As technology evolves and escalate quickly, the usage of technological devices has no signs of getting lesser. These users of the digital age are so familiar to the technology are so accustomed to the technology and it has become the part of their life. Statistics shows that a high percentage of user cannot stay away from their cellphone.
Many of us are using the digital in a daily basis and this allows us to understand the context of digital communication and able to reproduce more of it. Other than just reading digital, interactive narrative has given the user a literary understanding. Compared to the traditional narrative, the digital requires some skills as digital narrative has a more sophisticated format and unique way to interact with. Motion comic is one of the way to portray a story. For example, this motion comic is made as a trailer.
Some people prefer watching video than read graphic novel. Motion Graphic targets people who are lazy to flip open the book and read comic. These people rather choose to watch a video clip as they just need to play the video to understand the story.
Scott McCloud is a American cartoonist and comic theorist. He has some interesting concepts and sayings about comics. He has a good sense of art direction, he says that art tells stories visually. Scott McCloud wrote 3 books "understanding comics","reinventing comics" and "making comics" which are very inspiring in terms of but art direction and theories.
"Comics is a powerful idea, but an idea that's been squandered, ignored and misunderstood for generations," Mr. McCloud wrote. "No art form has lived in a smaller box than comics for the last hundred years. It's time for comics to finally grow up and find the art beneath the craft."
"It's time for comics to balance the scales, see the world and broaden its horizons," he added. It's time for comics to go digital.
"The ancestors of printed comics drew, painted and carved their time-paths from beginning to end, without interruption," Mr. McCloud wrote. And with the help of digital technology, he suggested, comics could break out of their boxes and get back to what he called "the infinite canvas."
In my opinion, I strongly agree with Scott McCloud's saying. There are plenty of space for comic to grow in the digital world. A good narrative structure can be more engaging and is enhanced with all available technology in the digital technology. Hypercomic has break through the box and made a unique and interactive way to engage with the user. It is only just a simple navigation with the animation of the graphic, sound and mouse click has made it stood out. Compared to the traditional comic, it contain more human interaction based experience as traditional comic's is fixed in small boxes in books. References McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics. New York: HarperPerennial. McCloud, S. (2000). Reinventing comics. New York: Perennial.
Hypercomic is a form of Digital Narrative. It is different from comic as new elements from the new technology is added into hypercomic so it enhances the experience when user is reading it. I analysed there are a few differences of the hypercomic and it's traditional medium. 1. Tron Legacy. The story is originated from a science fiction story. It is then made into a film in 1982. A sequel of Tron is then created in 2010.
The hypercomic of this project act as a "trailer" for the movie. It is different from other digital narrative like digital comic as the user can experience with the comic by navigation with it. According to Roland Barthes, this is under the category of writerly text which is because there's not necessary to begin a story and proceed to the end. It can have multiple entrances and exits. "Most online comics are stagnant." -says Dario Di Zanni, development manager for Disney "We wanted an engaging, fluid site that is more like the actual experience of reading a comic book." -says Dario Di Zanni, development manager for Disney Therefore, Disney came out with the idea to create a Digital book in a comic style. With the advance technology, user will get to experience the 'moving graphics' in website.
This is the short video showing how does the Tron Legacy Digital Book looks and feels like.
2. Play Fanta Fanta is well-known for its drink. The company has created an interactive graphic novel which is available on the mobile devices and table for free. The user will get to be in a Fanta and play thought the dangerous parts of the world with the characters.
These two hypercomic's selling point are different. Tron legacy's selling point is to let the audience to have a brief understanding of the story. While Play Fanta's selling point is to get more audience to experience the gameplay and at the same time realise the story is revolving around the product.
References:
Exploring IE, (2011). Behind the Scenes of Disney TRON: Legacy Digital Book Site. [online] Available at: http://blogs.windows.com/ie/2011/06/03/behind-the-scenes-of-disney-tron-legacy-digital-book-site/ [Accessed 24 Nov. 2014].
