What's transmedia's story?
Transmedia storytelling occurs when an integral element of a fiction get dispersed across multiple channels -- including comics, videos, websites, and games -- to create a unified and coordinated entertainment experience. Ideally content produced on each medium makes its own unique contribution to the story. So this content not only becomes part of the branding, but also part of the exposition. Think of it as content that transcends the original medium to become richer and more enjoyable through the participation of fans.

It also represents our overall cultural shift from appointment-based to engagement-based entertainment.

Thanks to the transmedia trend, fans can become part of a movie like "Paranormal Activity" before entering the theater. Or bond through their frustration at deciphering a blink-and-you-missed-it map on "Lost." And this examine-and-analyze atmosphere has paid dividends for content creators, like film studios and TV networks. But for marketers, there's a delicate balance between fostering a transmedia environment and micromanaging it to death. "It's not about [putting a logo on] everything in sight. It's about conveying to fans that they won't get the whole story of their favorite show, movie, song, etc., unless they check out the videos on YouTube and the mobile campaign, etc.," Jenkins said.