Admittedly, I was under the impression that there were no classes in Week 5 for all modules so I did not attend the tutorial. As expected, I have some notes to refer to as well as my answers to the group who presented that week.

Let’s begin.

The topic this week covered Interactive and Immersive Narratives. This is an exciting topic for me, as it presents a world of many possibilities. As I’ve begun shape-forming my own idea to pitch to the class and submit a proposal, and the idea of immersive storytelling and interactivity conjures up a dark starry night, the sound of waves and a ship that sails across with a narrator’s voice over the top which encourages the user end to consider the perspective of a merchant from  X, Y or Z era- which would they be? They select one. Then, depending on the which they select they get to choose the kind of commodity they want that was linked to Holland, Portugal or Britain. Then they are transported back in time and are presented with a media matrix of possibility- from online articles and photography to short videos and podcasts, the user gets to learn what the particular trail of this merchant influenced the making of a minority community come to be known as the Anglo-Indians.

Going through the modules we read that I-Doc’s Judith Arthur describes Interactive Narratives as an expression of many possibilities in terms of the way the user end connects to a story- be it tapping an i-Pad or tablet, clicking a mouse, scanning a QR codes, etc. (i-Docs, nd) So here, we are talking about the way a person may navigate a narrative from a technical point of view. Immersive Narrative, on the other hand, is referred to as a technique of storytelling which is making its way into spaces such as galleries, games, theatres, journalism, and advertising.

An example of an Interactive Narrative I can think of first hand is ScreenWorlds at ACMI. The space is a “journey through time” chronologically curated gallery, exploring the history of the “moving image” and sound. The gallery includes magic lanterns, buttons, touch screens and retro game consoles. So, there are a number of actions a visitor can take.

In terms of Immersive Narratives, the first example that comes to mind is a downloadable podcast tour, created to be listened to while strolling through Boyd Park in Murrumbeena. Here, the project makes use of a true-to-life environment while narrating a tour. Much like a traditional tour, the attendee is gaining an immersive experience via a technique of storytelling.

There was an interesting question provided by the presenters for this particular week which asked whether classmates preferred games created with an emphasis on storytelling (in its study form referred to as narratology) or games with goals, rules, and gameplay (in its study form referred to as ludology). My initial answer to that question was storytelling but upon further consideration, I’ve always enjoyed a combination of the two in games such as the Super Mario Brothers series, Zelda and Mortal Combat. That magical amalgamation of characters and stories with the excitement of character can’t be beaten.

Considering the questions regarding VR, I can see it being popularised slowly but surely in the future. It’s already gained momentum thanks to Samsung and museum galleries like Triennial at NGV.  The industries I predict it will be popular in include museums and galleries, gaming, and education. Museums and galleries because they have a presence in these areas and have been well received, gaming because advancements in interactive technology are generally received enthusiastically (Wii games for example) and education because I’ve already seen online tools and 3D animation being used in industrial training, so why not VR?

Limitations involve costs and considering why VR is valuable as a medium for a project- what does the user end take away from the experience other than the new technology itself?

Reference

Aston, Judith nd,  ‘Interactive documentary – what does it mean and why does it matter?’ , www.i-Docs.org , viewed 14 April 2018, <http://i-docs.org/2016/03/27/interactive-documentary-what-does-it-mean-and-why-does-it-matter/>

I really enjoyed how this week’s group introduced to us popular examples of video games from China 20 years ago and today. I think it was a fascinating share covering video game simulations and made me think about my own love of video games as a child and how much I adored and still do love Nintendo and Super Nintendo games. I don’t believe I dislike older digital worlds, they bring about a sense of nostalgia that no amount of CGI could achieve. The music, character and world design and narratives of Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Combat, and Zelda bring about that warm and cozy feel of nostalgia that I could never have imagined back then as these amazing games were so technologically innovative for their time that I feel like one should really appreciate where we have come from in that respects even if one did prefer today’s gaming world because it’s visually and technologically advanced therefore viewed as much more superior.

