Transmedia Storytelling in Practice: A Case Study of East Los High Transmedia Storytelling: From Conception to Today Since the coinage of the term in an MIT Technology Review (2003) article, Henry Jenkins’ theory of transmedia has been significantly contested and edited by multiple media theorists and scholars. In short, transmedia storytelling is the technique of telling a narrative across multiple platforms. The goal of a transmedia project is to heighten the degree in which audiences participate and interact with the events, characters, and storyworld of a franchise. A transmedia project can include, but is not limited to, the use of movies, books, games, social-media, and graphic novels. These elements work together to make the story more enjoyable and contribute to richer fan-engagement. Jenkins’ best summarizes a definition himself in his 2006 book Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide; “A transmedia story unfolds across multiple media platforms with each new text making a distinctive and valuable contribution to the whole” (pp. 95-96). To date, transmedia theory and criticism has focused its analysis on the genres of science fiction and fantasy. This is mainly due to the abundance of opportunity to expand and create narrative paths provided by the types of stories popular to the genre. Geoffrey Long, in his master’s thesis, highlights the importance of a rich world in transmedia narratives (2007, 28). Christy Dena also describes the process of unraveling parts of a larger narrative in each medium of a transmedia story (2010, 18). Jenkins illustrates an example of the Wizard of Oz and author L. Frank Baum declaring himself “the royal geographer of Oz” (2009) We see JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, George Luca... ... middle of paper ... ...what transmedia could do. It continually saw peak viewing on Hulu and The Population Institute named the series “Best TV Show” and “Best Social Media Campaign” (“Population Institute”). After a successful first season, a second has been ordered with another twelve episodes. The question becomes, will East Los High continue to make ground as an innovative and culturally important transmedia story in its second season? If the creative team continues to foster a community within its audience and allows that community to seek more information, there will only be good things from East Los High. Further study will need to be done to see if East Los High was effective outside of just story, as the first transmedia project also specifically designed to promote health and social justice. If so, the East Los High paradigm could become more popular on screens, big and small.
When a novel is adapted into a graphic novel, a spectrum of possible interpretations allows for new meanings. Due to the intermedial character of the graphic novel, the translation from text into a graphic novel differs from an adaptation from text to text. Graphic novels have a medium-specific language that consists of a combination of words and images, both following their own rules and conventions. These two channels of the graphic novel, the visual and the textual, enable the author of the adaptation to express her- or himself not only through words but also through images and make them decide what is expressed in images, what is left in words, and what is left out altogether.
In the words of Michael O’Shaughnessy, ‘narratives, or stories, are a basic way of making sense of our experience’ (1999: 266). As a society and a culture, we use stories to comprehend and share our experiences, typically by constructing them with a beginning, middle and an end. In fact, the order that a narrative is structured will directly impact the way it is understood, particularly across cultures. This idea originated through Claude Lévi-Strauss’s concept of structuralism in anthropology which ‘is concerned with uncovering the common structural principles underlying specific and historically variable cultures and myth’ in pre-industrial societies (Strinati 2003: 85). In terms of media studies, structuralism’s inherent objective is to dig beneath the surface of a media text to identify how the structure of a narrative contributes to it’s meaning. Structuralism encompasses a large range of analytical tools, however, this essay will examine Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and Claude Lévi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions. Through analysis of Victor Fleming’s film, The Wizard of Oz (1939), it will be shown that although the monomyth and binary oppositions are useful tools with which to unveil how meaning is generated in this text, structuralism can undermine the audience’s ability to engage with their own interpretations of the film.
Throughout this paper I will explore the power of storytelling using the course lexicon and I will examine it in the context of two course texts. One of the texts that I will be referring to is by Doxtator, excerpts from Fluffs and Feathers and the second text I will be referring to is by Griffin, excerpts from Woman and Nature. The power of storytelling is a part of the mimetic world and because stories have so much power they can be used to help bring about dominant fantasies. Stories are told over and over again until they are reinforced and in this essay I will argue that the power of storytelling is a form of social control.
