BBC Sends Out Transmedia Shivers with 'The Well'

A group of teenagers discover an old well hidden in a derelict house. They of course take a look at what is inside…and end up disturbing something very sinister indeed. And here’s the fun part: the audience has the chance to stay a step ahead of the characters in this creepy tale.

Written by British author Melvin Burgess – dubbed ‘the godfather of young adult fiction – The Well is a four-week drama collaboration between the BBC and Conker Media created for BBC Two, bbc.co.uk and Bebo. As episodes are released on BBC Two, additional tasks and challenges will be released online designed to reveal backstory or to uncover mysteries within the show. For instance, at one point a character hides an item in the house on TV and the audience can immediately go to a 3D replica of the house online in order to solve a puzzle to uncover the hidden item.

In a press release, writer Melvin Burgess spoke about how The Well

is an excellent fit for the transmedia experience: “A ghost story is perfect for this, because at the heart of every ghost story is a mystery waiting to be solved – a back story, about how the horror arose and others in the past who have brought it back to life.”

Burgess went on to say, “I hope it will deepen people’s involvement with the story and with the characters. It creates a whole new dimension – you get to know the characters better, for one thing. And there is a whole other story, from the last time the well was opened, that will only be available to online users. If you manage to access all the hidden drama, you’ll definitely be one step ahead of anyone who’s just watching it on TV.”

The Well premieres October 10th on BBC Two with the online components launching simultaneously.