News.microsoft.com, (2011). New Disney Tron:Legacy Digital Book Site Comes Alive With HTML5 in Internet Explorer 9 | News Center. [online] Available at: http://news.microsoft.com/2011/06/03/new-disney-tronlegacy-digital-book-site-comes-alive-with-html5-in-internet-explorer-9/ [Accessed 24 Nov. 2014].
Play.google.com, (2014). [online] Available at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.coke.fantaSavingSource&hl=en [Accessed 15 Nov. 2014].
TheFWA, (2014). FWA winner | Play Fanta - Saving the Source. [online] Available at: http://www.thefwa.com/site/play-fanta-saving-the-source [Accessed 23 Nov. 2014].
Timely, T. (2011). HTML5|Tron:Legacy:The Comic Digital Book Project. [online] Technology News Blog. Available at: http://techtimely.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/html5tronlegacythe-comic-digital-book-project/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Roland Barthes was a French literary theorist, philosopher and semiotician. All narratives share structural features that each narrative weaves together in different ways, said Roland Barthes. Barthes suggested to take the plurality of codes as an invitation to read a text so it can brings out multiple meanings and connotations. Rather than reading a text from a linear plot or even constrained by genre, Barthes argues for his terms of "writerly" rather than "readerly" approach to text. A particular strength of Barthes' interpretation is that the text of the narrative bring multiple meaning to the audience. Every person has their own perception and interpretation. The same story could be interpreted differently by different people as their thoughts varies as the environment and culture differs. However, the essential properties will remain as how it was made initially while the stories are transported from one medium to another (Bremond, 1973). According to Barthes, every narrative is interwoven with multiple codes. The Five Codes are as follows: The hermeneutic code (HER). This refers to any element in the story that is not explained and therefore this raises questions that demands explication towards the reader. The proairetic code (ACT). This is about the other major structuring principle that builds interest or suspense on the part of a reader or viewer. The semantic code (SEM). It points to any element in a text that suggests a particular, or additional meaning by the way of connotation. The symbolic code (SYM). This is hard to differentiate from semantic code, it is a 'deep' structural principle that organizes semantic meaning. The cultural code (REF). It is about the element in a narrative that refers "to a science or a body of knowledge". As a whole, these codes are seen and works like a "weaving of voice". This is to allow user to read a work with a new perspective but not just a single line. From my understanding, Barthes' is showing the complexity of the narrative structure and looking into different point of view of the narrative. This could be implemented in my studies of hypercomic as it will allow me to point out and look in deeper into the hypercomic for its purpose and value. I can also analyse how is the narrative structured affecting to the audience and how are the audience reacting to it.
References
Anon, (2014). [online] Available at: http://vogmae.net.au/intmedia/pubs/BarthesExtract.pdf [Accessed 21 Nov. 2014].
Courses.nus.edu.sg, (2014). Five Codes of Roland Barthes. [online] Available at: http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/elljwp/5codes.htm [Accessed 23 Nov. 2014].
In every narrative plot, there will be events happening to brings out the story and leaves a deep image to the audience.
Aristotle’s
discuss some concepts about narrative:
fixed
sequence
definite
beginning and ending
a story's
"certain definite magnitude" and
the
conception of unity or wholeness
Aristotle
says: “A well-constructed Plot, therefore, cannot either begin or end at any
point one likes; beginning and end in it must be of the forms just described.
Again: to be beautiful, a living creature, and every whole made up of parts,
must not only present a certain order in its arrangement of parts, but also be
of a certain definite magnitude" (Landow, 1997).
A particular strength of this argument of aristotle shows the common use
of this narrative structure in various print media as narrative has always been
the universal human appeal. However, in the digital age narrative there will be a contrasting idea compared
to the oral and print age(Landow, 1997). In hypercomic, interaction has been added to
the narrative structure as it generates communication of human and the story.
