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The Future of Story: Storytelling in the Digital Age (Masters) - TFT00083M

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  • Department: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Jenna Ng
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

In this module, you will study stories that appear on computational platforms – stories as told on social media, mobile media, in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, mixed realities, transmedia, through AI and data visualization. Specifically, you will gain an advanced understanding of how story designers leverage different platforms for their work, what are their storytelling strategies, how effective/different are their stories. You will examine various case studies of digitally told stories to understand whether and how their telling is effective, and how stories and meaning are shaped by their platforms. The narrative impulse is a universal one: in this module, you will learn how that impulse plays out in today’s shifting technological landscape.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims:

  • To provide an understanding of the practices through which stories are told in the 21st century media landscape
  • To explore how digital technologies shape the experience, identity and notion of stories
  • To critically think through the ideologies and other cultural ramifications of digital storytelling
  • To broaden your understanding of the relationships between technology (including pre-digital precursors) and the changing cultural values, political contexts, and theoretical concepts of story

Module learning outcomes

At the end of this module you will, at an advanced level:

  • Understand of the ways in which we tell stories with digital media
  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of how digital media and technologies have changed the narratives that shape contemporary society
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how digital stories create impact from form to production to distribution
  • Demonstrate the ability to critique and analyse different narrative works created in computational environments
  • Demonstrate the ability to critically think about digital storytelling and how it affects contemporary digital culture and practices
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyse theoretical texts and apply theory to other media texts
  • Demonstrate the ability to read and write critically about digital storytelling practices and applications

Module content

The module will focus on case studies to analyse diverse types of stories and approaches to storytelling. Indicative module content includes redefining the storyteller-audience relationship; immersive/VR storytelling; spatial storytelling; live/performative storytelling; mobile storytelling; algorithmic storytelling; and data visualisation.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Reflective essay on a portfolio		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Reflective essay on a portfolio		 N/A 100

Module feedback

You will receive written feedback on coursework assessments using a proforma identifying key marking criteria and marks awarded for each section of the assessment. This will be in line with standard University turnaround times.

Indicative reading

Alexander, Bryan, The New Digital Storytelling: Creating Narratives with New Media, Praeger, 2017.

Dunford, Mark and Tricia Jenkins, Digital Storytelling: Form and Content, Palgrave, 2017.

Gitner, Seth, Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World, Routledge, 2015.

Klanten, Robert, Visual Storytelling: Inspiring a New Visual Language, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2011.

Knaflic, Cole Nussbaumer, Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals, Wiley, 2015.

McCandless David, Information is Beautiful, Collins, 2012.

Miller, Carolyn Handler, Digital Storytelling: A creator’s guide to interactive entertainment, Focal Press, 2008.

Penn, W.S., Storytelling in the Digital Age, Palgrave, 2013.

Quesenbery, Whitney, and Kevin Brooks, Storytelling for User Experience: Crafting Stories for Better Design, Rosenfeld Media, 2010.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.