Exploring the subject, thinking now about Pre-Digital simulations, I am compelled to consider puppetry and considering the evolution of the moving image and imagined and replicated worlds.  A narrative is connected to the simulation, and if you wanted to you could possibly build your own little world with props, becoming an emergent narrative in the form of child’s play. Fast forward to today and we have simulations as story making machines

As quoted in the lecture, “Frasca claims that a video game is bigger than a single story = it’s a dynamic system which can produce many different stories”.  Indeed, referring back now to that example of puppetry as a form of child’s play and entertainment- ‘game designers can learn a lot from studying storytelling media’ (Hentry Jenkins).

Reflecting now on the questions posed, I do think VR will be a very popular format for gaming in the future. It’s already showing signs of interest and with refinement accessibility in pricing and design, it’s bound to gain some momentum and become even more advanced.

Transmedia is so fascinating to me as mentioned in class. It was so exciting as a child when The Simpson’s became a Nintendo game and also became an animation program alongside other kinds of transmedia like figurines etc.  I believe it’s important to CONNECTING and ENGAGING with storytelling as it’s good marketing as it creates this extra sense of ownership between the audience and the story.

Another interesting topic here is the role that participation has in interactive projects, upon doing some “hindsight” preparation reading, I ponder the paradigm of participation in participatory documentaries with regards to my own project, using it as a way of marketing the project, injecting a deeper sense of purpose and creating a tangible sense of connection. The Anglo-Indian community is known for their love of food, congregating at dances and fundraising for those back home who are doing it rough. Why not incorporate these values into a launch? Formulate a Facebook competition on well known active groups and encourage people to submit stories linked with themes/topics that I plan to cover in the interactive piece and create a competition. I could involve a few respected members of the community such as Dr. Gloria Moore from Melbourne who is well studied in the area of Anglo-Indian history and culture and Bridget White Kumar from Mumbai who is an international award-winning cookery book author (who featured on my second podcast) have expressed a desire to keep the community alive and I believe Gloria would be a great influencer to have on board to introduce the event and as a keynote.

Moving back to the lecture presented  by  this week’s group, I found the History of Participation section immensely interesting and how some of the earliest technologies to be part of the evolution of participation was Kodak and how Kino Glaz (1924) revealed a ‘previously unseen truth’ this could reveal both the roots of modern-day reality TV. Some of the earliest forms of reality television were sporting events and documentaries. Though the formats and styles have changed over time (some of which I recall being discussed in one of the first lectures this semester)…and in all technicality, people who were willing to be on camera to showcase a real-life situation. Arguably, the most important of the purposes served by these participatory documentaries was to drive social change.

1997: Birth of the Camera Phone (2017)

Another interesting topic here is the role that participation has in interactive projects, upon doing some “hindsight” preparation reading, I ponder the paradigm of participation in participatory documentaries with regards to my own project, using it as a way of marketing the project, injecting a deeper sense of purpose and creating a tangible sense of connection. The Anglo-Indian community is known for their love of food, congregating at dances and fundraising for those back home who are doing it rough. Why not incorporate these values into a launch? Formulate a Facebook competition on well known active groups and encourage people to submit stories linked with themes/topics that I plan to cover in the interactive piece and create a competition. I could involve a few respected members of the community such as Dr. Gloria Moore from Melbourne who is well studied in the area of Anglo-Indian history and culture and Bridget White Kumar from Mumbai who is an international award-winning cookery book author (who featured on my second podcast) have expressed a desire to keep the community alive and I believe Gloria would be a great influencer to have on board to introduce the event and as a keynote.

Moving back to the lecture presented  by  this week’s group, I found the History of Participation section immensely interesting and how some of the earliest technologies to be part of the evolution of participation was Kodak and how Kino Glaz (1924) revealed a ‘previously unseen truth’ this could reveal both the roots of modern-day reality TV. Some of the earliest forms of reality television were sporting events and documentaries. Though the formats and styles have changed over time (some of which I recall being discussed in one of the first lectures this semester)…and in all technicality, people who were willing to be on camera to showcase a real-life situation. Arguably, the most important of the purposes served by these participatory documentaries was to drive social change.

