Storyworld Conference 2012

1. Storyworld Conference 2012 Chris Roda 2/8/2013 Appended 3/6/2014

2. Who Am I? • Digital Artist • CG Supervisor – EA sports • Interactive Attractions • Film Producer • VFX Artist • Computer Engineer

3. What is Transmedia Storytelling? • The technique of telling a single story across multiple media platforms. • Uses various strategies to permeate the daily lives of all participants. • Producers create unique pieces of content across multiple forms of media and then link them together in narrative synchronization.

4. Transmedia Storytelling

5. Transmedia Examples • Alternate Reality Games(ARG’s) • Dinner Theatre on steroids • Immersive Dungeons & Dragons • Amusements • Walt Disney World Imagineering • Television • Fan driven content – The Walking Dead • Video Games • EA’s Majestic • Marketing • Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails

6. What is Storyworld? • Chris Roda’s Definition: • All possible human experiences related to a similar concept yet bound rigidly by one central story, theme or canon – The Storyworld Heart. • If you can think of it, it could be part of a story world:

7. Storyworld Examples • Star Wars • Harry Potter • Scooby Doo • Assassin's Creed • Mass Effect • Pokemon • …

8. Storyworld Vs. Transmedia? • Transmedia Storytelling is part of Storyworld • Transmedia is a powerful tool of the much larger Storyworld engine

9. Storyworld & Transmedia All Possible Human Experiences Storyworld Heart (Story, Theme, Concept) Transmedia Story Transmedia Story Transmedia Story Transmedia Story Transmedia Story One Storyworld

10. Why Care About Storyworld? • What’s in it for EA Sports? • Traditional forms of media expression and experience are changing • Aspects of how marketing, transmedia opportunities, merchandising, cultural impact, … etc. have to be taken into consideration with every element we produce • What are we doing for our fans? • What experiences are not being explored?

11. Why Are We the Worse Company in America?

12. Storyworld 2012 Conference • Phenomenology 101 • The Power of Storytelling • The Relationship With the Audience • Rules of Storyworld

13. Phenomenology 101 • Crazy, abstract branch of philosophy • Don’t have time to go into the details  • Croda’s abstract(an probably incorrect simplification) • Our realities are dictated by the phenomenon of life impacting our consciousness. • We can now control the phenomenal experiences of our conscious experiences • Therefore, we can now control our realities.

14. Jean-Paul Sartre • Our ideas are the product of our experiences

15. ShepardFarrey • “The FIRST AIM OF PHENOMENOLOGY is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one's environment”

16. William Castle • Interactivity is the illusion of choice

17. George Lucas • Media happens somewhere: that somewhere can be designed

18. Intentionality • Croda’s Definition: “The process of shaping reality through the designing of experiences.” • The audience extends its consciousness to the thing we create • Characters of the story become surrogates for which we bond to with the meaningfulness of the experience

19. Frankenstein’s Monster? • The producer designs the original experience. • The “Story” takes on a life of its own: • The audience intentionally creates the "moment" • The meaning of the LOTR changed, the books didn't • The sharing of an experience is the same as reviewing, reliving or telling of an "meaningful" experience • The original story is static but lives on, grows and takes life of its own.

20. The Power of Storytelling

21. Why Stories? • Stories spark the imagination • Stories can change the world • Storytellers wrote the future (science fiction, fantasy authors) • Stories that are told across boundaries have more power - Introduction to Transmedia

22. Disney And Transmedia • Disney is the original “Transmedia Experience" - amusement parks immerse the public into the story.

23. Getting the Family Involved • Synergy references story - more than one person perceives the story. the story takes on a life of its own

24. Transmedia Extends Story • The more sense the story evokes the more powerful it can be

25. Transmedia Extends Story • The more sense the story evokes the more powerful it can be

26. Transmedia Extends Story • The more sense the story evokes the more powerful it can be

27. The Audience

28. Participation • Audience participation must be present for a story to be successful

29. Audiences are Changing • Audiences are changing • People and the mediums of communication • Our experiences are changing • The audiences are experiencing a desire to be more interactive and participatory

30. Interaction • The audiences are experiencing a desire to be more interactive and participatory • Sharing = Storytelling

31. Audiences Need To Play • Play is fundamental in human evaluation • Play translates experience into story • Individuals make their own version of the story • How do you create anenvironment for multiple players?

