Final Reflection

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It is the end of the semester and the project is complete, the world of John Mitchell Christie is ready to explore. At the beginning of this journey, the group set goals for ourselves, we wanted to present an augmented reality of historical settings around the city of Melbourne. We wanted to incorporate videos, sound, images, and an app, with everything connecting to the central hub (the website). During the six weeks of research, planning, production and editing, elements didn’t always go according to plan, however the final product is what we hoped for, a successful transmedia story that has fragments of the story strategically placed on different platforms.

Overall we ended up shooting one video component, and editing it into into three types of videos, the trailer, the app version, and the full version available on the website; five audio artifacts; created an image timeline; and designed case files for each of the stories. As this story’s time period was so male dominated, the audio artifacts were shared through the voice of John Mitchell Christie’s wife – this way a female audience could be targeted, and it gives the story a modern twist. After all we are making a project that is able to share history through modern and engaging media techniques. Each component is spread across the platforms, and when put together it transforms itself into a story world. As I said in my previous post, we got to the end of the project brief and lost our story or the motivation for the story, and had to figure out how to get it back. When working with various platforms it is easy to have the story spread so far apart it actually breaks, and this was one of the biggest lessons. All of the components have to be a driving force within the story world, each with their own story components, and losing these just isn’t an option. After every component was put together the story was noticeable, it just needed extra information or a background story on the website to tie is all together cohesively.

We created an app, however it wasn’t what the group had hoped for, as we wanted an augmented reality app, this just wasn’t an option within the time frame we were given, and there was no option to include such a feature in ‘The GoodBarber’ program. This meant that we had to go to our back-up plan which was including pin drops around the city of Melbourne on a map, and the user being able to access those locations and read up on the information either on the app created, or the website for further information.

Brontae and I worked very closely with the app and website, however it was my role to design and put together the center piece to this story world (website), it was up to me to tie everything together and make it flow. Without the website this story would fall apart, as it contains added information which is the backbone for the other platforms. Every component that the group wanted to include in the website was added, and further information and design elements – such as the John Mitchell Christie character talking the user around the website – were added to make this story more interactive and engaging for the user, and to motivate them along throughout the transmedia story we have created. The story’s motivation was such a significant topic when receiving feedback for our presentations in week 7.

One point that I made in WK7, was that “I wanted to learn new and innovative ways of making a website/app and to understand the powerful role of transmedia storytelling”. Overall, I have learned how to create a website, overcome hurdles, edit work with a critical eye, and to design a project that is transmedia. Not only will I have these skills for future tasks, but it has made me look at storytelling in a whole new light. The project we set out to do was complete to a level each group member was happy with, and it mirrors our understanding of what a transmedia story is. It is engaging, motivating, and most of all is a modern day digital museum, all at the touch of your fingertips, which will hopefully keep progressing into the future.

Website:

http://pocketmuseumjmc.wix.com/pocketmuseum

Application on Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodbarber.pocketmuseum&hl=en

Vimeo channel:

https://vimeo.com/pocketmuseum

YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcTXmZ-mJLtqDm4dwJ1TzA

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/pocket-museum

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pocketmuseum

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/pocketmuseumjmc

 

Website/App

Brontae and I have looked into the fluidity between the website and app, taking into account why we have chosen to do so, and why it is so important. We have also gone into detail the idea of agency between the two platforms. As these are the two main components, it is crucial for their to be continuity that allows the user to understand how they partner each other significantly – enabling the user to make the most out of the story without getting overwhelmed. They have the same design, similar content, layout (same titles used), descriptions, footage, colour scheme, pages (different sections for example: home page, JMC page, and then all of the subheadings that come underneath that – except for one or two). While the content addresses similar points and storylines, they are meant to be created differently so it doesn’t become repetitive to the user. The story is revealed gradually and in different depths depending on the specific platform, and it is a fine line between expanding and repeating. This is why certain information that is on the app isn’t on the website and vice versa. To get the most out of the story and various platforms, we had to decide on which one hosted specific information. The interactive points suited the app because it allows the user to actively engage with the setting, and by just bringing their phone that they would already have on them, they can connect with the content on offer. The audio was also great for the app, as the tracks would be able to easily help the user to become immersed in the story and setting – however they can also be enjoyed from home which is why they are placed on both the app and website. Everything has to be versatile. To promote the user going between the two platforms, Brontae and I decided to keep the designs similar. We used a similar colour scheme, font type and layout. On both platforms we have both go with the idea of having an overall homepage introducing Pocket Museum, as we are thinking of any future progressions, allowing us to add future stories into the equation. On the homepage we have general information such as contact details and the different platforms on offer. On the website there is a sport page for the story of JMC, and the app is the ska e- again keeping with the same layout. We have really planned this project not only for this brief but for future expansions also. The language that is used throughout the platforms are the same, we made sure we wrote the components together or the same person did it for both platforms. This also allowed for continuity throughout both elements, however the app doesn’t have as much content, it has almost skimmed the content from the website – allowing the sense of agency to kick in between the website and app, example: if you wanted to read more about a story go to the website etc.

