Television

  • OTW Fannews: Personal journeys

    By Claudia Rebaza on mardi, 8 July 2014 - 4:56pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Sports, Television, Fanart, Fanfiction , Fannish Histories

    Banner by Sidhrat of a butterfly moving through stages of growth

    • At The Mary Sue, Elisabeth Flaum discussed her return to fandom. "In the beginning, I was not a fan. I liked stuff – Firefly, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings – but the tween who freaked over Bon Jovi and baseball grew up and moved out...Then I met the Doctor. Suddenly, in my late thirties, I was binge-watching a television show. I was pining over fictional characters – and I was writing my own stories for them when the official versions ran out. I was making costumes and going to conventions. I was lit up, inspired, excited as I hadn’t been by anything since childhood."
    • Bleeding Cool posted a story by artist Ale Bodden about receiving encouragment from artists at New York ComicCon. "For thirty minutes I stood in front of this artist as a nervous wreck, and I was right: when he returned that book to me it was all different. My twitches seem to leave and I was left with much more passion and more focused than ever on what I love. Not much could match the levels of satisfaction I felt at the moment, or the happiness I still feel."
    • The Hindu discussed the journeys on which fanfic takes characters. "Jointly referred to under the cutesy moniker Arshi, several fan fiction stories feature the two in a passionate Mills and Boons-esque love affair. This is all the more scandalous when juxtaposed with the original soap’s furtive glances and coy flirting. Moreover Khushi has far more 'You go girl!' moments than the show ever afforded her. Saima, an avid IPKKND fan fiction writer, explains that fan fiction aimed to correct the show’s victimisation of the female protagonist. 'Khushi was treated so badly by everyone including her family when she and Arnav eloped. Fans waited patiently for everyone to ask for her forgiveness but the show started up an envy angle that again positioned Khushi as a victim.'"
    • Moultrie News discussed the growth of a national soccer fan club in the U.S. "The American Outlaws are a nationwide brotherhood of super fans that support the United States National Soccer teams with a feverish passion...There are 144 official chapters nationwide with more than 50 new chapters added since September. When members travel into new cities from out of town, their welcomed into the town’s Outlaw chapter like members of an extended family." They are also at the World Cup. "Look closely in the U.S. fan sections at the games in Brazil and you’ll see the Holy City Outlaws scarfs waiving through the air. The Outlaws back home applaud their brothers in the stands the same way they cheer for their boys on the field."

    What special fandom moments are part of your journey? Write about them on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: To fan or not to fan

    By Kiri Van Santen on jeudi, 3 July 2014 - 4:48pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality, Books, Sports, Television, Fannish Practices, Fan Conventions

    • An L.A. Weekly article on why musician John Roderick couldn't be a fan brought about a number of responses. "[T]here was a turning point somewhere at the end of grade school where kids started lining up behind brands. I mean, I read Mad magazine, but I wouldn't have called myself a fan; the whole point of Mad was that they were ripping you off and laughing at you. The British invasion bands kinda smirked at their fans, too. My fandom pretty much stopped at the door. I owned the records, what else was I supposed to do?...Maybe that's what I dislike about fandom: commitment. I never wanted to be so tied to a band that I couldn't pull back."
    • Writer Jessica Khoury wrote at NPR about what Harry Potter brought to her life. "Did I lose some friends? I did. I remember telling some that I'd read the books and even liked them, and in shock they'd declared our friendship over, that we'd never speak again. And it was true, we never did — but to my surprise, I found myself relieved. I never once missed them. I heard others whispering Did you hear that Jessica read Harry Potter? and I smiled. Years later, I would sit in a theater with some of those same friends — and even my parents — for the opening night screening of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Years later, I'd find myself holding a butterbeer and crying in the middle of Hogsmeade at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, because here was where it all began. Here was the beginning of my autonomy."
    • The Austin Chronicle claimed that the ATX Television Festival "caters to – and initiates – a new kind of fandom", saying it's "hitting its stride with audiences who increasingly view, review, and talk about TV the way they view, review, and talk about film. Around 1,200 of what co-founders Emily Gipson and Caitlin McFarland alternately call 'quality television viewers' and 'DVD extra fans' are...the viewers for whom ATXTVF was created. 'They're fans, but they're interested in the industry,' says McFar­land. 'Showrunners and creators are their rock stars.'"
    • Arizona State University's news service profiled a faculty member who wrote about football fandom in Africa. "'It was very clear that people felt the vuvuzela was a fundamental threat to a specific Eurocentric version of football,' Kassing added. 'And therefore it was not seen, at least by most people commenting, as a legitimate or alternative fan tradition.' Those posting in defense of the vuvuzela used humor and irony to make their points. Comments included, 'Who let all the locals in, honking their strange instruments, dancing around and having a good time. Football should be watched in silence,' along with, 'The incessant droning noise completely destroys the pleasure of watching the sport on TV. Please ban Formula 1 immediately'."

