Transmedia Story Comparison

Stepping into the latest form of storytelling, we learn about a concept called transmedia. Many think of transmedia as a marketing technique but looking deeper we learn there are multiple uses including storytelling itself. In this essay, I will compare two stories. The Blair Witch Project & The Walking Dead. Let’s take a look at two stories using a similar technique in two different time era’s to see the differences and comparisons.

The Blair Witch Project (Lions Gate, 2010. BlairWitch.com)

 The story narrative is told by evidence left behind from the missing persons/victims. Lost tapes story (movie/finale). Web story shows more evidence leading up to the movie. The audience is targeted toward horror and realism. The illusion that a fictional horror story was real and actually happened. Making the audience engage themselves to find out more. The more they engage, the more the story unveils. The audience plays the role of solving the mystery, but through observation only. The audience does not engage into the story world. I can only image the audience feels connected to each character after viewing many aspects of the characters’ lives. This creates a desire to find out what happen to each one. Which creates a desire to see the movie.

The Walking Dead AMC, 2024. Skybound.com

It’s apparent that different aspects of the story are spread across (in this case) three platforms. (1) TV (2) Video Game (3) Comics . When you put the three together, you get different stories within the same storyline construct. Each is their own but share new ideas of Walking Dead world/realm. At the time of this production, Transmedia already existed, and many platforms where available. Once again testing the limits, comics and video games added to the transmedia platform.

 This story has constant change. All though the main setting is the USA on earth, within the construct, these character must constantly move/change locations to survive. Each location brings a new storyline but follows the same rules. This applies in each story platform of transmedia. Each place has it’s own story (B,C story) within the main (A story). The professional footage and set design, along with studio FX, makes the world seem reel knowing it’s a story. The immersion is up to the viewer and how much they get into the product/production.  

 The audience (if they started TV) began in the film story designed to adventure it’s characters through a virus outbreak world full of zombies to survive. I have not played the game, but I’m sure it’s the same scenario with survival being interactive to the player. Unlike Blair Witch, you can now be the character in the story and try to survive. As the story unfolds, the audience grows a connection to each character. Most wonder who is going to die next, or what challenge/obstacle will they now face. In the Game, the player faces these challenges.

 The story narrative is told in third-person narrative. However, show... Don’t tell. The story does not go into thoughts, only visible action on all platforms. The film and games do not tell the same story as the comic books but follow the same story world rules. The audience plays the role of adventure (following the story through its main character(s), but through observation only. The audience does not engage into the story world. In the Game, you can play as the character, unlike Blair Witch.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion there are multiple examples of multiple uses of transmedia across the entire entertainment spectrum. Where one idea The Blair Witch started, new forms and franchise brands like The Walking Deadhave expanded upon the original idea. This was before social media began, however ideas like Blair Witch might soon be illegal due to legislation toward AI and false realities due to the rising uptick in cybercrime. Today, it’s almost illegal to pretend or present fictional and actual, So enjoy it while you still can. If you do decide to fantasy role play or LARP, please do so carefully and make sure you’re in a safe zone. Transmedia is a great tool, but a slippery one. Please be safe. I do know that you can still LARP as long as you legally state that it is immersive fantasy. Good Luck!