04/25/11
STAR TREK & TRANSMEDIA
Going where no story has gone before
Transmedia narrative is a
narrative that scopes
across the boundaries of
different media. The purpose
Caption describing picture or
graphic.
of such media is to engulf
the viewer into the narra-
tive. A perfect example of
such a narrative would stem
from the popular Star Trek
series. Among mass culture,
S tory C ontinued
the movie ended. In the
movie, the character Captain
Kirk retires from service,
and Captain Picard, a new
captain, resumes where
Kirk’s duties on the ship
known as the Enterprise. The
movie helped create the
episode Star Trek: The Next
Generation. . As you can
realize, any fan of the series
follows the narrative go
from cinema to television in
Star Trek is known as a tele-
vision series that debut dur-
ing the 60’s and later enter
into the area of cinema,
which led to books, games,
independent films, philoso-
phies, and a language. The
core bases of transmedia
narrative stems from the
idea of environmental story-
telling. Environmental story-
telling is accomplished by
creating a space that evokes
a pre-existing narrative,
providing a stage to enact a
narrative, presenting narra-
tive information within the
mise-en-scene, or encour-
aging new narratives to be
built by the consumer. I
order to follow the story.
Another example of trans-
media storytelling with in the
Star Trek franchise occurs
in Star Trek: Insurrection
movie. After the release of
the movie, Activision, a video
game production company,
released Star Trek: Hidden
Evil. The game serves as a
sequel to Insurrection and to
Star Trek : The Next Genera-
tion series in the episode
Volume 1, Issue 1
would argue that transmedia
storytelling involves the
opposite process – incorpo-
rating spatial structures into
narratives to develop
a storytelling environment.
In other words, by evoking
the presence of a larger
spatial structure in the nar-
rative, a transmedia story
can support a near infinite
amount of plots and charac-
ters. From this idea, we see
the emergence of books and
spin-off shows and movies. A
prime example would be the
motion picture “Star Trek:
Genrations” which was used
to create a spin-off show Inside this issue:
that picked off from where
Intergatic Piece in the Nebula 2
Sex Tips 4 Klingnon Women 2
titled the “The Chase”. The Trekkie Fashion Tips 2
games starts off in the wake
of Insurrection, while provid-
ing conclusion to events that Supernova Love Triangle 3
occurred after the movie’s
story, but were not ex-
How Black is the Black Hole 4
pressed in the television
series.
Orion’s notches on the belt 5
Enterprise Strikes Back Drops 6
TODAY
Page 2 STAR TREK & TRANSMEDIA

S tory C ontinued
This sort of narrative with each other via internet ena, a basic person can live

evokes the participation of discussion groups. This two lives. In one respect, a

the consumer. As Henry collaboration provides a person can be who they are

Jenkins describes in his richer entertainment ex- in the real world with a job

book Convergence Cul- perience for the consum- and obligation one must

ture, for the consumers to ers. The consumers be- meet too. In another re-

really gain experience of come apart of the narrative spect, a person can be a

the fictional world they just as Captain Kirk and member of the Enterprise

must assume the role of Picard are a part of the ship. Where one will em-

hunter and gathers, chasing story. It is a sort of real-life bark on missions, and learn

down bits across media escapism. By indulging and meet new alien cul-

channels, comparing notes into the Star Trek phenom- tures.