Is Transmedia Storytelling grown popularity?

According to Jenkins, Transmedia storytelling has grown an importance as Hollywood strategy because it is designed to share, and collaborate in a cohesive story experience across multimedia platforms. This will help the audiences to engage in the larger storytelling world. By integrating entertainment and marketing, it makes strong emotional attachments and use them to generate additional sales.  Also, Jenkin’s argument in the clip video regarding transmedia project is that by using the web to create transmedia exposure around their product, the amateurs and fans are able attaching themselves by adding fan fiction, fan video to expand their story with the use of convergence media of storytelling.

Some example of transmedia storytelling from Jenkin’s book was the original movie, The Matrix, which took us into a world where the line between reality and illusion is blurred. The Matrix phenomenon when originally viewed left many people perplexed, confused and some loved the movie. The movie created a huge fan base where people are voicing their opinion and interpretation of the movie. The Wachowski brothers played the transmedia game by first put the original film to stimulate interest, offering web comics, second film sequel, releasing computer game and followed by the last film sequel which later turn into a massive multiplayer online game. This is truly how transmedia work by building what has come before, while offering new points of entry.  

Star Wars is another example that moved from film into novels, it expanded the timeline to show events that were not contained in the film trilogies. Also, Star Wars transmedia went into games, those games did not just enact film events, they ventured into other stories such as the Jedi trainee, bounty hunter and many more for the fans and to generate revenue.  Other examples of transmedia storytelling he discussed in the book included Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings.

Another example is from the short clip video of how transmedia storytelling worked. In “2012 movie”, there was a whole website created that explained the destruction of the world which the scenario that played out in the movie and all the box stories were available in the web that the fan could drill much deeper into story than ever before. He explained it was about dispersing the information and created multi points of contact for the listeners to the story that have been told. It’s like one big jigsaw puzzle where audiences are comparing, sharing notes and collectively put together to form a meaningful hole...

Are you a member of online community?

Yes, I am !!!! I became a member of an online community called "Mom's Support Group" in the past few weeks. I decided to join this group because I am also a mom of two kids. This was my first time that I involved with strangers on social media. It was a bit weird when I posted my issue on this site for the first time since I usually never shared my own personal problems to the world.

So far, I am so happy with Mom's Support Group. There are a lot of members who have been in my shoes, gave me very useful advice how to cope with its problem. They gave very genuine comments and support that made me feel that I am not alone in this world.

It is an interesting online community, which can be found on Facebook. This group has very strict rule for members to comply. Every post or comment is screened by Admin before showing it on the site.

Last week, I just found out that one of my close friends in the U.S is also part of this group. She has been in hell with her marriage over 10 years and has 3 kids. She is still married but her husband and her do not talk to each other unless it is a significant matter, then they will talk. One member in the group posted her issues which was similar to my friend's issues. My friend shared her own story, and gave some advice to that member. That woman took my friend's advice serious and really appreciated too.   

I believe to be part of online community is very important because sometimes I do not want to share my issues with my family and friends, I rather share it with the strangers.

If you have not joined any online group yet, please find at least one that fit to your own preference, then JOIN IT!!!!   

Is anyone interested in watching Korean movies?

Recently, the Korean movies have gained popularity in America. I am one of those who is addicted to Korean movies than any other movies. How about you?  If you have never thought of watching it, you should consider, especially if you like romantic or drama.

Korean movies, generally, never go beyond one season, consist of only 16 episodes unlike the American's that continued with multiple seasons. Romance is forefront in the Korean movies, the movie mostly rated PG, no sexual physical relationship, only kiss is the most romantic things you can see throughout the drama. It emphasizes on the characters getting to know each other first before they become a girlfriend or boyfriend. Usually, main male character is from a rich family or more educated and main female character is from a middle class family or less educated. At the end of the movies, there always have a happy and peaceful ending, that is what I like about the Korean movies.

Thanks to convergence culture, now online streaming video are now getting easier to access, whereas the internet is available. I do not need to have Korean cable in order to watch its movies. Through online video streaming  services, I can just go to their websites using computer, or tablet, smart TV or my smart phone device to watch. 

There are a couple websites that I have been using to watch Korean movies such as Viki Ratuken, and Drama4fever. These are free websites that allowed you to view old episodes.  However, current ones are required to pay a fee.  The websites do allow me to watch for a few episodes of current movies to lure in and make me pay a monthly subscription fee if I wish to continue.  Those current movies will become available and free months later, usually 6 months to 1 yr later.

Since I did not want to pay the fee and still wanted to watch the remaining episodes, I was looking for other websites that could provide me with free access of the Korean's current movies, I came across this website https://www.viewasian.tv/tags/drama4u/. It is called "TV ViewAsia". It is free and available not only Korean movies but also Asian movies with English subtitle. There is an disadvantage of this website is the advertising always pop up at the beginning of each episode.

