*Interesting to read a British article about "convergence culture" which has no mention of American convergence culture guru Henry Jenkins.
*A victory condition there, Henry.
http://www.wired.co.uk/wired-magazine/archive/2010/08/features/what-is-transmedia?page=all
(...)
"This is transmedia storytelling. Large studios and broadcasters, as well as independent filmmakers such as Weiler, are building fictional worlds that smash through their frames on to multiple platforms. Unlike quick promotional spin-offs, this new type of tie-in extends, rather than adapts, storylines. It tells various parts of the story using distinct media, exploiting the qualities unique to each platform.
"So when you watch a TV show, you might follow a sub-plot that spills on to the web, then read the dénouement in a graphic novel. Yes, writers have long created worlds that go beyond the page – L Frank Baum did as much with his 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, whose story world he expanded into a musical and other books. But today’s transmedia producers are planning for multiple platforms from the start. They design fictional universes that are consistent however the audience engages.
"The trend is already reconfiguring the industry, affecting everything from how stories are made, down to titles on business cards. In April, the Producers Guild of America, which represents production staff in TV, film and online, ratified a new credit: transmedia producer, which codified these characteristics. Jeff Gomez, a videogame producer, was instrumental in pushing the credit: in 2000, after becoming excited by the multiplatform genre, he had left his job as an editor at Acclaim Entertainment to start Starlight Runner, a transmedia production company. After he successfully extended the Hot Wheels brand across videogames, TV and film in 2003, a string of Hollywood studios asked him to create multiplatform worlds for the likes of Pirates Of The Caribbean, Avatar and Tron 2. This side of the Atlantic, broadcasters are taking the lead, using transmedia to invigorate small-screen titles such as Emmerdale and Doctor Who...."
