Storytelling for New Technologies and Platforms

by Ross Berger (editor)

Want to know what it’s like to write for a theme park attraction? Or an interactive toy? Or a virtual reality game? Wait – those tell stories? And there are jobs for people who write them? Thanks to technology, interactive products and live experiences can now engage us with memorable characters and exciting adventures that were once destined only for the cinema. Storytelling for New Technologies and A Writer’s Guide to Theme Parks, Virtual Reality, Board Games, Virtual Assistants, and More is a handbook for writers, students, producers, teachers, scholars, career changers, early tech adopters, and just about anyone who loves story and technology. As a collection of articles from some of the best creative writers in their medium, this book will prepare content creators of tomorrow to tackle some of today's most exhilarating creative challenges found on a screen ... or off! Key

158 pages, Hardcover

Published June 22, 2022

About the author

Ross Berger started his writing career as a playwright in New York, where he received the Cherry Lane Mentorship Fellowship, the Dramatists Guild Playwriting Fellowship, and the Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Next-Step Fellowship. In 2004, he co-wrote the Emmy-submitted, Sweeps Week episode "Gov Love" for NBC’s Law & Order.

Since 2007, his career has been part Hollywood and part Silicon Valley. Ross bridges the gap between the two by designing, writing, and producing story experiences across traditional and new media platforms. Credits include the Webby-Award winning LonelyGirl15 (2007-2008), the Obama Girl franchise (2007-2008), and the Matt Damon/Ben Affleck-produced show The Runner (2016). In the video game industry, Ross was the senior narrative designer for Microsoft Studios and Electronic Arts for such titles as Quantum Break (2016), Sunset Overdrive (2014), and the NBA Live (2017-2019) franchise. Ross’ first console title was CSI: Deadly Intent (2009), where he learned video game storytelling from the former masters of game narrative, Telltale Games. (Rest in peace.)

Ross has also worked heavily in Virtual Reality as a writer for the Oculus Rift launch title Farlands (2016) and the award-winning Eclipse: Edge of Light (2017) for the Google Daydream and Oculus Go.

Ross is also a published author, a former animation writer, and a one-time scenario writer of a board game. A graduate of Brandeis (BA, Philosophy) and Columbia (MFA, Playwriting) universities, Ross is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Television Academy.