It allows the audience to be more immersed to the story.
In Monika
Fludernik’s “An Introduction to
Narratology” she has a section that discuss about story and contouring. Fludernik
has a similar preference relating to Aristotle’s idea.In the journal, it says that in classical
narratology, it stresses a lot on the sequencing of what happens next and the
common trend of the plot(Fludernik, 2009). This will not be appropriate of it is applied to
longer stretches of text.
Marie Laure Ryan
concludes that “narrate development should not be entirely dependent on
non-interactive cut scenes. The user’s activies should be part of the story,
and move the plot forward, rather than being nothing more than means to get
more of the story.”(Atkins and Krzywinska, 2007). Ryan’s idea has supported my discussion about
narrative in the digital age.Interactivity has been playing an important role that makes the story
more appealing to the audience. For instance, narrative game which is event
oriented allows the user to interact with objects in the scenes and get clues
to allow the story to proceed to the next plot and learn what will happen next
if a certain action is perform. This should sparks the audience curiosity to be
eager to know what will be coming up next and the refore be immersed in the
narrative. Ryan also wrote in "Embedded Narratives and Tellability" shows that the plot is not only character driven but also includes their plans, wishes and even a sub-plot.
My essay will discuss how is narrative structure applied in hypercomic and how is the plot created using different element to get the user's attentions.
References
Atkins, B. and Krzywinska, T. (2007). Videogame, player, text. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.
Fludernik, m. (2014). [online] Available at: http://elsru.ir/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Monika-Fludernik-An-Introduction-to-Narratology-2009.pdf [Accessed 16 Nov. 2014]. George P. Landow (1997).Hypertext 2.0: The Convergence of Contemporary Critical Theory and Technology (Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997), pp. 181-82 and 184-86.
Since personal computer in homes become common from the year 1980, digital narratives had a great evolved. From the online journal "Narrative and Digital Media" written by Scott Rettberg and Jill Walker Rettberg, it studies the origins and theories of digital narrative.
In the early 60's century, a command line interface is used in early computers and this is the beginning of digital narrative. It was initially started with text-based adventure games which contains the element of narrative and literary. Then, hypertext is introduced. Vannevar Bush had proposed the idea of "trails" connecting different types of knowledge in a "memex" in 1945 , but Ted Nelson is the one who invented the term hypertext.
Ted Nelson describe "Hypertext" as it means forms of writing which branch or perform on request; they are best presented on computer screens (Nelson 19).
In the 1990s, theorists include George Landow and Jay David Bolter wrote a book Writing Space about the transition from print to screen in various contexts which is the process of words to hypertext. In the online journal, it also stated that Landow writes about hypertext being writerly text in Barthes' sense. Writerly text means the reader is in a position of primary role to define the meaning. He argues that the reader participation makes it almost become the co-author. Relating to these arguments, hypertext is the start of the interactivity in narrative. It introduce a story can be more immersive by adding in more element into it. Narrative in the oral and print age only have one-sided communication which is just the user reading the story. Narrative has already been a universal human appealing element throughout a whole variety of media such as drama, literature, magazine, etc etc. As the digital age emerge, narrative structure has been altered with more options and has become something that is entirely different from what it has been in the traditional narrative. Digital narrative has taken many form as the technology has become so advance, one of it is hypercomic. It works like the hypertext which has visual graphical user interface and uses a mouse to click on links and to interact. I will study Landow's argument and theory that describes literature in metaphors which is applied in digital narratives.
Arts.uwaterloo.ca, (2014). Barthes and Text :: Readerly and Writerly Texts. [online] Available at: http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~raha/700_701_web/BarthesLO/readerly.html [Accessed 12 Nov. 2014].
Rettberg, S. and Rettberg, J. (2014). Narrative and Digital Media. [online] Academia.edu. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/2182804/Narrative_and_Digital_Media [Accessed 14 Nov. 2014].
