My name is Danny and you have somehow stumbled upon my senior thesis project.
It's nice to meet you.
Well, since you're here, allow me to explain what you'll find on this blog.
For starters, you may have noticed that all of the posts are in reverse order. This is not unusual for blogs, as people tend to want to read the most recent post first. But if you want to start from the beginning I have listed all relevant posts on this page (which I've also linked to on the right). There is also another "what is this" page on the side as well, but I wanted some kind of introduction on the homepage too.
This thesis is about transmedia and webseries. I had a few goals when I first started. Whether or not I completed them successfully is up to you. In my personal opinion, I think I completed them all to the best of my ability. Especially number six.
1. Explore the topics of transmedia storytelling and web series in a unique way.
2. Write about transmedia while also creating transmedia.
3. Come up with some of my own theories about said topics.
4. Learn and try new things which will hopefully lead to an interesting end result.
5. Embark on the difficult but rewarding task of being the first student at my school to create an entire thesis online that won't ever be bound in printed form (at least not by me).
In general I found that there was not a lot of research already done on these topics, so you'll probably see a lot of posts where I postulate (and ramble a bit) about he implications of transmedia storytelling and web shows. So there is a lot of my own opinion in here and a lot of unanswered questions. Hopefully there will be a time where there will be endless amounts of articles, books, videos, and any other academic work about the topics, but for now I just had to wing it.
I also had to wing a lot of this thesis, because a project like this had never been done before. So my advisor and I had to make up a lot of the rules as we went. In the future, when someone else does a project like this (and I'm sure they will) I hope my time spent as guinea pig no. 1 can be beneficial.
Because this project is online, it is highly likely that links, gifs, memes, and other pieces of media will expire. I will attempt to salvage as much of it as possible (by saving the photos and re-uploading them so they wont go away, for example), but I can't make any promises. They say that once things are on the internet they stay there forever, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they stay in the same place.
Also, due to the unconventional nature of my written work it was not all proofed, graded, and returned to me like everyone else. So there are bound to be spelling and grammatical mistakes, and maybe even some incorrect facts or something. I am doing my best to comb through it all again, but that takes time and I don't always catch my own mistakes. But please, feel free to comment on any post if you find an error and I will correct it as soon as I can.
And yea, I know. I use way to many commas. And I hyperlink too much. So sue me.
Even though my thesis is over and I have graduated, I still want to retain the integrity of this blog so I will be checking it periodically.
I hope you enjoy what you read/see here and that it may inspire some people to do some of their own research and come to some of their own conclusions about transmedia and web shows. I am always interested in what people think about this stuff and I can't wait for new authors to create more literature (and other media!) about it.
Thanks for stopping by!
Feel free to contact me with any questions/comments/concerns/hypotheses/epiphanies/absurdities.
To recap: My thesis is about transmedia storytelling, particularly how it relates to web series. My artifact was The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (or LBD), a scripted transmedia web show composed of video blogs and a lot of social media. It was very popular and has inspired many similar creations. While it was my baseline and primary example, I was also interested in exploring transmedia in general and how it is a viable format for contemporary narratives. After some investigating I discovered that there is not a lot of literature on transmedia (or web shows for that matter) aside from a few history-type books, but they don't even go into the concept of transmedia that thoroughly. There are few to no theories on the subject but many people do see the potential of this type of narrative storytelling. Because it is so unique and often quite complex, traditional analysis could not be done. I attempted to come up with a new way of looking at transmedia (streams and barriers), but whether or not it is any good doesn't really matter. The point is that we do need a new way to analyze these types of projects (webseries and transmedia) that isn't as limiting as standard film and television criticism.
Well, why did I write about all of this?
For one, I love it. I find it all to be fascinating and I just love web shows. I think they are an emerging form of media that will eventually be the norm and I think it's so great that it isn't as limiting as TV and film. Almost anyone can make a web show. And the fact that it can easily spread and go viral is amazing. Your audience is much more accessible. Which leads to the main reason why I study transmedia, which is that I love the interactivity of it. I was never able to immerse myself into a show like the way I was able to with LBD. And that, for me, was a total game changer. I want all of my stories to be like that from here on out. It brings the narrative to a whole new level. Or levels.
