Talk:Digital Media & Culture: Collaborative Essay Collection 2018/Transmediality/Research Question 1:Taran-trio

Hi team Taran-trio!

This is the discussion page for collaborative essay. Use this pages to edit in discussions, decision making, project planning, and information sharing. Invite other groups to add to the discussion, and contribute to others. Ask for advice from others and share your knowledge. This builds contribs considerably. Start off your discussion by recording your decision-making process re: your research question, email the lecturer to get approval/suggested amendments.Once that's done, you're away.

Also could you please get your teammates to sort out their user pages and user discussion pages - they are still showing up as red (means they haven't created their page as instructed several times) and should be sorted by now.

You can leave notifications for other users by using the reply to template (as I've used in this notice). You can also use your own and each other's discussion pages, as well as the main discussion page on the general theme page. All of this adds to contribs, which are essential to getting a pass mark for this assessment. Don't be tempted to use social media group chat or other platforms to do this. It won't be marked and really misses the entire point of the wiki.

Don't forget to use the four tildes (~) to sign and date your contribution. Every edit you make whilst signed in is still traceable, but a signature makes it much easier to track and respond, and much less likely that the edit will be mis-recognised as spam or vandalism. However: don't sign your edits on the essay page - it looks messy and is unnecessary.

Good Luck!
 * GregXenon01 (discuss • contribs) 09:44, 8 March 2018 (UTC)

Team
@JamesFDTD99: @Jackaodha:

Hey team,

@Jackaodha when it comes to making sure your posts don't get deleted state on your bio that it is part of a class project. Then when on your own page, select talk and 'Add Discussion'. Then it should be all fine. Make sure you put "===comments===" so that people can comment on your stuff.

When it comes to the collab essay, if we all have retouch on our topic, and each put forward what we are interested in from it. The more interested we are in the question, the better it will be- in my opinion.

I personally really like (transmediality) the idea of modding culture and how fan bases expand on the universe of a particular text. Hope we can come up with something ace. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 18:03, 11 March 2018 (UTC)


 * Hi guys - where is your discussion guys? - we need to see lots of discussion recorded here for you to amass "contribs" which are used to evaluate engagement and seems to be the only contrib so far on this page.  GregXenon01 (discuss • contribs) 12:49, 16 March 2018 (UTC)

Apologies, I'd forgotten to discuss our our plans on here - was conducting my end of the discussion through social media but I'll be sure to use this page from now on! We're expanding upon KaYuI's idea of fandom and discussing both the benefits and problems stemming from fan culture in relation to our research question. Will keep you all posted when the question is ironclad, and divide up the workload on here - should be grand, cheers!

JamesFDTD99 (discuss • contribs) 13:56, 16 March 2018 (UTC)

Visitor Comments
Hello team Taran-trio  !

I just came across your collaborative essay as I am very interested in transmediality, albeit my group’s focus on Always-on Culture.

you specify that you will be focussing on the impact that fandom has on media through the examples of Shrek, Frozen and One Direction. I am guessing you will be looking at this through the transmedia storytelling model of licencing as (most) fan contributions make unauthorised use of media content. Or do you see that fans have a position of co-creation?

Furthermore, how you will be dealing with the notion (as suggested by Jenkins) that within transmedia storytelling the ‘original’ source is not easily, if at all, identifiable. I personally think that when it comes to fan fiction/ art or discussions the source or the original media text is clearly indefinable.

You could however, connect this to Jenkins’s idea of participatory culture and convergence as well. As media get increasingly remediated and convergence, the lines between fandom and the media text possibly get increasingly blurred too. Johnson in his exploration of fan audiences gives examples of this. If you want to read up on his examples and his suggestion of a TVIII landscape here is the full citation: Johnson, D. (2007). Inviting audiences: The spatial reorganisation of prodcution and consumption in 'TVIII'. New Review of Film and Television Studies, 5(1), 61-80. Doi: 10.10817400300601140183 Additionally if you want to read up about remediation again a useful source about is Bolter & Grusin’s book: Bolter, J. D., & Grusin, R. (2000). Remediation: Understanding new media. London: MIT Press. (Hardcopies are available in the library)

Good luck with your essay. My group NeverOff and I would be delighted if you would visit and contribute to our discussion page too. Accessible at Always-on Culture: Research Question 2: Discussion.

MaryCastoridae56 (discuss • contribs) 15:04, 18 March 2018 (UTC)

Hey !

We appreciate you stopping by and showing your interest in our essay - and your insights made for a very helpful read! In regards to Jenkins' ideas of the source within transmedia storytelling, I am of the belief that since fan content is transformative in nature, and often draws inspiration from a number of texts/media, that often no one source can be attributed (typically). Both the creation of fan-content and discussion of media itself can be considered either an extension of the original source, or a new piece entirely - however I prefer the notion of the latter.

