Week 1 - Introduction and Course Overview: What is Multimedia Storytelling for Strategic Communications?
Defining multimedia storytelling: from eternal principles to exciting new directions in trans- and immersive media.
Reading:
Gibson, W. (2003). Pattern Recognition. Berkley. [Excerpts in class Moodle book.]
Gladwell, M. (2000). The Stickiness Factor. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference (pp. 89-110). New York: Little, Brown, and Company.
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., and Green, J. (2013). Sticky Content, Spreadable Practices. Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture. New York and London: New York University Press.
Additional Assignment:
Explore on your own. What defines good multimedia storytelling for you? Bring examples next week; it could be online fiction, games, apps, blogs…as long as they incorporate multimedia and tell stories. How and why do they engage you?
Week 2 - The Evolution of Media Storytelling: New Modes of Presenting and Engaging for a Purpose
Examining the evolving world of multimedia and transmedia storytelling used to engage audiences and consumers—exploring trends in nonlinear story experiences through case studies, with a focus on the interactive role of participatory audiences and convergence—from film to gaming.
Reading:
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., and Green, J. (2013). "The Value of Media Engagement" Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture. New York and London: New York University Press. Chapter 3, pp. 132-152.
Phillips, A. (2012 ). What is Transmedia Anyway? A Creator’s Guide to Transmedia Storytelling. New York: McGraw Hill.
Additional Assignment:
Explore and assess examples of multimedia and transmedia brand storytelling that you find particularly effective. How and why do they engage you?
Week 3 - Case Studies in the Evolution of Who is Media: Organizations Telling Their Own Stories
Starting with their traditional content, public libraries and museums make apps; nonprofits for hunger and girl power make games for change.
Viewing:
“Biblion: The Boundless Library” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNlxyLLNi1g
Case Study: Developing an updated “brand story” for Carnegie Corporation of New York, with StoryWorldwide.
[“Half the Sky Movement” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6Ahpocmjs0]
Reading:
Lee, D. (2013). The New York Public Library and the World of Tomorrow. In Peters, T. and Bell, L. (2013). The Handheld Library: Mobile Technology and the Librarian, ABC-CLIO.
[Murphy, T. (2013). Making a Game of Nick Kristof’s [and Sheryl WuDunn’s] Half the Sky Movement. Retrived from http://www.humanosphere.org/basics/2013/03/half-the-sky-game/]
Additional Assignment:
Explore on your own. Find effective examples of nonprofits using new and multimedia to spur action; it could be fictional storylines, games, apps, blogs…as long as they incorporate multimedia and tell stories. How and why do they engage you?
Week 4 - Organization Client Visit #1
In the next two weeks, students will be introduced to two organizations, one for profit, one non-profit, one American, one Italian. In preparation, materials will be provided for you to learn about their missions and communications goals.
Reading:
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., and Green, J. (2013). Producerly Texts and Cultural Resources. Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture. New York and London: New York University Press.
Week 5 - Conceptualizing Your Story
Matching the story of a business with the story you tell: it’s all about the mission. Outlining, storyboarding,and goal setting with helpful online tools…all while keeping creativity at the fore.
Reading:
Gardner, H. And Davis, K. (2013). Acts (and Apps) of Imagination Among Today’s Youth. The App Generation: How Today’s Youth navigate Identity, Intimacy and Imagination in a Digital World. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
Optional Reading (depending on your project):
Gitner, S. (2016). The Building Blocks of Visual Storytelling: How Are Visual Images Created and Combined Logically to Tell a Coherent Story with a Beginning, Middle, and End? Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World. New York and London: Routledge.
Gitner, S. (2016). How Can Multimedia Storytelling Be Used To Tell True-Life Stories? Multimedia Storytellingfor Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World. New York and London: Routledge.
Week 6 - MIDTERM / Research
Choosing a content management management system and addressing content rights; choosing your storytelling platform.
Week 7 - The Platform
Making the most of the platform you choose, including pitching a partnership.
Weeks 8-10 Production
Week 11-12
User Experience Testing, Fine-Tuning, Dissemination
Weeks 13-14
Release and Screenings