#participatoryfandom

It’s evident that new media has altered the way the entertainment industry is run. It’s ‘no longer enough to produce something just for TV, you have to give the audience opportunity to not just view, but also engage with it on other platforms.’ (Saughter, 2014) We see the industry adapting to this with convergence, TV shows can now be watched on the viewer’s time and through a device of their choice.

Shefrin’s reading looks at the contrast of embracing and rejecting fandoms, and how when utilized effectively, they can be beneficial to not only the circulation but also the production of media content. Because when it comes down to it, who knows a TV show better than the fans? Their ‘close textual readings… critical analyses… extreme dedication and growing numbers are [making] them recognized as important contributors’ (Shefrin 2004, 269) The example Shefrin uses is ‘Lord Of The Rings’, where Peter Jackson was interacting with fans through new media platforms and not only listening but acting on what the fans were wanting from the films. While this is an idealistic example of participatory fandom, it’s not realistically what is happening at the moment. However, that’s not to say that producers aren’t aware of their fandoms. It’s just that ‘the vast majority of cultural production by fans is occurring extemporaneously to, not collaboratively with, the ‘’official’’ authorship of the narratives’ (Shefrin 2004, 268). 

To show how involved fans currently are, I want to take a look at a TV show with a rather large and dedicated cult-like following, ‘Supernatural’. I constantly see ‘Supernatural’ related content on my dashboard and newsfeed. This TV series shows how committed the fans are to sharing, creating and editing its content, and how it has helped the show grow over the years. Which couldn’t have been possible had the producer’s been focused on copyright and power dominance. Additionally, the channel 10 ‘Supernatural’ website, has a section titled ‘Castiel gifs to help express your feels’. It can be seen here how the old media have embraced the ways of new media (and what the fans have been doing for years) in order to better relate to the audience. Furthermore, producer’s have even ‘openly acknowledged their fans’ (Felschow, 2010) in a ‘Supernatural’ episode where the protagonists find out their lives are recorded and made into what everyone believes to be ‘fictional’ books titled ‘Supernatural’, which have a dedicated fan following. ‘Viewers watching the program, recognise this meta-nod to the show's own die-hard fans’ (Felschow, 2010) Similar to this there have been numerous episodes that subtly reference an inside joke within the fandom. 

This shows how fans have some sort of role in the production of content, however they are not deciding what that content is. While the producer’s recognise and benefit from the power that fandoms have in sharing content and contributing ideas, they are still writing the story themselves. However, they write it with the fans in mind, which benefit both parties. 

Reference List

Felshow, Laura E. 2010. “Hey, Check it out, there’s actually fans!” Accessed April 2, 2014. http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/134 

Shefrin, Elana. 2004. “Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Participatory Fandom : Mapping new congruencies between the Internet and media entertainment culture” in Critical Studies in Media Communication 21 (3) pp.261-281. Accessed April 2, 2014. https://qutvirtual3.qut.edu.au/qv/olt_material_search_p?p_unit_code=KCB206

Film productions reply heavily new media entertainment in order to succeed and create good publicity (Boyd, 2007). This blog will be discussing the use of integrating new media platforms into film productions comparing the Harry Potter saga to Lord of the Rings Trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson and Star Wars, directed by George Lucas. The main themes highlighted will be ‘forming alliances with the audience’ and encouraging ‘participatory fandom’, both topics discussed in week 5’s lecture by Theresa Sauter. This blog will be using real life examples to exemplify everyday use of these components.

  The first Harry Potter installment Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone, released in 2001, used little online interaction restricting audience interaction. This prevented a platform to be built where the company could form alliances with audiences and ignored the chance to have “consumer affiliates” within the production project. These actions can relate closely to the actions made by Lucas, who also withdrew from creating online platforms for Star Wars fans. This is discussed in Shefrin (2004) article, which can be found online. This limitation can potentially lose fans and decrease the consumer rate.

  When first released Harry Potter fan become so engrossed with the film and fantasy world that the turned to online media to find, create and share their own messages and stories about the film (Gunelius, 2008). When discovering of the unofficial fan sites Warner Bro. Studios, producer of Harry Potter, objected citing copyright infringements. Warner Bros. opened up lawsuits against these fan sites, however withdrew them after the negative online backlash (Gunelius, 2008). This reaction to online consumer integration is similar to the actions of Lucas in regards to Star Wars. Jenkins describes his reaction by stating, “Through the years, Lucasfilm (producers of Star Wars) has been one of the most aggressive corporate groups in trying to halt fan cultural production” (Shefrin, 2004).  

  To redeem their title and respect back Warner Bro. Studios submissively re-welcomed the fan run sites and set forth to create an official Harry Potter site called Pottermore. This official site worked as a rewarding transmedia strategy for the eighth film encouraging participatory fandom (Gunelius, 2008). Lucasfilms however, never fully corrected his online fan relationship. Although releasing an official website allowing consumer interaction guidelines were in set in place restricting what audience posted, and entitling it to be studio property. This limited engagement and what the fans could and could not say (Shefrin, 2004).

