With Pictures, Puzzles and Games, Students Create Transmedia Stories | MindShift

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Excerpt from original by Laura Fleming:

"...Take Inanimate Alice, for example. Created as digital text, the transmedia story allows learners, fourth grade and up, to interact with the central character, Alice, and to help her advance her story. Text, audio, video, special effects and gaming are all used to deliver the narrative in a compelling way. Inanimate Alice one of five resources in the National Writing Project’s “Digital Is” website, which is a repository of ideas about how educators use transmedia to teach writing.

With Inanimate Alice, the complexity and interactivity increases with each episode, directly correlating with Alice’s personal growth as the games designer she is set to become. Through embedded puzzles and games, Inanimate Alice makes the reader a direct participant in telling the story. Kids connect intimately with the story as they walk in the shoes of the main character.

Though the website is pretty self-explanatory, educators can download the iTeach education resource pack, which is supported with lessons. Alice’s community includes a Facebook presence, where parents and teachers can share their success stories, ask questions, and find opportunities for collaboration. A number of interactive hands-on whiteboard lessons are also available."

Interview with Matthew Costello, Author, ‘Rage’ « Excerpt via Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, Graphic Novels, and More

BY MATT STAGGS ON AUGUST 29, 2011

" Matthew Costello is the author of Rage, a novel set in the same world as the new action shooter from Id Software – which Costello also scripted. Costello recently spoke with me about what it’s like to collaborate with a gaming studio on a hot new transmedia property,and how he works to ensure both gamers and casual readers enjoy his books.

The first thing that I’d like to do is compliment you on the quality of  your novel. I was only peripherally aware of the game when I started reading, but was quickly sucked in. Do you always try to write franchise novels for a general audience, or are there times when you try to narrow in on the games’ fans? How do you balance all of this out, anyway?

Thanks! As a gamer and game writer/designer, I know that a game is one thing and novel another. So I feel that what a gamer would want would be a compelling story set in a game world, while remaining very much a novel that stands on its own. I think with this writing ‘philosophy’ it means that someone who doesn’t even play games can have a rich story experience, while the gamer will feel that world, the characters, and all the story elements deepen. At least, that’s the goal!

Speaking of writing, I understand that you also wrote the game’s storyline as well. How is that kind of thing done? Is there a collaborative process between the studio and the writers? When were you brought in on the project?

That process was very much one of collaboration. Id’s Creative Director, Tim Willits, and I were working on a previous project when he asked me to come out to see what their new game engine – Tech 5 – could do . Essentially, I saw what its capabilities were, got a feel for some of the storyworld ideas that the team talked about in terms of that engine (very much SF world-friendly, with lots of possibilities for hybrid gameplay, driving, shooting, etc.)...."

Amazon "Primed" To Compete With Netflix | Excerpt via Fast Company #infdist

"...When asked whether Amazon might ever consider Netflix-style DVD-by-mail subscription plans to complement the company's Prime Instant Video streaming service, Steve Oliver, Amazon's director of video for both digital and physical products, pauses for a beat. "We're always looking for ways to respond to what customers are looking for...We are always looking at opportunities that may exist, but I don't have anything specific to announce on that front," he says.

Pressed further, Oliver remains diplomatic. If Amazon customer feedback indicated a strong interest in a DVD-by-mail service, would Amazon consider such a program? "I can't really speculate on the hypothetical," Oliver says. "We'll just continue to listen to our customers, and allow things to evolve based on their feedback."

The question, however hypothetical, is important for an industry that's trying to determine where Amazon fits in. The company has created one of the most viable alternatives to Netflix, launching a streaming subscription service in February for its Prime members, who pay $79 per year to access the service. It's less expensive on a monthly basis than any plan available from Netflix--and Prime subscribers also earn free, two-day shipping.

Earlier this month, Amazon nearly doubled its streaming title catalog to more than 9,000 movies and TV shows, thanks to content deals with CBS and NBCUniversal, and has expanded the service to hundreds of Blu-ray players, set-top boxes and other devices (e.g. Roku, TiVo). Where is this service heading? And how far is Amazon willing to take it?..."

