| Unit name | Immersive and Interactive Storytelling |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THTRM0012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Bentivegna |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
COMSM0126 Introduction to Immersive Technologies |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Theatre |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
Immersive experiences require novel forms of storytelling and this unit will enable you to develop compelling multisensory narratives and storyworlds for these emerging media. You probably already have some knowledge of ways stories are told in traditional forms and how narratives are constructed in linear plays, performances, novels, fiction films, documentaries, and TV programmes. On this unit you will encounter a range of different approaches to fictional and factual interactive storytelling, so you can recognise and analyse how these are structured. Through practical activities and exercises, you will learn to script and storyboard for immersive forms like 360-degree film and interactive media, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and games. In response to storytelling challenges, you will create or adapt non-linear narratives and learn to craft these, so they communicate effectively, immerse a player/user in the action and give them agency in how your story unfolds.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
Taught in an intensive 6-week mode in the second half of TB1, this mandatory unit for MA students focuses on developing skills in storytelling and narrative mechanics rather than the technical aspects of designing immersive experiences. It follows on from Introduction to Immersive Technologies and Arts, which introduces immersive theories, histories and technologies, along with innovative contemporary examples, and you apply this understanding in your approaches to storytelling. It runs alongside Virtual Environment Design, which introduces the fundamental modelling software that would enable you to realise your 3D worlds. The Storytelling unit covers the core competencies of creating, crafting, and reflecting critically on interactive and multisensory narratives in preparation for the application of these skills in Immersive Experience Design and Immersive Production, which together deepen Arts students’ understanding and practical expertise in conceiving, structuring, creating and producing immersive content. This unit specifically prepares students to take on or understand the role of script/screenwriter/director in interdisciplinary teams on these TB2 units and on MSc/MA Creative and Immersive Project in TB3.
An overview of content
This unit will introduce you to virtual and augmented reality storytelling and scriptwriting for interactive experiences. You will engage with various forms, which may include, 360º film, VR, AR, Mixed Reality (MR), interactive networked narratives, transmedia, immersive theatre/installation, and place-based storytelling. By analysing these examples, you will develop your understanding of ways of structuring complex, non-linear content, of navigating 3D environments, and the dramaturgy of different immersive experiences. You will learn about interactions, game and narrative mechanics that can immerse a player/user in the action, give them a role and agency in how a story unfolds. A range of methods and tools for fictional and factual storytelling in immersive environments will be introduced and applied, processes of writing, storyboarding, or narrative design for interactive contexts, VR and mixed realities.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will know about a range of forms of interactive storytelling, understand how these experiences are structured differently from traditional media, and how to immerse a user/player in a fictional or factual story. You will be able to translate your experience of/expertise in other art forms into designing compelling interactive narratives for virtual and mixed reality environments, which give the audience a sense of agency and presence. You will be able to reflect on, review and critically evaluate the effectiveness of your own and others’ immersive narratives.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course a successful student will be able to:
1hr lecture, 3hr weekly group seminar/workshop, and a series of presentations by immersive professionals/artists
Lectures will introduce key forms and examples of interactive/immersive storytelling and game narrative, which will be applied and understood practically in interactive workshops and through facilitated discussion/analysis in seminars. These and critical reading around immersive, interactive and playable stories will prepare students to write their annotations or commentary, providing context, references, and critical tools for reflection on their storyboards/scripts. The presentations by immersive artists will link learning and students to industry, along with offering professional insight into creating engaging narratives for interactive experiences. Learning will be problem-based and student-centred: responses to different storytelling challenges and industry briefs will be shared for constructive peer and teacher feedback. This will build students’ independence and, later in the unit, learning will shift to group and individual tutorials on drafts/extracts.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
A series of formative storytelling challenges will be set, which enable students to explore different story forms, adaptation from other media, working with documentary sources, and writing or storyboarding original material for immersive experiences. Verbal feedback on these will be given by both teacher and peers and one script/storyboard for an immersive scene will be submitted for written feedback. This will feed forward into the student’s assessed Script or Storyboard. Peer feedback and tutorials from staff on extracts/drafts will support students with developing these in preparation for submission at the end of the unit. The second summative assessment, the Critical Commentary, will give students the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of their immersive storytelling, reflect critically and identify ways they could develop their script/storyboard. In this, they will also be able to respond to tutorial feedback.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Script or Storyboard (60%) ILO 1-4 (individual)
Written script or visual storyboard for an immersive experience for a chosen audience, context and display format.
2000-Word Critical Commentary (40%) ILOs 1, 2, 4 (individual)
Annotations or contextual commentary to accompany the script or storyboard. Should reference reading, related examples, refer back to formative tasks, identify choices, reflect on reasons for decisions, e.g. around structure, plus address challenges and areas for development.
When assessment does not go to plan
No special arrangements necessary; re-assessment task will take same form as original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. THTRM0012).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
