This is the module introduction for the Transmedia Narratives strand of the module MED306 for Interactive Media Arts students at The University of Ulster

1. Transmedia
Narratives
& Networked
Cultures
A practice strand of the MED306 Independent Practice
module. This strand is only for Interactive Media Arts
students and looks at using networks, social media, real
world events and telematic encounters to tell stories and
develop pervasive media.

2. MED306
100% Coursework
Module Structure
30% Industry Speaker Reports
20% Work Placement Preparation
LT12 – Thursdays 10:15>12:05 – Lectures
30% Independent Practical Project
20% Essay and Folder
A111 – Fridays 09:15>11:05 – Workshops

3. MED306
100% Coursework
30% Industry Speaker Reports
20% Work Placement Preparation
30% Independent Practical Project
20% Essay and Folder
Students will work in small groups to produce a project which delivers a narrative
across multiple platforms. This transmedia narrative will use a range of media so
groups should look at involving students with a range of existing skills

4. MED306
50% Coursework
30% Independent Practical Project
This is a group assessed project and students will receive a group mark for this
section of the module. This is an independent project, students are expected to
manage and direct their own group projects and their role and involvement will be
reflected in their essay and folder.
20% Essay and Folder
This part of your project will we assessed individually. The folder should document
your role within the group, your section of development and contribution.
The essay should be an academic essay and report on your project; situating it
within existing practice and documenting its development, challenges and assess
it’s success.

5. MED306
30% Coursework
Independent Practical Project
Students must develop a narrative which is delivered across multiple platforms.
These platforms can be online and offline but the story must have a number of
facet's.
At least 1 constructed character
A video teaser or trailer
1 live, offline event/element
A live community
An achieve of the project

6. MED306
20% Coursework
Production Folder and Essay
Student production folders should document the development of the project across
the course of the module, it is important that students document their own
contributions to the group project and can demonstrate how their contributions
helped to make the project come together.
The production essay should explain the approach taken to the project, difficulties
encountered and how they were overcome and evidence of how critical reading
inspired or guided the practical project.
1 Production Folder
1 Essay – 1000 words
Must reference existing texts

7. MED306
& Exhibition
Display
Transmedia and networked projects are sometimes in their very essence
ephemeral. Networked projects with live events, distributed and pervasive media
exist across multiple platforms, and in many spaces.
It is important that projects are properly recorded, documented and achieved.
Projects must be display ready at time of submission as students will be asked to
produce an exhibition of their project.
Make an achieve
Exhibit your work
Document everything.

8. MED306
Editorial
Supervision
Contact Time
This project is a group independent project, students are expected to produce work
independently under editorial supervision from a member of staff. You will be
shown existing examples of projects, ideas on approaches and shown ways of
using softwares and services but will be assessed on your ability to direct a project
independently
Project Managers
Achievers
Producers
Editors

9. MED306
Editorial
Supervision
Contact Time
Within sessions you will be shown examples of practice based work to help you
think about your projects:
Narrative Structure
Story Shape
Audience/Players Pathways
Documentation and Achieves
Media Aggregation
Display and exhibition of work

10. MED306
& Roles
Responsibilities
A transmedia project, because of its very nature requires a range of skills, abilities
and experience. Members of your group will need to take on different rolls within
the group to develop a coherent transmedia project.
Consistent Visual Style
Community Management
Publicity
Participation
Target Audience
Measuring Outcomes

11. MED306
& Delivery
Technologies
Your group will need to think of the ways in which your audience can access your
story across multiple platforms and how you can assess their involvement.
Connecting with audiences
Managing a distributed narrative
Working with existing technologies
Delivering an engaging story
Monitoring audience involvement
Thinking about new narrative form

12. MED306
& Stories
Remediation
Students should consider adapting and/or remediating an existing story, folk tale or
recognisable narrative. This will help guide the development and cut down on the
amount of character development, story writing and scripting.

13. MED306
& Timelines
Delivery
1 2 3 4 5
Weeks
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
You Are Here
Story
Team Rolls and
Planning
Mapping the story
Shoot/Edit Trailer
Asset Creation
Live Week
Achieving
Exhibition
Display and
A possible timeline
The project, because of it’s size and scale will need to be carefully mapped on a
timeline

14. MED306
Story is KING
The sign in the lobby of PIXAR studios

15. MED306

16. MED306
Virality is
just good
design
Christopher Sandberg, MIPTV 2011

17. MED306
THIS IS NOT
A GAME
Alternative Reality Games

18. MED306
Project Example 1
The Beast
The Beast is billed as the first Alternative Reality Game, it was developed by 42
Entertainment to promote the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) and was one of the
first instances of a mixed reality entertainment experience

19. MED306
Project Example 2
Conspiracy For Good
Conspiracy for good was developed as a “mixed reality drama” by Tim Kring (the writer
behind Heroes). It was marketed as “Social Benefit Storytelling”. It was nominated for
the Digital Program: Fiction EMMY in 2011. Conspiracy For Good was a collaborative
project between Nokia, TKE Imperative and The Company P.

20. MED306
Project Example 3
I Love Bees
I Love Bees is one of the most famous Alternate Reality Games (ARGs), developed by
42 Entertainment to promote the launch of the game Halo 2. We will be returning to I
Love Bees to deconstruct it’s narrative path, play elements and community

21. MED306
Project Example 4
World Without Oil
World Without Oil was an Alternative Reality Game which ran for 32 weeks in 2007 and
was billed as a game for social good. It simulated the global oil crisis through the media
and real world events.

22. MED306
Project Example 5
Black Helix
Black Helix was the first large scale Northern Irish Alternative Reality Game and ran
during February and March 2011. It was designed and developed by Belfast Based
Design Zoo.

23. MED306
Project Example 6
Why So Serious
Why So Serious, (again) developed by 42 entertainment was a massively expansive
ARG developed to promote The Dark Knight (2008)

24. MED306
Project Example 7
[in]visible belfast
[in]visible belfast was the longest running Alternative Reality Game in Northern Ireland. It
ran for 6 weeks and had a number of live events, performances and websites, an
achieve is currently being constructed.

25. MED306
Project Example 8
Where’s Alice
Where’s Alice was developed by Interactive Media Arts student Iain McAuley as a
transmedia story for his dissertation project during 2011. The story mainly took place on
campus.