The use of 3D computer graphics may be any approach worth considering for transmedia projects that can’t use hand drawn illustrations or live actors for artistic, budgetary, or other reasons. I’ve been doing a series of tests over the past couple of months to see how I might be ableContinue Reading
I recently had an discussion that raises the question of how much flexibility creators have when it comes to working with a new form like transmedia storytelling. The discussion started as a result of my exploration of the use of 3D computer graphic (CG) models for illustrating stories (see exampleContinue Reading
The selection of a setting (or creation of one if it has not yet been created) can have a significant impact on the scene. When selecting a setting, the transmedia narrative’s author should consider the role that setting will play in the overall scene or sequence. Settings can play oneContinue Reading
Significant objects don’t have to appear in every scene, but when they do they should be used with a specific narrative purpose in mind. The appearance of a plot-significant object (e.g. the ring in Lord of the Rings) focuses everyone’s attention — characters and audience alike – and should beContinue Reading
At the scene/sequence level character selection focuses on which of the “cast” members selected at the story level will be included in a particular scene. The majority of scenes in a narrative should involve major characters, although it doesn’t always need to be the protagonist. There may be scenes, forContinue Reading
A scene involves conflict that occurs in (more or less) continuous time and space and turns the condition of a character’s life in a perceptible way (McKee, 1997, p. 35). Scenes can function as either: Kernels based on one of the following types – disturbance, obstacle, complication, confrontation, crisis, or resolutionContinue Reading
A sequence is a series of scenes – typically two to five –in which each scene has a greater impact than any previous scene (McKee, 1997, p. 38). The scenes within the sequence are usually connected by either unity of location or unity of time. A potential point at whichContinue Reading
McKee’s hierarchy of story structure provides a set of breakpoints at which a story can be moved from one media platform to another or one medium to another. While McKee developed his hierarchy of story, act, sequence, scene, and beat (McKee, 1997, pp. 34-42) to describe the story structure ofContinue Reading
The fourth level of design tasks is at the scene/sequence level. This is the level at which the design decisions made earlier in the transmedia narrative design process are used in the development of narrative content. Story concepts and narrative structure are translated into individual scenes and sequences and theContinue Reading
Every call-to-action needs to have a retainer. A retainer serves two functions: It provides the user with a “reward” for using the connector It moves the user into the next unit of the narrative The call-to-action’s motivator and connector made “promises” to the user. The retainer is where those promisesContinue Reading