S.A.M. ( Storytelling Across Multiplatform )

My focus is on creating story worlds that are in tune with the new generation of consumers and building new interfaces through which they will interact. Gaming concepts will motivate the transitions between devices, as users follow my stories from the TV to the web to their cell phones.

I am exploring the potential of telling a progressive story for users to follow across multiple platforms and not an exploration of user-controlled or user-created stories.

Multiplatform Storytelling: Create cohesive and entertainment experiences across all those entertainment devices (TV, Web, cellular, etc.) A focus in multiplatform storytelling is on creating story worlds that are in tune with the new generation of consumers and the new interfaces through which they will interact with new stories. In my project, I would apply gaming concept during the transition between entertainment devices.

For the past decade we have seen streaming evolve from the early days when sports and adult sites streamed audio and video in the Real format to the emergence of Flash video and YouTube, which have given widespread access to virtually unlimited archives of professionally produced and user-generated video. Without doubt, streaming has become a real and powerful vehicle for distribution and monetization of content.
Streaming videos has become one of important media distribution channels in these years. According to Nielsen, Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Video grew 44 percent in February, 2006 over a year ago to lead the top 5 with 9.3 million unique visitors. YouTube and Google Video rose from relative obscurity a year ago to drawing 9 million and 6.2 million visitors, respectively. IFilm and Yahoo Inc.'s videosearchrose 102 percent and 148 percent to 4.3 million and 3.8 million unique visitors, respectively. Also, according To comScore Media Metrix Online Video Ratings analysis, In June, 2005, there were 94 Million Americans Viewed Online Videos. Male users, who represent 50 percent of the total online population, account for 61 percent of all video streamers. Male and female viewers spend virtually the same amount of time viewing online video content (71.4 and 70.6 minutes respectively.) However, the 18- 35 year-old male segment, which has proven difficult to reach through other media , views significantly greater 84 minutes of online video content per viewer.
The significant increase of the population on online streaming explains why the number hours spent by young people in front of a TV set has already been a worldwide decline, especially after the rise of high-speed Internet and the popularity of video sites like Google Inc.'s YouTube. Early 2007, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates spoke at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos “The Internet is set to revolutionize television within five years, due to an explosion of online video content and the merging of PCs and TV sets,…” (Hirschler, 2007) Also on a study by Insight Research, it points out that streaming video and music over the Internet will produce $27 billion in revenue in U.S. markets in 2011. It means that streaming market will grow about 32% annually the next 5 years.
What is next? People in the industry have been working on so-called interactive TV which is that, ideally, the intersection of television and streaming media. Now interactive TV is still focused on multiplatform content. In other words, those interactions with streaming media are still around the television shows. For example, some companies are releasing television shows on broadband, and others are selling them on iTunes, like Disney, NBC Universal, Viacom, News Corporation and Time Warner. Some companies are creating ancillary content like “webisodes” and “mobisodes”—versions of television shows modified for alternative platforms—and others are producing content specifically for broadband and mobile devices.
There are still some problems and barriers preventing a mass adoption of interactive TV. There is no compelling content in the space yet, because no business model will make the investment worthwhile. The lack of good storytelling is the biggest issue of interactive TV. Now I can find a lot of stats, gaming, weather, stock information on interactive TV, but very little storytelling. This is the result of people trying to make something out of the space but not starting with content. Why is the content of interactive TV so important? For the Fans of Lost or 24, you may notice that people can’t wait to watch the next episode of Lost or 24. Regardless the fact that people always complain about how little time they have, they still find time to watch DVDs of these shows. The stories are so compelling that people can’t wait to watch and talk about the stories with their friends. That is the “link” that needs to be tapped into.
My idea would like to take it a step further and have created cross-platform experiences to market television shows. From my understanding, there are some companies have been trying to create this cross-platform experiences, which is like that “Easter eggs” on the television property that lead viewers to websites, mobile content, possibly to retail locations, and then back to the television show. Also, the show “Lost” on ABC has created the intersection of mobile phone and TV shows. Viewers can go to the “Lost” Website and sign up for receiving the text message regarding the show. Then, viewers would receive messages which give viewers clues about the show before next episode coming up. In this case, viewers have more interactions with the show.
If a multiplatform story can capture a user on all of the user’s entertainment devices, advertisers have the ability to reach their target market at all possible touch points in an extremely efficient, seamless, targeted, relevant, and accountable way. Instead of trying to cast a wide net and hoping to reach potential customers in multiple locations, advertisers can market directly to their target customers through the multiplatform story. I believe that multiplatform storytelling not only bring a new interactive experience to viewers, but also open a new media distribution channel for business.
Personally, now is the time for the concept of multiplatform storytelling. I believe that most people have a television, and many have an enhanced television with digital cable and interactive capabilities. More than half of the U.S. has a computer with broadband connectivity at work and/or at home. Almost everyone has a cell phone. And many professionals, teenagers, and tech geeks have another mobile device: a Blackberry, iPod, or laptop. There is no need to change user behavior in terms of how entertainment is consumed for multiplatform stories to work. However, finding a way to create solid and entertainment experiences across all those entertainment devices is the key of multiplatform storytelling. So, a new focus in entertainment should be on creating story worlds that are in tune with the new generation of consumers and the new interfaces through which they will interact with new stories.
A good story is definitely would be crucial on the multiplatform storytelling. Throughout history, one thing that has always held true is that a good story is a good story regardless of the platform or the manner in which it is delivered or presented. I think that multiplatform storytelling will be no different.

