Classic Text Reboot
Swinburne University
We were required to pick a fictional text that was out of copyright and create a 'mini-publication' - a teaser for the text containing a 1500-word sample and a variety of items that enhance the story. I chose the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, which differs from most Sherlock Holmes stories in that there is a supernatural element to it. Upon the desolate moor where the story takes place, the locals fear the existence of a ghostly hound that has haunted the Baskerville family for generations - and when Charles Baskerville dies, the only evidence suggests the hound’s involvement. I aimed to create a publication that played with perception and fear, blurring the line between rational and supernatural, as this is the key conflict of the story.
The imagery contrasts order and chaos with the neat study and typewriter in the foreground clashing with the eerie smoke outside the windows. The overall effect is to put readers in the shoes of Watson as he investigates by himself - confused, alone and writing letters to Holmes that go unanswered. The text itself devolves into inky blackness at certain points in the story, leaving the reader confused and in suspense. These are the initial feelings - until the user dives deeper into the publication, discovering character cards that give them the missing pieces of the text, and clues in the booklet that may even help them guess the murderer’s identity. This mirrors Holmes and Watson’s investigation - despite being first presented with strange, unexplainable events, they use logic to get through the smokescreen and determine the truth.