We are in an era in which the ways we consume media has changed, yet the presence of digital storytelling has not changed our dependence on good stories being told. Narratives are universal and appeals to audiences as the central function of the human mind, in which resonates the need for storytelling. In films the narrative techniques provide the scaffolding for film in terms of the structure, representation, narrative discourse, story and the plot.
To explore the theories and concepts in digital storytelling, I will be analysing the Marvel film Black Panther(2018) as an example of digital storytelling.
Firstly I will be focusing on the narrative structure of Black Panther following the theory ‘Hero’ by Joseph Campbell.
Narrative Structure
The narrative structure helps to ‘reveal’ meaning beyond the narrative of the world(Barthes1975). In the case of the film Black Panther the story world stems from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther being a story in the story world; a fictional shared universe that contains films from the Marvel studios, its films and television series all relate to each other and affects a shared reality.
The narrative structure of Black Panther relates to Joseph Campbell’s mythology of the ‘Hero’- “a universal pattern that is the essence of and common in heroic tales in every culture”(Campbell,1950). The Hero’s journey is a an epic monomyth that describes the emergence of the hero in the story, through an awakening and a warrior to the culture. Likewise all Marvel films, the storyline of the film enacted is the hero’s journey. Additionally hero myths are predominate in MCU and is conceptualised by Christopher Vogler as “retold endlessly infinite variations”.
These twelve stages of the Hero’s Journey is reflective to the fulfilment of Black Panther as a Campbellion hero(Nuvotech,2019):
Ordinary World: The real world of Black Panther(T’Challa) was in Oakland, California. This is where he existed before his present story began and safe place, oblivious of the adventure to come.
Call to Adventure: When his father T’Chaka dies from a bombing in Civil War and a next in line king is needed. T’Challa then has to become the next king as well as the Black Panther.
Refusal of the call: Unspoken fears manifested through M’Baku challenge
Meeting the Mentor: T’Challa becomes king and reunites with his father in the spirit realm. He asks him for advice and how he can be a good king like himself.
Crossing the Threshold: T’Challa had a mission to go to western world to find the missing vibranuim that was stolen and bring the thief and the vibranuim back to Wakanda. As an act to prove that he can be a noble king.
Test, allies, enemies: Black Panther crosses path with enemies- Klaw, Kilmonger, W’Kabi(once ally turned enemy),M’Baku (once enemy turned ally). Black Panther allies being the Agent, Nakia and Okeye
Approach: approaching the cave; Black Panther fails to bring the thief to Wakanda, but Kilmonger comes to Wakanda himself. He meets everyone at the kingdom and T’Challa
Ordeal: Kilmonger defeats T’Challa, “killing him” and seizing the throne.
Reward: T’Challa reconciles with his doubts to the spirit realm and is resurrected.
The Road back: Black Panther and his allies attempt to save the world from war
Resurrection: T’Challa and Kilmonger fight, while the allies attempt to save the world from war
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Return: with the elixir; after Kilmonger is defeated, T’Challa creates outreach programs in Oakland, California and opens Wakanda to provide vibranuim to the rest of the world.
The Hero Journey of Black Panther highlights the character’s vital importance to the fate of people in the nation Wakanda. Following Campbell’s Hero’s Journey allows the breakdown of the plot structure of Black Panther as well as the circular story structure of the epic adventures throughout the film.
The representation of the narrative as of the part of the MCU story world evokes an digital experience for the audience. Hence contributes as a feature of the story world accounting for the digital reading pathways.
Digital Experience
The audience acts as producers and or consumers, they choose the level of engagement to the story of the story world.
The MCU is a story world that has become a sprawling mega beast from another dimension, divided into distinct sections with interconnected stories of its individual heroes. Marvel has offered several pathways its audience can experience the MCU. The franchise offers streaming on all Marvel films on Disney +, Marvel comics online, The official Marvel website of all Marvel entertainment, Marvel games. There are also audio-visual platforms- to stream specific Marvel films sound tracks on Apple Music and Spotify.
Image Audio-visual Marvel=
As well as the fan edited videos of Marvel films-often a compilations of clips and images of the film a fan is showing appreciation for. These transmedia elements comprises the Marvel story world. Hence the dispersal of Marvel films on these various platforms enables new modes of engagement and pathways the audience can navigate through. The MCU highlights the concept transmedia storytelling theorised by Jenkins (2007)- a process where integral elements of a fiction gets dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience’(qtd.in Ryan 2015,p.2). There is not just one single source or text to gain all of the information needed to comprehend the MCU. The accessibility of different pathways to the same story henceforth giving the audience the possibility to enter from different pathways, not having watched the beginning phase of the Marvel films(Jenkins,2007).
