Montes Vera | VideoDreams and the Transmedia Novel+: Blurring the edges between genres
Channel: MSU Digital Humanities
Date: 2024-03-13

VideoDreams and the Transmedia Novel+: Blurring the edges between literature, video games, music, programming, and digital archaeology

Fernando Montes Vera
Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Fondo Nacional de las Artes, Argentina; Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible, Argentina

We will embark on an exploration of a narrative evolution transcending conventional boundaries. The ongoing Global Paper Shortage underscores the significance of sustainable alternatives in the book industry. This presentation introduces VideoDreams (www.videodreams.ar), a project merging literature, video games, music, programming, and digital archaeology, contributing to the ongoing narrative renaissance.

Inspired by pioneering works like 17776 and Digital: A Love Story by Christine Love, VideoDreams is an ambitious Spanish language transmedia novel+ defying traditional storytelling boundaries:

- Videogames: Interactive storytelling fosters reader immersion, offering dynamic narratives. Often underestimated by humanists, video games have transformed storytelling.
- Original Soundtrack Album: A dedicated soundtrack enhances emotions and tells an augmented story.
- Audiovisual Material: Visual media enriches storytelling, creating an immersive experience.
- A Digital Archaeology of Defunct Websites: VideoDreams unearths hidden layers of the web, with which it is inextricably enmeshed.

Key Discussion Points:

- Blurring the Boundaries: VideoDreams seamlessly blends creative elements to craft a multi-dimensional narrative experience.
- Embracing Technology: The project highlights technology’s pivotal role, showcasing how coding invigorates narratives.
- Endless Possibilities: VideoDreams extends storytelling boundaries, liberating it from the printed page, offering a universe of narrative potential.
- Sustainability and the Global Paper Shortage: VideoDreams promotes sustainable alternatives, urging attendees to harness existing technology and explore transcreation.

Attendees will be walked through the intricate process of authoring a transmedia novel+:

- Initiating writing of the initial novel.
- Conducting research that leads to the discovery of visual clues, sounds, and videos, suggesting the need for the novel’s expansion.
- Experimenting with digital illustration, video, and music to enhance the novel’s immersive experience.
- Listening to the novel’s voice and embarking on a programming adventure to bring it to life in the desired form. 

Web is analog and soul is software.

For more information about the symposium visit: https://msuglobaldh.org