While researching all of this, I quickly found out that not everyone is on the same brain train as me right now. They don't all share my passion, and frankly there are still not that many people who even know what transmedia is. I hope that in a handful of years this wont be the case, but for now it's webseries that is making a name for itself. Transmedia may have to wait in the wings a little while longer until it's time for the spotlight. Still though, I was a little shocked by the lack of materials out there. Perhaps it would behoove some academics to spread their wings a little and learn more about some emerging types of narratives. Because seriously folks, I really really want to know what people think about this stuff. Other than research, I also learned quite a bit about transmedia through the process of actually writing this thesis. The first thing I learned is that transmedia is (to borrow from my professors vocabulary) wicked hard. This thesis was an experiment, and honestly I don't think my results were overwhelmingly successful. Not that the thesis itself is bad, but I don't think I really succeed when it came to "systematically dispersing elements across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated experience" (to borrow from Henry Jenkins). Almost all of my content was on this blog. Only one big part, my theory section, was done via different media and that was because it was a video. Otherwise, the twitter and facebook were rather useless and I just did not have time to make any other videos. So if I gained anything from this experience, it is some serious respect for content creators. Producing all of those elements and then managing all of those outlets is an incredibly difficult task. If I have any advice for future students that want to embark on a thesis such as this, it is: plan, plan, plan. If you want to make a transmedia thesis that is not only about transmedia, but is transmedia, then you need to make a calendar or something. Get organized and figure out how you're going to write and release it all. And find an awesome advisor who is open to trial and error. Props to my professor, who deserves some serious acknowledgements.
Speaking of my professor, she asked me three questions to consider while writing this conclusion.
1. Why was this important?
2. What does it teach us?
3. Where do we go from here?
Well, for #1 I would say it is important because it isn't going anywhere. Transmedia (and webseries) are here to stay. Almost all of the authors I read said the same exact thing. It may be slow burning, but it's catching on and they all couldn't wait to see what happens next. None of them knew what it meant for the future, but if I had to guess I'd say it also means some major changes for our culture and the way we experience stories. At least here in the US, current generations have been called passive and apathetic. But transmedia encourages participation and immersion, which will probably bleed into other areas of our lives as well - especially because not all transmedia has to be fiction. People want to interact, and they will. New technology and innovations will lead to a more active audience and perhaps a more active generation. And like many of those aforementioned authors, I also can't wait to see what happens. Hopefully I'll get to be a part of it.
Huh, I guess that kind of also answered #3 too. Well as for #2, I think it teaches us that we don't need to stick to the same old conventions and neither do our stories. As I said, people want to engage with narratives on a new level and both transmedia and web shows can provide people with that opportunity. It is exciting, fresh, and innovative. People can get closer to stories more than ever before and that is pretty remarkable.
I'm not sure what else it teaches us. Maybe in 20 years I'll have a better answer to that question. Once people start to take advantage of this medium and really put it to the test, then we will start to learn more. Maybe more about what it offers, what it can do, or what it means for entertainment as a whole. And not just entertainment, but the dissemination of information in general.
Maybe I'm just a little too enthusiastic, but I do hope that someday someone reads this and some of my enthusiasm can rub off on them.
But maybe by that time memes and gifs will be super outdated and old school. Just like those annoying "What people think I do/What I really do" memes. I've got to say, the rhetoric ones are really bad. Actually, 9% of the time any rhetoric gif or meme is going to be awful. What an unfortunate fact of life.
Time to wrap it up. Contrary to some of my previous posts where I stress out a lot over this thesis (I am just a lowly undergrad after all), I did have a blast writing it. Everyone else wrote long boring papers and I got to do a super fun blog about Lizzie Bennet! How awesome is that?!
Thank you so much to everyone who helped, encouraged, or simply tolerated me throughout this experience. And don't worry, I'll have a real thank you page up soon.
Yesterday I had a meeting with my advisor and she brought to my attention that the current tone of my posts is a tad depressing. Or as she said, "Quit being such a Debbie Downer." Thanks, prof.
To that I say: Hey now, I think I have every right to be stressed out during the final weeks of my thesis.
But okay, I looked back on the posts and I see what you mean.
This meeting also had some positive results and I definitely feel much more confident about my thesis project as a whole.
Because guess what internet, I AM ALMOST DONE. WOOOO!!!!
[via www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca]
I mean I clearly still have stuff to do, but I am very close.
We mapped out most of the rest of what I need to do. I get to start the fun part where I get to make up my own theory. Yay!
Also, this Friday I will be doing a talk about my project and I will try to post the powerpoint that I will make for it once it's done. And possibly the transcript of the speech. We'll see.
Anyway, that is all for now. I need to go back and make a couple of edits. Actual thesis posts to come later. Random tangent: The previous "Hey now" has now inspired the use of a song that I think is appropriate...
Nothin' like some good music to get you pumped! And simultaneously nostalgic. Because omg the video. -Danny
Now that the history section is done and I've defined most of the things that I need to define, I will be focusing on analysis.
This is the more abstract part of the thesis, where I ask questions and use what I've learned to try and figure things out. This is both the fun and the hard part.