  New Line Cinema, producers of Lord of the Rings, however, displayed amazing contribution to forming audience alliances and urging participatory fandom through online consumer-producer convergence from the beginning by launching the official website over two years before the release of the first film. The interactive marketing director, Gordon Paddison, was responsible for engaging with the online fans, creating and maintaining an inclusionary vibe. Paddison’s relationship with the fans through online sites has been labeled as “largely respectful and accommodating” (Shefrin, 2004).   

  This form of connecting with the audience via new media welcomes audiences and encourages the consumers to share ideas, comments and feedback – not only creating a larger consumer audience but also being there to have reassurance of big production movements and changes and seeing if they will work. By the final Harry Potter film, Harry Potter transmedia had swept onto all forms of new media devices including: internet, applications, video games plus more. J.K Roweling, the author of the trilogy and other head of departments where now communicating to their audiences through these forums displaying a forming of alliances.  This revealed to be a positive strategy as the final film earned the most in box office (The Numbers, 2013).

  By considering and evaluating the power of new media technology entertainment online opens new opportunities for company’s to connect to audience, take feedback and thus having great potential to finically succeed. 

Reference: 

Boyd, Dana. 2007. "Film and the Audience of Tomorrow." Accessed April 4, 2014. http://www.danah.org/papers/talks/Cannes2007.html

Gunelius, Susan. 2008. Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Accessed April 4, 2014. 

Shefrin, Elana. 2004. “Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and participatory fandom: mapping new congruencies between the internet and media entertainment culture.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 21 (3): 261-281. Accessed April 4, 2014. doi: 10.1080/0739318042000212729.

In this weeks’ reading, Burgess and Green investigate the role of YouTube in mainstream media. I am particularly interested by the discussion regarding the meanings of amateur video and the DIY celebrity culture they produce. According to Burgess and Green, “YouTube has been mythologised as literally a way to ‘broadcast yourself’ into fame and fortune” (2009, 22). While there are few cases where amateur content from YouTube has actually lead to ‘fame and fortune’, it does occur. 

Part 1 of A Very Potter Musical

A Very Potter Musical is a parody based on the Harry Potter series, it was written, produced and directed by University students. It was first performed at the University of Michigan, and in 2009 a video recording of the musical was uploaded to YouTube. It quickly went viral, generating millions of views from global audiences and fans of the series. Since then, the musical has lead to the creation of StarKid – a successful theatre production company that has  (StarKid, 2014). Founding member of StarKid and lead actor (playing Harry Potter), Darren Criss, has subsequently become a well-known and respected actor and musician. You probably know him best from the hit show Glee, or perhaps the Broadway musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (which, funnily enough, he replaced Daniel Radcliffe). In this case it is as Burgess and Green suggests, “raw talent combined with digital distribution can convert directly to legitimate success and media fame” (2009, 21).

A Very Potter Musical also demonstrates the opportunity and ability we have as an audience and as consumers to contribute through a blurring of distinctions, which is one of the propositions from the lecture. The cast/producers of this musical were amateurs, and YouTube provided an accessible platform for the commercialisation of their content. As a result the amateurs (including StarKid, and Darren Criss) have been turned into celebrities, essentially becoming apart of the ‘bona fide media world’ that the Burgess and Green discussed.  

Interestingly, musical was conceptualised whilst one of the creators was actually reading the fourth book in the Harry Potter series. This ties in with the propositions surrounding fandom and audience alliance. As discussed in Shefrin’s reading, “…fans often appropriate corporate-generated imagery, and then embellish or transform it with person artistic expressions such as…creative fanfiction…[or] digital films” (2004, 273). A Very Potter Musical was essentially fanfiction that came to life through a musical and subsequent YouTube video.

A peek at Pottermore

Shefrin also discussed the importance of participatory fandom and forming alliances with audiences. It is clear that actively involving fans (especially in a franchise) in the decision-making and production processes is extremely important, and will ultimately determine a person’s ‘symbolic capital’ (Shefrin 2004). As I discussed in my 5-minute review, J.K. Rowling has done this with the Harry Potter fandom, albeit not to the same extent. Whilst the 'HP' fandom wasn’t consulted as such throughout the film series’ production, she did form an alliance with her audience, “drawing inspiration from fans’ thoughtful perspectives and studied observations” (Shefrin 2004, 262-264), and most importantly respecting them as a community. This is evident through the Pottermore interactive online experience, which was launched for the fandom. Pottermore allows users to interact with the Wizarding World and create their own Harry Potter experience. “….It’s the same story but a few crucial additions; the most important one is you” (Valeri 2011).

    REFERENCES

Burgess, Jean and Joshua Green. 2009. “You Tube and the Mainstream Media.” In YouTube: Online Video and Participatory Culture edited by Jean Burgess, Joshua Green and Henry Jenkins, 15-37. Cambridge, MA: Polity Press

Sauter, Theresa. 2014. “Week 5 – New Media and the Entertainment Industry.” Accessed April 2, 2014. 

Shefrin, Elana. 2004. “Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Participatory Fandom: Mapping New Congruencies Between the Internet and Media Entertainment Culture.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 21 (3): 261-281

StarKid. 2014. “About”. Accessed April 3, 2014. http://www.teamstarkid.com/about.html