SocialScultpures.com is my treasure hunt, exploration of my and our relationship to ourselves and the world we live in and my ongoing investigation into experience storytelling and non-linear stories – food for thought
This is about searching for a newer storytelling/narrative model that places power in the hands of the community to foster more than just author or content curator. This is innately social and an evolution in its own right. We want people to walk away with a very strong urge to join this conversation, and help us determine how to build a social movement using a multi-platform narrative.
Our primary question:
What does this interaction between content curators and a community of actively engaged participants look like?
We’ll dig as deep as we can get – The first step to redefining the storytelling process.
What is a social sculpture?
It’s a story as a platform for conversation, supported by a community of active participants that help to evolve a narrative indefinitely by contributing their own stories as well as sharing the narrative experience with those outside of the community.
It consists of multiple components, each with its own unique narrative, each representing a layer or piece/part of the whole; i.e., a story that lives beyond any one medium or individual.
Together, these narrative components formulate a singular, interconnected story that provides a fluid and multidimensional experience.
It’s never finished.
As we continue to add content, build additional narrative layers and empower the community to share their own experiences (whatever resonates at the end of the day), these stories will hopefully remain present.
What is unique about a social sculpture? Is it comparable to a transmedia project?
While akin to transmedia in its sharing of a common mythos and narrative universe – as well as multiple media or a multi-platform structure – a social sculpture aims for the heart of things … the community.
Here is a small sampling of how a social sculpture is participant driven:
- Offers participant control over the narrative experience – Putting “person” in the driver seat with narrative as opposed to content creator.
- Provides participant opportunities to engage with the back story behind creation of each narrative component.
- Provides opportunities for participant-generated content within each narrative component.
- Reinforces community narrative experience.
- Provides two distinctly unique narrative paths that allows the participant to choose their experience – both linear and non-linear.
How do we build a social sculpture?
We look to empower each participant, and the community at large.
- Create and release each narrative component into the community (content curators/producers).
- Gain emotional resonance. Every component built and shared MUST be able to stand on its own two feet separate from the pack.
- Provide incubator for conversation (using a platform/interface structured to encourage participation).
- Identify community guides and give them the tools to facilitate both community and narrative growth as well as help new participants acclimate.
- Community guides and participants share/tell story to others, inviting them to join the community while also sharing their own experiences.
- Rinse and repeat as new participants join the conversation.