Henry Jenkins on the “Trans-media Producer”

The bestknown Acafan in the world, Prof. Henry Jenkins, commented some days ago the born of the “transmedia producer” credit in his blog. Here his words about the great role played by the first transmedia producer, Jeff Gomez and Starlight Runner Entertainment in this difficult match.

“From the beginning, transmedia has been a site of experimentation, innovation, and exploration at the heart of the mainstream media. Many of us have seen the signs of transmedia practices emerging from some time — mostly taking shape around forms of marketing because that’s how such projects could get funded, mostly reflecting the logic of a more integrated media industry with strong economic imperatives for creating entertainment experiences across platforms. [...] From my perspective, there is a use within the academic world for clearer, more precise definitions, but there is also a value more generally for a more slippery conception, at least while we are still undergoing such rapid evolution. My hope is that the definition and borders of the concept will be debate everytime two or more transmedia advocates have gathered.”

Here in Italy, the definition of “cross-media” is still more used than “trans-media”, as it is in many european countries, but soon, as Prof. Jenkins says too, I believe academic world and industry will match better also in the use of the phrases, to contribute better to the lifelong experience of merging media all around the world. And it doesn’t matter if some of us… like me, first of all, will have to update the “titles” of their books. Its the hard part of the job of any pioneer, isn’t it? But I’ll write more about it in my next short essay published on “Script”, the most important magazine for screenwriters in Italy, which will be published in june. [Max Giovagnoli]