Questions for the article “Transmedia Storytelling 101”

1. Why is transmedia storytelling important in digital convergence communication?

Transmedia storytelling is important to digital convergence communication because it encourages individuals to expand upon their knowledge of the world in which the story takes place, and to add to it through means of their own storytelling and game playing.

2. Why can the media business be beneficial more from transmedia storytelling in distributing their productions?

The example used in the article discusses comic books that lead into the story arc of comic book movies that are to be released. These comics are an added source of income for the company but also work as a marketing tool for the forthcoming production. This also works with television shows that bridge gaps between movies and books that take on the same task.

3. How can transmedia storytelling be beneficial for different bodies of audience in consuming productions?

Parts of stories told in the transmedia format should be able to stand alone, but they should also enhance and expand the world in which they take place. People who prefer one type of media over another can be encouraged to branch out in order to get a sense of completion and fulfillment from the story.

4. How can transmedia storytelling be worked out in terms of collective intelligence in the process of production?

Fan fiction is a perfect example of how collective intelligence can flesh out aspects of a story in the production process. Star Wars does this well by having selections of approved fan fiction, which are written by those not affiliated with the original project, but go on to be added into the official cannon of the work.

5. How does transmedia storytelling encourage the interactivity with the audience?

Transmedia storytelling encourages fans to learn everything about a world in which a story takes place and to sometimes add to that world through fan fiction and role playing. Most comic books nowadays are written by people who grew up reading about the characters that they are now writing about; the same thing can be said about the writers of the movies and television series based off of these characters and the worlds that they live in.