As someone aspiring to be a writer for my personal brand or a brand like DC comics, this page shows my understanding of the entertainment business and where it is going. I am a firm believer that writers are only as good as their audience and coming from the perspective of someone in the audience. I believe that I understand what the audience would like to see out of their characters and stories. This page contains many different forms of media that all touch on a specific version of storytelling, trans-media.
What is Trans-media storytelling ?
Trans-media is the act of telling a continued story through different mediums. This could be through shows, movies, comics, toys, etc.
An example of trans-media would be the Twilight series.
Is Trans-media Storytelling Effective?
Over the last few years, trans-media has taken over the media market. I wanted to take a look at trans-media storytelling from the outside and look at the effectiveness of its from of storytelling. Is it effective? Is it not effective? Where does it strive? and Where does it need help?
The pieces in this page are dedicated to finding the ins and outs to trans-media storytelling and its effectiveness.
My Individual Research on Trans-media
-
![https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF_HLL7EZhk]()
Joe Champ Interview
Joe Champ, an associate professor at Colorado State University was kind enough to sit down with me and explain trans-media from a storytellers perspective.
-
![]()
Transmedia story
My focus on this portion of my research was to look at how companies have gone too far with producing trans-media. This story dives into how companies have lost their way with trans-media storytelling.
-
![]()
Podcast
This podcast is a sit-down I had with my good buddy, Kannon. Kannon is a consumer of trans-media and has many opinions on the subject. I sat down with Kannon to speak about how he sees trans-media!
-
![]()
Interactive Element
This interactive element goes over how trans-media has been present in entertainment for decades. This interactive element carries a brief history of how trans-media has been used to propel brands further.
Examples of Transmedia
The INVINCIBLE comic book is being re-done as an animated tv show, currently one of Amazon Primes top rated shows.
These toys are all from different movies, continuing the arc of these characters through toys.
The newest addition to the transformers franchise being represented as toys.
The adaptation of a book and broadway play into a motion picture is one of the strongest examples of trans-media storytelling.
My Final Thoughts on Transmedia
Trans-media has been around for a long time and will be around for a long time. When looking into if it was effective, I found that it was impossible to say trans-media is ineffective. With how popular it is and how many companies have turned to trans-media, It has been a saving grace for many brands and their IPs. When companies participate in trans-media, they can ruin their ability to tell a cognitive story because of the lack of quality. I found that trans-media becomes watered down when companies push stories through for no reason other than profit.
So, is trans-media effective? The answer is a resounding yes.
Trans-media can only stay effective when storytellers are invested and committed to their stories 100% of the time. Trans-media becomes watered down when the writers put less time and effort into their stories. It’s safe to say that the lack of investment from writers has lead to the pushback from fans. Trans-media originates from a place of love and expansion, causing stories to lose their flare when writers are creating new stories for profit, not love.