Comments on: The Next Chapter in Interactive Storytelling: interview with Jeremy Ettinghausen

By: Storytelling: In 3 Easy, Quick and Simple Steps | Big Picture Big Profits

Storytelling: In 3 Easy, Quick and Simple Steps | Big Picture Big Profits — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:14:36 +0000

[...] It’s Simple To Present Like A Pro • Refine your call to action. Pick from 41 ways to ignite action. • Get tips on how to Practice so you are totally confident. • Score your performance with easy evaluation sheets. Discover how to continually improve your skills at storytelling. [...]

By: Marketing Eficiente » Blog Archive » Cosas que andaban por mi reader.

Marketing Eficiente » Blog Archive » Cosas que andaban por mi reader. — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:47:11 +0000

[...] The Next Chapter in Interactive Storytelling: interview with Jeremy Ettinghausen vía BBH Labs. Una gran reflexión sobre como lo digital introduce nuevas variantes a la hora de [...]

By: Cosas que andaban por mi reader. « Soy un curioso

Cosas que andaban por mi reader. « Soy un curioso — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:54:14 +0000

[...] The Next Chapter in Interactive Storytelling: interview with Jeremy Ettinghausen vía BBH Labs. Una gran reflexión sobre como lo digital introduce nuevas variantes a la hora de [...]

By: Kevin Berrey

Kevin Berrey — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:42:07 +0000

Your fine article asks some very pertinant questions about collaboration with brands and user generated content; it also touches on territory that is core to what Screaming Panda does as storytellers for the digital age and so piqued my interest. Marketers have ways of contributing to the goals of a better connected story experience. I would hazard that the process of collaborating with brands as a digital storyteller is similar to potentially interactive storytelling techniques. It is the combination of listening and engaging in meaningful ways that wins.

There are models for how collaborative and interactive storytelling can work of course in role-playing games and choose your own adventure novels which I enjoyed growing up to some degree. However I wonder how social or inter-personal this experience is. Cheers to Penguin for foraging into new territory. It must be done.

On one hand I believe Storytelling is an inherently non-interactive art that implies deep listening. On the other, in it’s oral form it is a very expressive exchange. And listeners engage, interrupt, and take the reins. The question here is audience. I’m curious to see how this service plays out.

What do you mean by talkability?

By: Mel Exon

Mel Exon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:58:14 +0000

Edward

I’m genuinely intrigued to hear a bit more about why you think it’s odd to charge for it? Tell us more!

(Jeremy’s point of view on this is in the post for anyone reading this comment…).

The topic of ‘free’ is a hot one and by no means do we at Labs think we have the answer nailed – for example, there’s the (well-rehearsed) argument that a free service may reach a larger audience, who ultimately deliver a greater financial return. I guess the clue is in the words “might” and “ultimately”… In a tough economic climate are we just not prepared to take that kind of risk? Thoughts on this very welcome.

By: Darren Herman

Darren Herman — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:06:08 +0000

Great post guys. I used to love interactive stories where I got to pick the journey as a kid.

You touch quite a bit of ground in this post, especially when you talk about the implications to brands and marketers. I believe there is a role for all types of messages in this world (1 way, 2 way, multi-party, etc) and each will find it’s own place as technology evolves to allow digital deliverance of messages/product across all media channels.

By: Bryan Fuhr

Bryan Fuhr — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:12:59 +0000

great piece. it reminds me of something we are trying to prove in our work, “free is good. paid is better.” look forward to seeing the story unfold.

By: edwardboches

edwardboches — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:05:28 +0000

Interesting subject (and thorough post) on a number of fronts. 1. A new way of crowdsourcing content. 2. A reminder that an audience wants to engage, participate and create. 3. A way to deal with the expectation of (or an exploitation of?) the whole free thing. 4. combining literature, story telling, books, interactivity and social media in a new way 5. the willingness to experiment and try things.

The only thing I don’t get is why they charge for it. That seems odd.

By: Rick Liebling

Rick Liebling — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:25:37 +0000

That’s an interesting point Jinal. I think it’s probably easier to ladder up from say, $6 a month to $10 a month for a subscription service than it would be to go from $0 to $3. Once it’s free, that’s it, it’s free. Or alternatively, you could go from paid to free, if that ended up making more sense. A service like this has the opportunity to be a paid service, good on to Jeremy and team for recognizing that creativity and commerce can co-exist.

By: Jinal Shah

Jinal Shah — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:06:11 +0000

Great great interview Mel! Jeremy is an inspiration. I think it was very smart to make Wemakestories.com a paid service. What I’m realizing with social platforms and digital services is that the expectation you set in the beginning (free, paid etc) pretty much determines the community that builds around it.

Really interested in watching how wemakestories plays out!