Also, now we can access some Korean Movies with English Subtitle through Netflix.

Check it out when you are available !!!     

    

Transmedia Storytelling

Transmedia Storytelling 

With convergence culture, transmedia storytelling  become an important tool for telling story using multiple platforms and digital technologies. For example, Harry Potter, a series of fantasy novels created by J.K. Rowling has expanded into a worldwide franchise because of the successful use of transmedia storytelling. Harry Potter originally a published series, consist of 7 novels and was eventually was produced into movies. This is a conventional path in transmedia storytelling within the entertainment industry.

Because of each transmedia storytelling reflects the economics of media consolidation, the media conglomerate has an incentive to spread its brand or expand its franchises across as many different media platforms as possible. Consider, for example, the comic books published in advance of the release of such films as Batman Begins, Superman Returns, Avengers, Super Heroes. These comics provided back-story which enhanced the viewer's experience of the film even as they also help to publicize the forthcoming release.

What Is Cool About Spotify?

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that gives users access to millions of songs, podcasts and videos from artists all over the world. Spotify was launched in 2008 base in Stockholm, Sweden. It is a “freemium” service which provide both free and subscription based services. For free version of Spotify is ad-supported which can be accessed on PC, Laptop and mobile phone, degraded audio quality, and cannot listen offline. For premium version, there is free-ads, enhanced sound, listened offline, and discounted “student” subscription, and can have up to 3,333 songs available to listen offline up to three different devices.   

Users can create a playlist and add their favorite songs to its Playlist for personal listening pleasure or share with friends or to public. Spotify is very smart to know what kind of genre, or artists, or specific mode/environment, users like to listen based on the past record, and then those type of genres or artists will present to users in the future.

Moreover, “Discover Weekly” is a playlist of songs that Spotify think users will love or suggest new songs based upon what the users have been listening recently. It automatically refreshes every Monday, so users make sure to save the favorite before it updates, however, it does not affect the users’ personal set up. Discover Weekly is considered to be worth pay attention for. According to Spotify, more than 1 billion songs have been streamed through Discover Weekly playlists, and more than 70% of listeners saved at least one track to their own playlists over the past 10 weeks. Here is the link: https://support.spotify.com/us/using_spotify/playlists/discover-weekly/

Spotify connect also allows users to listen the music in more places and with more devices through a variety of different Wi-Fi connected devices such as Wi-Fi speakers, Amazon Echo, Chromecast, PC and much more. It offers a choice in how the users control the music playing on Spotify account.  

Spotify’s premium fee is $9.99 per month, which now comes with Hulu and the new users can access for 30 days free, including millions of music, Podcasts, T.V, and movies. Here it is a link to the promotion: https://www.spotify.com/us/hulu/

Teens and Cyberbullying

Dana Boyd argues that social media has not radically altered the dynamics of bullying, but it has made these dynamics more visible to more people. I agreed with her, Bully has been the main issue for teens before the social media was widespread. Blaming technology is not going to resolve or minimize its bully. Teens nowadays are very stubborn, especially things that we do not want them to do it, they will rebel and aggressively do it to against adults or parents’ order. It is true what Dana Boyd said “recognizing where teens are at and why they engage in particular acts of meanness and cruelty is important to creating interventions that work.” I think we needs to know where the teens are at now and what kind of friends or groups they involve with, these may lead to define issues why they engage in such mean and cruel activities. I believe some bullies are happened because teems are struggling with their own problems and do not know how to cope with its situation may decide to harm others. However, some teens think that by creating aggressively and repeatedly action toward others, it will make them feel happier, look cool, and sometimes creating an excitement for them. 

Even through, I agreed with Dana Boyed, I still think Illinois should adopt the cyberbullying law like Michigan. Majority of teens do not listen to adults or their parents, and do whatever they want to do behind their parents. With the law in place, it will help limiting and setting boundary for teens to behavior or act within certain range and if they still want to do, they may face consequences to be in jail and pay fines.  

The punishments only add to the “drama”, I think it is true. If adults or parents punish their kids by halting teens completely from using social medias or online sites, this may cause more trouble. As I mentioned early teens at this age are very curious with everything and stubborn. Things we do not want them to see, they will want to see and things we do not want them to do, they will do it. And sometimes teens start to losing trust in adult or parents when they find out that what parents or adults tell them are not true. It is hard when teens are living in society that full of freedom and opportunity. Teems think their ideas and action are more logical and so current. They believe adults’ thinking are in old fashion and need to be up-to-date.