As a society transitioning from stationary to mobile platforms, we are constantly being bombarded by multimedia on a daily basis. What was once a time where families would have to gather around a television or radio set to view nightly broadcasts, it is now possible through the use of many media devices to make that viewing experience mobile. Multimedia has made content accessible to the masses uninterrupted, specifically in regards to smartphones equipped with access to the Internet, and processors capable of viewing motion content. This model of multimedia has been catapulted to the forefront, which allows consumers to constantly be in tuned with the world around them. Media is no longer something that is at a standstill until a days end, but is constantly being updated to suite society’s need for what’s new. Corporations are now capitalizing on this medium and so the birth of transmedia is more apparent that ever.
Through the use of transmedia, media corporations create an environment that consumers can’t ignore, invariably being barraged with content from their favorite television show, video game, or products. Films are not only subjected to theatre experiences anymore, but successful ones are immediately revised for sequel follow-ups, personal DVD movies, and sometimes-even television series. The distribution of content through transmedia has proven highly profitable, a simple business model to get as many people as possible to pay for ideally the same thing over and over. Transmedia's ever-evolving aspect has made it possible to reach broader audiences, modernizing how we interact with it, which allows consumers to characterize media for personal use opposed to the former traditional engagement.
“The Matrix is for the media convergence, integrating multiple texts to create a narrative so large that it cannot be contained within a single medium.” (Jenkins 96) That same can be said recently about Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. What we have is a movie that initially started as a four part book series, which later transformed into a five-part move. Grossing over three billion dollars worldwide, the movie trumped fans to become part of the story creating clubs and petitions, demanding Meyers to continue the story. “The filmmakers plant cues that won’t make sense until we play the computer game. The draw on the backstory revealed through a series of animates shorts, which needed to be downloaded off the Web or watched off a separate DVD. Fans raced, dazed and confused, from the theatres to plug into Internet discussion lists, where every detail would be dissected and every possible interpretation debated.” (Jenkins 96)
Twilight has revolutionized the movie going experience, with a compelling story that has extended beyond motion picture into phone apps, audio e-books, and games. This phenomenon has reformed how media makers now advertise and market movies they deem as potentially successful. Commercials aren’t nearly enough anymore, but films have to be marketed through pre-movie release merchandise, fast-food restaurants and the other popular platforms in order to better franchise the product. “Each franchise entry needs to be self contained so you don’t need to have seen the film to enjoy the game, and vice versa. Any given product is a point of entry into the franchise as a whole. Reading across the media sustains a depth of experience that motivates more consumption. Redundancy burns up fan interest and causes franchise to fail. Offering new levels of insight and experience refreshes the franchise and sustains customer loyalty.” (Jenkins 98)
Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (New York and London: New York University Press, 2006). Page 96.
Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide (New York and London: New York University Press, 2006). Page 98.
Tv Propoganda and the Mind Control Culture. http://batr.org/autonomy/021014.html. Feb 2014.
Top 10 Batshit Insane Twilight Fan Moments.
http://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-batsh_t-insane-twilight-fan-moments/mark?var=2&utm_expid=16418821-69.nU0NdIugQ6K34Kl1oxGbpg.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CB4QFjAA%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ranker.com%252Flist%252Ftop-10-batsh_t-insane-twilight-fan-moments%252Fmark%26ei%3D0ahqVNX7L8O1sQTHyYH4Ag%26usg%3DAFQjCNGu0VumstD0-5rYT8oBYvBi0Vt-KQ%26sig2%3DH_Pu1yGgG-Ft84tc4qObNg%26bvm%3Dbv.79908130%2Cd.cWc. 2014
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