Multimedia Literature

Multimedia Literature

What changes when literature is brought to the big (or small) screen?

Lesson Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze multimedia versions of literary works.
• Analyze literature created originally as multimedia.

Skills Needed

Students must be able to:

• Define and identify examples of media and multimedia.
• Identify and analyze elements of narrative.

Do Now:

Think about a book, short story, or poem that has been adapted into a movie, TV show, or web series.

• Answer both questions:

• Name the original text and its screen version.
• Identify one change you noticed between the text and the screen adaptation, and explain why you think that change was made.
• Please tell me in the chat!

Words & Pictures

How did an art form made of words make the transition to multimedia?

You may recall from earlier courses that a medium is simply a format or material used to express an idea. Text is a medium, as is every type of material used to produce visual art. The plural of medium is mediums or media. And of course, multimedia means more than one type of media--multiple media. Unlike other forms of art, multimedia literature almost always begins as text--as either a script, a screenplay, or a storyboard. The words are then combined with other media and presented as a unified work of art, such as a film, an animation, or the story that introduces a video game. Multimedia can be very complex these days, but it started out fairly simply. Learn more about the history of multimedia literature using the following slides.

In one sense, comic strips and other graphic texts could be considered the earliest examples of multimedia because they rely on two mediums--words and pictures--to deliver a message. The first graphic renderings of stories were produced around 1895, but the form really took off in the 20th century. Historically, comics dealt with a variety of topics, including romance, crime, war, and, of course, superheroes. From 1930 through the 1950s, comic books were extremely popular, and this period of time is considered their golden age.

Although the earliest moving picture was created in 1872, it wasn't until the 20th century that scientific advances allowed for mass production of films. Movies were "silent" throughout the early part of the 20th century. Most had musical soundtracks, but the actors' lines appeared on screen as text between shots of the actors performing. Although sound recordings were made during this time, filmmakers had not figured out how to synchronize the track of an actor's voice with his or her movements. Eventually this problem and a few others were solved, and in 1927 the first "talkie" was released.

Throughout most of modern history, few people could afford the expensive devices used to record both sounds and images. Audio recording devices were not available to average consumers until the 1970s, and the first personal video cameras, or "camcorders," did not arrive until the early 1980s. Today, the digital technology needed to create both audio and visual recordings is available to almost anyone. Besides specialized devices for recording sounds and pictures, most computers and phones include audio and/or video recording capabilities. The software needed to edit moving pictures or create animations is also readily available. In the 21st century, the creation of multimedia literature is available to anyone who has the time and interest to try it.

Poetry in Motion

What does a poem look like as a film or video?

You're probably used to seeing multimedia versions of literature as feature films, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, and the Twilight series. Some filmmakers are just as interested in poetry as a source of inspiration, however. The video near the bottom of this page illustrates a poem called "Triolet for Laika, First Dog in Space," which was written by Ann Eichler Kolakowski. Here is the text of the poem as it was published originally. To understand the poem, you need to know that Laika was a stray dog that the Soviets placed in one of their earliest spacecrafts, Sputnik 2, to determine whether a living creature could survive space flight.

Triolet for Laika, First Dog in Space

They sealed your steel sarcophagus; they made no plans to bring you home. (Perhaps they thought you Anubis.) They sealed your steel sarcophagus and let you burn—like Sirius, the other dogstar in the dome. They sealed your steel sarcophagus. They made no plans to bring you home.

As is typical of much contemporary poetry, Kolakowski takes a Postmodern approach; she mixes a modern cultural reference with more traditional elements such as the poem's form and its references to classical mythology. (Anubis was an Egyptian god of the dead and of mummification who had the head of a dog; Sirius is a constellation of stars originally named by the Greeks, who imagined the constellation as a dog.) Watch the video below at least twice before trying to answer the questions beneath it. *Watch video in textbook Was the video what you expected? What other types of videos does it seem similar to?

It Adds Up

How does multimedia enhance the meaning of a literary work?

If you've watched the film version of any book that you've read, you probably noticed that many of the scenes and characters did not appear as you imagined them. Whenever a work of literature is produced in a different medium--and especially as multimedia--it gets reinterpreted by the new piece's producers. What you see in any one version of a film based on a novel is how someone else perceives the meaning of the text and then how he or she chooses to portray it. The eight lines of "Triolet for Laika" suggest quite a story, but the poem is not narrative in structure. The film version is much more typical in its depiction of a narrative, and it offers further insight into the poem as well as Laika's original story. Watch the video one more time. Then use the questions that follow to analyze the narrative and thematic elements of the film. *Watch video in textbook

Animated Ideas

What do the earliest examples of animation reveal about American culture?

