Text of Building Storyworlds - lecture from 9.26.12 class
1. BUILDINGSTORYWORLDSNew Media ProducingBuilding Storyworlds: the art, craft & biz of storytelling in 21cClass 3 9.26.12Columbia University - Fall 2012Taught by Lance WeilerVisit www.buildingstoryworlds.comReleased under a Non-Commercial ShareAlike Creative Commons License lance@lanceweiler.com @lanceweiler
2. ASK YOURSELF1. What is the story about?2. What does the story mean to you?3. Why does the story need to be told?4. Where is the story best told?@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
3. Chart by Robert Pratten @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
4. Like a bullet hole in glass start with your core idea and letit ripple out. Leave room for the audience to test & break it. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
5. Consider who youre hoping to reach. Attempt to step into their shoes.5 WHYSWhy should I pay attention?Why should I care?Why should I share?Why should I take the time?Why should I return? @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
6. Establish design filters that you return to throughout thedevelopment, production and distribution process. What gives your storyworld VALUE@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
7. How can the stories you tell be more than entertainment? Can they helppeople discover things, learn, or connect with others? Value is what bringspeople back and fuels the spreadibility .STORYAS UTILITY @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
8. What is it that makes someoneCARE @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
9. What gets someoneEMOTIONALLYINVESTED@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
10. Dont forget to make itFUN @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
11. At the core it should beSOCIAL &PARTICIPATORY @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
12. An ideaevolves &gains powerwith openness. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
13. A storyworldevolves &spreads whenpeople feelconnected.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
14. Leave room in yourdesign forParticipation &Experimentation @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
15. EmergentNarrative &Collaborationcan be messy.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
16. Collaborative LayersMuch of the design makes use of collaborative layering. It helps provide guidance, improvesqualityof creative submissions and gives participants a sense of accomplishment. CORE FILTERED SHAREDOPEN@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
17. The STORY LAYERIt is now possible to lay a story overtop of the real world.http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/news/2012/01/listen-as-your-story-talks-to-the-internet/@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
18. The Story Layer enables stories to becomeSocialConnectedPersonalizedPervasive @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
19. Want to build immersive storytelling experiences?Start by considering behavior.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
20. How do animalssearch for food?@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
21. How dohumans searchfor information?@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
22. Information foraging theoryis based on the analogy of an animaldeciding what to eat, where it can befound, the best way to obtain it and howmuch energy the meal will provide. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
23. Applying Foraging Theory tohow humans search improvesdiscovery and the usability ofvarious user interfaces.Information Theory by Peter Pirolli & Stuart Card 1999 @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
24. People following a path are constantlyasking themselves 2 questions.1. What can I expect to gain followingthis path?2. What is the likely cost to reach mydestination?@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
25. Chart by XCKDStoryworlds can have linear and horizontal timelines.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
26. Storyworlds have character and user journeys. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
27. Dont hold tight to your characters.When constructing a storyworldthe themes that drive the storyare often stronger. #sw21cFrom Building Storyworlds the art, craft & biz of storytelling in 21chttp://buildingstoryworlds.com/book @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
28. Example of a series bible for Battlestar Galactica by Ronald D. Moorehttp://leethomson.myzen.co.uk/Battlestar_Galactica/Battlestar_Galactica_Series_Bible.pdf
29. WHATS IN ASTORYWORLD BIBLECHARACTERGAME-Motivations -Game Types RPG, Social-ArcsGames, Puzzle based, ARG,-Backstory Narrative based-Relationships -Collaborative / Competive-Notes -Reward / Conflicts-Dialogue-Win / Loose Conditions-Experiences -Continuous Play? -Live or Scripted CharactersCHARTING -What will players do?-Script Annotation -Why is that fun?-Flow Docs -Replayability-Mindmaps-Points of Entry @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
30. Materials from the storyworld of Hope is Missing (HiM) @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
31. DIALOGUESETTINGPROPSEVENTS THEMES MOTIFCHARACTERS LOCATIONS STORY Elements of a storyworld use common building blocks@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
32. PROPS THEMESMOTIF SETTINGThe following example from Hope is Missing builds from these core elements.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
33. During a closed beta we tested elements of the Hope is Missing (HiM) storyworld. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
34. Participants step into the shoes of the protagonist by using a special mobile app. Find other survivors, scavenge for supplies and find shelter before night fall.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
35. Entry gameplay by dropping into an infected area.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
36. Participants create their own spaces and shelters using the camera on their mobile deviceShoot in a 360 and we stitched it together on the backend to form a panoramic image.@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
37. Players navigate by moving the phone or swiping with a finger. Augmented elements leadto key story assets such as video, audio, text and a red X lead to another user created space. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
38. Snap shot of the usage of the app over a limited period of time.Each marker represents a new user crated space @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
39. Over 50,000 downloadsCONTEXTUALSTORYTELLING2000+ spaces createdData collectedMEDIA SOCIAL GRAPH- GPS dataSTORYWORLD GATEWAY- Make and model of handsetSTORY DETECTION- OS of the handsetMOBILE APPS- Email addressBROWSER PLUGINS- Phone number- Amount of usage @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
40. Chart by Mike Dicks @ BleedinEdge @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
41. MEDIA DIET Wired MagazineConsider consumptionhabits and entry points. @lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
42. 6 TIPS FOR BUILDING ASTORYWORLD1. Take time to evaluate the story you want to tell.2. Ask yourself the hard questions why will anyone care? Is thisthe best way to tell the story?3. Let go of a single POV.4. Consider how you can show not tell.5. Make it easy for your audience to become collaborators.6. Dont let the world get in the way of the stor.y@lanceweiler www.lanceweiler.com
43. THANK YOUContact:@lanceweilerwww.lanceweiler.comSUGGESTED READING:Treating Story as Softwarehttp://www.slideshare.net/lanceweiler/storyas-software-weilerThe Art of Immersionhttp://www.slideshare.net/lanceweiler/buoLearn Do Share storytelling, collaboration and social innovation in 21chttp://learndoshare.netBuilding Storyworlds: the art, craft & biz of storytelling in 21chttp://buildingstoryworlds.com/book