That aside, we shall definitely consult ideas of both convergence and participatory culture - as I believe them to be essential in understanding the role of fan communities and their creative process. I've taken a look at the source you've provided (Johnson) and I shall definitely consult it, many thanks - it's definitely insightful and caters to our research wonderfully. I'll be sure to check out your additional reading finds after I type this, but if your first suggestion is anything to go by, then I'm sure they'll be grand.

We wish all the best to you, team NeverOff, and we'll be sure to come contribute on your page real soon - best of luck! - JamesFDTD99 (discuss • contribs) 15:30, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Hello ! Thank you for your reply. I am glad that you have found my suggested source helpful and hope that you will find the other one useful as well.

I definitely agree with you that fan content is transformative. I myself have come across much work that makes connections between various (sometimes very distinct) texts. Since you see fan content as having more than one source I was wondering if you will be looking into relating your three areas of fandom to each other too? I would definitely find it interesting how Shrek, One Direction and Frozen can be connected. Albeit with the always-on culture we are living in and the increase in participatory culture as well as creative contributions online, there probably is some fan work done on that already.

You see fan content as the creation or addition of more pieces to the transmedia story. Can you elaborate how you have come to this conclusion? Additionally, your essay discussion states that you will be focusing on image-based material for Shrek and Frozen, however on written texts for One Direction. How will you compare the two, as I personally believe that fanfiction and fanart are two very different and distinct forms of fan engagement.

I am looking forward to your comments on our discussion page. Best of luck!

MaryCastoridae56 (discuss • contribs) 16:00, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Hi , Thank you so much for your comment! Yes I will be looking specifically at Frozen and the negative attraction it has gained due to the unlicensed creation of images of Elsa and Anna together, relating it to ElsaGate. I will be discussing whether fan based content is beneficial or not to the creators original intention. I will be sure to stop by your page soon. Good luck NeverOff! KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 22:31, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Hi! Thank you for your engagement with my comment. Can you elaborate what ElsaGate is? Additionally, I was wondering what sort of re-creation of images you will be discussing? Do you have a specific medium (i.e. digitally animation) in mind?

You will be looking into whether fan created content is beneficial or not. Do you have a personal stand point on this? And what are the reason for your view? Lastly, will your view on this topic inform the section in the collaborative essay in a way that you will argue for one side over the other?

Best of luck with your work and I am looking forward to your comments on our discussion page!

MaryCastoridae56 (discuss • contribs) 16:00, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Elsa-gate is a huge YouTube scandal which is basically men and women dressed in children show costumes performing odd and not child friendly acts. It also uncovered many Gary's Mod alterations which showed Elsa and Anna engaging in intercourse. So I will specifically be tackling YouTube and Fan fiction. My personal view is that fan engagement on children show in particular alters the initial intent of the text for the benefit of a non targeted audience. This negatively impacts the overall view of the text. My view will hopefully inform my collaborative essay but I will shine lights on both the positives and negatives before reaching that conclusion. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 17:26, 21 March 2018 (UTC)

Thank you for your answer to my comment and explaining the Elsa-Gate YouTube scandal. With things like Elsa-Gate I definitely see how fan engagement and re-purposing of licenced material can do way more harm than good. It seems like these fans did not think about any ethical implications that their actions might have. When dealing with texts that are targeted at younger audiences I agree that fan engagement should be within certain limits. However, where I would draw the lines or the lines should be drawn is another very difficult question and would maybe touch on policing within a fandom. Have you considered the aspect of fandom policing as a way to manage these very inappropriate notions that many other fandoms probably have too? Do you have any academic reading that specifically engages with the topic of Elsa-Gate too? I am looking forward to your answer. MaryCastoridae56 (discuss • contribs) 11:37, 22 March 2018 (UTC)

I think the problem with fandom policing is that it brings freedom of speech into debate. Everyone should have a right to express their feelings or take on a text, however when it goes to far it can stain. It will be something I discuss in my part of the collaborative essay. In relation to Academic readings, there is not so much that I have found but I have found useful points in the readings listed in "the misrepresentation of the canon". Many thanks. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 10:46, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Thank you for your reply. I can imagine that bringing in freedom of speech is a very tricky thing to do. I believe the line between freedom and rudeness can be very thin sometimes. Good luck with your essay. I am looking forward to reading it soon. MaryCastoridae56 (discuss • contribs) 10:50, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Hey team Taran-trio, it was great speaking to you today, and I enjoyed swapping tips. I loved the fact that you have linked Disney into transmediality (obsessed), it made the subject easier to understand. Also, you have put your own unique spin on this theme, and I have read your collaborative essay with ease. Well done. MTxPrincipessa18 (discuss • contribs) 11:43, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Hey there, was really helpful discussing our project earlier, glad you're on-board with our research! It was a top priority for us to try think of a question that is both grounded in research yet still has a unique component - so I'm very relieved to hear your thoughts. Just checking out your page right now and I have nothing but praise for your writing style, it's both comprehensible and emotive - kudos! Hope all is well, and all the best for your research JamesFDTD99 (discuss • contribs) 18:56, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

I think you will be pleased to hear it is definitely both grounded and unique. Thank-you very much, I feel like this platform has given us the chance to have our own style; and I am certainly glad to know you find it comprehensible and emotive. I hope our collaborative essays illustrate what positive comments we have said to each other.

