Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Transmedia and Storytelling
Teaching staff
Appointments can be set up in advance by e-mail (igaravis@uic.es)
Introduction
Transmedia storytelling (which implies the use of different media platforms to tell a story) is becoming an increasingly popular phenomenon in the current media landscape. In this course, students will learn to recognize transmedia storytelling tools and practices across different fields, from documentaries to marketing campaigns. Along with the foundations of a theoretical framework and the analysis of different case studies, students will also attend practical workshops, during which they will develop their own transmedia project.
Pre-course requirements
Since this course is taught in English, students are expected to have (at minimum) a B2 English level.
Objectives
- Students will understand the notion of “transmediality” and be familiar with its possible uses in different areas, including fiction, non-fiction and advertising.
- Students will be able to identify the different traits that characterize the current era of technological and cultural convergence, along with the way in which it has an impact on transmedia narratives.
- Students will learn to analyze the composition of transmedia narratives, as well as to recognize and use different transmedia storytelling tools, with the purpose of narrating a story across different media.
- Students will be able to have a hands-on experience and to apply theoretical foundations through the development of their own transmedia project.
- Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Project: By working together with students from the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Ireland), UIC students will also gain a wider, international perspective on this media phenomenon.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 02 - The ability to understand, accept criticism and correct errors
- 08 - The ability of critical analysis, synthesis, concretion and abstraction
- 11 - The ability to generate debate and reflection
- 13 - The ability to create spoken and written communication
- 14 - Knowledge and mastery of rhetoric and oratory to communicate own ideas
- 16 - The ability to manage, analysis and reflect on content
- 22 - Knowledge and mastery of the distinction between opinion and information / colloquial and cultured register
- 27 - The ability to adapt to distinct audio visual publics and markets.
- 31 - The ability to understand the financial systems of media groups and companies.
- 35 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the products of the audiovisual industry
- 41 - The ability to know how the distinct elemental agencies of the audio visual sector function
- 49 - The ability to write fluent texts, step outlines or scripts
- 53 - Lingustic ability in Catalan, Spanish and English
Learning outcomes of the subject
By the end of the semester, students will have reflected on and drawn their own conclusions regarding the notion of “transmediality”. This will enable them to establish connections between the traits of the current era of media convergence and new forms of storytelling. Not only will they have acquired critical capacities to analyze these types of media narratives in various fields; they will have also learned to identify platforms and tools that can be used in their development. Finally, by creating their own transmedia project, students will be able to put into practice the theoretical foundations presented in class.
Syllabus
1. Introduction: Storytelling Across Media
2. Convergence Culture and Transmedia Practices
3. Audience Engagement, Participatory Culture and UGC
4. Producing and Developing Transmedia Narratives: The Transmedia Bible
5. Transmedia Strategies and their Application in Different Fields
5.1. Transmedia Storytelling in Non-Fiction Narratives
5.2. Transmedia Storytelling in Fiction Narratives
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Applied theory sessions, which will combine lectures (1 ECTS) with focused praxis exercises (1 ECTS), including the analysis of case studies.
Practical workshops (1 ECTS) under the teacher’s supervision, where students will develop both their final group project and their COIL project. Students are also expected to work on and complete their projects during non-lective hours.
This is a practice-oriented module, where students will have to develop two main projects:
- Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Project. UIC students will work with students from the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Ireland), developing a comparative analysis.
- Final Transmedia Project. Throughout the whole semester, students will work in small groups to develop a marketing transmedia campaign.
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
|---|---|
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 1 |
| Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. | 1 |
| Practical workshop. A highly practical working activity, where students can acquire skills that are practical or also theoretical (intellectual skills, logical skills, critical skills, intellectual learning skills, study skills, quoting skills, etc). | 1 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
First assessment (May)
- 50 % Final transmedia project. The evaluation of this project will be continuous throughout the semester.
- 40 % COIL project (60% group presentation; 40% individual essay).
- 10 % Class attendance and participation.
Second assessment (June)
- 100 % Individual transmedia project.
Bibliography and resources
A. REQUIRED BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Theoretical bibliography
DELWICHE, Aaron & JACOBS HENDERSON, Jennifer (2012). "Introduction: What is Participatory Culture?", The Participatory Cultures Handbook, Taylor and Francis Group.
JENKINS, Henry (2003). "Transmedia Storytelling: Moving characters from books to films to video games can make them stronger and more compelling." MIT Technology Review, Jan. 15th 2003. Link: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/401760/transmedia-storytelling/
JENKINS, Henry (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press. Required reading from this book: "Introduction. Worship at the Altar of Convergence: A New Paradigm for Understanding Media Change." (pp. 13-34).
JENKINS, Henry (2007). "Transmedia Storytelling 101." Confessions of an Aca-Fan, The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins, March 22nd 2007. Link: http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html
JENKINS, Henry (2011). "Transmedia Storytelling 102: Further Reflections." Confessions of an Aca-Fan, The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins, August 1st 2011. Link: http://henryjenkins.org/2011/08/defining_transmedia_further_re.html
JENKINS, Henry (2011). "Seven Myths About Transmedia Storytelling Debunked." April 8th 2011. Link: http://www.fastcompany.com/1745746/seven-myths-about-transmedia-storytelling-debunked
GAMBARATO, Renira R. (2013). "Transmedia Project Design: Theoretical and Analytical Considerations", Baltic Screen Media Review, Vol. 1, pp. 80-100.
VAN DIJCK, José (2009). "Users like you? Theorizing agency in user-generated content", Media, Culture & Society, Vol. 31 (1), pp. 41-58.
2. Pratice-oriented Bibliography
BERNARDO, Nuno. How to Pitch and Prepare a Successful Funding Application for a Transmedia Project. PDF uploaded to the module's Moodle (intranet).
B. RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY
BERNARDO, Nuno (2011). The Producers Guide to Transmedia: How to Develop, Fund, Produce and Distribute Compelling Stories across Multiple Platforms. London: CR Entertainment Ltd.
EVANS, Elizabeth (2011). Transmedia Television: Audiences, New Media, and Daily Life. New York: Routledge.
JENKINS, Henry; FORD, Sam; GREEN, Joshua (2013). Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture, New York University Press.
PHILLIPS, Andrea (2012). A Creator’s Guide to Transmedia Storytelling: How to Captivate and Engage Audiences Across Multiple Platforms. New York: McGraw-Hill.
PLEWE, Christoph & FÜRSICH, Elfriede (2018). "Are Newsgames Better Journalism?", Journalism Studies, 19:16, 2470-2487.
PRATTEN, Robert (2011). Getting Started with Transmedia Storytelling: A Practical Guide for Beginners. Link: http://talkingobjects.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/book-by-robert-pratten.pdf
RENÓ, Denis; CAMPALANS, Carolina; RUIZ, Sandra y GOSCIOLA, Vicente (eds.) (2014). Periodismo Transmedia: Miradas Múltiples. Barcelona: Editorial UOC; Barranquilla: Universidad del Rosario.
RYAN, Marie-Laure (2004). Narrative across Media: The Language of Storytelling. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
SCOLARI, Carlos Alberto (2009). “Transmedia Storytelling: Implicit Consumers, Narrative Worlds, and Branding in Contemporary Media Production.” International Journal of Communication, Vol. 3 (2009), pp. 586-606. Link: http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/477
SCOLARI, Carlos Alberto (2013). Narrativas transmedia. Bilbao: Deusto.