A storyteller alone in front of audience has a human voice, some gestures and facial expressions, and perhaps a few simple props to tell the story with. The creators of a multimillion dollar Hollywood epic film, on the other hand, have the full range of modern technology to tell the same story. Because of the medium used, there is a significant difference how this hypothetical story is told.

A broad range of media can be used to present a story or story elements from a transmedia narrative. Among the multi-platform components the transmedia author needs to consider are (Hayes G. P., 2011, p. 8):

  • Webisode: A webisode is audio or video content delivered as a developing narrative. Webisodes are often called podcasts, vodcasts, or mobisodes.
  • Community Hub: A community hub is a connected service site dedicated to growing and managing a community of interest around a property.
  • Casual Game: A casual game is easy to move into and out and be anything from a single player to a massively multiplayer game.
  • Serious Game: A serious game specifically puts the user into real world scenarios with a series of objectives that must be accomplished.
  • 3D-World Games: A variety of 3D-world games (e.g. World of Warcraft, Call to Duty, etc.) use goal-driven game formats and high production values for game play and, in some cases, presentation of narratives.
  • Social Virtual World: A social virtual world is a shared virtual space (e.g. Second Life) where users socialize and create their own stories. Social virtual worlds generally are not goal-driven and differ from 3D-world games.
  • Physical Installation: A project that uses a fixed physical interactive device (e.g. interactive kiosk or sound installation) is a physical installation. Physical installations are often event-driven.
  • Social Film/Social TV: Hybrid projects that combine social media and linear video elements are social film or social TV.
  • Location-Based Service: A location-based service layers digital information over the real world using GPS-equipped mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. Location-based services can be used for entertainment, education, marketing, and other applications.
  • Social Media Storytelling: A range of social network channels (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) use social media storytelling to deliver fictional or non-fictional content.
  • One-Way Website: A one-way website is a static website that presents content but does not allow users to interact with that content.

Refer to the “Media/Platforms for Transmedia Projects” section in the Transmedia Project Level Design Tasks for additional information on media and platforms.

When selecting the media and platforms to use for a transmedia narrative, consider (Pratten, Getting Started with Transmedia Storytelling, 2011, p. 29):

  • The relative strengths and weaknesses of each platform
  • How to support the weaknesses of one platform with the strengths of another
  • How the platforms work together to create the right mix of media
  • How the calls-to-action on the platforms will support each other
  • How the story needs to be changed to accommodate each platform