Storytelling in Media and Performance (ENG) (2026/2027: Periode 1)

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Cursusdoel

When you have successfully completed this course, you will be able to:
1. recognise, differentiate and describe the narrative forms and structures discussed in the course, along with the associated concepts and terms;
2. identify and describe the relationship between the narrative forms discussed and certain medium-specific characteristics of media and performance;
3. recognise and describe the relationship between the narrative forms discussed and the manner in which a given form directs the audience in their experience and perceptions;
4. apply the terms and concepts learned during the course in a productive way, in order to analyse a sub-component of a concrete form of storytelling;
5. report the findings of your analysis in a structured fashion;
6. study basic academic texts in a structured fashion;
7. take notes and apply and/or modify them during lectures in a structured fashion;
8. apply the Chicago Manual of Style system when citing any literature references used.

Vakinhoudelijk

In this course, you will learn about theatre, film, television and games as storytelling media. We will be paying particular attention to the very different ways in which stories may be structured and constructed, and what that means for how the audience watches, experiences or takes part in the story.

The course will address a number of narrative forms and -structures, such as the Aristotelian tragedy, the classic Hollywood-movie narrative, the television series (serial storytelling) and the narrative game (environmental storytelling). This list seems to suggest that each medium – theatre, film, television and games – has its own form of storytelling, but that suggestion is incorrect. While it is perhaps true that certain narrative forms have developed in a specific medium, and certain narrative forms are more obvious choices for one medium than for another, media forms are also constantly borrowing from one another. In recent years, for instance, there have been numerous theatre performances that were inspired by games and game-based structures. In such performances, the audience does not merely sit in a chair watching a story unfold; rather, they are led along a set trajectory through various spaces as they themselves take an active role in the story being told. At the same time, an increasing number of game designers are creating digital games that are intended not for play on the computer, but rather on the streets and other public spaces.

For that reason, this course will – on the one hand – focus on the specific characteristics of various media and on what these mean for the way in which they are able to convey stories; on the other hand, we will also pause to reflect on the fact that media never exist in isolation. Various media constantly influence one another in their development, meaning they also influence one another in the way they tell stories and the result they hope to achieve through those stories in terms of their audience.

Aanvullende informatie

This course is part of Core Profile 1 of the BA Media and Culture in English.

A Maximum of 8 exchange students will be admitted to this course.

Werkvormen

Hoorcollege
Toelichting

Each of the lectures will focus on a different specific narrative form. This form will be discussed using concrete examples from various media, both historic and contemporary. In order to prepare for lectures and tutorials you will be asked to study texts carefully, to write analyses and to prepare presentations.

Bijdrage

Providing peer-feedback, preparing assignments.

Voorbereiding

In the tutorials we will focus mainly on training the ability, based on the concepts and models taken from the course’s academic texts, to analyse concrete examples of narrative forms. In doing so, the emphasis will rest on effective observation, the ability to describe those observations and the ability to identify the substance of the observations by applying an analytical concept or model.

Werkcollege
Bijdrage

Providing peer-feedback, preparing assignments.

Toetsing

Paper

Verplicht | Weging 50% | ECTS 3,75

Students are taught to write argumentative essays in which they analyse a specific media object via a specified theoretical lens. Assignments are graded using a detailed rubric in which the following categories each receive a certain number of points: introduction, theoretical framework, analysis, conclusion, readability and structure, lay-out and style.

Tentamen

Verplicht | Weging 50% | ECTS 3,75

Overall comprehension of course materials

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er is geen informatie over verplichte ingangseisen bekend.

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • DIVERSE
    Online screenings via Teams of media texts that are central to the course will be organized as part of the course.

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Coördinator

dr. D.A. Hassler-Forest D.A.Hassler-Forest@uu.nl

Docenten

S.L. Trottier s.l.trottier@uu.nl
dr. M.A.J. Glas r.glas@uu.nl
dr. D.A. Hassler-Forest D.A.Hassler-Forest@uu.nl
dr. T.F. Sørensen t.f.sorensen@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

Inschrijving
Van maandag 8 juni 2026 tot en met vrijdag 26 juni 2026

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