Are Social Films the Next Big Thing in Hollywood? | Excerpt: via The Next Great Generation

By Nate Goldman on Aug 27, 2011

"...Directed by DJ Caruso and starring Emily Rossum, Inside follows young twentysomething Christina Perasso as she awakes in a strange room with nothing but the clothes on her back, a Toshiba laptop and no recollection of how she got there. Over the next 11 days, Christina frantically reaches out to her friends on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, begging them to help her figure out an escape. Now, her life is in your hands, and its your job to solve clues left by her captor in order to set her free. This phenomenon, where a story interacts with its audience to help progress the action, is called social film.

“It’s sort of the first integration of how the Internet and social media can work in conjunction with a film,” Inside director DJ Caruso said in an interview with YNN Austin. “You can experience this film and watch as it unfolds in an episodic way, and participate in the outcome via social media.”

A few social films have been made before, but none with such breadth and big-brand sponsorship. The first social film, Him, Her & Them, was distributed just a few months ago, in April, by the New York-based studio Murmur. The film interweaves both fixed and interactive scenes, utilizing Facebook API to incorporate the “social” aspect of the social film. And while Murmur’s social film is certainly a wonderful example of 21st century storytelling, Inside has a few more working parts.

Using multiple social platforms and real-time audience interaction, Inside does a wonderful job at harnessing the power of the audience to influence plotlines. For instance, in episode 3, the captor leaves Christina a note that reads, “If you want food or water you need your ‘friends’ help. Post a plea and if you get enough ‘likes’… you will eat.” Christina then posts a video to YouTube asking that people ‘Like’ the video so she can get a decent meal. The result? Over 4,200 likes. And in the next episode, Christina was rewarded with a delicious-looking cheeseburger...."

Hat Tip Ted Hope! How Would You Use All 27 New Platforms Available For Direct (aka DIY/DIWO) Distribution? #infdist

> via Hope for Film - Excerpt from Ted Hope's mega-list

"...I [Ted Hope] am having a bit of a hard time coming up with the proper discriptions for the tools and services. This is very much a Work In Progress.  If you have a better definition, please let me know.  Several services show up in different categories.  There are definitely suppliers that I have forgotten or neglected to mention (my apologies, but this is a public service and not my job job).

1. Artist Direct Distribution / Platforms:  Ooyala, Viddler,

2. Artist Direct Distribution / Players: Distrify, Dynamo Player (Review), EggUp (review), FansOfFIlm.tv (still in Beta) , Groupee, OpenFilm,

3. Artist Direct Distribution / Services: Sundance’s Artist Services,

4. Audience Aggregation, Analytics, & Commerce: FanBridge, TopspinMedia

5. Audience Participation: LiveFanChat, Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, Social Guide, SoKap, Watchitoo

6. CrowdFunding/Audience Participation: IndieGoGo, Kickstarter, RocketHub, SoKap, and 10 others listed here.

7. Digital Distribution Access Providers: Brainstorm,  Distribber (analysis), Gravitas, Inception Digital Services, Might Entertainment, New Video, Premiere Digital,

8. Digital Download & Streaming Aggregators: Amazon, CinemaNow (aka BestBuy), iTunes, Vudu, XFinityTV (aka Comcast),YouTube

9. Digital Limited Run US Theatrical Exhibition: Cinedigm, FathomEvents, Screenvision

10. Digital Streaming Aggregators FREECrackle, Snag (Owners of IndieWIre, host of my blog), Vimeo, YouTube

11. Distribution/New Model: PreScreen

12. E-commerce: E-Junkie (shopping cart)

13. Educational Market: An Overview, Educational Market Streaming

14. Exhibition/New Model: Emerging’s Digital Repertory Program, Specticast

15. Free Peer to Peer: VoDo, BitTorrent

16. Fulfillment: Amazon Services, Amplifier, theConneXtion, CreateSpace, FilmBaby, IndieBlitz,Kufala Recordings, Paid, Transit Media,  I got a lot more when I did a search but I don’t know one from the other.

