Transmedia Storytelling in Detective Pikachu: CMNS130A/B Analysis

This essay analyzes the film 'Detective Pikachu' through the lens of transmedia storytelling, as outlined in the CMNS130A/B assignment brief. The essay explores how the film leverages transmedia techniques to expand its narrative beyond the core movie experience. It delves into the film's adaptation from the video game, examining how the story is structured and how the narrative differs from the source material. Furthermore, the essay examines the ownership structure and funding models of the film, investigating how these factors may have influenced the content and creative decisions. It considers the film's critical reception, its financial success, and its impact on the broader field of mass communication and media. The essay references relevant academic sources and readings, including discussions of propaganda models and audience engagement, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the film's significance within the context of media and cultural studies.

Running Head: MASS COMMUNICATION
Transmedia Storytelling in Detective Pikachu
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1MASS COMMUNICATION
Introduction
In the modern times, the field of mass media has served as a mechanism for promoting
the communication media of the important social messages and symbols to the global population
in general. The platform of mass media has served as the most effective tool in order to amuse, to
entertain and to spread the information in order to inculcate the different individuals with the
important values, the beliefs and the most effective code of conduct in order to integrate the
masses into the holistic framework of the fragmented institutions of the society at a larger
perspective. In the domain of mass media, television can be considered as the most effective tool
to connect the audience with the deeper dimensions of the societal value which has been rightly
stated by Morley:
“The relation of an audience to the ideological operations of television remains in principle
An empirical question: the challenge is the attempt to develop appropriate methods
Of empirical investigation of that relation.”
Morley 1980
The elite domination of the media and its associated marginalization of the various
dissidents have resulted from the various operation scheme that will filter naturally what the
media reports to the people. The recent trend of the global mass communication shows a method
of integration of the media into the greater sphere of the market mechanism that will be
accelerated by the loosening of the different rules that will limit the scope of the media and
control of the other non-media companies.

2MASS COMMUNICATION
Trans media Storytelling in the ‘The Detective Pikachu’
The Film the Detective Pikachu has caught the major attention of the Trans media
journalists of the modern world. For the various enthusiasts in the field of Tran’s media, the
process of growth has been more pronounced in the country Japan. In the initial years, the Trans
media has seen a prolonged coordination of the different video games, the various cards used for
trading, and the factor of merchandise with the periodic magazines giving the view on this film.
This spin off game movie can solve the various mysteries that is related to the main plots
of the imaginable human characters. The basic point in the Trans media will be larger than others
that will unlock the basic game content. The film portrays the main idea of the game that will be
from the main game series and should be considered as the most important aspect of this film.
The Trans media discussion of this film mainly focuses on the adaptation of the game to film
transition. The story will however structure in a different manner along with the narrative aspect
which will be different (Ryan, 2017). (As for this movie, in terms of the story telling approach,
there will be a particular world building approach will explore a new live action area meant for
the purpose of the aspect of the franchise which will be thoroughly applicable (Wagner, 2019).
The film of detective Pikachu provides the most appropriate example of the world
building approach in the domain of Tran’s media across the various multiple sectors. The entire
film depicted both the aspects of the level of genuineness and the role of the factor of Meta in the
film. The role of Tran’s media in this film has helped in the simple dispersal of the basic
information that could be transferred from this particular film. The detective Pikachu reflects
certain set of goals and the objectives that will assume the different aspects to be enacted as a
part of the story telling approach in their daily schedule.

3MASS COMMUNICATION
The Trans media approach in the Detective Pikachu film reveal an ideal form of aesthetic
form in the domain of the collective intelligence level. The present generation will however not
necessarily have the computers from the very initial stage (McGowan,2019)The film on Pikachu
has also made a unique contribution in the platform of the narrative system as a whole in the
field of mass media.
Ownership Structure and Funding of the Film
In the month of November 2018, the film on the detective Pikachu was in its phase of the
post production level. The screen test of this fill provided an incomplete version for this film,
which attracted positive hopes from the section of the audience. With the launch of the first
trailer of this film, it earned 100 million viewers all across the social media and the YouTube
channel (Squires, 2019).
The film of the Detective Pikachu has crossed the gross level of income of 144.1 million
$ both in the United States and China and the income in the other territories has crossed a gross
level of 433 billion $. The film has earned a 5.7 million $ from the previous previews itself. In
the other territories, the film has almost projected a debut worth of 90 to 120 million dollars from
an average of 62 countries ( Duran, 2018).
The film also recorded a dramatic opening worth of 21 million dollars from both the
openings and the preview of this film. In the second weekend of its release the film Detective
Pikachu topped the international box office, and it served its expectations of earning the higher
level of budgets. In a nutshell it can be stated that the film crossed a gross value of 144.1 million
dollars against the total production budget of 150 million dollars. The rating provided by the

4MASS COMMUNICATION
channel of the Rotten Tomatoes has rated this particular film at a rating score of 69% that will be
based on the 294 reviews with the average rating of the 6 out of 10 (Sánchez-Mesa et.al 2016).
The detective Pikachu is also records as the first international theatrical form of live
action video game that will be adopted to the maintain a fresh rating and is also the second
highest as the rated video of the game adaptation per site. The film has also been titled as the
“best video game movie ever” by the Forbes list of rating (Mehuljic & Corry, 2019). The film
has also received such high scores due to its appropriate form of casting. Justice Smith was
casted in the lead human role with her associated costar Kathryn Newton in the initial sessions of
reading and for testing the actresses who will play opposite to the role of Smith. Their roles have
also been significant in the huge success that was recorded in this film (Duran, 2018).
Conclusion
The propaganda campaigns have gained recent prominence in the field of mass
communication that can be wither by the government of a particular nation or by the firms of the
top media house. The propaganda campaigns form a crucial aspect of the concept of mass
communication in order to mobilize the victimization features and the massive, sustained and the
dramatic form of failures to adapt to the utility of the interests among the elite firms. Propaganda
campaigns have been linked closely to the attainment of the proper interest among the greater
masses of the audience (Salvans, 2019).
Recently the field of mass media has also faced the problem of the decrease in interest
among the audience regarding a particular film or other method of communicating to the public.
The decrease in the satisfaction level of the audience in general and their lack of enthusiasm has
led to the smaller size in the market share. Several Films like the detective Pikachu has made a

5MASS COMMUNICATION
significant step in reviving the interests among the audience for global communication mode
through media like television.
The different relations that are existing between the power and the other forms of
sourcing will extend beyond the traditional norms of the corporate and the other provisions of the
day to day life.

6MASS COMMUNICATION
References
Salvans, R. (2019). 'Pokémon detective Pikachu', Ryan Reynolds: La revolución amarilla.
Fotogramas & DVD: La primera revista de cine, (2107), 58-61.
Ryan, M. L. (2016). Transmedia narratology and transmedia storytelling. Artnodes, (18)de Wit,
Ryan, M. L. (2017). Transmedia storytelling as narrative practice. In The Oxford
Handbook of Adaptation Studies.
Squires, D. R. (2019). Instructional Designs and Educational Technologies Within Augmented
Reality Transmedia Storytelling: IDET ARTS. In Educational Media and Technology
Yearbook (pp. 121-128). Springer, Cham.
Sánchez-Mesa, D., Aarseth, E., Pratten, R., & Scolari, C. A. (2016). Transmedia (Storytelling?):
Mehuljic, E., & Corry, K. N. (2019). Transmedia Storytelling and the Impact of the IQP.
Duran, C. (2018). Pi Pikachu. Odera, 5(9), 1-3.
Bibliography
PDF on propaganda model ( Pg 20 -31)