Congrats to all of you on getting the first assessment out of the way. I’m looking forward to working through these over the next week and getting some feedback to you well and truly before the second Project Brief is due.

Speaking of Project Brief 2, the Research Prompts and complete instructions are now available here on the blog and on Blackboard. Please ensure that you read this at some point while constructing your Research Report (at least the prompts!). Remember: this is an essay-style response, so formal, academic language is required, as is full referencing and a references list. If you’re unclear about essay writing (or any other assessment styles), the library has a fantastic online resource called the Learning Lab. Similarly, if you’re worried about referencing, the library’s got your back there too.

This week, now that we’ve accepted that there is no such thing as originality, we’ll be looking at the process of adaptation, as well as best practice for producing transmedia projects. This will include a (tiny) bit of OH&S stuff (remember, all final projects must include a Risk Assessment).

We’ll be watching some short films this week, that were commissioned by Matrix creators the Wachowskis. In your readings, you’ll find Henry Jenkins, the guru of transmedia storytelling and convergent media. You’ll also find one of my favourite articles, by Umberto Eco (yes, that Umberto Eco), where he talks about the glorious film Casablanca as a cult object. The final reading is by Janet Murray on ‘agency’ in hypertext and videogames. A lot to get through, but I want you to think about all of this – transmedia, cult objects, agency – while we’re watching The Animatrix in class.

Happy reading, and see you Wednesday!