The best of luck to you all, go team 'Taran-Trio' MTxPrincipessa18 (discuss • contribs) 19:25, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Hi   ! I find your research really interesting. Fandom's have interested me a lot during this module and I love how you are approaching the topic from many different angles. I was reading the section on Twilight and it did really remind me how popular the whole Team Jacob or Team Edward was. It's amazing how texts can become a phenomenon and a fandom can back it up. Also, fanfiction, although as you have pointed out, sometimes disturbing, it is also quite humorous to read. Seeing how individual's can be creative using pre-existing characters is definitely something that should be celebrated for the most part. Although, the fact that Fifty Shades of Gray originated as a Twilight fanfiction does call into question the bad points that could come with fanfiction: destructive relationships and inappropriate adult content for example. Elsa gate was another really important point regarding fanfiction and fandom. The fact that it caused Youtube as a platform to change policies and caused children to very possibly see inappropriate content does call into question the boundaries that fanfiction has on certain sharing platforms. It is surprisingly easy to find sexual content regarding familiar characters online through a simple search which calls into question if it should be regulated but. as mentioned in previous comments, the right of free speech should still apply. It is a difficult discussion.

In terms of memes, I find it amazing how a shared joke essentially can suddenly make a text popular or be seen in a new humorous light. The fact that 'All Star' suddenly became this funny meme from Shrek just highlights how random and unexpected memes can be. Such a weird and amazing phenomenon. I think Shrek as mentioned in the discussion is a pretty good example. The 'Shrek is love, shrek is life' meme/video was so weird and random (also disturbing) but I love how memes are a part of internet culture. It does highlight the creativity of fans and individuals and how we can take a film, song, tv show etc and make it into something completely different and our own. Even years after a film or text has been released, a meme can suddenly revive it (like the bee movie for example).

The impact of fandom's online is pretty incredible how it has also had an impact on how writers actually write the specific show or how the plot develops.

I love this topic a lot as you can probably tell. Good job!

--Stirsb00027 (discuss • contribs) 00:52, 28 March 2018 (UTC)

Hi, thank you for your comment. I do find it really interesting (but weird) that 50 shades of grey originated from Twilight. Especially since it is really aimed at teens- I read and watched it as a young teen. Perhaps this is has a negative impact on young viewers, exposing them to sexuality at a young age. Youtube has really attracted all ages, and is one of the major forms of entertainment. Thus this is why Elsa Gate is so important in relation to fandoms. Hope everything is going okay with your collaborative essay. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 16:04, 28 March 2018 (UTC)

It is pretty weird. I wonder how exactly the fanfiction progressed into a book and then a film series. Did the author decide to try and get it published or did a publisher pick it up? It is interesting how fanfiction can become a whole entity on its own without the fanfiction's original source. If it hadn't been publicized, I would have never known or could never tell that is was even slightly related to Twilight. I think the relationship, both in Twilight and especially fifty shades is negative for a large audience. Twilight with Edward basically stalking Bella in the first book/film and then in fifty shades Christian is basically a stalker and doesn't really give a damn about how his actions would effect others. Also from the looks of the trailers for the following film installments, more stalkers, psycho exs and general violence seems to be a fair chunk of the plot. I think it could be dangerous for even adult viewers how something like that could be seriously romanticized. Thank you! --Stirsb00027 (discuss • contribs) 22:17, 29 March 2018 (UTC)

I agree. This idea of controlling and abusive relationships being romanticised can be extremely detrimental to young adults that have maybe not been exposed to relationships. This places a duty of responsibility to those who create content for the masses. If relationships like these become normalised then people could decipher abuse as "love", which is damaging. Do you think that creators hold a sense of duty to make sure they do not romanticise situations such as abuse, mental health, and crime? This has been a major conversation over the past couple of years. For example, the show 13 Reasons Why has been said to romanticise mental health, sexual abuse and suicide. What do you think are the effects of these? KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 20:48, 30 March 2018 (UTC)

I think creators do have an ethical responsibility to highlight the toxic and unhealthy nature that their content deals with to an extent. It's hard to limit a form of creative free speech but the influence, conscious or sub-conscious, I think could have an effect on people's perspectives, especially with young adults and teenagers. I know from experience that I thought I could 'fix' someone in a past relationship but the reality is that you often can't and instead get sucked into the other person's bad habits. I think films did help affirm that idea that if you love someone enough, it all goes fine and dandy when really I think there is a media effect to a person's thinking in some cases. It's hard to quantify how much a creator should be held to account. I think in films and television shows, there should be a clear hint at least that things are negative like the relationship in Fifty Shades for example. The fantasy element is definitely hard to way up against real-life effects and behaviours. Expanding this topic further, I know a lot of youtubers, especially those who critique other creators work often get blamed for their fans going over to the other person's channel and sending hate or mass disliking. Many commentary creators now have to have a disclaimer so they don't get blamed but I think there is a separation between work and people's actions. You can't control people's decisions and people are independent and can do what they please with content. I think when the messages behind a text are negative, that's when there has to be at least some caution but it is very difficult to work around without censorship.

In terms of 13 Reasons Why, I really do think it romanticized mental health. The scenes were at times very graphic which I think, for an easily accessible Netflix show, is pretty irresponsible. I understand that they were trying to raise awareness of it but I think they did it in a very unhealthy way. I have dealt with a few mental health issues, some of which were dealt with in the show and I felt really mixed about it. It can put ideas in people's head especially for younger viewers. Also the fact that the story is like a revenge fantasy where Hannah kills herself to not only stop her emotional pain but also to get back and everyone and make them feel bad. She uses it as a purpose which I think is very problematic. It does romanticize suicide; people will care, those that wronged you will get what they deserve. I think they should have paid a lot more attention to the hurt it causes, especially for her parents as I think that is a much more realistic and gritty reality of suicide than the show focusing on the romanticized fantasy of revenge.

In terms of effects, I think if someone is going through a hard time, it might put ideas or suggestions in an individual's head. For example, the character of Skye is shown to self harm as a way to cope so she doesn't kill herself (as mentioned in the show): "It's what you do instead of killing yourself". I think this is so so dangerous by showing a damaging and destructive coping mechanism when there are positive solutions and coping strategies which are healthy and not self-destructive. Also, the fact that Hannah's counsellor was completely ineffective in the show can lead young people to not have faith, trust or see the point in counselling or seeking help when that is so important to help an individual deal with their issues and talk things through. Even though there are advisory warnings, a lot of people will ignore these. Whether or not the effects on the audience is the creators duty or on the audience member is very hard to determine. The warnings are there for a reason but I really think the creators could have handled the subject matter in a much more delicate way and still make the messages just as powerful. What are your thoughts on it? Do you think the creators have sole responsibility or if there are warnings or declaimers, it is on the audience and what they want to take from the text?

--Stirsb00027 (discuss • contribs) 21:43, 1 April 2018 (UTC)

It is a very hard to place all responsibility on creators, because there are certain aspects of life that need to be shown- and a way to do this is through film. From research I know that they had a few psychologists and therapists on the set of 13 Reasons Why in order to make sure that they were accurately portraying the topics. However, like you said there are still many issues with the show and considering Netflix is common in every household it could be accessed by viewers to young to understand. If young people grow up with the idea that revenge fantasy is okay could deeply effect many people. And again with the idea of 'fixing' people, that can be extremely detrimental to peoples mental health. A quote that I remember that quite reflects this "You cannot fix someone without getting cut on their broken pieces". I think portraying this 'I will fix/ change them' attitude could lead to young people being complaisant with bigger issues. I think while creators have main responsibility, it is also important for audiences to be old/mature enough to understand and break down the content into realistic chunks. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 14:21, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Ah I never knew that they had psychologists and therapist on set, that's a really good thing for them to do as a professional safeguard. Also I heard they are being very cautious about how they are approaching topics in the second season to ensure that there is less controversy around it. I really like that quote about fixing people, it is too true. Yet so many films and tv shows hint at revenge plots and revenge fantasies and 'fixing' people. It's frustrating and surprising that the topic hasn't come to light more in people's criticisms of media. i definitely agree that audiences need to be mature enough for the content although that is so hard to enforce with the internet being so portable and accessible. Parents find it challenging to censor inappropriate media and texts, even with parental locks. There's always some way around it, especially since younger people seem to be generally more tech-savey than older generations. Do you think there's any feasible way to ensure children don't see damaging media? Is it an allowable form of censorship or should teens have the freedom to explore and watch what they want, maybe with just more parental openness and support? --Stirsb00027 (discuss • contribs) 16:48, 4 April 2018 (UTC)

I feel as if there is not a sure way to ensure way in which children do not consume damaging things, both exposing them to this and hiding them from damaging reality can negatively effect children. I think teenagers should be allowed to explore content, but it is on the parents to discuss things openly with them to make sure it is correctly understood. Hiding reality from your child, can not only damage them in the future but damage the relationship. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 21:27, 4 April 2018 (UTC)

Hello team Taran-trio

I like your team name - I'm a big fan of Tarantino myself, although my perception of him has somewhat shifted after Uma Thurman exposed his disregard for safety on the set of Kill Bill. There's the whole idea of separating the art from the artist, but that's another debate not really relevant to this.

