Introduction: Frames of Reference

Abstract

In Fantastic Transmedia I argue for a broad definition of transmedia storytelling, one which is capable of accounting for the multiple kinds of interrelated narrativisation that can occur across media. As I’ll show, this is more radical than it might initially sound, since various commentators have attempted to demarcate transmedia storytelling in very specific terms according to often very strict criteria. This is entirely understandable given the potential scope of the area. Yet, as I’ll demonstrate, there are ways of categorising different kinds of transmedia storytelling which can successfully map the area without excluding closely related phenomena because they don’t meet these very specific criteria. I concentrate on the genres of fantasy and science fiction, exploring why these related genres have become the dominant modes of transmedia storytelling. While others have suggested that this is largely down to the kinds of fans these two genres attract, I contend that science fiction and fantasy boast generic characteristics which make them particularly suited to storytelling across different media platforms.