[ISEA2016] Artist Talk: Betty Sargeant — How Far is Up? The Remediation Loop From Picture Book to App to Animated Film to Picture Book

Artist Statement

How Far is Up? is a story that was conceived as a picture book concept; yet it was initially developed as an interactive iPad storybook app, [7] it was then produced as a short animated film, and this story is currently being developed into a printed picture book. This presentation traces the evolutionary track of this creative work. The How Far is Up? story fuses fact with fiction; it teaches audiences about outer space. The protagonist is a young boy. Together with two friends he embarks on a bumbling escapade through our galaxy, and the trio struggles to find their way back to earth. This story is aimed at audiences aged four and above. I wrote and illustrated How Far is Up? I created the design, typography and interaction design for the app, and directed and animated the short film. I also performed the audio narration, and wrote and performed the musical score for both the app and the short film.
Through this project I endeavour to better understand how print and digital media can support entertainment, literary and learning experiences within both domestic and classroom settings. Western children are currently spending less time reading for pleasure and more time on mobile devices, particularly with game and video content. [1, 3] As a consequence, picture book makers and educators are seeking new avenues through which to engage their audience, and new ways in which they can connect children with literature. [5, 7, 8, 9] This presentation explores how children’s picture book stories can be remediated and delivered across a variety of platforms. Picture books can be produced in printed or digital form; particularly with developments in mobile interactive storybook apps. [9] Picture books can also be remediated for television or cinematic experiences. For example, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a children’s story that has been produced as an app, a short film and a printed picture book. [2, 4] The success of the digital publications of this story led to it being produced in printed form.

The How Far is Up? project extends from this type of existing work offering entertainment and educational outcomes for picture book audiences. The How Far is Up? app offers a play-based story experience; the app also contains teacher’s notes that are curriculum linked. Classroom teachers can use the How Far is Up? film as an audio-visual aid when discussing the story’s themes with students. This suite of stories (the app, short film and the up-coming printed picture book), operate as a set of resources that may help children build deep connections with a literary work. Yet each of these aspects of the project can operate as stand-alone educational and entertainment experiences.
Audio-visual representations of picture book content borrow from traditional storybook making practices, and these digital works can engage contemporary children in literature. [5, 6, 7, 9] The popularity of some children’s digital publications has resulted in digital work being produced in printed picturebook format. There is currently a remediation loop within the field of picturebook-making; this involves innovative digital methods that borrow from, extend from, and spawn interest in traditional modes of practice.

References

  1. Common Sense Media and Vicky Rideout, Zero to Eight: Children’s Media use in America 2013, (San Francisco: Common Sense Media, 2013).
  2. William Joyce and Joe Bluhm, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, (New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014).
  3. Kristen McLean and Carl Kulo, The Children’s Book Consumer in the Digital Age, (New York: Bowker Market Research, 2013), 45.
  4. Moonbot Studios, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Version 1.4, storybook application, accessed June 20 2014, https://itunes.apple.com/app/fantastic-flying-booksmr./id438052647.
  5. Betty Sargeant, ‘What is an Ebook? What is a Book App? And Why Should we Care? An Analysis of Contemporary Digital Picture Books’, Children’s Literature in Education, Vol. 45, No. 175, Springer, 2015, 454-466.
  6. Betty Sargeant How Far is Up? IOS application, accessed December 16 2015, https://itunes.apple.com/app/how-far-isup/id860628627?mt=8.
  7. Daisy Smeets and Adriana Bus, ‘Picture Storybooks go Digital: Pros and Cons’, in eds. Susan Neuman and Linda Gambrel, Quality Reading Instruction in the Age of Common Core Standards, (Newark: International Reading Association, 2013), 176-189.
  8. Daisy Smeets and Adriana Bus, ‘The Interactive Animated E-book as a Word Learning Device for Kindergartners’, Applied Psycholinguistics, Vol. 22, No. 1, Cambridge University Press, 1-22.
  9. Junko Yokata and William Teale, ‘Picture Books and the Digital World: Educators Making Informed Choices’, The Reading Teacher, Vol. 67, No. 8, 577-585.
  • Dr. Betty Sargeant, Exertion Games Lab, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia