Presentation from the transmedia workshop I presented in conjunction with Startup Weekend Transmedia on January 30, 2012.
Note: case study examples were offline video & are not included in this prezi.

The MARCH 2013 version (3 hour class) can be found here.

At the Tri Wyrd convention June 21-24, 2012 in Costa Mesa, CA, Charon Pictures produced two paranormal-themed events involving the Los Angeles Ghost Patrol:

LAGP: A Haunting in the Hotel

For one night only, the Los Angeles Ghost Patrol invited first time paranormal investigators to participate in a realistic simulated haunting. Armed with actual ghost hunting equipment, small teams explored dark rooms, empty hallways and staff-only corridors, searching for anything out of the ordinary. LAGP investigators Tyler, Carol and Sam guided participants in an EVP session and instructed players in techniques to contact (and sometimes provoke!) entities from the beyond. Players were encouraged to use cameras & cell phones to capture personal evidence, then upload it to a Facebook page documenting the haunted WyrdCon experience.

LA Ghost Patrol ARG

During the Con the story continued as players helped the LAGP investigate the hotel’s paranormal history by collecting the personal objects of the missing family contacted during the live event. Golden envelopes were soon found scattered around the hotel, cryptic messages from the mysterious Order of Umbra. There may or may not have been a secret initiation ceremony at midnight in a candle-lit room for those who proved themselves worthy of membership into the Order’s ancient ranks.

The LAGP has conducted dozens of investigations in the Southern California area, some of which are showcased on their website laghostpatrol.com. They have appeared on TV investigating the Magic Castle and are committed to finding real evidence of the paranormal. Last year, as part of a fictional alternate reality, the team stumbled into a centuries-old story of dangerous shadow figures controlled by a mysterious order. As the focus of the ‘umbra’ haunting her apartment, Carol began a blog at carolshaunting.com.

Susan was the experience designer/producer of this alternate reality game created by members of Transmedia LA as a hands-on workshop. Funds for expenses were raised via a Kickstarter campaign. Running during the summer of 2012, the live game play was centered in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles. The ARG consisted of two main components:

• The online world: Rex’s blog, websites, Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, Linkedin profiles, Pinterest boards, email accounts and much, much more. There might even be some hacking in to AIC employee accounts, if you get our drift.
• The live experience: An exploratory expedition through the Miracle Mile area, home to world-class museums, art deco architecture and the La Brea Tar Pits. Players will follow Rex’s prompts and uncover clues that will reveal the secret location of the Time Switch machine. But caution must be advised because AIC has the entire Mile under surveillance.

The plan was to have the online gamers from all over the world interact with the players participating in the live experience in Los Angeles. Only by working together would both groups be able to unlock the mystery regarding the Miracle Mile Paradox before it was too late.

A case study of the ARG was presented at StoryWorld ’12 detailing the fundraising, player metrics & other things we learned. Group authoring of an ARG is not easy! Here are some links to additional online write ups of the project: Wired.com/ARGNet, Coefficient of Fiction & The Mindhut.

The Miracle Mile Paradox ARG Case study from April Arrglington

Charlie Parker (Kade Coates) is your ordinary 12-year-old baseball fanatic and curious kid. With his father away fighting World War II, his mother is forced to rent rooms out to make ends meet. But the latest boarder rouses Charlie’s suspicions and he tries to warn his mother to no avail. Snooping around the boarder’s room, he finds a satchel full of jars filled with souls. Fearing the soul collector is targeting his mother, Charlie must do everything he can to protect her, even if it means risking his own soul in the process.

Format
8 min., shot on Super 16mm, digital intermediate master to HDCAM & a 35mm print

Awards
Best Mini-Short – Danville International Children’s Film Festival
Best College Short – International Horror & Sci-Fi Festival
Second Place Super Short – Shriekfest

Festival Screenings

A foray into a fictional universe with the Los Angeles Ghost Patrol, Carol’s Haunting is an alternate reality game (ARG).

The first chapter of the game began with a plea for help from a character named Lukas which was emailed to certain Unfiction players.  The story soon involved LAGP’s Carol, as well as the mysterious Tsiluccoeht, who headed up the centuries old Order of Umbra. The game took place over 3 & a half months in mid 2011 and was told via video, emails, text messages, Twitter, multiple websites, physical mailings and a live event.

A second chapter is forthcoming. Due to the nature of ARGs it is difficult to replay them, but some of the story can be found at the blog Carol’s Haunting. Note: this project is a fictional game. The Los Angeles Ghost Patrol continues to do paranormal investigations.

Their main website can be found at laghostpatrol.com, which features write-ups, video and photos of their investigations, as well as some tips & tricks for ghost hunting on your own. Recently added was a user generated content section where readers could share their own ghostly encounters.

In active development is a 13-episode supernatural hour drama series with a second screen experience featuring the team within a fictional environment. An overview of the LAGP’s work and appearances:

Aired for two years on the Independent Film Channel (IFC).

Format
10 min., shot & finished on 35mm

Awards
Best Gothic Horror – Dragon*Con
Film Radar Award – Bleedfest
Texas Filmmakers Showcase selection

Festival Screenings

Format
15 min., shot on Super 16mm, digital intermediate mastered to HDCAM

Awards
DGA Women’s Student Film Award Honorable Mention (second place) for Director Susan Bell
ASC Heritage Award for student cinematography for DP Rodrigo Rocha-Campos
Verna Fields Golden Reel nomination for student sound editing for Susan Bell
Best Short Screenplay – International Horror & Sci-Fi Festival
Best Music – International Horror & Sci-Fi Festival
Alumni Award – International Horror & Sci-Fi Festival
Best Horror Short Honorable Mention – Shockerfest
Fuji Film Award to Susan Bell – Shockerfest
Best Horror Film – San Francisco Women’s Film Festival

Festival Screenings

A nurse struggles with her terminally ill patient’s wish to end his life after she finds the body of a dying dog.

Format
7 min., shot on Super 16mm, output to DV

Not released. Film school screenings only.