32. The Play-ification of Storytelling • Individuals need permission to play • Mothers need to have some kind of justification to play(research, education, etc) • What is your "trick" to invite people to play?

33. Audience Needs Guidance • Need to teach people how to experience things and they will follow • Folks want to be lead, told what to do ... just not literally. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJjK9njAwu0

34. Can There Be Interactive Storytelling? • Plot and Interactivity cannot Co-Exist • Sandboxes can be boring • Audience needs to be guided gently, invisibly …

35. Respect Your Fans • Test on your audience, let them be your litmus • Re-invest money back into them! • Fans are most important asset

36. Audience Participation is Crucial • With so much content fighting for attention and so many franchises fighting to retain an existing fan base, allowing fans to participate in the Storyworld is the key to success & survival

37. Participation • Human Needs – growth, significance, learning, surprise, contribution, community, comfort Feel Think Do

38. Stark Raving Fans • Do You want them to happen? • Yes!

39. Stark Raving Fans • Best practices for them: • capture the attention \ Create Doorways into store-ways • Encourage Fandom / • Secret Formula • Tell an amazing story • Create Doorways into story • Allow the fans to step into the spotlight

40. The “Rave-ification” of Fans • Option 1: Be objectively awesome • Option 2: Show people you're trying really hard to make something awesome • 2a) Show people you're doing what you love and appreciate • 2b) Listen to fans, React to show them you are listening • 2c) Make them part of your team • BIG REVEAL ... There is no Option 1

41. Fan Movement We’re creating a creative movement Inspire people to enjoy and participate with the team!

42. Fan Avenues • Facebook • Use to emphasize story moments, visuals. • No longer 'Official' Site but biggest fan site • YouTube • Direct towards Fans' content • Future Content • Web site • Contains marketing info but transition to be franchise hub • These fans deserve our respect and our attention. • DeviantArt • Collaborate Creativity • Conventions/Cosplay • Immersive Play

43. Don’t Lose Control!

44. Guidelines • Anticipate a lot of cooks in the kitchen • Needs to be a central story/theme - Storyworld Heart • Need to bear down one initial story • Leave hooks available for DLC's • Have solid ideas but not too deep • Each piece must be able to stand on its own and be the best it can be. • But not necessary to experience everything • Don't rob the experience that players or readers have • Don't be all over the place. • Get reference material right from the get go. • Storyworlds are actually not open. • Every time you railroad players you limit experience • Storyworld is alive as much as story

45. The Rules of Storyworld • Highly successful story worlds aren't born overnight. They require considered authorship, strategic planning and effective and intelligent use of social media

46. Respect Your Storyworld • Create new points of entry into the brand by creating original standalone yet connected narrative product • Give everything a purpose; be planting seeds for tomorrow’s content • Everything needs to be "canon"

47. Storyworld Integrity! • Storyworld first! then platforms • Create characters, depth, history, rules and stick to them. • Serve the feast one course at a time • Technology and the chase never rule over story • You must fall in love with your characters to make them (the audience) want to follow you!

48. What is Thy Story Heart? • Vision: What is my experience or Storyworld giving to my audience? • What question does it answer in a positive way? • Theme: Aspirational message that, if adhered to would improve the quality of life for the human race • To aspire is the best result of being inspired • Archetype: The lover, the sage, the innocent, the trickster, the outlaw ... • How does your hero ring a primal chord in the hearts of your audiences • Infusion: After determining Thy Story Heart, there is much less guesswork about the heart of your Storyworld • The narrative must be built around these core elements. • Thy Story Heart is the skeleton of your chore media • NEVER STRAY FROM IT!

49. 10 Commandments of Storyworld • Know Thy Story Heart and never stray from it! • The Storyworld is unstoppable and rules over all • Franchise visionaries must put up tent poles now! Even if they have to move them later! • Studios and Producers must secure the best talent for the job! But Talent must never roadblock an ongoing Storyworld! • Create Highly Organized Resources for canon and assets

50. 10 Commandments of Storyworld • Studios and producers must establish a franchise clearing house and regular cross-divisional meetings in support of the story world • Stakeholders must be incentivized to support the strategy behind the rollout of the Storyworld • Franchise visionaries and Storyworld implementation must validate and celebrate audience participation • Licensing, merchandising and marketing must nurture and expand the Storyworld. • Storyworld must be accessible across an array of Digital and Traditional Media Portals, each piece adding to the narrative whole.