THE POROUS

MULTIVERSE: PRACTICAL
APPLICABILITY,
INTANGIBLE RESOURCES,
AND VIABILITY
DEMONSTRATION OF A
NEW NARRATIVE SETTING
by
Joel D. Benedict
 Introduction

• This project presents an innovative new narrative

setting valuable to expert writers and creators—
the porous multiverse. While narratives have
enabled individual characters to travel between
alternate universes, none have given all characters
of the entire storyworld the ability to go to any
setting.
• The idea is proven viable by a plan for an online
series of demonstration shorts. The SIP structure
will organize in an emergent management model,
with executive leaders and assistant contributors.
 Overview
• This presentation summarizes the main sections and
arguments of the Senior Innovation Project (SIP)
proposal.
• The main sections covered describe the innovation and
argue the demand and viability of the innovation based
on related materials.
• “Part 1: About the innovation” describes what the
innovation is, the current situation the innovation will
improve, and the plan for development.
• “Part 2: Related materials” argues three points related
to the SIP: communication of real world ideas through
experiential narratives have practical application,
narratives produce intangible practical resources, and
organization of production of the SIP is feasible.
Part 1: About the Innovation

• The first part consists of three

sections: innovation, a description of
the innovation; today’s situation, the
context the innovation will improve;
and innovation inquiry, the plan for
future research.
 Innovation: description

• This senior innovation brief plans the invention

of a new fictional story setting: the porous
multiverse. A multiverse is a set of universes
that originate from common traits. The current
story models feature closed multiverses
traversable by a limited set of lead characters.
• Porous multiverses are open to travel by any
lead or non-lead characters without a plot
explanation for each trip. The porous
multiverse differs from current multiversal
story settings by virtue of decentralization.
 Innovation: development

• The goal of the invention is to support the story with a

finished short series developed by diverse content
creators. To support the invention of a new story
device, a short film series will demonstrate the story
possibilities offered by universal freedom.
• The brief will fully develop a treatment, script,
screenplay, storyboard, animatic, and finished short
movie series.
• Due to the high concept idea, explanations of the
transportation technology, and target audience, the
genre of the shorts is science fiction.
 Today’s situation:
description

• Contemporary science fiction uses the closed

multiverse setting to expand the central universe of
lead characters.
• Porous multiverse fiction differs from contemporary
fiction in flexibility of travel, decentralization of
embarkation, and freedom of movement.
• Television science fiction such as Sliders, Andromeda,
and Stargate SG-1 are centralized multiverses. The
porous multiverse is decentralized. A central nexus or
transit station has been shown, but omni-dimensional,
freely available travel between dimensions has not.
 Today’s situation:
development

• Online series of shorts such as Red vs. Blue, Happy

Tree Friends, and Homestarrunner.com are
representative of the comedic genre of animated
series produced by current independent content
online. Dramatic science fiction serials such as
Stargate SG-1 and Andromeda are confined to the
studio model due in part to production costs.
• This project differs from both network and online
serials—it is both a dramatic science fiction series and
freely available user-created content. The
contributions of creative assistants will be entirely
volunteered, and thus any production costs will
originate from project leaders.
Innovation inquiry: research
goals

• To accomplish the goal of a new fictional story setting,

this project will develop an online series of short
science fiction movies based on the porous
multiverse. Research will cover the requirements of
development and completion. Inquiries will continue
until completion of the last PRO course.
• The SIP examines the production models of movie
studios. Interviews with experts in the field of
animation, literature, games, and television will be
conducted by a small group of hosts to give personal
examples and objectives to project leaders. Experts
from professional employment fields as well as
independent online content producers will be involved
short term in the project as consultants.
 Innovation inquiry:
development

• The SIP shows research of studio and

independent production
management models.
• Recruitment of a core group of
production leaders will be based on
previous performance and level of
potential involvement.
 Part 2: Related materials

• “Part 2: Related materials” argues

three points related to the SIP:
communication of real world ideas
through experiential narratives have
practical application, narratives
produce intangible practical
resources, and organization of
production of the SIP is feasible.
 Section 1: Practical
applicability of narratives

• This review argues that narrative is a central message

delivered in the context of a storyworld told with story
logic that enhances perspective by use internal
fictional frames described with general schematic
properties.
• Narrative is separated from documentary reports by
experientiality, or central message emulated via a
story: “narrative is a perceptual activity that organizes
data into a special pattern which represents and
explains experience” (Jahn). Environment is
communicated better through narrative than through
documentary reports due to the experientiality of
narrative environments.
Elements of communication

