X|Media|Lab Perth 2011 report

Storytelling in a digital age

Welcome to country by Barry MacKenzie

Wadjuk Nyungar representative, shared a story with us about the trap-door spider in Kings Park.
Seemed to open the possibility of collaboration as he explained that the stories for his people are “inside” and would wonder what happens when people pass on — would digital storytelling help keep these stories alive?

Community Collaboration: Embracing the Future of Interactive Storytelling – Esther Lim (San Francisco)

Researcher / consultant
Exploring how we cater for community collaboration in storytelling.
Moving towards blurring the lines between fiction + reality? Stories now come to us. e.g. mocku-Facebook profiles.
Problem of “real-time” delivery (over a fixed period), not recorded; can be alleviated with mediated community building, and professional community managers.

Cross Cultural and Cross Platform Perspectives – Peter Shiao (Beijing, Los Angeles)

Serial entrepreneur, trying to build a next generation media company (Orb Media).
Company founded on three concepts: transformational (positive change through embedded spirituality or ethos), transborder (US + China) and transmedia (web/film/mobile/event).

The Art of Interactive Storytelling… Why it is that so many get it wrong and what needs to happen to get it right – Prof Duane Varan (Perth)

Murdoch adjunct professor + Disney executive.
Beyond :30 research project into new advertising models.
Digital media offers the ability to “interact”, a big problem for creating effective narrative.
Some findings:

Respect narrative structure: can’t choose ending!
Interaction to facilitate dramatic tension (limit by timing, countdown)
Capitalise on the power of empathy
Intersect the “viewing quest” (answer “why is the viewer there?” UX + common sense)
Don’t rob the viewer the power of choice, especially the harder the choice
“Bridge in” (bring back to main story) at the same time as “branching out” in structure
Limit number of choices so the viewer is not pulled out of the story (2 choices at each point is best)
Capitalise on multi-platform
Adapt as learning from viewer
Whet appetite before interacting

Old Stories in New Boxes – Universal Form in Changing Media – Marshall Vandruff (Laguna)

Sees the creation of new media forms resulting from the fusion and evolution of existing forms. e.g. Vaudeville + Moving stills = movies
Story fundamentals that never change:
Connects us with others (reverberate emotionally) through a character “like me” protagonist empathy
Takes us on a journey (not a tour!) through crises + difficulties in pursuing goals
Gives us a thrill through ups and downs (reversals, turning points, twists) that build to a peak of tension, then resolved
Gives meaning to lives through how it ends: protagonist responsibility
Making stories visual:
Film theory: cutting for continuity + cutting for contrast

Closing the Immersion Loop through Participation – Ana Serrano (Toronto)

Entertainment industry very good at immersion, now being asked to allow participation
Can be asynchronous or synchronous (harder)
Johnny Cash project
David Suzuki tweet mash up (background)
Facebook “movies”
3D “racting” (ref Neal Stephenson) with Disney characters

Once Upon A Tablet – Dominic Knight (Sydney)

Argues that there is no story that has fully employed the full capability of the iPad.
Struggled to make money + make time for online media elements for “The Chaser”, their previous online paper was mostly a flop.

Transmedia Storytelling – Poonacha Machaiah (Bangalore)

Very possible to create “virtual stars”, particularly as so much of our representation is digital.
Eternal and ageless!

Mobile Entertainment, Digital Storytelling, Emerging Markets and the Power of the Mobile Internet – Emma Kaye (Cape Town)

South Africa skipped a generation of technology, went straight from the stand-alone PC to a mobile internet.
South African mobile content missing localised material, and had little interaction (ignoring the interactive nature of the technology)
Enabled village-produced content: 10 “filmmakers” with Blackberries, taught basics, then upload and provide commenting system.
eFuBu project on MxIt

Immersive Environments – Ed Lantz (Los Angeles)

Transmedia,Transformation and the Future of Story – Kate McCallum (Los Angeles)

The Most Important Questions in Storytelling Today (and None of the Answers) – Kaz Brecher (Los Angeles)

Engaging with Screen-agers – Robyn Kershaw (Melbourne/Perth)

As a producer it’s important to listen to the “screenagers” in our lives
Digital narrative is a “greenfield” site, traditional media is a “brownfield” site
Digital producers are jacks of all trades, understand audience + very connected with them
YouTube celebrities (community channel etc)

Transmedia – Is it the New Vaudeville? – Nicoletta Iacobacci (Geneva)

Storytelling MeetsTechnology – Rosie Allimonos (London)

BBC has built APS system in 2007 (automatic program support) which automagically generates a web site with all the bits needed (been around for ages).
Mythology engine (next-generation program support).
East enders show E:20 generated approx 4m views
Important to label online content as “online extension” not “spinoff”, employ strong TV co-branding to increase the legitimacy.
Discovered that viewers appetite for online narrative video is around 12 – 15 min (not digital “snacking”), rather VOD bingeing! (watching show after show)
Being Human
Dr Who adventure game
Originally the cross platform team was a central, separate entity; now staff are embedded into the show’s production teams.

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