I'm Iana from team VCSI and Jack left a comment on our page last week so I thought I'd return the favour! I think your research question is really interesting - I find fan culture is a really fascinating area of the media, as a fan myself and as an outsider looking at these communities form.

Your question brought to mind one example from personal experience. I don't know if you have heard of the film Call Me By Your Name - but curiously a small but very devoted fanbase has grown from it. You can read about it here. It is interesting because this film is an LGBT European arthouse film based on an obscure queer romance novel from 10 years ago - basically, it's the kind of film that would never usually generate a fanbase. However, many young people have connected with it and have become very passionate fans because of what the film means to them. Because of this, more people began to pay attention to it and it received a level of popularity that is somewhat unprecedented for a film as small as Call Me By Your Name - it even helped the film gain buzz to eventually win an Oscar. So how is this relevant to your research question? I think the fandom has shifted people's understanding of the film in certain ways. 1) People are actually aware of the film, which is unusual for a film of its size and unconventionality. 2) Much of our understanding of the film is affected by its impact on young people, gay or straight, in our out of the closet. Looking back, the general conversation surrounding the film is about the fandom it has generated rather than the actual quality of the film - though I have to say, it is a brilliant film.

Also, thinking about fan participation lead me to this article from Derek Johnson. He talks about the shifting position of the audience in relation to television, and how the audience has changed from the passive consumer to an active producer. "Audiences are no longer merely cultivated as fans, but also invited in, asked to participate in both the world of the television text and  the  processes  of  its  production," Johnson says. I think it's interesting that television (and film as well) invites viewers to participate, and fan participation can sometimes even affect the direction of a story. Maybe you've already read this article, so I'd love to hear your thoughts! Regardless, it could be a useful source for your research if you need help!

Good luck on your essay, I'm excited to read it!

Ilmurray (discuss • contribs) 13:49, 30 March 2018 (UTC)

Thank you for your contribution and thoughts, it is very useful! I do find it interesting how different audiences view certain texts in different way. Todays young viewers show the difference in generations wants when it comes to films and tv; more representation ect. I feel it is extremely important for creators to understand this in order to gain fan attention, especially for audiences on Tumblr ect. If you do not have appropriate representation then you tend to get a lot of hate over various social media. I really hope more creators see this and make content that appropriately represents today's society. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 14:21, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Hey there team Taran-trio  ,

I think it's been said before but I love your team name, it's very creative and as a bit of a Tarantino fan and a fan of puns it really appealed to me.

I've had a look over your essay page and there's some really interesting stuff. I'm particularly interested in the fandom section as it's something that I see a lot of in my life just generally on the Internet. I remember first hearing about the concept of 'shipping' and being utterly baffled by it but I still to this day have friends that refuse to accept the canon romances of certain films or books (Harry Potter in particular). I was also interested in the idea of the fandom of a film being able to change the films meaning which made me think of Richard McCulloch's piece on the Room which can be found [here] if you haven't already come across it before. It talks about how the fan base of this film have turned it from what was originally posed as a serious drama (although who is Wissau really trying to kid) but it is now seen as a hilarious cult comedy film. It's strange that rather than just being dubbed a really bad romance film, people actively watch it to laugh at it and find humour in it. I don't know if this is relevant in anyway to what you guys are thinking but just thought I'd flag it up to you in case you hadn't come across it anyway.

Lauraf303 (discuss • contribs) 05:04, 3 April 2018 (UTC)

Hi there, Thank you for your comment. I really enjoyed the reading on the room actually! I feel as if it is extremely important to the understanding of fandoms. It definitely shows how fans can totally reshape a text from the creators original intent. Whether this is a good or bad thing is debatable! Hope your essay is going well and good luck! KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 21:27, 4 April 2018 (UTC)

Hey team just wanted to say a big well done, I think we've all done massively well. Good luck to you all!MTxPrincipessa18 (discuss • contribs) 10:52, 5 April 2018 (UTC)

Essay Question
There are many things that James, Jack and I are interested in. We dabbled in a fair few ideas, such as narrative worlds in gaming and as we went through this we began to discuss fanfiction, online discussion forms and memes. After a while we decided on three points of focus: We wanted to highlight the negative sides of these, and although they are a joke-it can be detrimental to a text. Eventually we came across the question: -"To what extent do online fandoms shape and redefine the understanding of existing media/texts? How do Jenkins' ideas on transmedia storytelling, convergence and fan participation lend to our understanding of this change?"- This would relate to the way in which fandoms stain the viewer with a precedent idea of it. We feel Jenkins is an important source to relate this question as we feel he accurately discusses all our points in great depth and is a credible source in our findings. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 14:38, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
 * Misrepresntation of the canon.
 * Participatory culture in Meme creation.
 * Consequences of shipping.