• Schemas define the properties of story

elements: “broad, abstract structures that give
general conditions for the object in question.
We have schemas for genres, for characters,
for imagery, for dialogue, and so on” (Hogan,
2003, p. 71). Every element of a narrative is
defined by the value held by a correspondent
abstract structure.
• Specification of schema will happen in any
narrative, regardless of genre or reality.
Schemas define elements of a topic, as any
practical technical blueprint does.
Interpretation by discourse

• Discourse models are an abstract discussion

and interpretation of literal concepts framed
indirectly by the story. As practical inventions
are aware of design complications, flaws, or
implications for further development, so too do
discourse models interpret the environment,
schemas, and story logic of a narrative.
• Discourse models give interpretation within the
narrative. Story logic, however, gives
interpretation of extra-narrative, real world
issues via the narrative.
 Perspective by story logic

• Story logic gives perspective to real world events. Story

logic is an the logical knowledge an author has of the
real world transferred to story format: “Story logic, in this
sense, is the logic by virtue of which people (including
writers) know when, how, and why to use stories to
enable themselves and others to find their way in the
world” (Herman, p. 24).
• Story logic means that stories are consistent with
internally logical events and are logical arguments for
real world issues. The interpretations of story logic give
perspective to real world events not offered by
documentary reports. The practical equivalent is an
application assessment of a technical invention.
Section 2: Real world impact

• In summary of the first section, narrative

consists of real world ideas translated to
fiction, framed internally and specifically
described by schemas. The passage of real
world ideas through fiction and back into
reality are addressed by the next section.
• This project will create a series of short
movies to put the setting innovation into
practice. The specific narrative format
demonstrated by this project is the animated
short.
 The medium for the SIP
demonstration

• Film, literature, and games are

narratives that use story logic to
convey a message.
• The medium of movies is chosen for
this project because of the story logic
and discourse not possible in other
narrative media. Films and the
animated cartoon in particular distill
schemas to basic prototypes.
 Human impact

• While film production does not contribute practical

goods to the world of industry, films produce
intangible resources. The legislature of Trinidad
and Tobago funded a government film company
because of the intangible resources: “The film
industry is of national importance on four levels,
social, cultural, political, and economic” (Trinidad,
2005). The intangible resources were an
investment in the development of the country.
• The proposed innovation project will focus on the
social arena of movie production, to communicate
the idea of a new story setting. The movie
industry distributes ideas faster than practical
goods industries, so the project will distribute the
idea by the media of movies.
 Effect of collaborartion

• While the story setting innovation is not a technological

invention, this project will use modern technology and
creative contributors to demonstrate the effectiveness of
the story innovation. The innovation of the new story
setting innovation of a porous multiverse is viable due to
collaboration of creators.
• The film medium chosen by this innovation project is
ideal for the dissemination of the idea among creators
due to a level of collaboration not seen in practical goods
industries: “As an art form, filmmaking is also a highly
collaborative effort involving a combination of many
diverse creative and specialized skills” (Wong). The
diversity and specialization of contributors will spread the
idea throughout industries outside of the film industry.
 Section 3: Development
plan

• This third section describes the

organization of the project in three
topics: the development plan, the
developer structure, and individual
contributor selection.
 Development topics

• The project in pre-production is diverse in ideas

with phases that overlap, but after pre-production
is finalized in ideas with sequential phases.
• First, the project producer and contributor
community that form the developer structure will
first select a core group of executive leaders.
• Second, executive leaders will complete the
hierarchical development structure with selection
of assistant contributors. The model of
development schedules goals and departmental
activity.
 The development model

• Web designers Lynch & Horton describe

the hybrid model in practice: “many
design iterations are encouraged early in
the process but are strongly discouraged
later in the development and testing
phases (2009, Ch. 2, p. 6).”
• Early in movie pre-production, diverse
creative ideas frequently change. Once
production begins, ideas are developed
into a final product.
 The management model

• The overall developer structure is made

of executive leaders and creative
assistants in an emergent management
model.
• In pre-production, goals are defined by
leads with the input of assistants. After
pre-production, assistants will decide how
to meet the previously defined goals.
Leaders will grant final approval to the
decisions of decentralized assistants.
 The hierarchical studio
recruitment model

