Documenting Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage using a Transmedia approach: The Discover

Québec Mobile Application

Laurier Turgeon Canada Research Chair in Cultural Heritage

Institute for Cultural Heritage Laval University

Quebec City, Canada

Alain Massé Idéeclic

Gatineau, Québec, Canada

I. SUMMARYThe Discover Québec project was a collaborative effort between the Canada Research Chair in Cultural Heritage (Laval University) and Canadian cultural media corporation Idéeclic. Content development was undertaken following a new theoretical, methodological and technological approach, focused on using multimedia as a means to showcase intangible heritage. While the classical approaches to cultural heritage favour tangible objects (artifacts, buildings, etc.), this methodology uses multimedia to show both tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the same space (through a powerful mobile application). Based on the concept of transmedia storytelling, inspired by the works of Henry Jenkins, who has experimented with this concept in the areas of video games, films and comics, we present our adaptation for the field of cultural heritage.

The interpretation of cultural heritage has developed primarily from the experience of material things (sites, buildings, landscapes and artifacts), mainly through the use of written texts and 2D photography (and more recently, panophotography and 3D scanning of sites and objects). Different media are often used separately, or in a combination with text and photography to provide a single-layered story of a site, building, landscape or material object. The intangible elements (such as how the site/object has changed uses through time, what it means to residents now, memories, etc.) are rarely included.

Our approach attempts to integrate the tangible with the intangible elements, using a variety of media to interpret and give more meaning, value, emotion and mystery. Firstly, we opened up the discussion of heritage in Québec City to include not only the creators of buildings and historic sites, but the actual users of these places. Audio-visual recordings of the people who live in/use the buildings enabled them to participate directly in the interpretation program and to communicate amongst themselves and with visitors.

Secondly, instead of simply using media to tell the story of the founding of a place, we used the flexibility of Idéeclic’s inSituSolutions mobile application platform to showcase multiple “mini-narratives”, all with different views and emphasis. We combined the citizen interviews, videos, and personal interpretations with historical narratives as “Points of interest” for visitors to explore. inSitu Solutions’ modular architecture and capacity for media management allowed us to display local knowledge, and create a discovery and learning experience while visitors are in the physical space.

The multilingual mobile application features over 100 historic and cultural sites, photographs (2D and 3D), sound and audio-visual recording. At least three different types of media are linked to each point of interest, providing multiple viewpoints and giving life and meaning to historic sites. The app shows evolution over time, and allows visitors to draw up their own itinerary and discover the living elements and the emotion the sites and neighborhoods. Visitors are encouraged to create for themselves a coherent and comprehensive narrative and experience of cultural heritage.

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