- About the minor Transmedia Design
- Practical information
- Study programme
- What do we expect from you
- Buddy and support
- Eligibility & Entry Level
- (Online) minor orientation
- How to apply for this minor
- Contact
Are you crazy about storytelling? If you want to learn how to tell a powerful story – AND you are a bit of a pixel geek – then this minor definitely suits you. The minor Transmedia Design is the ultimate fit for those who like stories, film, gaming, have a thing for innovative media but also like to think strategically.
Storytelling
We need new stories. Stories that stand out, create impact and evoke emotion. Stories that prompt us to change our way of thinking, and behaving, stories that make us aware of what we did not know. Transmedia is a storytelling technique and it can be used to tell impactful stories, be it for entertainment, marketing or journalism purposes.
In the minor Transmedia Design you not only think of what story should be told, but also how to tell it. We go find innovative ways of storytelling, and we stir up the conversation making use of multiple platforms. Stories that are interactive and participative.
At the minor we let you experiment: You will do so by designing a Transmedia experience; one that turns your audience into a fan of your product, your brand or your topic.
At the minor we challenge you to explore you’ll learn new media techniques, get acquainted with VR, AR, AI tools and see how these can help tell the story you want.
At the minor we have you expand your world: You will do so by studying best practices from all kinds of domains, and we take you out on excursions, broadening your horizon and very important: do so in an international classroom, learning about stories from all around the world.
Learning outcomes, after successfully concluding this minor you will be able to:
- Create an adequate and innovative transmedia strategy as a basis for an engaging experience.
- Apply storytelling techniques in order to engage an audience.
- Create interactive innovative media content to obtain a high participation level.
- Work in an international and interdisciplinary team and show accountability for the results.
- Reflect and report on transmedia practices and theory.
Students about this programme
“Great approach in terms of teaching”
“Well organised, really smart teachers”
“With all teachers I felt like they were more coaches to us: which is meant to be a compliment. I felt like everyone was understanding, thinking along, they wanted to know what we would like to learn more - and they took time and effort to teach us that. I am super super positive about how this all turned out. For the minor itself: I personally had so much fun. I have never been so eager in getting good grades and redo-ing them when possible, all to try and get better in than I had in any other study or semester. If was so nice to create stuff again rather than learning theory from a book. If I could go back in time, I would absolutely love to do the minor all over again.”
Week
The minor requires full time commitment, but not every day is spent at the academy itself: 3 to 4 days a week are (partly) spent on campus, following classes and workshops and working on the various assignments.One day is scheduled free.
Language
The minor is completely taught in English. The setting is an international classroom with students of several nationalities. We consider this to be of a high added value and address these intercultural themes a lot, also in the context of stories and storytelling.
Location
Fontys Academy for theCreative Economy, Campus Stappegoor, building P8, Tilburg.
Literature, licenses and devices
Fontys Academy for the Creative Economy is a 'bring your own device'-academy, meaning you need to have a proper working laptop preferably containing the full Adobe CC software. In case you do not have ADOBE CC installed you can obtain a student license (€150,- for 2 devices for 1 year) or work on campus on some available desktops.ADOBE CC is not compulsory.
The minor uses various literature sources that are all free available digitally. You are welcome to purchase the literature yourself but it is not compulsory. The complete literature list is published in the syllabus that will be handed to you upon definite enrolment.
The minor is organized around 3 assignments you will work on throughout the semester. All lectures, workshops and coach sessions are related to these assignments. Attendance to the lectures and workshops is expected.
The assignments (deliverables):
The assignments form a coherent whole and as such address the learning outcomes of this minor:
- Create an adequate and innovative transmedia strategy as a basis for an engaging experience.
- Apply storytelling techniques in order to engage an audience.
- Create interactive innovative media content to obtain a high participation level.
- Work in an international and interdisciplinary team and show accountability for the results.
The assignments are:
- 25TDTAA Treatment assignment (couple) : designing a transmedia design based on an existing movie. First 5 weeks.
- 25TDTPA Creating a transmedia production (group) : by far the biggest project, starting in week 5, and ending in week 19.
- 25TDTTPA Transmedia Vision Document (individual) : individual track running throughout the whole minor, focused on developing a professional view on transmedia and research.
To successfully complete the minor all deliverables have to be passed (grading is from 0-10).
The lectures and workshops are categorized as follows:
Narratology
At the heart of a good transmedia production lies a good story. Narrative design includes knowledge of narratological theories and scenography. Campbell’s “Hero’s journey” and Vogler’s “Writers Journey”, among other narratological theorists, serve as a basis for this theory course. Once a good story is found or made, it can be expanded to a transmedia production.
Transmedia Theory
In our digital age, driven by the social web, the customer’s attention can no longer be asked for, it needs to be deserved. Various theorists have studied transmedia, elaborating on conceptual models and designing principles. Students will study these theories and develop a critical view on recent transmedia productions and learn to reflect on these critical views. Includes topics such as: Media convergence , media theory, semiotics, spreadability, memes, engagement and interactivity design.
