Transmedia Storytelling has been a topic that for the last two years started to leave the trendy blogs and academic discussions and get into CMOs plans and big brands long term goals.

Through a series of examples from all over the world and core concepts, the idea here will be to start mapping what is being done and practiced with Transmedia Storytelling: on entertainment, marketing, politics and even education. Since the lines are getting more and more blurred between disciplines even a platform that engages 210 k students from public schools in Rio can be quite an example to brands right?

But first, lets explore the Transmedia Storytelling principles brought by the inventor of the term, Henry Jenkins. Henry showed us this principles during the Futures of Entertainment 4, event hosted by MIT on november.

And now, lets pay attention if these principles can be really powerfull for brands. And how, at the same time, they mix past and future. Sheherazade and the Matrix.

1. Spreadability vs. Drillability
The ability and degree to which content is shareable and the motivating factors for a person to share that content VS the ability for a person to explore, in-depth, a deep well of narrative extensions when they stumble upon a fiction that truly captures their attention.

2. Continuity vs. Multiplicity
Some transmedia franchises foster an ongoing coherence to a cannon in order to ensure maximum plausibility among all extensions. Others routinely use alternate versions of characters or parallel universe version of their stories to reward mastery over the source material.

3. Immersion vs. Extractability
In immersion, the consumer enters into the world of the story (e.g. theme parks), while in extractability, the fan takes aspects of the story away with them as resources they deploy in the spaces of their everyday life (e.g. items from the gift shop).

4. Worldbuilding
Transmedia extensions, often not central to the core narrative, that give a richer depiction of the world in which the narrative plays out. Franchises can exploit both real-world and digital experiences. These extensions often lead to fan behaviors of capturing and cataloging the many disparate elements.

5. Seriality
Transmedia storytelling has taken the notion of breaking up a narrative arc into multiple discrete chunks or installments within a single medium and instead has spread those disparate ideas or story chunks across multiple media systems.

6. Subjectivity
Transmedia extensions often explore the central narrative through new eyes; such as secondary characters or third parties. This diversity of perspective often leads fans to more greatly consider who is speaking and who they are speaking for.

7. Performance
The ability of transmedia extensions to lead to fan produced performances that can become part of the transmedia narrative itself. Some performances are invited by the creator while others are not; fans actively search for sites of potential performance.

For the next post, Avatar, education and Transmedia Storytelling.