TryLife is at the forefront of an emerging communications format known as transmedia. Our clients commission us to cover specific youth related issues and these form the framework for interactive pro...
TryLife is at the forefront of an emerging communications format known as transmedia. Our clients commission us to cover specific youth related issues and these form the framework for interactive programmes. Imagine a typical teen drama such as Skins. Instead, with TryLife, at key moments the action pauses and you make a decision. Your choice changes the course of the storyline and has an immediate impact on what happens next. TryLife is the old choice based adventure books brought to high-tech life for teenagers today. TryLife productions cover a range of subjects, such as social and welfare issues, educational topics and career options. We create engaging interactive stories that enable large numbers of people to explore issues, and we monetise our IP in a variety of ways. Our early focus has been on the 13-25 age group. TryLife is hard hitting, it is not about preaching what is right or wrong. It allows young people to experiment in a safe environment, make life choices on behalf of filmed characters and watch the consequences of their actions. We have helped our consumers change the way they think and act on issues that affect their lives. Our first storyline follows a seventeen-year-old girl who has a choice: go to a party the night before her exam, or stay at home and revise. The second story, set in South East London, is based around gang violence and the sexual exploitation of girls within gangs. As we progress we can bring the same approach to many other sections of the community. The common theme is that change can only happen when the individual engages with the process. Our approach achieves levels of engagement on a scale that simply is not possible with other available tools. We launched our pilot episode via BBC Click in May 2012, attracting a great deal of positive attention. We won the Innovative Practice Youth Work Award and were shortlisted for the Outstanding Contribution to Youth Work Award.