Transmedia Strategy& social media platforms
While storytelling is the heart of Transmedia Design it is very important to know how to market the transmedia production in a way that the story stays at the heart. Also successful transmedia branding campaigns and how they made value propositions into brand activations are addressed. Includes topics such as: Brand storytelling, corporate storytelling , market and target audience analysis, empathy mapping, Google Analytics, Social media advertising, social media analytics, transmedia design in rpactice: project managing, scrum.
Tools
When it comes to producing a transmedia campaign, students need to make good design choices. The minor challenges to be innovative and to individually learn new creative skills or add to existing ones. Workshops will be offered depending on the needs and skill levels of the individual student and the group. Includes topics such as: Design tools: Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Première, After Effects, Unity). Web tools: website design (Wordpress, WIX).VR (Tilt brush,) AR (Fectar, Spark).Midjourney, Dall-E, Pica, and other AI tools.
Field trips and guest lectures
Learning how transmedia practice is developing is important and fun. We facilitate visits to Playgrounds, Dutch Film Festival and Digital Storytelling Festival, or other available inspirational locations. Also intercultural and international aspects are addressed.
How will your course programme be recognised by your home university?
Fontys will provide you with a Transcript of Records (TOR), which will clarify the results that you have achieved. Depending on your results, you will receive 30 ECTS credits. The separate Assignments are indicated in the TOR and represent a certain amount of EC’s but the minor is achieved only when all 30 ECTS are obtained. ECTS credits are recognised throughout Europe. The agreement between your home university and Fontys University of Applied Sciences will usually include a condition whereby the credits that you obtain will be recognised and transferred into the records kept by your home university.
We expect attendance and commitment, enthusiasm and an open mind.
Once you have chosen to enroll for this minor, you commit to it fulltime for a whole semester. You are expected to follow classes in order to improve your transmedia knowledge and learn by doing. The minor class is considered a learning community and we share knowledge, skills and insights. You have to be willing to receive and gives feedback. Showing progress, offering, and receiving feedback, as well as improving the work are an important aspect of the minor.
You are expected to show ownership over your learning goals and monitor them yourself.
Intensive coaching exchange students
Your teachers provide intensive coaching during the programme. Furthermore, all exchange students will be placed in buddy groups, led by a full-time Fontys student. He or she will introduce you to Dutch culture, the city of Tilburg and the campus. With questions about practical matters and social engagements you can go to your buddy. Lastly, our International Office can also help you with study- and practical matters.
Complicated or personal matters
For all matters more complicated or personal you can also go to the International Office or the study coach dedicated to our international exchange group. This study coach can help you with several personal or study related matters and can forward you to study psychologists or a dean if needed.
Target Audience & Entry Level
Undergraduate. When attending the minor it is assumed that students have some basic knowledge and skills in either (market)research and/or ideation and concepting and/or media design.
It is important that we make a “good match”. Therefore after enrolling in the minor programme you will receive an invite to an intake session in which your level of English and motivation will be assessed. The enrolment is official when you receive an acceptance letter via e-mail.
How will your course programme be recognised by your home university?
Fontys will provide you with a so-called ‘Transcript of Records’, which will clarify the results that you have achieved. Depending on your results, you will receive 30 ECTS credits. ECTS credits are recognised throughout Europe. The agreement between your home university and Fontys University of Applied Sciences will usually include a condition whereby the credits that you obtain will be recognised and transferred into the records kept by your home university.
Have you already thought about your choice of minor? Do you want to immerse yourself in your profession, or do something completely different? Your choice of your minor can be quite difficult. The most important thing is that you choose something that really suits you. This way you can distinguish yourself from others and make your studies even more personal. But how do you choose? And what can you choose?
(Online) minor information week
To help you with your choice, we organise an (online) minor orientation week in March '24. During these information sessions, you will learn more about the content of the minors and you can ask any question you may have. You can register here for the orientation week.
How to apply as a Fontys student
You have to register yourself for the minor in Progress. Please note: the available places shown in Progress might not represent the actual availability. Waiting to register for the minor of your choice because of the shown availability is not advisable and might result in you being too late and the minor being full.
How to apply as an exchange student
Nominations should always be submitted via the International Exchange (or Erasmus) Officer at the home university. Once Fontys has accepted the nomination, our International Office will send you an e-mail with all necessary information to successfully apply as an exchange student.
Furthermore, as part of the application procedure, you will receive a study guide with all important information regarding life as a Fontys student and in the Netherlands in general.
Apply for this minor:
Got any questions? Feel free to send an e-mail to: minortransmediadesign@fontys.nl
Or contact one of our minor coordinators:
- Maaike Rijnders (m.rijnders@fontys.nl)
- Monique van Hest (monique.vanhest@fontys.nl)