We have encouraged the user to use the other platform by having extended points/components from one to the next (ie, they may be at the location, and find an event interesting so they must go to the website to learn more about it). The same goes for the video on the app, it partners the website by encouraging the user to go to the website and watch the full version, the same goes for the case files. When listening to the audio artifacts, the user can then go to the website and flip through the case files for more information and it has more facts and story elements available. On the website there is a section for the map, however it is just a google map to explore Melbourne, and on that page it suggests that the user go to the app and explore Melbourne with the pin drops of actual locations – this means they can explore Melbourne through a historical context, giving the user a specific experience, which is walking in the footsteps of JMC. On the website there is a page for understanding the app, which automatically tells the user that there are more platforms to this story – also helping the user to navigate around the app with ease, encouraging them to actually use it, and not give up straight away. Brontae and I have created two platforms that flow, and that encourage the user to go to the next platform for a whole different experience – overall, creating a transmedia story, with different levels of engagement for the user to choose from. This is a new and exciting way to interact with history through a story world.

Story without the story?

We have arrived at the last week of the semester and it dawned on Brontae and I that our story component has been lost, and it is THE STORY LAB! After a short freak out session, we had to think of what we can do to incorporate the main element back into our project. We had all of the information that we were going to have on the website and app, however there ended up being only one webisode created instead of two or three, and it was only the introduction, it was more of a teaser than a story component, and the audio artifacts were of JMC’s wife and not of him directly, so our original idea of having the story partly told through the videos was no longer happening, therefore we had to quickly think up what we could do. We went away and decided to add another page to the website called ‘The Story’ and just wrote a quick overview/story about his life which was looking at both of his personal and professional life. This meant that the reader had more of an understanding of his life, and the reason behind creating this world. In the case files, more of a story was added to the final pages of the mini books, to give more information to the user about each case. We were adding more components to the pages within the website such as descriptions to give extra information. We just didn’t think it would come down to losing our story, after all, it is all about creating a story world and transmedia story told across various platforms. This just wasn’t happening. This is the reason we had to write up the story page, and we had to really think about how we would tie everything together. You cant have this project without the story, it just cant happen, so we had to make up for the loss of story in the videos and put it on the website. In future ventures with this project it is obvious that webisodes will be the first element to do more of, so that that component is a strong tie into the story world. It is just a matter of running out of time. The benefit of the video created was that it was an introduction into this huge project, that will hopefully lure the audience’s in to see more of the world on offer.

The story that was added in at the end was written by me, and the information and timeline that I received was done by Brontae, so we had two people working on a MASSIVE component. Once we had finalised what we were going to do we told the group, and then added it to the website in the final days of it being due. We had to do something, because you cant have a project about storytelling lacking the story component, it just won’t work at all. Now we are happy with what we have created, and everything ties in nicely from each platform, with the user being able to now read a brief story about the character before starting their journey through his past.

The final days …

It is in the last week before the assignment is due, everything is getting edited, deadlines are approaching and the website is basically finished, just needs to be finalised, the links set and to have everything running smoothly. I am just needing to finish the timeline, finish adding in high resolution images so that everything looks professional and finished. This final week has been a bit crazy as the audio and video components were finished after our ideal deadline that we set for ourselves, which meant they were only going in at the last stages, therefore Brontae and I had to wait to finalise the project. Once we got these we then we could set up the links to the various platforms such as Soundcloud and Vimeo, where you can play the pieces on the website itself. It was quite stressful this last week, as the app and the website are the two most important features, and there was so much to do in order to finish them – it just shows how important it is to try and stick to the deadlines we give ourselves, otherwise its like a domino effect. In the end everything went in, and now it is just a matter of making everything picture perfect, user friendly and making sure it all works properly. Brontae and I have been working very closely with the two components, making sure we have them completed at the same time so they can both go live together. As there was so much to do and Jen and Ellie had finished their components,we had to delegate them jobs that we couldn’t do on our own, we needed them to source images, research how to publish the app, the small jobs that needed to be done with the help of other group members. This meant there was more than two people working on the final product – allowing us to get it done on time.

The group set deadlines for when the app and website needed to be published (ideally), and we worked very hard to get it all done and ready to go. After very long days, emailing back and forth Brontae and I got it done within the deadline, making it so much easier for us to reach the final stages where everything is due. Deadlines are so important because they push you to get the task done, whether they are hypothetical or real, there needs to be a structure of what we are going to do and when we are going to have it done by – this way we can allow ourselves time for any issues that may arise. Unfortunately this project didn’t have all of the deadlines met, meaning everything had to be pushed back, so if there were any huge problems that came up it would have been difficult to overcome. Luckily for us, we all worked through the minor hiccups as a group and overcame them to reach a result.

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