor (opt-out, bad)
Big Picture (opt-in, good)
Driving vacations (supplemental, good)
(ASHLEY/backup ANGIE)
Examples – Ask: which of these examples are good introspection and which are bad?
Big Picture: Iraq (good)
Big Picture: Election (bad)
NBA Legends (good)
Ask:
What other ways have we tried to make people think?
(ASHLEY/backup ANGIE)
Explain:
We should realize interactive stories solicit thousands of different responses from the people who view it.
People often want to respond and at the very least, we should give them a way to do that.
Take the time to read viewer e-mail. They’ll catch oddities, make good suggestions, and find bugs.
If you solicit viewer opinion, make sure to tell them exactly what you’re looking for in terms of subject and length.
And be prepared to spend time sorting through the responses.
Examples – Ask: which of these examples are good community and which are bad?
Big Picture: Iraq (good)
StrikeOut! (good)
Views from abroad (good)
(ASHLEY/backup ANGIE)
Explain:
Interactivity is a good vehicle for explaining complicated things because it involves the viewer.
Breaking up the audio track allows the viewer to store their short term memory “cache” and keeps your talent from sounding monotonous.
Asking viewers to perform tasks is the highest form of interactivity, but also the most difficult and time-consuming to produce.
Teach by tasking
Examples – Ask: which of these examples are good interactivity and which are bad?
Enron 101 (good)
Conflict with Iraq (bad)
Baggage screener (good)