The document explores transmedia storytelling, defined as the use of multiple platforms and formats to create engaging narratives that involve the audience as active participants. It discusses various forms of media, potential issues, and examples like 'Lost' and 'Heroes,' as well as successful alternate reality games (ARGs) such as 'Why So Serious?' and Nokia's 'Conspiracy for Good.' It emphasizes the importance of cohesive storytelling and the ethical considerations surrounding realism in transmedia experiences.

1. Quick Overview: Transmedia
Multi-
platform
usage in
ARGs &
Storytelling
Catherine H Flippen
@CatFlippen
about.me/CatFlippen

2. What is transmedia?
• Multi-platform, multi-format
• Engaging content, permeates daily life
• Incorporates current technologies WITH
traditional outlets (online vs. real world)
• Positions audience as “players”
– collaborators, not just consumers (Web 2.0)
– Players have “roles and goals”
• Dispersed elements of the story
• Borderless, multiple entry points

3. Transmedia looks like…
Digital / Virtual Authentic / Real Life
• Audio • Print material
– Radio − Podcast – Flyers − Newpapers
• Video – Posters − Narrative
– YouTube − Viral video • Cold drops
• Social Media – Items left in specific locations to
– Twitter − Blogs − Facebook be found by players
– Email − Even Craigslist! • NPCs & Actors
• Mobile – Can share with digital
– Texting − Voicemail − Apps – People who play
characters, participate directly
• Virtual worlds with players
• Location-based Services • Hidden objects
– Foursquare − Geotagging – I.E. Item baked into a cake or
• Websites note folded in a ballpoint pen
– Consumables (info, narrative) • Live events
– Contributables (forums, chats) – Gatherings, meet-ups,

4. What transmedia is NOT
• Use of technology for technology’s sake
• Random incorporation of things not
linked to story whatsoever
• Viral video
– Some transmedia can be viral video,
but not all viral video is transmedia

5. Why transmedia?
• Engagement
– relevant
– compelling
• Crowd aggregator
– fanbase / fandom
– new participants
• Collective intelligence
– knowledge circulation
– hunters and gatherers

6. Potential problems
• Complex organization of many materials
– Could result in mismatched information or
lack of cohesiveness
– Need either single-leadership or tight group
like-minded of creators
• Believable-ness
– Real vs. unreal / ethical concerns
• Wired article: http://bit.ly/dJE0dQ
• TINAG [ This Is Not A Game ]
– Which is worse: Being too real or
not real enough?

7. Examples: Lost & Heroes
• Featured:
– a novel “written” by a character (Lost)
and an online comic book (Heroes)
– websites for fictional entities in the
show (Heroes/Lost)
– series of mobisodes (Lost) and
webisodes (Heroes)
– interaction (hunter/gatherer) via online
community (Heroes/Lost)

8. Example: Why So Serious?
• Go here: http://www.whysoserious.com/
• ARG based on the Joker
• Drew 10+ million participants
• Via webpages, mobile, interactive
games, print, e-mail, events and video.
• Even included cakes with baked-in
phone that players picked up from
bakeries!

9. Example: Nokia’s “Conspiracy for Good”
• London-based, summer of 2010
• Players downloaded mobile game to join
a mission to work with the group
“Conspiracy for Good”
– Fictional company based on realistic ideas
• Mobile game led to websites, more info
• Also included in a span of a few months:
– Four live events with actors as game characters
– Participants used Nokia phones’ augmented
reality capabilities to help them play
• Over 4,000 players join

10. Resources
• Henry Jenkins: • Gary Hayes:
– USC Professor, – Exec Producer for
former MIT prof ABC Multiplatform TV
– Notable academic – AR and ARG info
in the field – Immersive, networked
– “Convergence worlds (including
Culture” MUVES)
– convergenceculture.org – personalizemedia.com
– henryjenkins.org

11. Resources
Paper.li on Transmedia Your Life is a
• by Samwell Creative Transmedia Experience
• http://bit.ly/bne8iW • http://slidesha.re/g1GTA3
Robert Pratton
• CEO at Transmedia Storytelling, Ltd.
• tstoryteller.com
• Slideshares:
– Getting Started: http://slidesha.re/gxmYCJ
– Platform Selection: http://slidesha.re/cVl8yg

12. The Black Helix
• Crowdsourced ARG
• Goal: First crowdsourced ARG
fiction novel to be published
www.theblackhelix.com/

13. 404 907 3753