When you hear the phrase "animated film," you may think of Disney movies or perhaps some popular television cartoon, but in 1962, John Hubley and his wife Faith created something quite different. The Hole is a short film (also called a "short") that depicts two construction workers in an underground work zone discussing current events. The Hubleys based the film on an improvised dialogue between Dizzy Gillespie and George Mathews, which they used as the voice track. Gillespie was a very famous African American songwriter, trumpet player, and singer, and Mathews was an actor who often played tough guys and villains. The Hole won an Academy Award in 1962 for Best Animated Short Film. In 2013, the Library of Congress chose it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry because of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. Watch each of these excerpts from the film, and consider the questions beneath each clip.

Excerpt One

Animated Ideas

How would you describe the artistic style of the images and animation in this film?

As the two characters in The Hole discuss a variety of topics, the gritty, splotchy scenery around them shifts and changes. Hubley, who initially worked for Walt Disney on the classic feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, could have styled this short using the same vivid colors, hard lines, and precise details typical of Disney's animated films. As you can see, though, the Hubleys went in an entirely different direction.

Excerpt Two

What happens to the imagery on screen when the two characters discuss nuclear disarmament and the obstacles to achieving it?

Excerpt Three

What happens at the end of this film? How does the setting for this short film (a hole in the ground) turn out to be important?

Up from Poverty

Who was Ethel Waters, and how did she attain stardom?

• Ethel Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1896 to a teenage mother and raised in poverty with a large extended family.
• She began singing in church choirs, had her first steady job at 15, and was discovered by vaudeville producers in 1911, touring with variety shows.
• Moving to New York after two years, she became part of the Harlem Renaissance and was among the first Black singers to record for Black Swan Records.
• Her vaudeville background broadened her style and audience; she recorded over 50 hit songs in the 1930s, often with leading jazz musicians.
• Waters built a successful acting career on stage and in films—notably in Mamba’s Daughters and Cabin in the Sky—breaking stereotypes about African American women’s roles.
• Health problems forced her retirement in the 1960s; she died at 80, leaving a lasting legacy for Black singers and actors.

Representing Race

What can multimedia literature reveal about American culture?

These days, just about every pop song is produced as a music video as well as an audio track. Before the Internet was widely available, the cable television channel MTV was the place to watch music videos. Now, though, most fans watch them online the same day the song is released. Like movies and television shows, music videos are multimedia objects. They also tend to be "literary" in character--they use both audio and visual symbols to convey a unified message. Unlike feature films or TV shows, music videos are mostly lyrical in nature, though some of them contain elements of narrative. In general, music videos are more like poems acted out and set to music. You may think that music videos are a fairly recent art form, but "soundies" actually predate contemporary music videos by about 40 years. These short black-and-white films, which were produced between 1940 and 1947, were shown on Panorams--coin-operated machines located in nightclubs, bars, and restaurants. As many as eight soundies might be spliced together on a reel that ran continuously, and they usually featured a variety of musical styles: jazz, big band swing, blues, and musical comedy.

Fast Forward?

How did representations of African Americans change later in the 20th century?

Between 1940 and 1960, as the modern civil rights movement gained momentum, attitudes toward race began to shift among many Americans. The change was mirrored in the movies and television shows airing during this time--as producers made deliberate efforts to depict African Americans in less stereotypical ways.

Adapting

How can a play be adapted?

So, what exactly is an adaptation? An adaptation is a creative work that transforms an existing piece of literature into another form. This involves reinterpreting and modifying the original material while keeping essential elements like the main plot and characters intact. Adaptations often update stories to reflect contemporary settings and cultural contexts, making them more relatable to today's audience.

All the World’s A Stage

Do adaptations of literature have to follow the exact story line?

You might not know it, but you have probably already watched or played some type of adaptation of a piece of literature. Typically, people think of stories being adapted into film and television; however, there are many other adaptations that exist. Sometimes literature is brought to life on a stage with a play or musical. There might be a version adapted into a graphic novel or even a podcast series! Sometimes a story can even be adapted into a video game, or vice versa. Take Shakespeare's Macbeth for example. There are over 40 significant film adaptations alone! Before you dive into examining some adaptations of Macbeth, take a moment to read a summary of the play to get an overview of what the play is about.

Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare that tells the story of a Scottish general whose ambition is sparked by a prophecy from three witches. They predict he will become the King of Scotland, leading him and his wife, Lady Macbeth, to plot and murder King Duncan. Once on the throne, Macbeth is consumed by guilt and paranoia, leading him to commit more murders, including that of his close friend Banquo. As his tyranny grows, Duncan's son Malcolm and nobleman Macduff gather forces to overthrow him. In a final battle, Malcolm's soldiers camouflage themselves with branches from Birnam Wood, fulfilling part of the witches' prophecy. Macduff kills Macbeth, fulfilling another prophecy. Malcolm ascends to the throne, restoring peace. The play delves into themes of ambition, power, and guilt, showcasing the catastrophic consequences of unchecked ambition and moral corruption.

Now that you have a better idea of what the play is about, look through the tabs below to get a better idea of how this famous play has been adapted.

Adaptations

Famous actor and director, Orson Welles, created an adaptation of Macbeth. This adaptation was released in 1948, starring the famous actor and director and debuting Jeanette Nolan as Lady Macbeth. Welles made several changes to his version, including an increased presence of the witches. In the film's beginning, the witches create a figurine of Macbeth that acts almost like a voodoo doll. Anything the witches do to the figurine happens to Macbeth in real life. A major change to Welles' version is the addition of the Holy Man, who recites the prayer of Saint Michael.

Adaptations

Roman Polanski's version of Macbeth, released in 1971, is one of the most common versions of Macbeth shown in classrooms. It follows the play almost verbatim; however, Polanski's version is criticized for how bloody and violent it is compared to the Orson Welles version.

Adaptations

The BBC released an adaptation of Macbeth starring Sir Patrick Stewart. Director Rupert Goold made some huge changes to the original play. Instead of the play taking place in 13th-century Scotland, the story unfolds in the 20th century. The universe of this adaptation is at war, though it is unclear who is fighting with whom. The witches are among the more surprising characters as they are nurses in the military hospital.

Adaptations

Scotland, PA, released in 2001, takes the premise of Macbeth and puts it in the 1970s rural town of Scotland, Pennsylvania, where the crown isn't that of the country of Scotland, but a fast-food restaurant, eventually called—you guessed it—McBeth's. Acclaimed actor Christopher Walken, who plays Macduff, is a vegetarian detective. It is directed by Billy Morrisette, who uses the Shakespearean tragedy as the basis for his more humorous interpretation.

Adaptations

Macbeth, directed by Justin Kurzel, was released in 2015 and stars Michael Fassbender as Macbeth. This more modern adaptation stays true to the play, though the audience does get a very interesting look at Lady Macbeth, played by Marion Cotillard. Cotillard plays an even more fierce version of Lady Macbeth than the actresses who famously played the role before her.

Adaptations

The newest adaptation of Macbeth was released on Apple TV in 2021. This film was directed by acclaimed director Joel Coen and stars award-winner Denzel Washington as Macbeth. It is shot in black and white. The Coen adaptation stays very true to the play, though it does take liberties with the Ross character, playing on the speculation that Shakespeare may not have written the scene with the three murderers.

Extra Credit Assignment

📽️ Assignment: Literature on Screen Snapshot

• Choose one short excerpt from a literary text studied in class or an approved modern text.
• Watch a scene, clip, or multimedia adaptation (film, TV, stage recording, or digital media) of the same moment.
• In 1 well-developed paragraph (8–10 sentences), explain:
• One specific change from the text to the screen
• Why this change may have been made
• Whether the change enhances or detracts from the original meaning
• Required Evidence:
• Include one short quote from the original text
• Refer to one specific visual or audio element from the adaptation (camera angle, music, acting, setting, pacing, etc.)

Rubric

Exit Ticket

After today’s lesson, respond to the essential question:

• What changes when literature is brought to the big (or small) screen?

Your response must:

• Mention one element that often changes (e.g., character development, point of view, pacing, theme, or tone)
• Include one reason why that change happens in multimedia adaptations

Take the Quiz on Multimedia Literature in Canvas!