..., with the advancement of technology and medical systems, both the life span and available labor years have increased to a great extent. In such a context, the value of the senior citizens who intend to enter or reenter the labor force should be evaluated not only socially but also economically. While being praised for its function in social administration as an improvement in senior life quality and community harmony, senior employment should also be applauded for its huge economic value: with the adoption of this labor pool, the burden of population aging would be relieved considerably. Our program, which is going to put an emphasis on the minority group among the elderly, would provide an important supplement to the already existing senior employment assistance programs, in helping senior job seekers find their suitable location in the society and our economy.
Art can be divide in to two different categories, “literacy arts,” art forms that attempt to tell a story, and “fine arts,” traditional works, sculptures, and paintings, as well music and dance. Video games, along with film, are an example of a literacy art form. Video games are increasingly becoming literacy art by telling stories that are equal if not better than those found in most movies. Not just mediocre stories to have them in the games, but compelling stories that drive the player to push forward. Bioshock, a 2007 release, is an example of this increasing importance of stories in video games. Influenced by philosophy and the works of Ayn Rand, the creator where able to create a cautionary tale of man’s individualism and genetic tweaking (VerBruggen).
The older you become, the more discrimination and ageism you bear to face. When looking at results from call backs from job applications, it does not matter if jobs are sales, administration, janitors or security positions, the rates of call backs for an older person are significantly less positive than that of a younger person. (See Appendix B) It is not a matter of an older person losing their skills at a job more as discrimination as to the reason why the elderly have a longer time span of unemployment. Matthews, S. (2015) Workplace ageism is one of the more blatant forms of ageism besides stereotypes because it is so often referred to. “Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) as of 1967 makes it unlawful for organization with 20 or more employers to base employment decisions, like pay, benefits, and promotions on a person’s age”. (study.com) Even though it may be illegal, it is still commonly found in court rooms to this day. Employers may send subtle or clear messages to older workers to pick up in which they are not wanted. Examples of ageism in the workplace are as follows, when older adult workers are passed over for career opportunities, promotions and training. (See Appendix C) Also when employers, committees and lunch n’ learns focus their attention to the needs of younger employees. Worldwide, M. (2016). During an interview process for a job, elderly ageism as discrimination may come up when questions such as “ ‘Are you sure you can handle this job? It takes a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and we are looking for someone with career potential’ ‘you don’t need this training program. At your age, what would the benefit be?’” Printer, Q., & Ontario.
omen are also said to live a content life, just like Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Lily and Jane have been friends for 40 years, now that 's friendship goals! The key to their friendship is to have a sense of fun, not let too much time go by without contacting each other, and to support each other in their endeavors. In today 's society, it can be hard to find friends that really genuinely love, support, and wants what is best for you. In an assessment of 2,835 women with breast cancer in the Nurses’ Health Study, those with no close friends were four times as likely to die from the disease as the women with 10 or more close friends(Friends are Preventive Medicine). Since it can be hard to find that, most women tend to stay by themselves rather than get hurt and back-stabbed. Little do they know, their health is being effected because they don 't have that person to confine in, to be vulnerable with,
In the world of Robert Jordan’s bestselling fantasy series, "The Wheel of Time", the life of the ordinary people has been undergoing some extraordinary changes. The legendary Dragon has been Reborn, and the Last Battle to decide the fate of humanity draws nigh. Meanwhile, outside of this world sit millions of readers, from all reaches of life, waiting anxiously for the next chapter in the story to be told. They debate what has happened, what it means in the context of the story, what it means for the future of the Wheel, as well as how it impacts their lives’. The Wheel of Time is a world where absolute good battles absolute evil, and yet shades of grey cloud the landscape. A world of hope and despair, a world of peace and war. From this world a following has grown. People from different cultures, different languages, and different political ideologies gravitate together forming a cohesive group that helps to spread the word about the work of Robert Jordan. In much the same manner that J.R.R. Tolkien created a myth for the modern ages with his saga "The Lord of the Rings" and George Lucas has done with his "Star Wars" series of movies, so has Robert Jordan entered into the realm of mythology with his work "The Wheel of Time". And this myth, like those which have come recently, and those from antiquity, has created a community of followers around it. They are drawn together initially because of a personal interest, and they stay not only for that interest, but because of the community that grows as a result of engaging themselves with this story.