Some topics I may cover: If We Change, Will They Watch? - talking about the need to adhere to the novel to a certain extent, and what the changes might mean
The Differences Between Analyzing a TV Show and a Web Show - why certain things are both the same and different, looking at plot versus character
Narrative Theory - more stuff? I'm not quite there yet.
Some things I may create:
The other timelines (if possible) - like big social media events (i.e. the Wickham scandal or Jane's sad pinterest board)
Another video - maybe one that describes The Scene Function Model more fully
More twitter/social media conversations - with advisor, and possibly other people
These aren't necessarily in order.
But for now, this is a week by week update-as-I-go point in the thesis.
I have a meeting tomorrow, so we'll see what happens.
One drawback is the fact that I do not write sections and then turn in draft after draft to my advisor for editing/revising until it is perfect. I just write it, post it, and hope I don't screw up. That isn't to say I don't edit after I hit "Publish," but I can't make any huge changes without completely changing a post, which kind of defeats the purpose of it being available instantaneously. So I only edit for clarity and accuracy, and no changes are that huge or noticeable to anyone other than myself.
So what does this have to do with my analysis section? A lot actually. Because I can't turn in drafts, I will have to work out a lot of this online. This means that not all of my posts will be perfect and sometimes it could just be me being confused about stuff. Like right now. But the only way to reach any kind of conclusion is to ask a lot of questions.
First question: How do I analyze transmedia that is all over the place? (Actually, how do I analyze transmedia at all?)
This is a rhetoric thesis so I need to be looking at things as a rhetorical critic. My advisor suggested the concept of kernels and satellites. I was somewhat familiar with this concept already, but after reading an article called Re(de)fining Narrative Events: Examining Television and Narrative Structure (see Bibliography for citation), I decided I liked the concept a lot and wanted to use it. For those who have no idea what kernels and satellites are, I made a video. But if you won't click that then here is the most basic definition I can give. Kernels are the parts of a story that move it along, and the story wouldn't make sense if you removed them. Satellites are the parts of the story that add dimension, but can be removed while the story stays intact. Okay? Okay.
And that is all great. A little vague, but the article I read adds more specific criteria which makes it easier to identify kernel and satellite scenes (which they call The Scene Function Model). But this theory is meant for television. Not for a webseries that incorporates social media. How the hell do I categorize what is and is not important and why, when there are waaaaay too many outlets to look at? I was making a timeline (but luckily I found this better one) and I found that I could look at the show in a variety of different ways. What if Lizzie's videos are the kernel of the series and the spin-offs (i.e. Lydia, Maria, Domino) are all satellites? Or maybe only some of Lizzie's videos are kernels. Or maybe the videos are all kernels and the extra stuff (twitter, facebook, pinterest) is all satellites. What do I separate? Do I separate? What do I look at? What is important? There are just too many factors. I can barely keep any of it straight.
My professor/advisor told me today that she doesn't really like Jane. She loves Lydia the most and Jane the least (as of about 40ish episodes in).
And to that I say: While Jane may be more on the dull and sickly-sweet side (not always!), she definitely has some of the best Darcy impressions on the show.
I'm sorry for being so brash thesis, but it's the truth. I have until Friday to come up with something for my advisor, and I've got about as many ideas as I have Christmas presents. (Just in case you were wondering Thesis, I'm Jew-ish so I have no Christmas presents.)
So what do I do? How do you throw around ideas for this kind of thing? I tried that with my parents, and while they do have some good theories and such, nothing they suggested is anything more than a long paper. And frankly Thesis, I want you to be so much more than that. Well, at least a little more than that. I want you to have some transmedia element other than this blog. I want you to have a video component or some other out-of-the-box type thing. I would love to make a web show, but how the hell do I incorporate that sort of thing? Can I do a web show that documents (or mockuments) the thesis process? Maybe, but I definitely don't want to be the subject. I'll write, direct, shoot, edit, etc. but I will not act. I mean, I want you to be good Thesis, and with me acting it would be total crap. No lies. I can tell a good story though, but that's not acting and I only have so many stories.
One video idea that I've had for some time revolves around people telling stories, but I can't think of a way to trasmedify that. Again, I could document it documentary-style. Like tweet about my process and shit, but that sounds so boring. Just thinking about it made me roll my eyes. But then again, I guess I've been doing that a lot lately with all this Christmas music playing non-stop and Christmas movies on every channel. But I guess that's what an iPod and Netflix are for.
But back to you thesis. What to do, what to do... Let's play the what if game.
What if I made a web show?
Ok, but it would have to be relevant.
What if I used that web show to help my argument?
Ok, but it would again have to be relevant.
What if the web show proved some kind of point that I was trying to argue?
Ok, that could be good because evidence is good.
What if the argument was about how transmedia is better for audience immersion than not transmedia?
Ok, but can you take that a step further?
