Transmedia refers to stories that can be told across several platforms without losing their content or storyline. With the advancement of technology, the modern digital world has found ways in which stories can be brought out differently but to portray a single picture and meaning. The story What if Rachel Had Gone to Paris is an example of stories written with the techniques highlighted in the Transmedia style. The story narrates a struggling couple, Ross and Rachel, whose relationship is on and off, trying all their means to make it through. Rachel accepts a new job and moves to Paris to get a break from the relationship, but Ross chases her to Paris, and they end up reconciling. The script fits the style of transmedia because it is fictional, can be streamed in different forms and platforms. Each episode has a unique contribution. The content’s origin is one and contains participatory elements for the readers.
The script fits to be labeled a transmedia because it is fictional. The story is just created, and there are no records of its real occurrence in the real world. Scolari (2009, 4) argues that the transmedia story creates its world. The characters are given traits that rather may not be real. The story of the relationship between Rachel and Ross is fictional because in the ordinary world, on and off relationships result in a breakup. The man, Ross, is created as an extremely patient one and keeps chasing Rachel no matter how hard she pulls away. Whereas in the real world, a man would have given up after Rachel had left the country, Ross is hit by an idea to follow her, and it finally appears as if both wanted the same thing.
Additionally, the story can be streamed on different platforms. Transmedia stories tend to possess a direct plotline with a definite ending (Ryan, 2015, 7). For example, the storyline in the script is that Ross and Rachel’s relationship is on and off; she then moves to Paris, Ross follows her, and they fall in love. Such a story can be posted as a book, incorporated into a song, or graphic representation. A song of its version can be posted on YouTube, a printed page be posted on the web. Transmedia works aim to produce as many platforms as possible to enable the audience to understand the story deeply and immerse themselves in it. The variant Media, therefore, creates different worlds out of the story. Each media makes a unique contribution to the story but with a unified purpose of entertaining.
Moreover, the script is transmedia because each episode of the story has a unique contribution (Spaulding, 2012, 2). Transmedia content is known to produce works that have a straight line of a story but are built-in in various episodes and experiences. Each story serves to build the main content rather than contradicting it. The main story in the script is about how Ross and Rachel could rebuild their relationship. However, they have to work through various stages. It starts with Rachel pulling away to go and work in Paris. Ross follows her, begging and crying that she reconsiders her decision. However, she still departs, and Ross goes back home broken. Despite that, he figures out that he could follow her to Paris and try to make things work. He, therefore, arrives in Paris to the surprise of Rachel. Who had been worried that she might be lonely and not adapt to life in Paris. They talk about their respective situations and how they have handled them to ensure they are together again. Transmedia carries an element of additive comprehension whereby it is not only new information being brought but also the characters are defined in new perspectives. For example, in the first paragraph of the script, Ross and Rachel are just portrayed as ordinary couples with their ups and downs. After begging for Rachel to stay, it is expected that Ross will give up. Only to find out later that he is so patient and willing to do anything to make the relationship work.
Additionally, any transmedia work ensures that the content is one. The script on What if Rachel Had Gone to Paris talks only about love. Even the visionaries that rise aftermath contributes to the story of how a wrecked romantic relationship was ignited back to being functional. This feature is that having a single storyline or unity of vision will aid the creation of the work on various platforms without going off the story or the intended meaning. Even if such works have elements of twists and turn, they still do not deviate from the flow of the story. All the characters involved are kept in the limelight until the end or until they accomplish their roles. The episodes presented avoid schisms or fractures, meaning that they are regulated such that they cannot develop splinter stories.
Furthermore, What if Rachel Had Gone to Paris had a definite audience that experiences and participates in the story. The story of the relationship is something common in the real world. People meet, fall in love, endure challenges and give everything to ensure their love story works. Male in the audience can relate to Ross and understand the endurances and sacrifices they have to make to please their loved ones. Ladies could relate to Rachel and understand why she left for Paris even if she was still in love with Ross. She may have wanted to see whether Ross would put in efforts to make the relationship work or he would just give up. These are referred to as participatory elements for the audience (Hickey-Moody, 2015, 28). It answers the main question of what roles the audience can pick from the story and relate them to their daily lives. It is not only through reading the story that the audience can involve themselves with the story but also through other visual elements aided by various media. The audience can pick the costumes worn by either Ross or act the way he did to impress their loved ones. Children can recreate the story after reading its comic book version by trying to get boys around to chase them.
What if Rachel Had Gone to Paris fits to be transmedia. It is created to fit technological content production. The story can be recreated in various forms, such as a book, song, or graphic representation. It can be aired across media like papers, webs, and social media platforms such as YouTube. It has a unified story, which acts as a backbone for the developed episodes. The story has participatory elements where the audience can identify and play various roles.
List of References
Hickey-Moody, A. 2022. Popular Culture Now-Transmedia. RMIT University. Lecture One. P.1-34.
Ryan, M.L., 2015. Transmedia storytelling: Industry buzzword or new narrative experience?. Storyworlds: A Journal of Narrative Studies, 7(2), pp.1-19.
Scolari, C.A., 2009. Transmedia storytelling: Implicit consumers, narrative worlds, and branding in contemporary media production.
Spaulding, E., 2012. Transmedia Storytelling: Principles, practices, and prototypes for designing narrative experiences with the audience (Doctoral dissertation, Carnegie Mellon University).
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