Essay discussion
@Jackaodha @JamesFDTD99

For our essay, we are closely looking at "Impact on fandoms on media".

This involves fan-created content, namely 'Fanfiction', which builds upon the canonical text - however can often distort it. For example...

- Participatory culture in Meme creation. (Shrek)

- Misrepresentation of the canon. (Elsa and Anna, Frozen)

- The consequences of Fanfiction (One Direction)

Enjoyment of user discusssion pages and Misrepresentation of the cannon will be my topic. I will explore how Elsa and Anna have been shipped together, and what harm this has on the original cannon.

If we make each of our points roughly 900 words long, leaving 300 for introduction and conclusion. Then that should amount to the word limit.

KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 15:01, 16 March 2018 (UTC)

I'll be tackling the real-life implications of the fan-driven sexualisation of the members of One Direction, and how it revealed the more disturbing side of what once seemed rather innocent. This will then expand into wider discussion on fandom mentality and the role of tabloid journalism/reality television in constructing this phenomenon

Sorry for being absent on this discussion page!, I will be focusing on how fandoms use of digital media to create new content which often recontextualizes the original content, for a usually comedic purpose. This is the virally-transmitted cultural symbol or social idea known as the 'Meme'. I will be focusing on how the 2001 Animated Dreamworks movie 'Shrek' evolved into a meme and the positive and negative aspects of this development.

Jackaodha (discuss • contribs) 15:36, 19 March 2018 (UTC)

Misrepresentation of the canon
Hey guys.

Like I said, for my topic I will be tackling good side of transmediality and the fandom and the negatives the "misrepresentation of the canon". This will be where I put all my notes on it. Research User generated fan websites; - key to the successful of transmediality. -places like tumblr, reddit and independent blogs are where most of the forms begin. - allow for ideas, theories, loves and hates of the text. -fanfiction Misrepresentation of the canon; -how fanfiction can go wrong -bee movie -elsa and anna shipping -elsa gate

Important reading Transmedia 202 http://henryjenkins.org/2011/08/defining_transmedia_further_re.html Against Jenkins http://fuchs.uti.at/570/ Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the 'Twilight' Series Fandoms, Trending Topics and Social Capital in Twitter INTERACTIVE AUDIENCES? THE 'COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE' OF MEDIA FANS

Reading Notes
Transmedia 202 Against Jenkins Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the 'Twilight' Series Fandoms, Trending Topics and Social Capital in Twitter subcultural cohesion evaded the preferred and intended meanings of the power bloc". "INTERACTIVE AUDIENCES? THE 'COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE' OF MEDIA FANS" with different assumptions about the desired degree of closeness of the producers and stars, between fans who seek to police the production of certain fantasies and fans who assert their freedom from such constraints, between different generations of fans, and so forth"
 * "Fan culture is high on participation, where fans take the resources offered by a text and push it in a range of directions which are neither preprogrammed nor authorized by the producers" Idea of the unlicensed creations from fandom. Jenkins pushes this idea that fan and creator engagement is larger than ever.
 * Fan performance (fanfic to cosplay) which is separated from the original.
 * Importance of Participatory culture in transmediality. This could relate to user discussion pages. Against Jenkins suggests it should also include a political agenda.
 * In relation to misrepresentation of the canon, Elsa and Anna shipping has been said to politically push an LGBT agenda.
 * Is this ethically correct? Do all kids viewing push a political agenda.
 * "Meyers recollaboration in the vampire trope, in which the monster of appetite is now the model of self control has excited considerable comment in reviews and blogs, while the saga's vigorous and divided fans reveal new consort in understanding how fans work"
 * In relation to choosing Edward or Jacob.
 * Feminised content.
 * Female consumer is still at the bottom of the pile due to it not appearing at conventions such as comic con.
 * Fiske (1992) defines Fandoms' “a collective strategy, a communal effort to form interpretative communities that in their
 * Baym (2007, p.1) "collective of people organised socially and their shared appreciation of a pop culture object of objects".
 * Shared fan interests create a collective identity.
 * Twitter hashtags allow for immediate fan engagement in live showings of TV and films. Creates more of an audience experience and deepens the understanding.
 * Fan wars.
 * The internet has transcended fandoms.
 * National fans spoil for international fans.
 * "Andre MacDonald described fandom in terms of various disputes - between male and female fans, between fans
 * Fans often script own episodes or stories, when something isn't explained or continued -fanfic.
 * Use of photoshop to push fan ideas.
 * "Bloggers take knowledge in their own hands, enabling the successful navigation within and between these emerging knowledge cultures"

My Essay Plan
- Allows fans to engage and grow in their love of something - Exploration of where they do these things. - Jenkins stating that engagement is larger than ever. - It has created more from the original. - Fans scripting episodes. - Fan culture can go to far. - Fan fiction (Bee movie, disney ect) - Frozen shipping. - Damaging effect of ElsaGate and how it is hurting the key audience. - Photo shop and editing.
 * Intro to my topic.
 * The positive side of transmedialty.
 * Misrepresentation of the canon.

