QR MINI-BRIEF

10/10/2013

Today I re-visited the use of QR codes in non-linear narrative storytelling.  This is a method I practiced during last year's convergent media module.

Last year I created a fictional transmedia experience encouraging users to visit several different geographical locations in order to take part in an alternate reality game (ARG).

The concept was based around the activity of Geocaching.  Follow this link to explore the Geocrashing website.

Today, whilst working as part of a small group, I was provided with a brief which required me to tell a story across a minimum of five separate web-based artefacts, which would each be linked to by unique QR codes in order to reveal episodes of the main story.

These links could navigate to blogs, videos, map locations, social media sites etc.

As a team we decided to develop a desktop narrative in order to best present the idea to the rest of the group.  We chose to do this rather than physically exploring the actual geographical locations in order to save time - but also because Google street view has got just about every location you care to imagine available to view remotely :)

I began planning the story by facilitating a brainstorming session where I encouraged all team members to share their story ideas.

I felt that for the purposes of this exercise it was important to keep the story simple due to the tight deadline which had been provided to us.  I was mindful that if the story became more involved, then it would mean the group would need to create a higher volume of artifacts in order for the audience to be able to successfully engage with the narrative.  Where possible I like to create my own assets from scratch rather than sourcing other people's material so I was aware from experience that this can be a time-consuming process!

The idea we agreed on was an alternative take on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - but based in pre- WWII Liverpool.

The mini-story can be found here

Initially the story was divided into 7 separate elements, which would each be linked to by scanning a QR code from a specific geographic location. There would however be no obvious order to the narrative if each QR code would be explored in isolation. (The potential user would need to engage with a map created specifically for the story - accessible via the web on varying compatible devices with an available QR code scanner). 

For the purposes of this exercise we decided to use Google maps in order to help portray our story.  However, given more time the map would ideally have been embedded into an app or website built specifically for the project. (see Geocrashing above).

The main 'episodes' within the story would be:

1. Ronan and Julie-Ann get married
2. Ronan joins the Navy and goes to sea
3. Ronan receives a message at sea that Julie-Ann has died
4. Ronan takes his own life
5. Julie-Ann is not really dead
6. Ronan's estate is bequeathed by Julie-Ann
7. Julie-Ann marries Benjamin (Ronan's cousin and confidante)

We designed and created a fictional web artifact using varying to us digital media tools available (Adobe Creative Suite) for each of the episodes.

1. An authentic 1930's wedding certificate
2. An historical looking BFPO letter
3. correspondence from the register of british deaths that Julie-Ann is deceased
4. A newspaper article confirming Ronan's death
5. The last will and testament of Ronan Monty
6. A blushing* bride from 1940s (Julie-Ann again) 

*we think - It's in monochrome so hard to tell really.

Likely locations such as Princes dock, a Liverpool pillar-box and a Liverpool based solicitors were selected as suitable places for the QR codes.

The team experienced a set-back which delayed the process considerably.  Google maps had been updated and the method I had previously used to embed html code to placemarks was no longer available.

I intended to add streetview screen 'grabs' to these placemarks and use photo manipulation skills learned in other earlier modules to add QR codes to the images.  The images including the QR codes would be available to users on both the map and at the physical geographic locations.

With the help of tutors, we found a workaround and switched to 'classic view'.  Each separate artefact from the list was given its own unique URL after uploading them to a Flikr account.  The team then used QRstuff.com in order to generate a code for link.

I hope to re-visit QR codes again as part of my final project but will ensure that I spend a few hours teaching myself how to embed code to the updated version of google maps before I begin!