1997: Birth of the Camera Phone (2017) – video available on blog post

What was interesting was the footage or reenactment of how the phone camera came about in 1997 thanks to Phillipe Kahn, a technology inventor for France. It showcases how valuable experimentation is and how an everyday need (being key!) to share an important moment digitally (therefore instantaneously) and some innovation changed the way we communicate forever.

I remember Web 1.0 and unless you were going into a chatroom app, there was no way for a web user to interact with anything on the internet. That being said, now with Web 2.0 we have blogs driving SEO and interactivity on websites, then the idea that almost anyone can be a self-made “expert” and with the right content, social media strategising, Google analytics etc you can track business and sponsorship. It’s a very different world to what it once was.

Reference

1997: Birth of the Camera Phone 2017, streaming video, Conscious Minds, US, viewed 14 April 2018, <https://vimeo.com/221117048>

How do you come up with ideas? I am a big fan of that moment when an idea strikes. And that is literally what happens- it STRIKES! I am so excited. These past few weeks I have been thinking about the idea I have in mind for a non-linear style project for my concept “Cultureline”. I have come up with a mock-up “Digital Tour” in a past project (International Collaborative Media Project)  and I was wary that I didn’t (and shouldn’t) be using any past projects for this new idea- however, I DO have a bee in my bonnet about creating something out of Cultureline and I do have a great vision that it will manifest in various formats (ie – a series of podcasts, a series of videos, a tourism-driven digital experience etc).

I also love museum spaces and working with subject matter specialists as this really enriches a project. I love history, culture and creating a sense of immersion. I love the magic and wonder about travelling back in time and darting back to the present. Can I replicate this idea? How so?

I was so pleased when Twine was introduced to us, it’s a great way of organising information and organising what could be a pretty complex project.

I like to let ideas simmer, it’s a bit of a process and depending on what is happening in my daily life, ideas can come quickly, develop incrementally or arrive in an instant like an email implanted into my brain.

The latter happened last night as I was about to drift off to sleep. Picture this. I close my eyes ready for a good night’s slumber and *ping* I see a vision in my head playing out magically. I was so enthralled by it. It started with a screen with a beautiful starry night’s sky and a voice speaks asking “Imagine if you were a tradesman, and you had the option of sailing the seven seas across various moments in time. Where in the world would you go?”  – while this voice spoke, shadows of ships pass each other (like shadow puppets), with the sound of the seas crashing…then emerges a screen with three ships, one with a Dutch flag, one with a Portuguese flag and another with the British.

Here is a visual mock-up of what I imagined…it’s not completely accurate (the ship flags are bad and you can’t see the countries flags)…but I thought I’d have some fun with it. Note the 80s sound at the end was very intentional…and reminds me of one of my childhood favourites – The Mysterious Cities of Gold!

The idea is the user selects one and is taken on a non-linear journey which much resembles a Rhizome Narrative (yes, I was very much inspired by our Assessment 1 flipped lecture for Week 4)…Each ship will uncover bites of history in various formats (be it photography, videos, mini podcasts). The history will expose information about each ship’s intentions from an economical standing point, then delve into how each of these cultures planted their own influences on the minority Eurasian community that became the Anglo-Indians. The beginning and the end will be solid in this case scenario and the user will have the option to explore economy, food, linguistic influences, cultural influences- as much information that is relevant to each ship.

The idea is to take the user on a journey through time and space, immerse them in history and teach them about a minority group that does not get much media exposure.

Reference

The Mysterious Cities of Gold 1982, television program, Fabulous Film, June 22.

Exploring Narrative structures has an interesting tale to tell, and following this week’s flipped lecture it was evident that the various structures had interesting impacts on viewers and ways to connect with your audience.

The lecture was delivered with a ‘click-bait’ style beginning, designed to capture the attention of the students the same way it is created to capture the attention of social media users as they jump down the rabbit hole into a story that is unrelated but thus still managed to gain that page hit and hopefully their interest.