17. Influencer / Social Media Analytics: Klout, PeerIndex, Trakkd, Twitalyzer,

18. Mobile Phone & Tablet Film App Builders: Mopix (see demo here) Stonehenge

19. Mobile Video Sharing: Thwapr,

20. Platforms: Playstation, RokuRoxioNow, XBox

21. Search (for SEO): Ask, Bing, Google, Yahoo

22. Social Networks: Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, Weibo

23. Stream To View Transactional (Pay): Constellation, Prescreen (review)

24. Streaming Subscription: Amazon, Fandor, LoveFilms, Hulu, Netflix,

25. Video Conferencing / Multi-party (for Fan Engagement & Remote Appearances): Watchitoo

26. VOD Aggregation: itzon.tv,

27. VOD Channels: Multichannel Video Programmers (note: not all offer VOD), FilmBuff

Awesome list!

thank you Ted Hope! - indie filmmakers everywhere thank you!

Gunther Sonnedfeld: Part V of FIVE EASY PIECES: Nurturing Holistic Media Ecosystems. Excerpt- #transmedia #curation #culture #journalism - A Literacy of the Imagination

Part V of FIVE EASY PIECES: Nurturing Holistic Media Ecosystems #transmedia #curation #culture #journalism

The role of transmedial thinking (building stories in open frameworks).

Human metadata as meta-value.

The last four posts examined the rubrics of curation, exploring different functional dynamics that head towards an understanding of how media can affect business. Clearly, there is a powerful notion in using stories to not only change business, but to change or shift cultural perceptions and associated behaviors. Journalism will continue to play a significant hand in this; just today AOL announced its acquisition of The Huffington Post, to which Arianna Huffington stated that the goal was to stay on “... The cutting edge of creating news that is social...”

HuffPo happens to create some pretty engaging content, and uses real journalists and real subject matter experts to generate its stories, but what exactly do we mean when we say news is social? And what about all the other self-proclaimed online “news” outlets? What value do they bring to stories that are culturally relevant or disruptive? Do they provide an economic alternative for businesses of all types?

read the full post on Gunther's blog:

http://goonth.posterous.com/part-v-of-five-easy-pieces-nurturing-holistic

LIke: Anne Balsamo's Blog: designing :: techno | culture - (originally posted on her blog)

Designing Culture :: The Book | Now Available!

I’m thrilled to announce the publication of my new book Designing Culture: The Technological Imagination at Work (Duke University Press).

The book calls for taking culture seriously in the design and development of innovation technologies.

I assert that the wellspring of technological innovation is the technological imagination.

Following this, I examine key sites for the cultural reproduction of the technological imagination:  the research university, the industrial research lab, and the science/technology center.

Much of the material in the book draws on design-research projects I’ve been involved in over the past 15 years.  Based on these experiences, I offer several “lessons” about the nature of innovation in contemporary culture.

  • Innovation is a process, not a product
  • Innovation is a multidisciplinary endeavor
  • Designing is a key site for the exercise of the technological imagination
  • The future begins in the imagination; designers hack the present to create our futures
  • Working with other people to make things is important for the construction of shared knowledge
  • Every technology has contradictory and multiple effects
  • Collaboration across differences is the key to techno-cultural innovation
  • The creation of new technologies always involves the design of new cultural possibilities
  • Designing culture is, therefore, an ethical project
  • Understanding the relationship of culture and technology is an ethical imperative

The print publication is part of a broader TRANSMEDIA PROJECT simply called Designing Culture.

Packaged with the book is the interactive multimedia documentary, Women of the World Talk Back, created by Mary Hocks and Anne Balsamo in 1995 based on our participation at the 4th UN World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China.

Other media elements available at the designingculture.org website include:

  • video archives and interactive applications relating to the Experiments in the Future of Reading EXHIBIT created by RED @ PARC in 2000
  • examples of interactive digital WALL books
  • interactive MAPS of matters of concern for the technological imagination
  • short VIDEO primers on key themes of contemporary technoculture