As I've mentioned in a couple other entries, it is wonderful how everything these days is moving to transmedia/cross platform/digital etc. story-telling. But there is a fear that this sort of narrative can easily become too "big", too complex, lost and forgotten or distorted as it relies much more on the listener/user being more involved and able to spend real-time and large chunks of time to cull through the story. Especially multiple times as new facets might come out in one source causing the user to need/want to revisit the story from another source.
Of course writers and marketing people love this, who wouldn't... people not just visiting your story once, but multiple times and finding new things each time. Yet sometimes, this can be a hindrance for those who want the basic, quick, straight-forward narrative.
Sometimes I wonder if this move to transmedia/cross platform story-telling is a fad or a shift in how story is told (it has happened many times throughout history).
Makes me think about animated movies and the last 50 years. We started with the basics and then perfected the cell animation/hand drawn-painted ala Disney. Then came computers, Pixar, Shrek and other digital and now it is almost the norm (and of course 3-D is making a come back). Is this the fate of other forms of story-telling in a change from how the story is displayed is coming? Instead of one medium, multiple sources will now be involved?
Along with this, is the idea of, how are these additional sources, especially certain digital sources, preserved? I am working on the transmedia story map for Harper's Globe – part of the CBS show Harper's Island universe/story. I found the following comment from a fan on the HG website official forum – I think it is a harbinger of what certain story-telling must be aware of and plan for.
http://www.harpersglobe.com/discussion_posts/list/2/17384/1 - "•
Mikus
— Sep 30, 2009 - I know that nobody will probably read this since the site is basically dead and Im not sure if anyone other then me still comes on it anymore but.... I just wanted to say thanks to the admin, moderators, users and to EQAL and CBS for the creation of Harpersglobe.com and Harpers Island in general. It was a lot of fun on here a few months prior to what it has turned into now. It was always really active, we had tons of users, the webseries was great, the randomness and interesting conversations always made me laugh and even though we had problems here and there, power struggles, spoiler issues, and unecessary drama, we still always got through it with the help of the users advocating for each other and themselves and of course the mods. I must say I miss it all, I would always make an effort to try and go on multiple times a day, I would continuasly participate in conversations and submit my theories. Harper's Island was a great show and its unfortunate that it met its end along side its internet counterpart despite the effort we put into trying to advocate to keep it up. and so even though it was decided that the site would be up indefinately... I still just wanna say rest in peace Harpers Globe, I really hope that some miracle occurs and you come back to life but unfortunately it doesnt look like thats happening. Thanks again to everyone for making this site what it was and making Harpers Island so much more interesting and entertaining. I will never forget the fun I had here and I hope to see you guys in future EQAL experiences like Level26.com which Im hoping will also come back to life soon, especially when book 2 comes out in 2010. Bye everyone!
~Mikus
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What happens if CBS decides not to support the website any longer? Who owns all of that content? Is it a case of the CBS TV episodes and webisodes will be available on DVD and certain elements from the rest of the transmedia sources will be, "gone"?
Something I do like, is the FAQ Harper's Globe put out there – http://www.harpersglobe.com/faq/
Also neat is the wiki - http://wiki.harpersglobe.com/index.php/Main_Page
The creators created a self contained social network and then keeping all elements within that "space" including FAQ's on how to experience all elements and providing an "official" wiki and other elements to provide a) more give and take between creator and user and b) based on the privacy policies established, the owners of the social space can now archive and use all of the comments and anything else people did on that site – that really gives a better edge in creating archives and recording the entire "universe"
Wikis have always been a collaborative/collective medium of communication with the focus on writing. Harper's Globe illustrates this possible collaboration between the storyteller and the listener (KateModern and LonelyGirl sources did this as well, although not as sure if the creators helped with the wiki).
It also brings up another possible way to contain some of the can of worms transmedia story-telling can open - fan-generated content – an interesting concept – one to be explored later…. But if a fan creates story and a wiki entry, can the owners of the show get any fringe benefits from that addition to the universe...
if the creators set up the policy that when a person registers for the experience, they forfeit any ownership of content and comments made on the social network… then can the writer archive, repackage and develop story based on those social network/social media interactions/events…
hmmmmmmmmmmm
oh as an addddddition - http://techdirt.com/articles/20091207/2310207240.shtml
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