Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Barcelona

Transmedia i Storytelling

• codi 12040
• curs 4
• període Semestre 2
• tipus op
• credits 3

Llengua d'impartició principal: anglès

Responsable

Dra. Isadora GARCÍA - igaravis@uic.es

Horari d'atenció

Appointments can be set up in advance by e-mail (igaravis@uic.es)

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.

Since this course is taught in English, students are expected to have (at minimum) a B2 English level.

• 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.

• 14 - Coneixement i domini de la retòrica i oratòria per comunicar idees pròpies
• 16 - Capacitat de fer servir, analitzar i reflexionar sobre continguts
• 22 - Coneixement i domini de la distinció entre opinió i informació/ registres col·loquials i cultes.
• 27 - Capacitat d'adaptació als diferents públics i mercats audiovisuals
• 31 - Capacitat de comprendre els sistemes de finançament dels grups i empreses de comunicació
• 35 - Capacitat per contextualitzar i analitzar críticament els productes de la indústria audiovisual
• 41 - Capacitat de coneixement i funcionament dels diferents elements agents del sector audiovisual
• 49 - Capacitat per escriure amb fluïdesa textos, escaletes o guions
• 53 - Capacitat lingüística en català, castellà i anglès
• 08 - Capacitat d'anàlisi crítica, síntesi, concreció i abstracció
• 11 - Capacitat per generar debat i reflexió
• 13 - Capacitat de crear comunicació oral i escrita
• 02 - Capacitat de comprensió, acceptació de critiques i correcció d'errors

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.

1. The origins of Storytelling Across Media

2. Convergence Culture and the Emergence of Transmedia Practices

3. What is (and what is not) Transmedia?  

4. Different Transmedia Practices and Business Models

5. Producing and Developing Transmedia Narratives

6. Transmedia Tools and their Application in Different Fields

     6.1. Transmedia Narratives in Fiction

     6.2. Non-fiction Transmedia Narratives

     6.3. Transmedia Narratives in Marketing and Advertising

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 their final project (*). Students are also expected to work on and complete their project during non-lective hours. The final workshop will be a pitch session, in which students will present their projects in front of the class.   

(*) Creative development of a transmedia project

Students will work on the development of a specific kind of transmedia project, which must be chosen from the following list:

1. A transmedia expansion for their 4th year PFG.
2. A marketing / advertising transmedia campaign.
3. A factual / non-fiction transmedia narrative (such as a documentary).
4. A transmedia expansion within an existing narrative (fiction) universe.
5. An organic transmedia project (fiction).    

According to UIC academic policy, students are required to attend at least 80% of all classes in order for their work to be evaluated. Furthermore, a successful completion of this course is only granted to students who get passing grades on both the final project and the final exam.

First evaluation (May 2019)

The results obtained in each task will be assessed according to the following scale:

• 50 % Final project. Development and presentation of a transmedia project. The evaluation of this project will be continuous throughout the semester.
• 40 % Final exam (applied theory).
• 10 % Class involvement and participation.   

Second evaluation (June 2019)

If students fail to pass either the final exam OR the final project, they will only have to repeat that specific task. If they do not get a passing grade on either of these elements, they will have to redo them both during the June exam period.

A. REQUIRED BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Transmedia Theory

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.

2. Pratice-oriented Bibliography

 BERNARDO, Nuno. How to Pitch and Prepare a Successful Funding Application for a Transmedia Project. PDF uploaded to ADI.

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.

PHILLIPS, Andrea (2012). A Creator’s Guide to Transmedia Storytelling: How to Captivate and Engage Audiences Across Multiple Platforms. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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.