Other Useful Sources
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2017/11/elsagate-the-disturbing-youtube-trend-that-might-be-terrifying-your-children.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_K-shDq-kM https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/8/16751206/elsagate-youtube-kids-creepy-conspiracy-theory

Team Comments
@KaYuI I think this is a great format for your portion of the essay, your key reading materials will give you a developed knowledge into your topic, fan participation in today's cultural climate is such vast and multifaceted topic in the face of transmediality, what is it about the ElsaGate situation that you find the most interesting to explore? hoping to get a good insight into your thoughts! Jackaodha (discuss • contribs) 14:39, 1 April 2018 (UTC)

@Jackaoda Thanks for your comment. I think the aspect of ElsaGate that I find the most interesting is the relevance and effect it has on the masses; children, parents, creators and avid YouTube users. It is an important area in our essay question as it highlights the severity of fandoms running with the canon, and taking it to new and negative levels. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 13:43, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

@KaYuI that is very true, it is quite worrying that children can access such content without much if any restrictions, I was first made aware of this through two Youtube channels that I frequent, The Philip Defranco Show (a weekly news vlog) and H3H3(Reaction videos towards current trends) both disgusted by the fact that these videos are unregulated and are vastly popular, here are links for both Philip Defranco Show: ElsaGate H3H3 Productions: Toy Channels These videos might be of help! Jackaodha (discuss contribs) 17:04, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Thanks Jack those are some really interesting sources. I will definitely be engaging with these in my essay. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 18:30, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 17:37, 21 March 2018 (UTC)

= Participatory culture in Meme creation =

Introduction to topic
Hey Guys, I figured I would give more insight into what I am thinking of covering within this topic. Often meme's are brushed off as internet fodder, funny images that don't matter. Studying our use of memes within the realms of digital media research is vital to understanding how online communities work, why do certain images or ideas go 'Viral' to become a 'meme'. I think the most interesting question relates to the after-effects of this evolution. Shrek, before it became positioned within meme culture, was a family Animated Adventure film it still is of course!, but the context of the film has possibly altered people's perception of it. Here is a rough idea of the subjects I want to tackle within my portion of the essay

- What is an Internet Meme?

- How do entities become Memes?

- Shrek as a Meme and fan participation

- The implications of context shifting

Of course I won't be able to go into all of these with immense detail as the essay would become monstrous, however, I plan to streamline all of these initial ideas down into a concise and clear portion of the essay.

Articles/Journals
Here are some news Articles I have found that may be of use, detailing direct responses to the Shrek meme craze.

News Articles
Vice

-https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/kwx3jv/we-asked-an-expert-why-some-memes-work-better-than-others

-Gabriella Lewis interviews Filippo Menczer owner of the Truthy Project to discuss if memes could powerful enough to determine the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/kwxdqa/we-asked-an-expert-if-memes-could-determine-the-outcome-of-the-presidential-election

Know Your Meme

- http://knowyourmeme.com/about

- http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/shrek

- http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/shrek-is-love-shrek-is-life

Academic Reading Material

 * Memes in a Digital World: Reconciling with a Conceptual Troublemaker by Limor Shifman (2013)
 * Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture by Henry Jenkins (2012)
 * Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture by Henry Jenkins, Sam Ford and Joshua Green (2013)
 * Defining and characterizing the concept of Internet Meme by Carlos Diaz (2013)
 * World Wide Web and Its Journey from Web 1.0 to Web 4.0. by Nupur Choudhury (2014)

Jackaodha (discuss • contribs) 14:40, 22 March 2018 (UTC)

Team Comments
I find this topic really interesting. It is so wild the backlash that has come up since the Shrek is Love video came out when it comes to viewing the film. Ever since then, Shrek is love and "this is my swamp" has become a huge meme. Much like my topic, it appears the viewers can often be detrimental to the original text. Do you think that the meme of Shrek has killed the movies, or kept them alive? KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 15:29, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

I find the Shrek memes quite bizarre as most memes tend to be about topical events, it seems that because of this one animated viral video 'Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life' it has given the Shrek franchise new life, however despite people presumably watching the films more and with the announcements of a Shrek 5 the way in which people watch these films and contextualize them in their heads is likely to be different now, though I find it easy to separate the memes from the film itself, I found myself thinking about the memes while watching. How do you feel about it @KaYuI Jackaodha (discuss • contribs) 17:56, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

I agree with you, although maybe more people our age watch it now because its 'funny' association with the meme. It seems like only the generation ages 16-30 would be aware of the meme. So perhaps watching with their kids, they will not know. Whereas for us, the meme has completely stained it. Perhaps this brings about the question of memes only hitting a certain generation. KaYuI (discuss • contribs) 18:37, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

= The Consequences of 'Shipping' - 'One Direction' & Fan culture =

Hey team, I haven't previously published my notes here before now, but I figure that it would be the easiest means for you to access them. I'll be adding along to this section as my research progresses and outlining the general structure for my section of the essay. Feel free to ask about any of my sources or hit me up with some critique, cheers!

