OTT & Transmedia : Ask Me Anything (AMA) 7/27 to 7/28- Transmedia Storytelling by Will Maurer

I understand why there are a lot pros to transmedia storytelling, but are there any cons or thinks to consider before using multiple medias for your story? Thank you for taking the time to answer questions.

Thanks so much for doing this AMA Will Maurer! Curious to know the best use of Transmedia storytelling you've seen so far.

How do you feel about turning a tv script into a web novel? If you think this is a good idea, is there is a platform you prefer over others?

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions today, Will Maurer! Could you explain what the primary differences are between a truly transmedia story and an adaptation?

Yes, that is so interesting. Thank you for tackling this topic, Will Maurer.

Hi Will Maurer Thank you SO much for doing this AMA. As an author of prose and graphic novels and a screenwriter, transmedia is a subject that is a truly exciting one. QUESTION: when looking at story pitches, what are some of the things that jump out to you as being the strongest selling point for transmedia storytelling in that particular pitch? One that has jumped out at me is historical context within the framework of the story and/or inherited mantles. What are some that sound appealing to you? Thanks so much!

Will Maurer Hi Will, it’s great that you are doing this. I’m creating an animated (social) fantasy series and have already started looking at its wider implications for the development into other story-tied projects - from serialised content to feature length productions.

Do you consider it a possibility to maybe create these other projects into something other than features, but say could be developed as transmedia projects? Fuelling the same universe as the series?

Ashley Renee Smith ooh, Ashley. Adaptations. Nice one!

Thank you for clarifying what Transmedia Storytelling is Will! Helped a ton.

Jill Godley - thanks for your questions! There are definitely potential cons to transmedia storytelling. I've seen a fair number of projects pitched as transmedia IP where the writer didn't have a clear understanding of the audience or capabilities of the other platforms that they were branching their narratives into. I've also seen projects where there was no compelling story in a single format, and it's unreasonable to think that an audience will view all of your intended platforms in order to obtain one cohesive story. There's also stories that don't translate easily (or at all) to transmedia, and that's ok!

Regarding your question about turning a tv script into a novel, do you have a transmedia component to this, or are you asking about my thoughts on a concept that was originally created for a television format being for web distribution?

I have question, my idea is a sci fi computer animated series and I want to use my 3D assets to create a video game that runs parallel with the series. So every new season also gets a game, and the game has any new space ships/villains/places etc. that appear in the season of the series. How would I go about packaging this idea to pitch. I am an artist (ADG 800) so I have already created a lot of unique visuals directly related to the story. Any help on how to pitch Transmedia would be appreciated!

Hi Will Maurer. This is a great topic. I have two projects I am looking at for transmedia stortytelling. One of them is a TV script that is being turned into a graphic novel and I'm studying how to make it an episodic podcast. The other is being developed as an illustrated kid's book with the hopes of convincing someone what a great animated project it could be. The question is how do we make transmedia storytelling work for us? Is one format better than the other, i.e., graphic novels, podcasts, full length novels, short films.

Will Maurer I don't have a transmedia component currently. I have a strong pilot and rough draft of the first 6 season. I had already written those before I started my screenwriting journey, so the story is laid out. I thought of using a web novel format so I could write as I go instead of trying to write a full novel.

Sam Mannetti - thanks for the question! Marvel continues to innovate in this space with their interconnected superheros and universe. Early on I enjoyed exploring the Matrix universe across different formats and platforms that were connected to the trilogy. Having worked with the Pokemon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchises, I'm a fan of the transmedia stories that were born from these IP as well. However, it's worth mentioning that a lot of these major IP also license their content to 3rd party platforms which often create stand-alone or new stories that are not connected into a larger transmedia story, which can definitely get confusing!

What's your favorite?

Thanks for having this AMA, @Will Maurer! At what stage do companies usually focus on transmedia for a project?

Ashley Renee Smith - thanks for putting this AMA together, and for your continued exuberance for transmedia storytelling!

As for your question about the primary differences between a truly transmedia story and an adaptation - an adaptation typically reframes the same story for different platforms and formats, while transmedia storytelling tells different elements of an interconnected story that is told across multiple platforms and formats.

Omari Washington - thanks for dropping in!

Thanks for doing this Will Maurer! Excited to learn from you. What impact do you think AI will have on transmedia storytelling - do you think it will be an asset to be able to develop across mediums?

Leonardo Ramirez - I agree. You can build a rich story world around historical context. The Witcher did a great job of continuing to build out their medieval fantasy world across novels, comic books, film and television.

I ultimately look for compelling characters that have depth and are engaging, set within a rich story world that can become a character in itself. Easier said than done.

Geoff Hall - congrats! Sounds exciting. It's hard to provide an answer that's specific to your content without having more context. Here's an old, but informative, "Transmedia 101" resource from Henry Jenkins. http://henryjenkins.org/blog/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html

Will Maurer I believe I did that with "Haven of Dante" who is a descendant of Dante Alighieri and is the holder of a mantle that has been passed down for generations and battles against the nine circles after they've infiltrated every level of society. Vital points in history displayed with a connection catalyst that sets her journey. Thanks so much for your encouraging response! Love this!

Seth Brandon - It's smart of you to create assets that can be reused across an animated series and games. However, I wouldn't lead with that as your pitch, as the assets between games, film, tv, etc all have different style and budget considerations.