At first glance, one would wonder ‘why this approach?’ But upon reflection shortly after, I could identify this was what I tend to refer to as a “Babushka Doll ” concept: where a parent idea is used to encapsulate the idea being communicated. Using an example of narrative- in this case, it would have fit an almost Branching Storyline if you account for the fact that a user would click the bait and then be faced with a bunch of branching click-bait style storylines to choose from. By doing this the Week 3 Flipped Lecture duo had encapsulated the concept of the lecture with an example of that concept. I enjoyed this style, even though it did throw me at the beginning as it was thought-provoking.

The questions for this week’s tutorial were insightful. Other than retro games from the world of Nintendo and Sega, I have not spent a lot of time playing other kinds of game series like Grand Theft Auto, etc. So it was a little challenging for me to answer the questions without experiencing the example media as yet. I was a bit behind the eight ball there, so my answers to the questions did reflect that.

Let’s go through them.

1. Why is it so difficult to find a logically accurate definition for the term “Interactive”?
2.  Of the following popular media examples which are modular, linear and non-linear narratives? Grand Theft Auto Series, Nintendo’s Pokemon Go Augmented Reality, Black Panther Movie and the Master of Media website
3. The definition of Documentary or Documenting is; Any Reproducible Record or Recording of phenomena? Is it ;a.) Record of Facts b.) A News Story c.) A Soap Opera

The first question caught me by surprise as at the time of reading the question I had run through the flipped lecture and wondered if there was something I had not looked into properly. Because of a few resources I came across on the internet while considering the question, I wondered if it had to do with comparing “interactive” with “reactive” and that posing an issue of definition.

Here was my very inaccurate response:

“The mid 19th-century word from interact on the pattern of active”… Sometimes “interactive” is referred in the context of what is “reactive”.  Back in the late ’00s, “Interactive” was an industry buzzword before it became split into social media and digital. I believe the buzz world aspect might have made it/or been part of making “interactive” harder to find a logically accurate definition.

I did feel a little silly in hindsight but it was important to note that  this query about the definition of “Interactive” was interesting, and how much I am used to various kinds of definitions and descriptions used within creative context of the media world that might not be used outside the context of such an area. Having said this, because I had my “media hat” on at the time of answering the question, I struggled to grasp the reasoning behind the question upon answering it in my notebook at home – hence perhaps my inaccurate answer.

The second questions as mentioned before was a great way to determine your understanding of the various kinds of narrative structure, however because of my limited exposure to the examples, I was a bit behind the eight ball with my answers. I did find it very helpful however once we went through them in class as I then understood the media examples better and pictured them as they are structured:

Grand Theft Auto Series: Both constellation and multilayered

Nintendo’s Pokemon Go: Augmented Reality – Multilayered and non-linear (I got this half right)

Black Panther (of course I got this right)

Master of Media – Constellation/Non-linear (I couldn’t access the site but I imagined that a website would be non-linear and yes constellation at that)

The questioning around what was not a documentary seemed straightforward from a media perspective, but the context I learned later in class was more around technical definition hence I answered incorrectly or correctly depending on which way one looks at the question. I had actually answered “soap opera”, but it was debated that even a soap opera is documented. I believe this depends on the context from which we look at it- it can be from either a purist’s understanding or under the context of media.

I found the presentation interesting, I enjoyed the insights into engagement levels and graphs used to display this as well. I think my only constructive feedback here is providing visual examples of various structures is always helpful and being mindful of what’s understood about the topic already and just keeping that part on-track, capitalizing on media and perhaps using the definitions as a way to inject a sense of awareness.

Later on, during the tutorial, we wrote down a draft of our pitch which I’m still considering. It was great listening to other people’s project ideas. I would really love to bring my concept of Cultureline- exploring mixed-race cultures and making this information accessible to the general public in an interesting and engaging manner and in various forms. I would definitely love to go a multiplatform structure, but now I am thinking how wonderful it would be to create an interactive event which used various forms of media, sound, food…a tour or podcast? I have a lovely mix of contacts who would most likely be happy to be involved in the making of something like this as well. This includes a combination of respected subject matter experts and enthusiastic community members. I would be curious to find out what kinds of programs we could use to create interesting non-linear projects. Definitely some food for thought. I feel an interesting idea brewing.

Reading References:

Adams, E & Rollings, A 2010, Fundamentals of Game Design, New Riders, Berkeley, CA