Academic Papers/Journals

 * 1) "‘Shipping bullshit’: Twitter rumours, fan/celebrity interaction and questions of authenticity" by Helena Louise Dare-Edwards
 * 2) "From  to : Online usernames and identity in the One Direction fandom" by Lisa Donlan
 * 3) "‘I love you, please notice me’: the hierarchical rhetoric of Twitter fandom" by Amanda K. Kehrberg

(Respective links)
 * 1) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19392397.2014.981370?scroll=top&needAccess=true
 * 2) http://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/intellect/jfs/2017/00000005/00000003/art00004
 * 3) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19392397.2015.995472

Press Coverage/Articles

 * 1) "Did Shipping Kill One Direction?" by Woodrow Whyte, Popbuzz
 * 2) "Liam Payne under fire from fans after claiming One Direction gay rumours ‘drive him insane’" by Gabby Jeffries, Pink News
 * 3) "Zayn Malik denies rumours of gay relationships within One Direction" by David Renshaw, NME
 * 4) "Larry Stylinson, the One Direction conspiracy theory that rules the internet, explained" by Aja Romano, Vox
 * 5) "One Direction Bromance or Romance? All Aboard the S.S. Stylinson !" by Ben Harvey, Huffington Post
 * 6) "Erotic One Direction fan fiction inspires art show" by Tristram Fane Saunders, Telegraph

(Respective links)
 * 1) http://www.popbuzz.com/music/artists/one-direction/features/did-shipping-kill-one-direction/
 * 2) https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/09/13/liam-payne-under-fire-from-fans-after-claiming-one-direction-gay-rumours-drive-him-insane/
 * 3) http://www.nme.com/news/music/one-direction-32-1196667
 * 4) https://www.vox.com/2016/4/18/11384118/larry-stylinson-one-direction-conspiracy-theory
 * 5) https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-harvey/one-direction-bromance-or-romance-all-aboard-the-ss-stylinson_b_1876112.html
 * 6) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/erotic-one-direction-fan-fiction-inspires-art-show/

Points of Discussion
= Structure =

Introduction will be divided between the three of us. Aim for it to be 150-300 words. Short but insightive so we can discuss as much as possible in our area. We will then write around 900 words each on our chosen discussion point.

The structure will hopefully look something like this: *Transmediality in a positive light. *Where the canon goes wrong. *How fans go to far.
 * Introduction
 * Misrepresentation of the canon:
 * Participatory culture in Meme creation.
 * The consequences of shipping.

INSTRUCTOR FEEDBACK
General Feedback
 * Satisfactory. Among other things, satisfactory standard work may try to relate an idea from the module to an original example, but might not be very convincing. It may waste space on synopsis or description, rather than making a point. It may have spelling or grammatical errors and typos. It might not demonstrate more than a single quick pass at the assignment, informed only by lecture materials and/or cursory reading. It may suggest reading but not thinking (or indeed the reverse). The wiki markup formatting will need some work.

Specific Feedback:


 * This is an interesting and fairly novel take on transmedia fandoms. You have submitted a fair response to the brief. Here you outline a number of arguments that specifically address the theme of transmedia in relation to fandom, participation and canon. Your discussion of the research evidences some working knowledge on the subject matter, and you draw from a range of relevant scholarship on your chosen topic to provide evidence for your discussion.


 * The examples that you have chosen to discuss your theme are well-chosen and allow a space to really stretch the terms under discussion, although I think a lot more could have been written about fanfic in particular. Given the amount of research that is out there on slash fiction alone, for example, and other salient areas such as shipping, really ought to suggest much more in this area. The critique of this section is also rather problematic as you don’t seem to be tying it back to the main question. Therefore, there is a relevance issue.


 * Overall, the essay is written in a fairly mature and accessible style, although the most important criticism here would be that your argument is poorly structured. Although evidencing some critical engagement, each section seems very disjointed, and there is little, even in the introduction and conclusion, that brings the themes together. The overall effect is that each person seems to have written a section in isolation, rather than as a collaborative enterprise, and the effect is exacerbated by the fact that signatures and timestamps are present on the essay page. They do not belong there. Discussion pages fine, but it isn’t conventional for the book pages to include these.


 * By the way, the plural of medium is media, not mediums.


 * N.B.:Feedback for your Discussion, engagement and contribs elements for the assessment will be given on your individual User Discussion Pages. Grades for all work will communicated confidentially via Canvas.’’’

GregXenon01 (discuss • contribs) 11:47, 23 April 2018 (UTC)