Storytelling in the Media Convergence Age ─ Exploring Screen Narratives

This collection investigates the relationship between contemporary screen narratives and their varied contexts of production, circulation and reception, exploring storytelling practices across a range of different media and national and institutional sites. While convergence and globalisation blur the boundaries between media and nations, it is still vital to account for the persistent national, medium, institutional and technological specificities that give rise to different narrative forms. The chapters study the ways in which these factors shape events, characters and settings; inform modes of narrative presentation; influence, via paratextual surround, potential interpretations; and accord certain stories more value than others. The authors use case studies drawn from a range of media, from Hollywood franchises to digital comics, and a range of countries, from United States to Japan. In connecting contemporary screen media narratives to their contexts, this book offers a new perspective on recent transformations in screen media culture.

Roberta Pearson is Professor of Film and Television Studies at the University of Nottingham, UK. She has published numerous books, book chapters and journal articles. These include the edited collection, Reading Lost: Perspectives on a Hit Television Show, and most recently the co-authored book, Star Trek and American Television.

Anthony N. Smith's research connects media texts to their industrial conditions. He has published articles on US television storytelling practices in Television and New Media and Critical Studies in Television. He received his PhD in Film and Television Studies from the University of Nottingham, UK.