Ultimately, your story needs to showcase a compelling reason why it works for the intended medium you're pitching to. For example, you're pitching to the head of scripted episodic development at Netflix, then you need to focus on why that development exec NEEDS to buy your television concept. It's worth noting in your pitch that your concept has been developed as a transmedia IP, only if you have developed the story in a way that showcases the opportunity in a compelling way. Otherwise, it only distracts and confuses from your main story. There's a lot more to consider than what I mentioned above, but ultimately with a compelling story, characters and world, the transmedia opportunity should be obvious with a brief explanation at the end of your pitch as to how the story branches into other formats and platforms.

Martin Reese - thanks for the question! It seems like you're currently looking to adapt your IP into different mediums, and I'm unaware of one particular format that's better than another, as it's all relative to your content, resources and launch strategy. I commented above with a link to Henry Jenkins Transmedia 101 blog, which provides a much more broad overview for someone who is curious about transmedia storytelling. Lean into your strengths, and best of luck with your projects!

Great thank you! That helps a lot. Thanks for doing this!

Maurice Vaughan - thanks for dropping in! Your question "At what stage do companies usually focus on transmedia for a project?" - it depends on the company. Some of the bigger studios that have tentacles across multiple platforms tend to be more interested in hearing pitches for IP that can be strategically developed across their different divisions. That being said, pitches for new IP MUST lead with a well developed story and launch plan for a single platform, otherwise any talk about the other platforms are inconsequential. I think this is the biggest disconnect I see when hearing transmedia pitches. Most creators will say that their stories were designed to be told across multiple platforms and formats, but they fail to show a compelling launch plan and an "achievable" integrated strategy for their IP to evolve.

That makes complete sense, @Will Maurer. Thanks for the in-depth answer.

I like to put a Merchandise Section and a Franchise (Transmedia) Section in my treatments, show bibles, and pitch decks.

Amanda Toney - thanks for your question, and everything you do over here @stage32!

In regard to your question about my thoughts on the impact AI will have on transmedia storytelling - great question! For better or worse, AI is disrupting so many industries. And with AI playing a big part in the current WGA and SAG strikes, its capabilities are having a profound and immediate ripple effect all across the industry.

I believe AI is, and will continue to be, a powerful tool for storytellers. As we begin to feed our own machine leaning modules with our stories, characters and worlds, AI will generate very concise concepts for "human" creatives to further refine based on our real-world experience and sentience. I believe that this tool will also help us conceptualize the opportunity to branch our narratives into other platforms and formats that we're not familiar with, which is currently one of the biggest barriers to crafting a robust and compelling transmedia story.

It would be quite interesting to build out one of these LLM's (Large Language Modules) specifically for transmedia storytelling!!!

Hi Will Maurer - thank you for doing today's AMA. It's awesome to have you here. My question is about live events as part of a transmedia experience. The word connotes something digital but I am a huge fan of theater productions and immersive experiences. Do you feel that live events can be a part of a broader trans media experience from the get go or are they considered a lane unto themselves. Thanks!!

Hey Sam, thanks for the question, and your support here @stage32!

I'm a big fan of transmedia storytelling that transcends into live and immersive experiences!

I Believe there's a big opportunity to expand/branch storylines into live and immersive experiences that tie in community/fan participation. For instance, a feature or series may have a b-storyline that eludes to an investigation as part of a mystery. That investigation component can be purchased as a physical game that can be played with friends at home, or integrated into an escape room venue. Players would need to search for clues within the film/tv content, along with other clues that transcend web, sms/voice messages, written clues, etc. This use of transmedia storytelling can then branch a new narrative back into a sequel or second season, and also provides fan engagement during a "dark" period in-between the next film/tv release.

Will Maurer I love your response to Sam regarding the physical game! Question: once you agree to work with a writer, is the process for coming up with ideas like the game or otherwise a collaborative one between the producer and creator/writer?

Leonardo Ramirez - this depends on a number of factors. Typically, yes, you want the writer who has in-depth knowledge of the story/IP to stay involved in the transmedia development. That being said, producers will need to determine if the writer has enough knowledge and experience writing for the different platforms and formats, otherwise they'll need to bring in additional resources to consult and advise.

Thanks Will Maurer. This AMA has been awesome! Thanks so much.

Will Maurer hi Will, I’ll DM you with more context of the story.

Hi Will Maurer! Thanks for doing this AMA! I would love to know if there's been a particular transmedia project you've loved working on and what it was that made it such an exciting project?

Hello Emily, apologies for the delayed response! What a great final question.

I've worked on quite a few projects where we've developed a transmedia strategy that I really loved creating, including projects for Stan Lee, The Humphrey Bogart Estate, Happy Madison, NBC and Disney. My particular favorite is still in development, but the stories branch into music and digital+physical theme parks, which are really quite unique mediums to expand our stories across. I'm hoping to be able to share more info on this project soon. I'm very excited about it!

@everyone - WOW! What amazing questions, and what a fantastic community that I got to share my day with. I really hope that everyone was able to gain some meaningful insights from this AMA.

Until next time...

Thanks again for having this AMA, @Will Maurer! And thanks for all the phenomenal answers! Have an incredible weekend.