merah transmedia project
The MERAH Universe is set in the future. It includes three different mediums to maximize storytelling and includes a platform specifically for the fans of the show.
NARRATIVE (2018)
It begins with a sudden increase in the number of disappearance in the city. A journalist named Quila, better known as Q, was assigned to report these cases for The Inquirer Post, Singa City’s most sensationalized newspaper. Having lost her sister almost five years ago, Q was determined to investigate the cause of the disappearances. However, none of the victims seems to be connected with one another and the police are simply filling the cases as runaways. It was until Dr Caroline Jones, a famous ecologist in Singa City, went missing just a day before her ground-breaking revelation that local authorities started their investigations.
Dr Jones led a group of activists to save the ecosystem. Although the city is technologically advanced, the state of Singa City’s ecosystem weakens. While going around Dr Jones’ research site, Q stumbled upon an old out-dated phone that started receiving messages in codes. Q started decoding messages trying to find Dr Jones in hopes to solve the mystery of the disappearances.
As Q is trying to solve the mystery, a segment of the city’s online radio station, Singa City Radio Bizarro, is dedicated to reporting about the bizarre occurrences in Singa City. From mutated otters to strange orange fog, the segment’s Deejays theorize about its cause. The people never took the online radio station seriously as it was considered an out-dated form of entertainment. However, Dr Jones uses to be a frequent guest on the station and spoke openly about the issues in the city’s ecosystem. Dj Who, one of the two Deejays for the segment, volunteered to help Q in her investigation as he considered Dr Jones as his close friend. At the same time, he theorizes that the bizarre occurrences and the disappearances are all connected.
The root cause of the occurrences and disappearances was Seen Inc., the company responsible for the nuclear power plant that powers the city. Seen Inc. is also the main provider for Singa City’s new technologies. The company started abducting people that found out about their pollutions and experiments on various parts of the city. Because of the power they hold, Seen Inc. was capable of covering its tracks. Dr Jones was slowly gathering information against them when she was caught. Knowing she was about to be captured, Dr Jones planted clues in hopes that someone might continue her work.
WEB SERIES (2018)
The web series will be focused primarily on Q as she investigates the disappearances. It will also show her interacting with other characters in the narrative like the radio Deejays and also Dr Caroline Jones. The series will also show the impact that Seen Inc. has on the city and how it uses propaganda to cover up its crimes. Easter eggs or snippets from the other platforms will be shown in the background of the show. For example, the online radio playing in the background while Q is working and Dr Jones’s note that she wrote in the comic.
An episode would last about 25 minutes and will be uploaded to YouTube weekly.
STORY BOARD
COMIC SERIES (2018)
The comic series is the prequel to the web series. It tells the story of Dr Caroline Jones investigating and collecting evidence against Seen Inc. This series will end with Dr Jones being captured by Seen Inc. The comic will give an entirely different perspective of the city to the readers as it exposes the company and the different experiments that they have done. These experiences are all references back to the online radio. The series will also show how Dr Jones hides her clues for Q to find in the web series. The comics will be available in digital and also hard copies that can be purchased through the online radio website.
COMIC SERIES COVERS
ONLINE RADIO (2018)
Inspired by a podcast called Welcome to Nightvale, Singa City Radio Bizarro reports on bizarre news in the city. The main character of the radio segment will be Singa City itself with Dj Vamp and Dj Who talks about the different theories that may cause weird incidents in Singa City. Audio clues and codes such as Morse codes are played on air for listeners to solve to get a step closer to revealing the mystery. These clues could take the form of songs, audio advertisements and even background noise.
The online radio will be on a working website that will be updated every week as if it is a real life radio show. The radio segment will last around 10-15 minutes. The website will also be equip with a forum that lets listeners discuss about their theories
HOMEPAGE OF WEBSITE
BROADCAST PAGE
THEORIES PAGE
KEEP UP PAGE
ONLINE RADIO SCRIPT
The Case of the Missings
Dj Who
The future was created yesterday, the present can’t be changed.
Dj Vamp
You are now listening to Singa City Radio Bizarro.
Singa City Radio Bizarro theme song plays
Dj Who
The city has been quiet these few days, a little too quiet.
Dj Vamp
Well, Who, the new mega library just opened at Tuas Canopy. Bigger and better. The only problem is it’s in the middle of the forest.
Dj Who
Not exactly a problem. The main sponsor of the library, Seen Inc., hopes that the mega library will give people a reason to step out into the forest. Read a book to the wild boars in the Singa City forest. Get bitten by the endangered mosquitos. A new experience for the citizen.
Dj Vamp
I guess it is another way to engage Singa Citizens to be one with nature. Especially with every Singa citizen being so reliant on the city’s state of the art facilities. The very few forest in Singa City has been left abandoned.
Dj Who
But the question is, who will go hiking in the forest?
Dj Vamp
Why not we hear a song about hiking in the forest instead?
Song plays
Dj Who
Speaking of nature, tomorrow is the big day, Vamp. Dr Jones is about to announce her big reveal.
Dj Vamp
Oh the press are gonna go nuts. We, at Singa City Radio Bizarro having been waiting on this.
Dj Who
Dr Caroline Jones has been one of our favourite guest speakers. She said this announcement is going to be big. It was going to change everything about this city. What do you this she means, Vamp?
Dj Vamp
I don’t know, Who. Maybe she found out the reason why the old MacRitchie reservoir is so pink.
Dj Who
The reservoir turned pink almost 6 years ago and no one seems to know the cause. Local scientists said it will back to its original colour after a few weeks but 6 years after, still pink reservoir.
Dj Vamp
Something good came out of it tho. MacRitchie reservoir has now become one of the top stops for youths to take 3D projections for the Gram.
Dj Who
On the subject of 3D projections, here are a few words from our sponsor.
Narrator
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Enjoy a crisp projection. Virtual call with no interruptions.
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Dj Vamp
Breaking news. Dr Caroline Jones has just been reported missing. Officials reported that she has been missing for over 24 hours. Her last whereabout was her office in 54 Jurong Floating Towns. She was last seen wearing her white lab coat and a grey top. Those who have seen her are urged to report to authorities.
Dj Who
That is really unfortunate.