One of the inherent strengths of interactive media is its ability to reshape itself in order to provide multiple perspectives on the same subject. Applying this strength to interactive storytelling gives authors the opportunity to meet the needs of diverse audiences and engage them at a different level.
Digital stories derive their power by weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights. NetMedia will transform your content into a compelling and lively experience.
1 . Layered Content
The first element of the model is layered content. This approach involves dividing the content into multiple sections based on several criteria: the needs of different visitors, content detail and organization, and issues of content growth and management. The number, format and approach of these levels will vary from project to project, but there are some general conclusions that may be drawn.
2 . Experience
This level provides an emotionally engaging and entertaining experience that brings to life the main theme for novice and general audiences. This level is the most mediated and narrative-driven of the tiers, and usually takes the form of a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Here, the goal is to spark the visitor’s interest in the subject, and to provide an intriguing orientation that will encourage deeper exploration.
3 . Exhibit
The exhibit level provides a stage for the majority of the interpretive, educational and knowledge sharing content. It provides a context to the primary sources held in the research level. The organization at the exhibit level is a mixture of linear and non-linear. Here, visitors can explore topics and themes selected by the authors. Along such themes as gender, politics, trade, mapping, and curing. Exhibits combine text, photos, audio, and video.
4 . Research & Archive
The foundation of the model is made up of the sources of the original content – the specific stories, the articles, research work, documents, etc. These are the materials on which the intellectual framework of the exhibition are built. Content in this level is intended to grow and change, as elements are added to the production, new information is uncovered, and new books, related documents and resources are published. The organization of the content at the research level is completely non-linear, since the visitor can group and regroup items based on his/her own criteria.
Multiple Entry Points
Visitors are able to enter the exhibit from any level. Multiple points of entry give different audiences access to the layer of content that best meets their needs. While a general interest visitor may find an engaging interactive experience worthwhile, a teacher or scholar may wish to jump directly to the type of content that most directly meets their respective needs.
Connecting Storylines
The model encourages visitors to explore subjects at multiple levels by connecting layers by common themes and topics. This method encourages visitors to follow a theme or topic between the layers. Using this approach, general interest visitors could follow such a connection from the experience (third level) to an interpretive exhibit screen (second level) and even further to the primary sources (first level). This path could just as easily move in the other direction as well.
