Transmedia Storytelling - Jenkins

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/ - HARRY POTTER SITE WITH DIVERSE MEDIA SOURCES
- LOOK THROUGH SITE AND GO TO COMMUNITY AND MESSAGE BOARDS!

I couldn't agree more with Jenkin's view points on his article, "Transmedia Storytelling." Today, the media is defined through multiple media sources also known as transmedia storytelling. Jenkin's describes Transmedia storytelling as, "A process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels to create a unified and coordinated entertainment experience." This lets each medium make a contribution to the on going story. Therefore, through all different media sources people get diverse parts of the story. The different media sources provide the back story which enhance the consumers knowledge. This tends to get the consumers/viewers more involved in the specific story.


This Harry Potter website describes all of Jenkins article by showing how Harry Potter is more then just a simple book. This website shows how Harry Potter falls across multiple media sources. Originally, Harry Potter was just a novel yet, it has come far from there. After producing over seven novels there then came a movie and media started to spread from there. As you see on the website there are Harry Potter books, dvds, games, comics and collectables, which gives the consumers more insight to the story. Through all these media sources there are a plethora of different information that is being released. You will never find all the information in one specific story therefore, they are spread among the different media sources. The online games lets viewers interact with the characters by understanding the story line behind it. An important factor is collective intelligence. Pierre Levy said, " collective intelligence, to refer to the new social structures that enable the production and circulation of knowledge within a networked society." On this Harry Potter site under "Community," there are message boards where people converse about the Harry Potter movies, books, characters and games. These forums congregate people that have the same likings together to discuss their different knowledge and viewpoints with one another. They try to assess information that would lead them to understanding more about each media source.

Get a Life - Jenkins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3N6nAOIkd4 - STAR TREK FANATIC

I am sure everyone was a fan at one point or another to a certain TV show, movie, game, book and even a celebrity. However, there is a large different between having a liking for something and being a true fanatic. According to Jenkins, fanatics hold specific traits. 

The article, “Get A Life” by Henry Jenkins talks about a SNL episode, where William Shatner interacts with the fanatics on the famous show (that he stars in), Star Track. Another name for these fanatics are called, “Trekkies.” These people are not your usual fans. “Trekkies” world revolves around Star Trek, and sometimes people live their lives through Star Trek characters. Star Trek is not only a television show, but a way of life for many people. For example, in the article Shatner yells at his fans and tells the fans to move out of their parent’s basement and proceed with adult experiences. He then looks into the audience and noticed, “The fans looked confused at first, then, progressively more hurt and embarrassed.” These people are so involved in the show and with the characters that they get emotionally attached and live their lives as though Star Trek is real. Mindless consumers are ones that do not even think, they are just mentally drawn to buy a certain product just because it has to do with a specific thing.


I believe that “Trekkies” hold the trait of being mindless consumers. This You Tube video displays a true Star Trek fanatic. Geroge(the fanatic) who isn’t a little kid anymore, he is a young adult and is still a hardcore fan of Star trek. His mom talks about his past, she took him to a Star Trek convention for fun, little did she know he would become obsessed. He goes to school four times a week wearing Star Trek uniforms and commander outfits. His room is filled with magazines, posters, books, and movies. Jenkins says that Trekkies are “brainless consumers who will buy anything associated with the program or its cast. For example, George’s room was filled with everything Star Trek possible. He owned all ten of the Star Trek movies and had a huge binder filled with Star Trek cards of each character. George is even practicing how to speak the Star Trek language. During the film George kept saying that Star Trek was always there for him. George fit into every stereotype that was stated in Jenkins article. There are many points in the video where George was unable to separate fantasy from reality. The stereotypes of "Trekkies" are that they are social misfits, mindless consumers, and are unable to separate fantasy from reality. The fans picture themselves as being a part of this fiction world. Although these are stereotypes are exaggerated, some of the “Trekkies” actually posses these features.

Flickr Project

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23825962@N08/sets/72157603900636390/

I found the Flickr assignment very interesting. My group decided to take different pictures down Kirkwood Av. in the Bloomington town. Instead of making a huge story line, we did a slideshow of comparisons between the old and new Kirkwood. This meant that we had some preparation to do before we went out and took the pictures. We searched online for old Kirkwood, while it was under construction and found great pictures. These pictures showed Kirkwood in the last few years while it was under full construction and then renovated. I don't think Flickr was difficult to use at all. I thought it was very basic, easy to use to upload photos. I am glad we got to do this project because it was a great hands on experience to understanding the media.

I think that Flickr is a great way to be an effective tool in creating user generated content and sharing it with others. Flickr can determine the photos that people look at then act accordingly. The article Flickr Changes Lives, Launches Photog Careers, by Jen Maderazo shows how Flickr is being used so widely based. Maderazo said, "Thousands of images are uploaded from around the world every minute, and refreshing the homepage gives you access to random photos you might never have found through a search." This lets people share as much content of anything by using Flickr while sending messages out to different people. I do belieive this is a great way to create content and share it among millions of people. After personally taking a tour on Flickr, I noticed that this can have a large impact on people. You can search anything you want and thousands of peoples slideshows and photos come up. Flickr can be looked at as a personal news source as well as a huge art museum online.

