Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
secret story network
ANNA ZALUCZKOWSKA
Secret Story Network is a partnership between interactive story experts, academics, TV writers, producers, directors, app builders and audiences. The stories are delivered into a story world that you (as an audience member) help create and expand, centred around your favourite TV show.
The stories take place on smartphones and tablets in chat environments like WhatsApp and Messenger. The stories are role player games (RPG) led by a story conductor in which the audience actively participate. Our aim is to develop a new storytelling ethos, methodology and some highly engaging content IP.
Since 2016 we have been experimenting with story structures and forms of delivery.
In 2018 due to Arts Council of England funding we were able to design 12 stories of different genres from around the world and train the writers to become story conductors. In 2019 we have been lucky to extend the development of the project with funding from XRstories. We will be creating an app which will be designed in response to the audience participation and stories developed with Yorkshire based TV companies
The project creates a new digital opportunity in the entertainment market for writers and producers in Yorkshire, supporting existing TV drama and documentary shows, new shows and standalone story experiences. It will expand the region’s media industry into new areas and has the potential to result in a new business model for interactive handheld story content.
We have plans for new stories and an app that can deliver them effectively. The technical architecture has been scoped into an extensive technical document and the first part of the project is to develop the design and user experience of this Minimum Viable Product App so that it can be tested to meet three different sets of producers. One to accommodate TV and film fiction projects, two to develop documentary stories and three to further develop another independent story opportunity.
We will use this knowledge to help us understand how audiences respond to online storytelling and to develop a full business model for the project. We expect that the knowledge gained will be invaluable to our industry partners in making story material available in 360 settings.
This current project work is expected to be complete by May 2020.
The impact of this development has to date been small as we have concentrated on developing new stories and forms of delivery. Over 1000 people have engaged in the set up and trail of these ideas but it is our intention to discover mechanisms that will extend our activities to many 1,000s of users.
Our interactive story IP creates a new digital opportunity in the entertainment market, for writers and producers in Yorkshire, supporting existing TV drama and documentary shows, new shows and standalone story experiences. This will expand the region’s media industry into new areas and has the potential to result in a new business model for interactive online story content.
The project is developing and growing all the time. We are constantly looking for new partners and audience members. If you are interested in helping us test and run stories then please get in touch with us at: www.secretstorynetwork.com/contact.
If you are interested in helping us develop the technical infrastructure and industry scope of this application then get in touch with Bellyfeel at: www.bellyfeel.co.uk.
If you are interested in contributing to the storytelling and research aspect of the project then contact: anna.zaluczkowska@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
If you want to get involved and be part of the Secret Story Network, helping us to test and develop these new story experiences, please email: secrets@secretstorynetwork.com.
More information on the Secret Story Network website.
Secret Story Network XR Stories interview
