DIG 225 - Transmedia and Vast Narrative

More and more the stories that compel us are vast narratives that sprawl across novels, comics, games, podcasts, performances, toys, amusement parks, and other platforms. These stories can span generations, even centuries. Vast transmedia narratives include popular franchises like Harry Potter or the Marvel Cinematic Universe but also absurdist productions like This House Has People in It or experimental literary works such as House of Leaves. While media franchises and massive texts are nothing new, social media and the web have dramatically expanded the possibilities of vast narratives. The internet has also empowered fans to participate in these vast narratives, generating wikis, fanfiction, vids, LARPs, and other cultural productions that extend the narrative universe in unexpected ways. This class examines the history of vast narratives and explores how contemporary transmedia storytelling operates. We’ll tackle questions about intellectual property, world-building, continuity, procedural generation, and interactivity. Along the way, we’ll pay special attention to the power of collaborative authorship and participatory culture.

Satisfies Digital and Media Studies major requirement. 
Satisfies the Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric requirement.