CFP: Transmedia: Storytelling and Beyond

Thursday 31 January 2013, Friday 1 February 2013

Sydney, Australia

Call For Presentations Narratives and interactive experiences developed across different media platforms—each of which contributes something unique and valuable to the whole—have become standard fixtures in the contemporary digital landscape. The term ‘transmedia storytelling’ has enjoyed particular currency within academic circles while the media industry speaks in terms of multiplatform experiences. Much has been written on the subject in the academic and industry press, though new technologies and the pressure to do something innovative with the digital medium mean that the idea and practice of transmedia are in flux. While the debate over what to call this phenomenon remains unresolved, there is no denying its profound impact on the relationship between media producers, audiences/users, digital content and the devices used to consume and produce it. Naming conventions remain a contentious issue, however, there is also a need to examine other aspects of this emerging industry to ensure its ongoing sustainability. This call for presentations represents an invitation to introduce, highlight or clarify key questions concerning issues such as models for benchmarking, techniques for user engagement, value measurement, pedagogy and curriculum design, and evaluative techniques for complex and dynamic user engagement. Transmedia is, by its very nature, an interdisciplinary enterprise that draws from fields such as creative writing, IT, film, television, media studies, economics, public policy, creative design, and education. Thus, the project seeks to create a space for critical engagement that is enriched by the participation of academics, industry professionals and other stakeholders, as well as audience/users from across the disciplinary spectrum.

The project will launch in Sydney with 2 one-day events organised around separate, yet related themes. We therefore welcome proposals for presentations, papers and panels on topics on the following topics:

Day One: 31st January 2013—Innovation in Transmedia Design and Production

~ (Re)Defining and understanding the meaning of transmedia/multiplatform production

~ Narrative/Aesthetic/Thematic analysis of transmedia/multiplatform experiences

~ Social networking trends and their impact on transmedia/multiplatform development

~ Technologies that drive transmedia/multiplatform consumption, production and the post-broadcast era as a whole

~ Innovation in transmedia/multiplatform production

~ The future of transmedia/multiplatform development, uses and engagement

~ Pedagogies and curriculum design for teaching transmedia/multiplatform

~ Cultural policy and the promotion of transmedia/multiplatform innovation

Day Two: 1st February 2013—Innovation in Sustainable Business Practices

~ Transmedia/multiplatform production business models

~ Studies of transmedia/multiplatform audiences

~ Defining and measuring audience/user engagement

~ Uses and limitations of web analytics; new approaches

Abstracts and proposals not exceeding 300 words should be submitted jointly to the Organising Chairs by Friday 19th October 2012. Submissions may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats with the following information and in this order: a) author (s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract.
 E-mails should be entitled: TM1 Abstract Submission.

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using footnotes and any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should assume we did not receive your proposal; it might be lost in cyberspace! We suggest, then, to look for an alternative electronic route or resend.

Organising Chairs

Ann-Marie Cook, Deirdre Hynes and Debra Polson 

Rob Fisher 

This event is part of the Global Transmedia Research Initiative, whose aim is to bring together people from different disciplinary and professional backgrounds in an ongoing series of events dedicated to generating dialogue and research around the many facets of transmedia production and reception.

For further details of the event, please click here. 

Please note: Since each day is a self-contained event, participants may opt to register for one or two days.

We regret that as a not-for-profit network, Inter-Disciplinary.Net is not in a position to assist with conference travel or subsistence.