Thought I’d share this graphic as a way to think about participation in experiences – online or offline.
At the center of the diagram is the performer or storyteller. When I created this I was thinking about the whale at Sea World 🙂 But it could equally be a comedian at a comedy club.
In the “splash zone” are those in the audience that want to actively participate. They’re happy get soaking wet as part of the performance; or they’re the people that sit close to the stage – knowing that they leave themselves open to ridicule by the comedian.
The majority of course want a less active participation but are none the less engaged and look forward to watching the interaction between the performer and those in the splash zone.
Applying this to transmedia storytelling we learn that each audience member chooses their level of participation based on their comfort level. It would be wrong to force everyone into the splash zone and be glad of and for those who enjoy it.