ENG - Multimodal texts: Mulitmodal - what is it?

A multimodal text can be paper – such as books, comics, posters.

A multimodal text can be digital – from slide presentations, virtual museums,  e-books, blogs, e-posters, web pages, and social media, through to animation, film and video games.

A multimodal text can be live – a performance or an event.

And, a multimodal text can be transmedia– where the story is told using ‘multiple delivery channels’ through a combination of media platforms, for example, book, comic, magazine, film, web series, and video game mediums all working as part of the same story.

A text may be defined as multimodal when it combines two or more semiotic systems. There are five semiotic systems in total:

1. Linguistic: comprising aspects such as vocabulary, generic structure and the grammar of oral and written language
2. Visual: comprising aspects such as colour, vectors and viewpoint in still and moving images
3. Audio: comprising aspects such as volume, pitch and rhythm of music and sound effects
4. Gestural: comprising aspects such as movement, speed and stillness in facial expression and body language
5. Spatial: comprising aspects such as proximity, direction, position of layout and organisation of objects in space.

 five of modes: linguistic, visual, aural, gestural and spatial.

Print based multimodal texts include comics, picture storybooks, graphic novels; and posters, newspapers and brochures.

Digital multimodal texts include slide presentations, animation, book trailers, digital storytelling, live action filmmaking, music videos, ‘born digital’ storytelling, and various web texts and social media.  

From Website - Creating Multimodal texts

Edith Cowan University - examples of representations (Multimodal)