Narrative existed long ago and is used in various media, it has evolved from print to digital as the technology has advanced. Digital Narrative has a more sophisticated and human experience with the stories as more elements has been added into narrativity, it contains animation, sound, visual graphics, etc. The user can now decide what will happen next in the stories. There is distinction in between plot and story, especially in the digital media, so many elements can use for enhancing the story and engage with users. In my research , I found many narrative theorist and their concept can be applied in the research and study.
Hayden White : Far from being one code among many that a culture may utilize for endowing experience with meaning, narrative is a meta-code, a human universal on the basis of which transcultural messages about the nature of a shared reality can be transmitted
Sociologist Peter Berges emphasized the importance of stories in shaping social realities, show how people's characteristic stories change as they progress from one life theme to another.
Virginia Woolf's novel involves a carefully crafted "multiple point-of-view" narratology > our insight into both structure of novel and origins in primal tales.
During the production stage of researching for the essay, it is important to know and learn the ethical concern for the research and data collecting. In the UH Student Handbook, the assessment criteria describe the fulfilment of the learning outcomes of a module expressed in terms of the qualities of the work.
There are 2 forms of assessment:i. Formative assessment (progress) part of daily teaching and learning experience in tutorials (advice and comments/feedback offered
ii. Summative assessment Standard of achievement in relation to the learning outcomes of the module. purpose is to show that I have fulfilled the learning outcomes of this module
a REMINDER for submission! - responsibility to be familiar with the requirements, deadlines, penalties. - requirement to submit all work for assessment - responsibility for making things clear at the end of each piece of the assignment being submitted for assessment and any other participants I have worked with. Ethics approval is very important during the working phase of producing the essay if it involves the participation of other peoples. The approval will be given by the Faculty Ethics Committee (UH) by completing an Application for Ethics Approval. This Application for Approval is made for the protection of the participants involved in the studies from any harm and also to allow them to understand what and why they participate. There are 4 categories of the ethical issue and risk:
•Minimal ethical issues(no work with individuals or organisations).
•Low risk(collecting information from adults or organisations but without identifying individuals)
•Medium risk(collecting information from adults or organisations that could make subjects identifiable).
•High risk(collecting information about illegal activities and/or working)
The author's ethical issues will fall under the category of Minimal Ethical Issues as there will be no participation of any individual or organisations in the research and data collecting. There will also be no participation of any children and illegal things in the study. However, the author will use online journal, library books, genuine articles to study. No plagiarism is allow when the research is being conducted. In addition, the resources used has to be cited and given credits to the author or expert who produced it. Various theories with high quality research will be applied into the essay to support my analysis.
In comic books, we see visual graphic and text all over the book, and the users only reads them without any interactions. Comic books does not have any communication with the user, but Hypercomic has. Hypercomic is new narrative approach is used to add more interesting element for user to read comic with a new interactive element and new perspective. In Hypercomic, the graphics are embedded with interactive animations within the panels and uses sounds effects and background music to enhance the whole scenery feels. This is much more interesting compared to the traditional comics with only static text and flat images. These are some interesting Hypercomic examples : 1.TRON LEGACY Digital Book
The topic that I am doing for my essay will be about interactive narrative as I am creating an artefact about it. My first thought and rough idea of the essay topic is to discuss the various creative navigation in the digital media that uses the element of interactive narrative. The 2 things that will be analysed is Narrative Game and Hypercomic. There are several terms to be used like narratology, ludology, structuralism, immersion and interaction. I learned that the topic I am working on is too wide in scope. Therefore, I will narrow it down and focus on either narrative game or hypercomic. The topic I finalize in my essay will be a study of the narrative approaches of hypercomic and how it emerge from the traditional comic. Hypercomic is a form of digital narrative and I will analyse its advantage and benefits to the user. Character plays an important role in the story to brings out the narrative plot too. To strengthen my essay, I will use some books from the library and journal which has expert's theories and literary ideas.