What if the argument was about how creators transmedia is better than industry transmedia? (see this post, and yes I know I said I would expand it)
Ok, but you don't work for the industry and you aren't a creator yet, and besides there are plenty of existing examples that you could use to better argue this.
What if this was like a science experiment where you had a hypothesis and put it to the test via the show and accompanying transmedia?
Ok, but what the hell is my hypothesis and why do I need to test it instead of relying on preexisting examples?
What if you were testing transmedia from the audience's standpoint instead of the creator's?
Ok, but I basically do that every day when I participate in other peoples transmedia work and how does that help?
What if you were testing it from the creator's standpoint instead of the audience?
Ok like can I get viewers, is this spreadable media, do people want to participate, how much effort is required on a weekly basis, and that sort of stuff?
What if your thesis was more science-y and you argued that the yet to be named in-between (creators and industry) version of transmedia is the best version because a) they care more about content and less about money, b) it is still important to get views and shares in order to keep the show going, c) anyone can do it so there are fewer rules, and d) I can do it and here were my results and the feedback that I gained from the experience?
Ok, but I guess that isn't totally science-y because I was still looking for a hypothesis in there somewhere, but this is totally progress.
What if you were hit by the Amazing Idea Asteroid tomorrow and got a way more concise, intelligent, and all around better version of the proposal above?
Then my life would be complete, and so would you Thesis.
Well, at least I'm going forward.
And yes, I think transmedify should be a word. Upon googling I found "no results" so hopefully it will pick up soon.
Today I spoke with my thesis advisor via the telephone. She's also my regular advisor. And maybe also my irregular advisor? Hmm...
We spoke about how we need to find a way to approach the transmedia aspect of my thesis. And guess what! We got nowhere. Surprise, surprise. All we discovered is that we need to figure it out. Which is something we both already knew. So maybe the phone call was a tad redundant? But still, it was necessary.
Here are some thoughts so far...
1. Blog
I've already preemptively started that part just in case. This may end up being totally useless, or a very important aspect of my thesis. Who knows. Her thoughts were "Well you don't want to blog about how you're sitting in the library writing and annotated bibliography and then linking it in." But actually, if I can manage to do that in an interesting manner, then I don't see why not? Although, I see her point. That's not really a help to my (currently lacking) argument.
2. Video Essay
This one is both too easy and too difficult. Yes, I can do what a friend of mine did and make my history chapter into a video essay or something, but that's too easy. And also too hard, because it is incredibly time consuming. And would it really help me or just add some possibly unnecessary flashiness? That is yet to be seen.
3. Web Show
Even more difficult. Because I need so many things. 1. An idea for the show; 2. Possible cast and crew because I can't do it all by myself; 3. Lots of time to write, direct, edit, etc.; 4. Actual skill and preferably some experience too; 5. A way for it to tie into the thesis in a this-supports-my-argument kind of way rather than a this-was-really-cool-and-also-useless-but-I-did-it-because-I-like-web-series kind of way.
4. Game
Haha, no.
5. Something Else?
Like what? Help me out here! I have no ideas.
And then after I make a decision on what to do, we need to set a schedule. This needs to be done by this time and so on. I'm not very good about doing tons of homework in general, so if I divide it up into small pieces and then meet with my advisor every week for her to check on it then I'll actually do it and do it well. Yes, I know I'm in college but sometimes you need to be treated like a 5th grader in order to get things done properly. It will help, is all I'm saying.
After the phone call I also looked into some other thesis online. They look very long (as mine will also be) so that will take some time to go though. I also found a blog by another person who did a transmedia-esque thesis so that was promising. I'll go through it and see what kinds of things they did that might work for me too. Don't worry, I won't steal their ideas. And I'll cite them if I need to.
Finally we discussed the almighty transmedia god Henry Jenkins. He is a fantastic writer and professor (well I've never had him, but it would be cool if I did!) who is well-known in the world of academia and on le interwebs as the ultimate transmedia guru. Ok, he's probably not as fabulous as I'm making him out to be, but he will be SUPER useful for my thesis so I'm going to exaggerate a bit. I have one of his books and am about to order another, I've perused his blog a bit, and most importantly he published his class syllabus in an academic journal which was very, very useful to me. He discussed some assignments that he had his students do that look very promising. More on that later. Or you can just look it up yourself (maybe? it is in a journal and I needed to use my magical school website to get access to it. but he tends to put a lot of this stuff on his blog "Confessions of an Aca-Fan" too.).
Time to go, but I once again accept any and all suggestions from the world. Reading suggestions too. I have a handful of books and articles already but I can always use more.
Oh, side-note, one of my main artifacts (if I chose to go this route) will likely be my favorite webseries The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. It is a prime example of transmedia in action. I highly recommend it to everyone.
