Multidimensional storytelling

: an analytical framework for digital, interactive and transmedia narratives

Abstract

This thesis provides a unified framework – i.e., Multidimensional Storytelling (MDS) framework – that can be used to investigate, in a unified analytical environment, hybrid new media narratives, which combine elements of digital, interactive and transmedia storytelling. The research questions of this study are: What are the common features and patterns shared by digital, interactive and transmedia narrative artefacts? Is it possible to unify digital, interactive and transmedia storytelling within a common conceptual framework? Is there any significant change in the different narrative dimensions of new media storytelling projects from 2000 to 2015? The ultimate goal of the thesis is to develop a framework that researchers interested in new media narratives can use to examine hybrid new media narratives in a standardised way.
To address the research questions, I have used a mixed research method-ology that combines the study of academic literature, expert interviews, and the analysis of 61 case studies. I initially identified the shared narrative and technological patterns found in digital, interactive and transmedia narratives. I leveraged these insights to design and implement the MDS framework. The MDS framework comprises both qualitative and quantitative analytical de-vices that researchers can use to perform detailed examinations of hybrid new media narratives. I tested the MDS framework performing quantitative and qualitative analyses, respectively, on 36 and three new media stories published between 2000 and 2015. Beyond testing the framework, the goal of this empirical analyses was to identify changes in the narrative and technological components of the projects over time.
The thesis provides multiple contributions. The MDS framework can be used to perform reproducible and comparable analyses which measure the level of hybridisation of new media narratives at scale. The framework also provides concepts and a terminology that researchers, professionals and the audience can use to discuss new media stories accurately and productively. From an empirical perspective, the analyses of the case studies has revealed that there has been an increase in the level of hybridisation of new media narratives from 2000 to 2015.

Date of Award	1 Jun 2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	King's College London
Supervisor	Sarah Atkinson (Supervisor) & Robert Gallagher (Supervisor)