The screenwriters also leave digital breadcrumbs- a series of connected pieces of information, demonstrated by the screenwriters use of post-credits and flashbacks scenes in almost every Marvel film, acting as a stinger that either evokes more context of the story or starts sowing the seeds for the MCU story world.
Yet, more importantly the texture of the Marvel story world is based on active audiences engaging in the stories of the story world.
Active Audiences-, Immersion, Interactivity
Digital technologies offer new opportunities for creative interactive experiences and in relation to the MCU it allows for the creation of new forms of drama.
The transmedia elements has offered active audiences to extra textual material to interact hence giving the audience agency. The Marvel audience are active and sometimes creators of meanings. To further examine the participatory/ active Marvel audiences, I will depict part of the MCU story world Black Panther as a representation of agency the audience can have to influence or participate in the construction of narratives.
The interactive and participatory elements of the digital narrative Black Panther, unfolds primarily on social platforms YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, with other social media networks and platforms contributing to agency and immersion the audience add to the story. The Black Panther fandom paid internet tributes by posting everything from loving essays to cosplay, video enactments of scenes from the film representing their love for the film.
A popular example of the immersive nature of the audience is the enactment of a scene the audience called the ‘M’Baku challenge’ named after the leader of the Jabari Tribe which involves Black Panther fans filming themselves re-enacting the scene; M’Baku arrives to challenge T’Challa for the throne of Wakanda. Fans recited the lines from the scene as well as the Wakadan accent used by the character.
Image of M’Baku challenge=
In addition to facilitating the spread of Black Panther narrative, retweets on Twitter served as a tracker for user, reader engagement and participation. Many individuals and myself included shared their thoughts on the film online and shared images of themselves dressed in their African attire or similar costumes as the characters in the film, to watch the film in cinemas whilst striking with the iconic the ‘Wakanda Forever ‘pose.
Images of Black Panther Fan base
The MCU exists within the convergent media environment as the stories(films) of the story world can be deconstructed and distributed across multiple media channels. The audience plays an integral role in shaping the media they consume, the ability to participate in the MCU opens up a participatory network that results in the creation of a fandom. Jenkins(1992) characterises fanfiction and fan video making as a type of ‘participatory culture ‘which fans not only interpret meaning in diverse ways but also create meanings in a moment of fan culture production: fan fictions, videos and art.
To conclude in exploring the Marvel story world as an example of digital storytelling, one may argue Black Panther can be depicted as its own story world. The story- as part of the MCU inherits own convergent media environment, participatory culture, active audiences immersing themselves and interacting with the narrative. The world being Wakanda-delivers a cultural narrative audiences want and need. Thus the film leveraged our broader knowledge of the MCU, yet the film was solidly about the Black Panther and his world. It appealed greatly to the African diaspora as well as influences Afrofuturism hence enabled active audience to seek out more information on their African descent.
Black Panther created its own fandom other than Marvel fans, Non-Marvel viewers that initially did not follow the MCU viewed the film and the ‘Wakanda Forever’ salute became a symbol to celebrate black excellence(Mohdin,2019). It became warmly embraced by British, American and African stars and became a cultural phenomenon in uniting the global African diaspora.
Overall interactive storytelling in this case films, we immerse ourselves in narratives and story worlds created and displayed on technological platforms. Audiences and readers no longer passively read a story or view a film, one can immerse themselves in a fictional world and become a part of the narrative(Rose,2015)
References
- Barthes, R., & Duisit, L. (1975). An Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narrative. New Literary History, 6(2), 237. doi: 10.2307/468419
- Campbell, J. (1950). The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The Journal Of American Folklore, 63(247), 121. doi: 10.2307/537371
- N. (2019). The Hero's Journey - Mythic Structure of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth. www.nuvotech.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2019, from http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/the-hero-journey-mythic-structure-of-joseph-campbell-monomyth.html
- Jenkins, H. (2007). Transmedia storytelling 101. Available: http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html
- Jenkins, H. (2010). Transmedia storytelling and entertainment: An annotated syllabus.
- Continuum, 24(6), 943–958. http://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2010.510599
- Jenkins,H.(1992). Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture:ww.academia.edu/24244102/Henry_Jenkins_Rise_of_the_Fan_Studies
- Rose, F. (2016). Power of Immersive Media. Retrieved 16 October 2019, from https://www.frankrose.com/the-power-of-immersive-media.html
- Mohdin, A. (2019). The “Wakanda Forever” salute has become a symbol of black excellence. Retrieved 16 October 2019, from https://qz.com/quartzy/1227759/black-panther-the-wakanda-forever-salute-has-become-a-symbol-of-black-excellence/
- The M'Baku Challenge is the 'Black Panther' trend fans need to see. (2019). Retrieved 16 October 2019, from https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2018/03/the_mbaku_challenge_is_the_black_panther_trend_you.html
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