The art of expression has never been more colossal than it is today. Multimedia permits creators to access the choice of releasing their content through more than one medium. Whether it be through text, images, audio, video or animation, individuals can select the forums by which they choose to express their work. Alternatively, transmedia applies the art of storytelling across multiple formats and platforms. These platforms are intertwined in order to further elaborate different parts of the entire story. Transmedia allows creators to generate a massive amount of consumer participation; as each different platform attracts different groups of individuals.
Accordingly, Henry Jenkins introduces The Matrix in “Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide,” to provide a solid example of transmedia storytelling. It is evident that The Matrix serves as one of the first projects that successfully utilized aspects of transmedia in order to achieve its enormous fan base. By combining different themes and resources within each movie, this trilogy allowed different consumers to generate their own fantasies in relation to the plot. Furthermore, the video games that arose with this trilogy enticed a wide following from gamers as well as movie watchers. Jenkins describes transmedia as a phenomenon that attributes to artists “building a more collaborative relationship with their consumers: working together, audience members can process more story information than previously imagined. To achieve their goals, these storytellers are developing a more collaborative model of authorship, co-creating content with artists with different visions and experiences” (Jenkins 98). Today, the possibilities that arise with the technological advancements in graphics and social media accessibility further expand the opportunity to utilize different platforms while releasing one major work.
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| The Hunger Games trilogy set |
Recently, The Hunger Games, a novel series by Suzanne Collins, captivated an enormous fan base by utilizing transmedia techniques. Set in a post apocalyptic North America, The Hunger Games dives into the uprising of 12 districts controlled by the Capitol of Panem. While the books were adapted into movies, fictional features from the plot became altered into real life through various media platforms. By the time the second movie was being released, a tumblr blog called “Capitol Couture” became a popular medium amongst fans. This site served as an online magazine for the citizens of the Capitol in Panem; it reported on characters, social events, fashion designers, makeup, and everything else that existed in The Hunger Games universe.
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| Tumblr page, Capitol Couture |
Additionally, a website called “thecapitol.pn” serves as the Citizen Control Center of Panem. By creating a Panem government ID, fans can log into the site and check district weather and news, view sponsored victors, and observe the levels of activity in different districts. This online forum also allows the consumers to participate in fan competitions, unlock badges, and view videos and pictures of the district. By advancing the level of engagement within the audience through an authentic website, the creators of this project secured a prolonged hype before and after releasing each movie.
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| Citizen Control Center of Panem, thecapitol.pn |
Furthermore, social media also catered to a fanbase hungry for instant notifications about Panem. Facebook and Twitter were utilized to put forth public service announcements from the official pages of the Capitol and Panem government. These announcements enforced rules from the Capitol that forbid citizens members from crossing district boundaries. Trailers, promotional pictures and links corresponding to more Hunger Games content were also featured in these Facebook and Twitter pages. The use of social media allowed producers to constantly engage their fanbase with every post, constantly reminding the audience of their interest in the content itself.
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| Twitter page, One Panem |
Likewise, Youtube played an inclusive role in further expanding consumer participation for this trilogy. A channel called “Capitol TV,” highlighted exclusive trailers and previews of the upcoming films. This medium incorporated “District Citizen Reels,” a section in which fans possessed the ability to participate. Eager enthusiasts made contributions by creating and submitting videos that had a chance to be featured on the official "Capitol TV" youtube page. Fans were also able to subscribe to this channel, receiving notifications as soon as a new video was uploaded.
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| Youtube page, Captiol TV Productions |
Transmedia has allowed artists to transcend the typical method of releasing their work through a single medium. The interconnectivity that arises from transmedia storytelling intensifies each aspect of the resulting product. In this modern time period, consumers have found their voices and demand to be heard. This innovative method of releasing content, pushes the limits and boundaries that once created a barrier for the participation and communication between producers and consumers.
Work Cited
Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press, 2006. Print.
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