This master thesis provides an extensive definition of transmedia storytelling systems and the fantasy genre, besides a short overview of publishing management, technology, and marketing. The focus of this master thesis is the practical relevance of transmedia storytelling systems for fantasy franchises, such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, or The Lord of the Rings. This thesis results in the perceptions that potential customers indeed consume storylines across different media types. Most of them only through media types with a low degree of participation. A smaller but significant amount of the customer consumes media types with a high degree of participation. These results are findings from a survey of more than 600 consumers surveyed of selected fantasy franchises.:1 Introduction 9 2 Overview of Publishing Technologies 11 2.1 Principles of publisher’s organization 11 2.2 Cross-media publishing 12 2.2.1 Setup and Integration of a cross-media publishing system 14 2.3 Publisher’s marketing 17 2.3.1 Publishing trademarks 20 2.3.2 Selection of marketing measures 21 3 Principles of Transmedia Storytelling 23 3.1 Transmediality 23 3.2 Transmedia Storytelling 25 3.3 Storyworlds 27 3.4 Transfictionality 29 3.5 Transmedia story systems 30 3.6 Summary 32 4 Examination of the Fantasy Genre 35 4.1 Definition of Fantasy 35 4.1.1 The secondary world 36 4.1.2 Metaphysical power 38 4.1.3 The heroic element 39 4.1.4 Demarcating Fantasy from related terms and genres 40 4.1.5 Summary 42 4.2 The German Fantasy market 43 4.2.1 Fantasy in TV, films, and series 43 4.2.2 Fantasy in books 45 4.2.3 Fantasy in computer games 46 4.2.4 In conclusion 49 5 Implementation of a Survey: Consumption of the Same Fantasy Narrative in Different Media Types 51 5.1 Methods and systematic 51 5.1.1 Description of the examples 53 5.1.2 Justification and classification 56 5.1.3 Gathering of personal data 58 5.2 Results of the survey 60 Inhaltsverzeichnis VII 6 Discussion of the Perceptions 67 6.1 Interpretation and discussion of the survey’s results 67 6.1.1 Interpretation and discussion concerning the target audience 67 6.1.2 Interpretation and discussion in terms of further media consumption 71 6.1.3 Interpretation and discussion in terms of the media type’s potential 79 6.1.4 Interpretation and discussion in terms of further results and perceptions 86 6.2 Strategic Theses for Publishing Houses and Media Agencies 88 6.2.1 Acquiring the right content 89 6.2.2 How to design a transmedia storytelling system? 91 6.2.3 After obtaining the right stories 93 6.2.4 The right publishing system 96 6.3 In conclusion 98 Bibliography 100 Source materials 102 Statistics 105 Attachement A1 107 Total Results 108 Attachement A2 117 Survey’s structure and results in Detail 118 / Diese Masterarbeit bietet neben einem kurzen Einblick in das Verlagsmanagement, allgemeine Produktionstechniken und Marketing-Strategien eine ausführliche Definition von transmedialen Storytelling-Systemen und des Fantasy-Genres. Der Schwerpunkt dieser Masterarbeit liegt auf der praktischen Relevanz von transmedialen Storytelling-Systemen für Fantasy-Franchises, wie Harry Potter, Game of Thrones oder Der Herr der Ringe. Das Ergebnis dieser Arbeit ist die Erkenntnis, dass potenzielle Kunden tatsächlich medienübergreifend Storylines konsumieren. Die meisten von ihnen jedoch nur über Medientypen mit einem geringen Partizipationsgrad. Ein kleinerer, aber wesentlicher Teil der Rezipienten konsumiert Medientypen mit einem hohen Partizipationsgrad. Diese Ergebnisse sind Erkenntnisse aus einer Befragung von mehr als 600 Rezipienten ausgewählter Fantasy-Franchises.:1 Introduction 9 2 Overview of Publishing Technologies 11 2.1 Principles of publisher’s organization 11 2.2 Cross-media publishing 12 2.2.1 Setup and Integration of a cross-media publishing system 14 2.3 Publisher’s marketing 17 2.3.1 Publishing trademarks 20 2.3.2 Selection of marketing measures 21 3 Principles of Transmedia Storytelling 23 3.1 Transmediality 23 3.2 Transmedia Storytelling 25 3.3 Storyworlds 27 3.4 Transfictionality 29 3.5 Transmedia story systems 30 3.6 Summary 32 4 Examination of the Fantasy Genre 35 4.1 Definition of Fantasy 35 4.1.1 The secondary world 36 4.1.2 Metaphysical power 38 4.1.3 The heroic element 39 4.1.4 Demarcating Fantasy from related terms and genres 40 4.1.5 Summary 42 4.2 The German Fantasy market 43 4.2.1 Fantasy in TV, films, and series 43 4.2.2 Fantasy in books 45 4.2.3 Fantasy in computer games 46 4.2.4 In conclusion 49 5 Implementation of a Survey: Consumption of the Same Fantasy Narrative in Different Media Types 51 5.1 Methods and systematic 51 5.1.1 Description of the examples 53 5.1.2 Justification and classification 56 5.1.3 Gathering of personal data 58 5.2 Results of the survey 60 Inhaltsverzeichnis VII 6 Discussion of the Perceptions 67 6.1 Interpretation and discussion of the survey’s results 67 6.1.1 Interpretation and discussion concerning the target audience 67 6.1.2 Interpretation and discussion in terms of further media consumption 71 6.1.3 Interpretation and discussion in terms of the media type’s potential 79 6.1.4 Interpretation and discussion in terms of further results and perceptions 86 6.2 Strategic Theses for Publishing Houses and Media Agencies 88 6.2.1 Acquiring the right content 89 6.2.2 How to design a transmedia storytelling system? 91 6.2.3 After obtaining the right stories 93 6.2.4 The right publishing system 96 6.3 In conclusion 98 Bibliography 100 Source materials 102 Statistics 105 Attachement A1 107 Total Results 108 Attachement A2 117 Survey’s structure and results in Detail 118