“Searching for the Origami Unicorn”: The Matrix and Transmedia Storytelling

Does The Matrix phenomenon represent the future of entertainment? If so, what will it look like? Drawing on research from his new book, Comparative Media Studies Professor Henry Jenkins offers his insights into the films, the video games, the comics, and the anime as embodying some significant trends in American popular culture, including media convergence, transmedia storytelling, and globalization. Following his lecture, we will screen The Animatrix, a unique collaboration between a western media franchise and Asian animators.