Product Description

Equally useful for seasoned professionals and those new to the field, Carolyn Handler Miller covers effective techniques for creating compelling narratives for a wide variety of digital media. Written in a clear, non-technical style, it offers insights into the process of content creation by someone with long experience in the field.

Whether you're a writer, producer, director, project manager, or designer, 'Digital Storytelling' gives you all you need to develop a successful interactive project.

*Learn about the ground-breaking work being done in new forms of narrative like Alternate Reality Games (ARGs), webisodes, user-generated content, mobile entertainment and transmedia storytelling

*Gain insights from case studies of cutting-edge projects from a variety of different media, including the Internet, video games, interactive television, virtual reality and interactive cinema

*Discover new uses of digital storytelling for both entertainment and entertainment blends -- projects that teach, inform, and promote

*See how to combine the best of both worlds - classic and twenty-first century storytelling techniques

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108414 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780240809595
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
'This is truly pioneering work, capturing the birth of an art form, or rather the birth of an interconnected series of art forms that seem to have infinite potential. The traditional forms of narrative are treated with their due respect but the ground rules for a whole new world of entertainment, education, and self-expression are laid out here with clarity and insight. This heavily revised and up-to-date edition is a lifesaver for those us who have to cross the gulf between linear and non-linear, passive and interactive, approaches to entertainment, and a useful handbook for those who have already made the jump and want to use these wonderful tools more effectively.'
- Christopher Vogler, Screenwriter and Author of The Writers Journey

'Carolyn Millers Digital Storytelling 2nd Edition is an excellent survey of the field, covering the varied and diverse techniques, delivery platforms, and historical roots of a wide range of software titles. Not content with merely mentioning a few recent American games, Miller touches on important milestones from the past and key titles from around the world. While particularly impressive in its breadth and scope, the book also focuses in on specifics by featuring many interesting interviews and quotes from some of the leaders in the digital storytelling, as well as pioneers of emerging fields like Alternate Reality Games and Serious Games. Students, developers, and aficionados of interactive stories will all find something interesting here.'
- Noah Falstein, President of The Inspiracy

'Digital Storytelling makes the reader aware of the breadth and potential of this emerging field. Whether you are a student, a researcher, an artist, a technologist, or just a curious reader, Carolyn Handler Miller's book will give you a tremendous insight into this fascinating and important area.'
- Ed Angel, Director, Art, Research, Technology and Science Laboratory (ARTS Lab), University of New Mexico

'A thorough and highly readable discussion of the wonderful diversity of digital storytelling. Carolyn Handler Miller explores not only the familiar territory of video games and virtual reality, but also the emerging new fields of transmedia entertainment, serious games, smart toys, interactive cinema, and many more. Recommended.'
- Ernest Adams, game design consultant and author of Fundamentals of Game Design

'Covering a massive area of media and topics, this is a fascinating read. It's more of a history than a how-to (though it contains elements of the latter) and anyone interested in the world of interactive entertainment is sure to be inspired by it.' - Digital Creative Arts

'Interactivity has opened up a new world of storytelling. The territory is promising - and dangerous. We've just started to explore and this book is one of the first good roadmaps.'-
- Hal Barwood, Game Designer

'Carolyn Miller has built a much-needed bridge from traditional media to digital interactive media. She traces the roots of interactive storytelling in ancient tradition then draws on the parallels to new media allowing the reader to comfortably migrate from one to the other without being overwhelmed. She then walks you through how production is done in this new world. A must read for traditional producers of television and film.'
- Brian Seth Hurst, CEO, The Opportunity Management Company; Chairman, Board of Governors, Producers Guild of America, New Media Council

'An impressive job of assembling a body of knowledge in a new and fast-evolving field. There is plenty here to profit anyone who wants to earn a living in storytelling in the future. The author's wide experience in many media is focused on practical advice and analysis that illuminate the exciting potential of these new ways of spinninig stories. And I'm glad to see some of the old tricks still work!'
- Christopher Vogler, Screenwriter and Author of 'The Writer's Journey'

About the Author
Carolyn Handler Miller is one of the pioneering writers in the field of non-linear entertainment, and as an award-winning Hollywood screenwriter, brings a unique perspective to the craft of digital storytelling. She has worked as a writer or writer-content designer on over forty new media projects, including the landmark Carmen Sandiego series and the interactive version of the Pixar-Disney film, Toy Story, one of the most popular CD-ROMs ever released. Her work as a digital storyteller includes entertainment, educational, informational and training projects made for video games, the Web, interactive TV, smart toys, and transmedia projects. She is also an international speaker and teacher on the subject of digital storytelling, having given workshops and talks in Johannesburg, Rome and Paris, as well as teaching interactive narrative and video game development for the University of New Mexico.

Customer Reviews

Amazing guidebook through the digital story world
I read the first edition of Digital Storytelling cover-to-cover and continue to use it as a reference book. When I picked up the second edition of this valuable resource, I knew I was in both heaven and in trouble. Here would be brand new jewels of information I could use in all my storytelling (that's the heaven part) and I would be compelled by my own curiousity and desire to stay abreast of the developing multi-media industry to read this new edition cover-to-cover (the trouble part is that once I picked it up I'd be ignoring other projects in order to absorb all the great insight and information Carolyn offers).

Sure enough.

Digital Storytelling has far surpassed the typical pattern of a second edition, which offers 20% new material. Miller's second edition offers 80% new material! If you want to keep up, or even have a glimmer of what's up on the frontiers of storytelling, you've got to read Digital Storytelling.

For those who pooh-pooh new media as shallow and unintelligent, read what Miller has to say about the history and provenance of the art form - including James Joyce.

For those who're only interested in the action and the creation of same, entire sections of the book are devoted to how-to's, with "Idea-Generating Exercises" in each.

For those whose interest lies in the business aspects of new technologies, Carolyn explores that as well.

To practice what she preaches about interconnectivity and multiple media sources, the book also offers additional materials and links on a couple of different websites.

All-in-all, Digital Storytelling is a comprehensive analysis of and approach to the creative and commercial aspects of new media that reflects the rich storytelling tendencies that make us human - and that makes stories so compelling.

Buy it, read it, and refer to it whenever you're working on anything digital.

Excellent Resource
Carolyn Miller is extremely bright and highly accomplished in her field; what she had to say about digital storytelling is worth listening to. The editorial reviews accurately reflect the great usefulness of this singular resource. I think you'll agree that it's "worth the price of admission."

Digital Storytelling
I'd recommend Digital Storytelling to anyone interested in a new medium for their message--it's both accessible and practical.

With an MBA in marketing, I was most interested in the use of digital storytelling for promotion, advertising, and branding. I am a board member of an opera company; like many arts organizations, we are trying to entice a younger audience.

For the opera company, putting our young singers online is a very accessible way to lure a younger audience already familiar with Facebook. I would like to set up a MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game), a type of game I learned about in the book. In MMOGs, people take on the appearance and persona of make-believe characters and interact with each other. In one for the opera company they could portray the drama and events of opera. Who wouldn't want to be the Duke of Mantua or Don Giovanni! An ARG (Alternative Reality Game) would be terrific, too. As explained in the Digital Storytelling, ARGs tie together several forms of media to tell a story, and intimately involve players in the narrative, where they help solve a mystery or prevent a crime.

Digital Storytelling also speaks to the challenges of a Rice University chamber music presenting organization of which I am a member. While the performances attract students, this audience will not have longevity that young subscribers will. Ergo we must reach these potential members through media with which they are familiar, like the Internet.

I loved the section of the book about the kiosk as an avatar. While it is terrific for hospitalized kids, it would also be a great way to communicate with shut-in geriatrics. The kiosks could incorporate pets, family, connected adults, games, physical exercises, etc. The possibilities are without limits.

I feel that Digital Storytelling provides a detailed, articulate guide for those interested in using a new methodology to convey their message; it is a fine tool.


Barbara Kauffman, M.A., M.B.A.