Transmedia Storytelling and Community Engagement:
Transmedia Activism
Lina Srivastava | NYWIFTApril 2012
Transmedia
Transmedia Ac-vism
technique of extending a core storyacross multiple platforms and formatsthrough
coordination strategyintegration design/architectureimmersion content
Transmedia ActivismFramework for strategy to - Create social impact- Influence perception- Build community
through storytelling bydecentralized authors whoshare assets + create entry pointsinto issues and solutions across multiple forms of media
Transmedia Activism
Using Transmedia to Create Social Impact
Issue Awareness Engagement Action Change
Actionable Content
Story Universe
Transmedia Activism
Why is This Important?
Transmedia Ac-vism
+ How to Tell a Story+ How to Tell a Story Together+ How to Tell a Story of a System, of Complexity+ How to Tell a Story that is ++ an Element of Change ++ a Predicate for a Movement
Why is This Important to Community Engagement?
Transmedia Ac-vism
Participation
Entry Points
Story BuildingCo-CreationCo-ProductionCollaborationMultiple (Diverse) Perspective
“By collectivizing ownership of narrative, transmedia breaks down the “us” and “them”
It is no longer “you” supporting ”our” work to help “them.” Rather, it is all of us working together to meet and overcome a challenge”
--David Jammy
Transmedia Activism
Narrative + Social ActionAssessing Your Social Change Model
Co-designing narrative with social action is a challenging exercise in achieving simple, engaging stories that yet capture nuance, complexity, and multiple perspectives. In any social
change campaign where you co-design narrative with action to create positive impact in a community, ask yourself if your
campaign meets these three conditions:
+ Respect+ Relevance+ Resonance
Full model available at http://www.slideshare.net/lksriv/the-3-rs-co
Transmedia Ac-vism
Transmedia Ac-vism
+ It has at its core the use of local voice, in direct partnership with the platform creators, aiming at community-centered participation.
+ It uses its platform to move beyond awareness, to connect audiences and change agents to commit to a particular worldview, advocacy or action, by using these local stories and art.
+Uses a number of platforms that are culturally appropriate to cross borders to foster transformation.
What I Look for in Transmedia Activism Projects
Who Is Dayani Cristal?
Transmedia Ac-vism
http://whoisdayanicristal.com
Core: Voice Amplification and Community-centered social action
Text
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Sc2wu51-E
www.facebook.com/LakouMizik
http://twitter.com/LakouMizik
Transmedia Activism
+Haitians in-country
+Haitian Diaspora
+Fans of World music
+Arts/activism
+People who helped post-earthquake and who need to reengage
Audiences | Fans | Community
Transmedia Activism
Social Music Platforms:
+ How do you keep a community engaged with these tools and platforms?
+ How do you cut through the noise?
+ How do you create and harness empathy?
http://twitter.com/3generations
http://3generations.org
Transmedia Ac-vism
Risks and Challenges
+ Intellectual property concerns
+ Love of the platform and technology
+ Intentionality | Stewardship
+ Gap between engagement and action
+ Simplified narratives
+ Respect, relevance, resonance