• The traditional studio industry method of

recruitment begins from the top down, with lead
department positions chosen first by an executive
producer. The core group of lead developers is
the screenplay writer, the producer, and the
director.
• In a studio, crew is allocated by a studio
committee. The crew structure of independently
funded films is hierarchical, like studios.
• This project will select the core group in the same
way studio the studio structure leads crew
hierarchies.
 The independent production
recruitment model

• Once an independent film producer has secured

finances for production of a story, the producer selects
core lead developers—the screenplay writer, the
director, the unit production manager (UPM), and first
assistant director (first AD).
• Goodell says the similar roles of logistics and creative
management are what necessitate the early hire of
both: “The production manager's work is closely
coupled with that of the first assistant director (first
AD), and both should be hired as early as possible”
(1998, p. 104). The UPM will complete the production
hierarchy with the selection of department leads.
• This project will hire the core leaders based on level of
involvement and previous performance.
 The online short movie
recruitment model

• Because the structure of online short

producers selects fewer contributors than
studio hierarchies select, online short
producers hire based on familiarity and
contributor experience prior to pre-production.
• This project will use the online short method of
well-known contributor selection for leaders,
and the studio hierarchy model to approve
creations completed by assistant contributors.
 Summary of related
materials

• In summary, this review argues three

points: real world ideas translated to
narrative have real world application, the
intangible resources narratives produce
are practical, and organization of the SIP
narrative production is viable.
• The execution of the development
structure will take place in the learning
process in the next PRO series course.
 Conclusion

• This proposal shows the story setting

of the porous multiverse is a new
innovation with practical application.
The organizational development plan
of the innovation demonstration is
proof of the viability of the porous
multiverse.
References from the SIP 1 of
5

• Burke, B. (19 June 2008). Architecting the

emergent enterprise: New game, new rules.
Gartner, Inc. Retrieved July 4, 2009 from Gartner
database access: http://www.gartner.com/
• Calvino, I. (1987). The uses of literature: Essays.
(P. Creagh, Trans.). San Diego: Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich.
• Chapman, Matt. (26 April 2007). Homestarrunner
comes to the GT library. [presentation transcript].
Homestar Runner Wiki. Retrieved 15 December,
2009 from
http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Georgia_Tech_-_26_Apr_20
References from the SIP 2 of
5

• Goodell, G. (1998). Independent feature

film production: A complete guide from
concept through distribution. New York: St.
Martin's Griffin.
• Herman, D. (2004). Story logic: Problems
and possibilities of narrative. Lincoln, NE:
University of Nebraska press. Retrieved 6
November, 2009 from http://bit.ly/6FvD4S
• Hogan, P.C. (2003). Cognitive science,
literature, and the arts. New York, NY:
Taylor & Francis Books.
References from the SIP 3 of
5

• Jahn, M. (2005). Narratology: A guide to the theory of

narrative. Cologne, Germany: University of Cologne.
Retrieved 5 November, 2009 from
http://www.uni-koeln.de/~ame02/pppn.htm
• Lynch, P.J., & Horton, S. (2009). Web style guide (3rd
ed.). Retrieved July 1, 2009 from
http://www.webstyleguide.com
• Perron, P., & Danesi, M. (1993). A.J. Greimas and
narrative cognition. Monograph series of the TSC, no.
11. Toronto: Toronto Semiotic Circle.
References from the SIP 4 of
5

• Trinidad and Tobago industry final report.

2005. Strategic plan for the film industry of
Trinidad and Tobago. Prepared for the Prime
Minister’s Standing Committee on Business
Development (SCBD) by the Film Industry
Team, 3 January 2005. Retrieved 28 November,
2009 from http://www.tradeind.gov.tt
• Valve Corporation, Inc. (8 August 2009). The
Pyro update. Bellevue, WA: Valve Corporation.
Retrieved 14 December, 2009 from
http://www.teamfortress.com
References from the SIP 5 of
5

• Wong, C., & Matthews, J.H. (2007). Challenges of

new technologies on the animation and film
industry: the case of Singapore. In Radnor, Zoe
and Thomas, Howard and Cartwright, Susan,
Eds. Proceedings 2007 Conference British
Academy of Management – Management
Research, Education and Business Success: Is
the Future as Clear as the Past?, pages pp. 1-36,
Warwick, United Kingdom. Retrieved 28
November, 2009 from First Search database.
http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Georgia_Tech_-_26_Apr_2