In the article, How Flickr single-handedly invented collaborative photojournalism describes the impact of Flickr. I believe that this can be used as a citizen photojournalism tool for a plethora of reasons. It has been described that photojournalism is basically another example of news reporting but with the internet. It isn't in an organized manner or collecting certain people. Its very diverse and catch the attention of people that have particular interests. This tool is great to use because it is not focusing on one event rather, millions of events while people get to have input with their own personal opinion. For example, People even rate the importance of the photos making Flickr a news forum where everyone has a say in what they think is important news to look at. According to the article Flickr is thriving with news and getting peoples attention. The fact that it's free even makes it a more useful tool to attend to. Flickr is a source of photojournalism, it is free and anyone can post or view stories. Flickr is a tool that has recently become extremely popular and each day thriving to a higher level. Soon enough, Flickr is going to be used in combination to the media as well as politically. I look at Flickr as a reliable news source. For example, Fox and CNN news can be biased at times therefore, so can Flickr. Yet, in the end it is all news to you. Flickr can have a larger impact because you can search what you are interested in and find out about it. It was stated that, "The slideshows that people make in Flickr can be shared with anyone to send any messages or points In the article, then rates each photo according to "interestingness", a quality that is based on the ways in which other users interact with that photo." This lets the users actively engage in photography community.

Photoshop for Democracy

In the article Photoshop for Democracy, Henry Jenkins talks about the many different of media and its impact on society. He explains how we used to rely on television for electing candidates however, now it's much more then that. The use of internet and mobile phones are taking place while having people interact more. One theory that is discussed throughout the reading is the media convergence theory. This is that techonoliges have multiple funcions, not just one purpose. This theory has a large effect on politics that can change citizens views and opinions. These images are traveling across multiple media sources. I think that Jenkins brings up very valid points through out his article. One effect Jenkins talks about is the effect it has on politics. He believes that our culture is being formed by using new media that collide and that the consumer interacts with the media producer.

My example is a video of John McCain - http://www.jibjab.com/view/203207

I think that this video is a perfect example of media convergence and how the consumer and media producer interact. This video is showing how Bush is boring McCain while he is making a speech. This video is showing a plethora of points that Jenkins talks about in his article. One being that, this video is attracting the youth. After talking about the 2004 campaign that was effected by new media technologies Jenkins said, "On the other hand, the closeness made both campaigns desperate to mobilize their base, attract undecided voters and register new participants- especially the young." This is video is an example of on type of media that was attracting the youth because it is something that they can relate to. This will grab their attention and have the desire to watch it. McCain is being compared to the famous television show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, while they are stating why he would make a good president. This video makes the public look at Bush and McCain in a different way and persuades the public.

Cellular Connection

http://www.politicstv.com/blog/?p=1875 - GOOGLE VIDEO.

The article, How to Recognize the Future When it Lands on You by Howard Rheingold, explores the impact of technology and cellular phones on today’s society. These advancements have a large impact on today’s society, especially effecting politics. Today, mobile phones are used for much more then just calling people. They are sold with internet, camera, music, alarms and web services. Mobile phones are processing information that is news and gossip, letting people being informed about every little thing going on. Text messaging has reached a new revolution by organizing people into groups and forming their political stances. Technological advancements are forming many people’s opinions and getting them involved. Rheingold explains that the impact of technology creates smart mobs, which are "The new social form made possible by combination of computation, communication, reputation, and location always-on internet connections to members."

This video is a short clip from Googles Vice President of Global Communication. This video explains how technology is effecting communication through politics. He is questioning what's accepted or not through technology while political issues are going on. For example, in his speech he talks about the issues of mobile phones being used near voting polls. His main goal of the speech is trying to get all people connected politically by using Google to guide them. Although, this is not a form of the mobile aspect that Rheingold uses, this is a form of communication that is derived from technology. Google forms people into smart mobs and lets them be apart of political connections by communicating with a website and their specific applications. To use Google you must be on the Internet therefore, many people can access this political information from their mobile device. This media example correlated with Rheingold’s article because they both talk about how technology interferes/organizes diverse social forms. Using Googles new political options provides you personally a social network, just like Rheingold talks about with mobile phones.

Electronic Community: From Birth to Backlash

In the article, From Birth to Backlash, Rushkoff had a plethora of valid points. In todays society technological advancements are taking over and effecting other sources of media. As time passes each year the internet has more ways of communicating and downloading files. The internet went through a drastic change from being used as a simple source of communication to an effect on commerce.


The program AOL (America Online) is a perfect example of Rushkoff's argument. Years ago, America Online was used by millions of people all over the world. This service provided people with everything they needed, various ways of communication, webpages, and profiles. People who used this service had to pay a certain amount each month to be able to use these utilities. AOL was the main form of communication however, in todays society it's not. There are various ways of communicating with others across the world using different services, such as AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) and other programs like Internet Explorer, which lets you surf the web and look up anything. All of these services are free. There is no fee needed to go on a website, talk to your friend across the world or even create your own blog. Yet, there is a major downfall to these programs. There are many pop ups and advertisements that are influencing many web users. Instead of paying for internet, now people search on the world wide web to buy products online. Overall, internet has become a much larger complexity reaching out to much more then it was originally designed for. It let the internet become a hands on where people can create many things for themselves. Just like Rushkoff said,"These people don’t simply surf the Web. They are now empowered to create it."



Another point: Having these services for free exposes people to a variety of different media and economical advancements. There can be advantages and disadvantages to this. For example, when people paid for AOL there were more parental controls therefore, children could not see obscene things. Having everything free, exposes children to inappropriate things.