Transmedia Storytelling In Public Awareness - Impact On Present Crisis

Keywords

Digital Technologies; Government Policies; Present Crisis; Public Awareness; Transmedia Storytelling.

Introduction

Transmedia storytelling is the technique of telling a single story (or) story experience across multiple platforms using current digital technologies. Transmedia storytelling is also called transmedia narrative (or) multiplatform storytelling [23]. The study transmedia storytelling was introduced by Henry Jenkins, author of the seminal book convergence culture. The term “Transmedia” means “Across media” [2]. One good example for transmedia storytelling is “DC Comics”. Transmedia storytelling involves creating content that engages an audience using various techniques to permeate their daily lives [6]. Transmedia storytelling is a narrative structure that breaks through both language and media. Some effective strategies in transmedia include a fresh perspective on the original content across a new form of media [11]. A transmedia storytelling is how well a story is comprehended across media. An effective strategy of transmedia storytelling does not take a passive approach, instead engages with popular culture making a story of its own and providing new content [18]. The aim of the study is to create awareness about transmedia storytelling and to find how transmedia storytelling has an impact on the present crisis.

Materials and Methods

Study setting was made by a scoping review. Number of articles taken 25. Search engines used are “google scholar”, “Pubmed” and “Medline”. Search terms used are transmedia storytelling in public awareness. Five steps involved in selecting an article. They are identification of clear subject, identification of relevant articles, selection, data extraction and charting, analysis and report. The articles selected based on recent, similar and relevant publications. Articles selection includes recent study on transmedia storytelling and excludes articles with only transmedia storytelling. Scoring was done for all the 25 articles.

History Of Transmedia Storytelling

Henry Jenkins was the first person to introduce the concept transmedia storytelling [19]. By 1970 and 1980, pioneering artists of telematic art made experiments of collective narrative, mixing the ancestors of today’s network and produced both visions and critical theories of what became transmedia [9]. With the advent of mainstream internet usage in the 1990’s, numerous creators began to explore ways to tell stories and entertain audiences using new platforms [21]. Many examples took the form of what was to become known as alternate reality games (ARG), which took place in real time with a mass audience [17]. The term ARG was coined in 2001 to describe the beast, a marketing company for the film A.I: Artificial intelligences. Some examples of ARG are star wars, star sterk, the matrix, the beast, on line, disney, marvels and DC comics [8].

Current Status Of Transmedia Storytelling

Both traditional and dedicated transmedia entertainment studies have fully integrated and embraced transmedia storytelling techniques into entertainment culture [24]. Some examples of transmedia storytelling are slide, skin, halo, justice for hire, my music, clockwork watch, endgame: proving ground, 24, the hunger games and Pokemon [18]. In present, transmedia storytelling has developed a lot and it is ruling the mass media. Many comics, books and even movies based on transmedia storytelling have been released in recent times [27].

Educational Uses Of Transmedia Storytelling

Transmedia narrating imitates a solid constructivist academic instrument for instructive uses. Schools have been gradually adjusting to this new culture which moves the spotlight of proficiency from being one individual articulation to one network [14]. Utilizing transmedia narrating as an educational device, where in understudies associate with stage, for example, twitter, facebook, instagram (or) tumblr grants understudies perspectives, encounters, and assets to build up a mutual aggregate knowledge that is alluring, connecting with, vivid, grabbing the millennial eye, guaranteeing students a stake in understanding [15]. Transmedia storytelling offers the students to think critically, identify with the materials and knowledge, offering a valuable framework for the constructivist educational pedagogy that supports students learning. It also helps in increasing creative knowledge in students [7]. Transmedia storytelling allows for the interpretation of the story from the individuals, perspective, making way for personalized meaning making. Transmedia storytelling is also used in companies like microsoft and kimberly-clark to train employees and managers [12, 20]. However it is not used in lower education levels [16]. Transmedia storytelling is apparent in comics, films, print media, radio and now social media also.

Impact On Government Policy

The two good examples of transmedia storytelling in impact on government policies are the case of fish fight and the housing case in British [28]. In the case of fish fight, for centuries, discarded fish has been an inevitable consequence of the fish industry, which is justified by numerous economic, political, biological and technological reasons [10]. European fishers look for ways to reduce expenses and landing the whole catch would impose extra cost on the economical sector [25]. They selected one fish type and started catching it, which results in marking the species endangered [30]. People of Europe fish fight grass root campaign, they started fighting against the fishing companies through transmedia storytelling [26]. They created awareness about the fish species among people. Later the government set up a law for this problem which was named as Hugh’s Fish Fight, 2010 [13]. In the case of British, over 2 million people are in need of home and food, and about 1 million houses were not used due to its poor conditions [22]. This happened in the year 2011 in the UK. A TV channel “Channel 4” created the project together with architect George Clarke, who started a personal crusade against British housing problem after realizing the fact [4]. People got knowledge about their current situation through that program and fought against the government [1]. Government has reconstructed the houses and gave them to the people [3]. The transmedia storytelling TV program “Great British property scandal storyworld : Phil’s empty Homes giveaway and Kevin’s grand design” helps the people in their hard struggles [29]. Due to this program over 1,18,200 petitions were signed, 10,000 empty houses were reported, 17 million Euro were allotted for houses and George Clarke was appointed as Independent empty home advisor to the government [5].

Conclusion

Here by we conclude that transmedia storytelling has developed in recent times and it has many uses in public awareness in the present situation. Through transmedia storytelling people are getting known knowledge about the present situation. It also helps in increasing creativity and abilities of students.Now-a-days transmedia storytelling has become a part of every individual's life.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the help and support rendered by the Department of Oral Pathology and Information Technology of Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals and the management for their constant assistance with the research.