MP6041 - Film Across Media - Transmedia Storytelling

You will learn about the subject by attending lectures and seminars, which will help you understand the advantages of leveraging the opportunities offered by storytelling across multiple media platforms. The lectures will enable the tutor to outline the key components of transmedia storytelling in this context, critically reflecting upon the core issues and themes such as mythmaking, engaging audiences, the importance of fan-cultures, the pleasures of digital foraging, and film marketing strategies. The seminars will allow you to develop your understanding of the module’s themes and concerns by applying those critical concepts to existing transmedia examples and reflecting on the transmedia potentials of your own films. You will then carry these ideas forward into the assessment by creating a prototype that practically demonstrates transmedia storytelling, and a critical contextualisation that rationalises your approach. The taught sessions will help to guide you through the development of that work by offering formative feedback. Outside of the taught sessions, you will be expected to engage with module-relevant reading in preparation for the sessions. An electronic reading list is supplied via the e-Learning Portal, which will guide you towards appropriate resources, although you are encouraged to explore the wider library catalogue to engage with additional sources too. During your independent working time, it is also expected that you will apply the ideas raised in the reading and the taught content to film examples of your own choosing (reflecting your individual interests), and to your own practice.

Formative feedback will be supplied during the module’s taught sessions and summative assignments will receive written feedback within 20 working days of assignment submission. These feedback mechanisms will provide support throughout and after the module, encouraging you to reflect on your progress as the module develops, and to carry the feedback forward as part of you professional and academic development after you have completed the module. The seminars will allow you to engage in group discussion and problem-solving with the module tutor and your peers, thus developing a constructive support network. The delivery of the module will be supported with learning materials and module information, which will be accessible via the e-Learning portal. The module tutor has weekly office hours during which you can drop in for academic support and advice. All students are also provided with an academic personal tutor who also has hours to support student learning and progress. Where appropriate you may also be directed to engage with our Skills Plus or other resources offered through the University Student Support Services such as Dyslexia Support.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• KU1: Demonstrate an understanding of the key components that make up transmedia storytelling and the principles used to create spreadable ‘storyworlds’

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• IPSA1: Demonstrate how the creative and critical contexts underpin practice in the production of the transmedia project
• IPSA2: Evidence creativity and imagination in the deployment of your storyworld, with appropriate use of multiple platforms

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• PVA: Demonstrate awareness of the ethical differences between creating traditional single screen content and transmedia content, given the multiple ways users engage with those creations

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: To prepare you successfully to undertake the summative assessment(s) on this module, formative assessments will be set by the module team. These may take the form of in-class tasks or projects, developmental activities undertaken between classes, or learning exercises/activities set over a longer period. Feedback (written and/or oral) will be provided to help you learn from, reflect on, and develop in light of these formative assessments.

Summative assessment: You will be summatively assessed by producing an individual transmedia storytelling portfolio that will be equivalent to 3000 words. This portfolio is worth 100% of the module grade and will address all MLOs.

This portfolio assignment is comprised of two elements: a platform prototype and a critical contextualisation (2000 words)

• A platform prototype (1000 words equiv.): a practical example of transmedia storytelling (such as a piece of prose, web content, or a live event) that extends from one of your recent film projects.

• A critical contextualisation (2000 words): a critical explanation of your plans for expanding the core story from a narrative film to other media platforms. You are required to rationalise your choices by comparing your approach to other existing examples of transmedia storytelling, using scholarship to articulate the principles that govern transmedia storytelling.

You will receive formative feedback during the seminars throughout the module as you conduct analysis of case studies, allowing you to understand how your analytical skills and grasp of the subject are developing. You will also receive feedback on your ability to conduct analysis of transmedia storytelling during the seminars. This will test your ability to critically engage with the principles of effective multi-platform production in an academic and practical fashion, and this will allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the theoretical concepts raised in the lectures and the readings. Class debates in seminars will also be used to assess your understanding of the week’s topic.

Under normal circumstances, you will receive written feedback on your summative submissions within 20 working days. The feedback will normally be supplied electronically as part of the ESAF process. This feedback will provide a detailed account of your research/methodological skills, critical engagement and communicative ability, as well as supporting future learning by indicating areas for development. You can also request additional verbal feedback on your submissions by arranging a meeting with the module tutor.

N/A

N/A

“Film Across Media: Transmedia Storytelling” offers new ways of expanding your creative content across multiple platforms, in a media landscape characterised by ubiquitous screens and fragmented viewing habits. Stories do not just exist in traditional film contexts; audiences interact with stories across multiple platforms. This module will explore that landscape, and its implications for filmmaking practice. In a subject driven by the tutor’s own research interests and practice, you’ll learn about the place of modern mythmaking, the pleasures of new media, and the importance of fan cultures. You will deliver a transmedia storytelling project, creatively expanding on your core film content by reconstructing those stories into new, innovative shapes. The module will equip you with a sophisticated understanding film marketing from the content-creator’s perspective, concentrating on engaging audiences via expanded forms of storytelling.