According to my research, the 18 – 34 years old segment spends a significant amount of time on online video content and are more likely familiar and able to use those new entertainment devices.

Actor:
A man, named Andy, is 5’ 8 feet, 170 bls, White, 30 years old. He is also working in a financial company in Manhattan.

Settling:
Around 6:00 PM. Andy just got home from work. He brought some food from outside for dinner. He likes having TV on when he eats. It is around 8:00PM. He is browsing the channels and trying to find some interesting shows.

Needs and Wants:
After all day stressful work, the things Andy likes to do after work is to watch TV shows. The TV shows he likes are very variety, such as sitcom, drama, etc. He is looking for something different and interesting. He hopes that, through those shows, he would be able to spices up his life besides ordinary and routine life.
In my shows, Andy definitely would feel interesting and different from other shows by switching media during the storytelling. Also, he would feel more engaged in the shows.

Plot:
The following word shows at the beginning of the show, “The following program is not suitable for people who don’t know how to turn on the computer and how to use cellphone!” That totally catches Andy’s attention. Andy is curious about what kind of show this is. So, Andy stops browsing the channel and decision to stick with the show. Then, he starts to like the show because of the story. After 15 minutes, the show stops at the middle of storytelling and tell Andy “To Be Continue…..Please go to www.multiplatformstory.com” He suddenly has a desire of wanting to know what is going to happen next. So, He goes to his laptop and opens the browser. He goes to the website.
The first thing coming out is the last sense of the story he just watched on TV. In order to continuing the story, Andy would have to following the instruction on the Websites. The first of interaction is to have Andy as an actor in the story to continue the story by gaming concept of the interaction. When he reaches certain stage of the game, the interface of storytelling would become streaming. Andy backs to be audience again. However, during the streaming, Andy receives test messages on his cellphone which are relative to the story he is watching.

Resolution:
He feels that it was very interesting and funny experience. He feels that he become part of the story through the interaction between TV, Web and cellphone.

The purpose of multiplatform storytelling is to complete a story through different media devices. In this case, where the storytelling happens would depend on what device is using on that part of story. For example, at the beginning of a story broadcast on the TV. Homes would be likely the place to prove the storytelling to audience. Then, the story continues on the Web. The location would not longer restrict in the home. Audience can continue to experience it through where they can have the access to the Internet. After that, the story can take place on Cellular. In that case, it is almost no restriction of where the story could take place as long as audiences have cell phones with them.
However, the interactive time during the storytelling would be the parts of story taking place on other devices, such as online or Cell phones, than Television. TV is still the strong media channel for reaching audiences. In term of the interaction with audiences, Television seems to have difficulties to perform it.
In my project, the multiplatform indicates three media devices; TV, Website and cellphone. A story would be present as a video. Intentionally, users/viewers should experience the interaction with a story, not just watching a show. In the design of this project, a users/viewers would be required to have some interactions, such as a simple game designed to be related to the story when a story continue to be tell on Website.
Besides media devices as I mentioned early, the technologies also used in this project are mostly Website design based programming software, such as Flash, PHP and JavaScript.

The finish line of this project is to present a story through TV, Website and cellphone successfully and smoothly. My best achievement from this project is to provide a new experience with storytelling in a fun and interactive way. Viewers/users would enjoy following a story as much as interacting with it.