It is common in today's media-driven society to reach into the past for inspiration and ideas. A trend has developed where original works are transformed into other mediums. For example: books are turned into movies and/or plays, movies are turned into weekly sitcoms, and cartoons will spawn empires (Disney). These things happen so often that an audience rarely stops to question the level of authenticity that remains after these conversions. Perhaps it is only when a project is not well received that people begin to think of the difficulties involved with changing a work's genre. Using Gulliver's Travels as an example, discrepancies and additions in the movie can be contrasted with Jonathan Swift's original text.
Goff, Patricia. Producing Harry Potter: Why the Medium is Still the Message. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2006. Print.
Before the 1930s the care and support of the elderly fell in the hands of the local, state and family rather than that of the federal government (Ourdocumnets.gov). With the Great Depression, families and the local government was unable to care for the elderly, retired or disabled Americans and they would soon find themselves homeless and living on the streets. The old-age program assisted these people in keeping their homes and giving them the chance to live and rest. With the Social Security Act now signed into law there were bound to be changes made and services expanded upon to cover the needs of
This strategy aims to employ workers from different backgrounds to provide tangible and intangible benefits for the business. The employers are the ones who control everything from the wage, promotions, incentives and the termination of the older counterparts. They are increasingly concerned about updated skills, physical demands, early retirement, and the cost of maintaining an older worker. Despite how employers may feel, companies cannot afford to neglect talent at any age. The employer should take advantage of the skills that the older employee posses, and carefully position them in jobs that matches their skill level as well as the job to be done. “Regardless of the change organizations make in the structure and functioning of the workplace of the future, it appears likely that older workers will play a crucial role (Hedge,Borman,& Lammlein, 2006). Different acts and laws are governed to respond to any discrimination against older employees in the workforce. Employment agencies, labor unions, local, state and Federal government are bound by these laws such as: Older Workers Benefits Protection Act (OWBPA); The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Older Americans Act (OAA), to name a few. Funds for service by the Congress are provided in forms of grants for various programs yearly. States, counties, and cities recognize the value of the servicing and are generous in providing additional funds, benefits and in-kind economic benefits too. Because area and state agencies on aging are doing very little in a way to use mass media to promote themselves, the aging network is probably missing a large number of disadvantage people who should be receiving services but who are unaware of them. Much more emphasis has been placed on tying together the federal services for the older workers, but it should not have taken a federal initiative to make states see
...transmedia medium remains an initial alternative. The producers’ extraordinary marketing tactics of utilizing unusual platforms and consumer behaviors helps Glee as franchise-cum-music disseminate across technical boundaries into social practices. Illegal torrents and streaming copies of episodes are available online, with YouTube as the prime platform for audience participation. Devoted gleeks celebrate Glee by participating and creating it, rather than merely consuming the media content. Hundreds of YouTube videos feature individuals or groups recreating the covers, dancing and lip-syncing to cast recordings or reenacting scenes, subjectively and uniquely interpreting the show. This isn’t fan fiction, in which fans put new spins on preestablished narratives; instead, these videos illustrate a type of “redoing,” participatory but respectful of the original creation.
...ely available and accessible from everywhere. New media has introduced innovative platforms and ways to consume media products, they have been embedded into our social context that we are unaware of the different ways we are constantly relying on technology. This leads us to call for more contemporary studies towards new media audiences for a more in-depth analysis and how they have merged the different contexts of media consumption.
The liberals unlike conservatives think that the government should assist the elderly because many older people never had the opportunities to earn the money needed to carry them through old age. They also state that many families now need both spouses’ earnings to achieve their own needs. And lastly the radical-left view states that due to the capitalist U.S economy the elderly are viewed as a costly burden to society (Macionis). To help explain this social problem even more we can use the social-conflict theory: aging and economic inequality. This theory focuses on age stratification and points to ways that the U.S. society limits the opportunities and resources available to elders. Even though there are laws that ban age discrimination in the workplace company still prefer to hire younger workers as well as wanting older people to retire so they can be replaced with the younger crowd. In conclusion, company while in pursuit of profit treat older people as second-class citizens (Macionis). Given these points, there are many solutions offered up. With the conservative view point they believe that a culture of self-reliance will motivate people to provide for their own old