(Ashour, 2011)
Transmedia Storytelling is the art of conveying messages, themes or story lines to audiences through different multiple media platforms (Jenkins, 2007).
Henry Jenkins (2007) highlighted 10 points to determine if a technology or platform is a form of transmedia. These include: dispersion, integration, expansion, function, marketisation, comprehension, co-ordination, collectivisation, adoption and participation. I will now evaluate the elements of most relevance to Google Glass.
• Collectivisation – relates to collective intelligence in that production and circulation of knowledge within a networked society is enabled. It could be argued that the Explorers are a networked society with knowledge of different features of the Glass. No one Glass Explorer is going to know everything about the technology, thus collaboration of information will allow the knowledge network to expand.
• Participation – consumers want to participate and fill in the gaps that they have discovered with different transmedia products. It can be argued that the Glass Explorers are an example of this as they are able to write their own reviews and put forward suggestions to Google in order to enhance the product.
• Marketisation – allows for different points of entry for different audiences. Glass could possibly meet this requirement as it has expanded from the iPhone and laptop to appeal to a market of people interested in wearing technological eye software, thus allowing for a different point of entry in the technology market.
• Integration – involves modern media companies spreading a brand or franchise across as many different media platforms as possible. Glass is potentially capable of this through utilising platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, television commercials and newspapers to promote and thus spread the product.
Thus, due to only four of the ten requirements being met, it is unlikely that Google Glass can be classified as a form of transmedia, rather it is a media platform that transmedia companies can utilise to expand their transmedia product.
The blog linked below outlines how a company is utilising the Glass to assist the transmedia of the series ‘State of Sync’:
http://thisistransmedia.com/2014/01/state-of-syn-tells-a-story-with-mobile-and-google-glass/
Lastly, please watch the below link that provides an alternative overview of transmedia.
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References:
Ashour, D 2011, Reflective Blog on Interactivity: Transmedia Storytelling, image, Weblog, viewed 20 April 2014, <http://deanashour.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/reflective-blog-on-interactivity-transmedia-storytelling/>.
Jenkins, H 2007, Confessions of an Aca-Fan: The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins, Transmedia Storytelling 101, Weblog, 22 March, viewed 20 April 2014, <http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html>.
One 3 Productions 2011, Transmedia 101 by One 3 Production, online video, 24 June, viewed 20 April 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvJbY9hUgbc>.
Starlight Runner Entertainment 2010, What is Transmedia?, online video, 17 Oct, viewed 20 April 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9uX_65IFpY>.
Vogel, M 2014, State of Syn Tells a Story with Mobile and Google Glass, viewed 20 April 2014, <http://thisistransmedia.com/2014/01/state-of-syn-tells-a-story-with-mobile-and-google-glass/>.
Be Creative 