    What made you become a fan? Write about your fannish history on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: Shining a Light

    By Claudia Rebaza on mercredi, 2 July 2014 - 4:03pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Gender and Sexuality, Commercial Works Authors, Movies, Television, Activism, Fanfiction , Fan Videos, Fannish Histories, OTW Sightings, Technology

    Banner by James of a foggy view of trees

    • OTW Fan Video & Multimedia Committee Chair Tisha Turk gave an interview on "the past, present and potential future of vidding and remix culture, and the murky status of fair use – at least when it comes to monetized remixes on YouTube" as well as her own start as a vidder. Discussing copyright claims on fanwork, she said "One possible analogy would be, if I were making a quilt out of various bolts of fabric I purchased, and I cut these pieces, and I piece them together, and add the backing, and I make this lovely quilt, and the people who made the fabrics show up and say: 'I want a cut.' Or: 'You can’t have the profit, I made the fabric, so hand it over.’"
    • The Fandom Post discussed activism around female characters in Star Wars fandom. "Were we wrong to point out our concerns about the first cast photos? Wrong to express dissatisfaction over the lack of Leia in the first wave from the Disney Store? Wrong to share our disappointment that the Star Wars Rebels announcements included the women last and their action figures won’t happen until the second wave? Perhaps if only one of those things had happened, downplaying the outbreak of concern would make sense. It’s never just one thing, though...Staying silent and hoping for the best isn’t the way to create or support change. We need to speak up each and every time."
    • A post at Teleread expressed concern at how site changes can affect writer and reader interaction. "Nobody should have to deal with that kind of abuse, thick skin or not. And it’s sad that it seems to be coming more and more common. It’s in the same vein as the writer who received rape threats for criticizing a comic book cover. How obnoxious our culture has become. We’ve seen time and again that some people use anonymity as a license to be as nasty as they possibly can. It would be great if Fanfiction.net could restore the ability for authors to block anonymous reviews altogether if they wanted. At the very least, the default for reviews after 36 hours should be rejection, not acceptance."
    • A New York Times interview with showrunner Damon Lindelof explored the long-term effects of fan reaction. "Initially, for Lindelof, this kind of fame was very attractive — he interacted eagerly with the fan base of 'Lost,' stoking their expectations and ruminations about the show’s labyrinthine plot...'The longer you tell a story, the larger the stakes have to be,' he says. 'It’s no longer satisfying to say: Are these people who crashed in this plane going to make it out O.K.? Are they going to fall in love? Are they going to live? Are they going to die? It’s like no, are they going to save the world?' In the end, they did save the world, but the way they did it left some faithful viewers unhappy. Cuse has made his peace with this; Lindelof still hasn’t."

    What aspects of fandom do you want to shine a light on? Write about them on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • Events Calendar for July 2014

    By Angela Nichols on mardi, 1 July 2014 - 5:30pm
    Message type:
    Event
    Étiquettes:
    Academia, Studies, Call for Papers, Fandoms, Anime and Manga, Television, Fan Conventions, Fanfiction

    Banner by caitie of curtains opening to show a stage with the words OTW Events Calendar

    Welcome to our Events Calendar roundup for the month of July! The Events Calendar can be found on the OTW website and is open to submissions by anyone with news of an event. These can be viewed by event-type, such as Academic Events, Fan Gatherings, Legal Events, OTW Events, or Technology Events taking place around the world.

    • The Almost Human fandom believes that Fox's decision to cancel Almost Human was disappointing, but they want to send the boys out in a blaze of creativity! The Almost Husbands Fic Challange is a mini Jorian fic and art challenge, with open posting throughout July. Slash and close friendship pieces welcome.

      More about Almost Human on Fanlore

    • Westercon is the "West Coast Science Fantasy Conference" held annually in the western part of the United States. Westercon 67 will take place in Sacramento, California from 3-6 July 2014. In addition to workshops and panels, the program features special guests, a masquerade and costume ball, an art show, musical events, and a writers workshop.

      More about Westercon on Fanlore

    • Readercon is an annual conference or convention devoted to "imaginative literature" — literary science fiction, fantasy, horror, and the unclassifiable works often called "slipstream." Readercon features over 150 writers, editors, publishers, and critics, attracting prominent figures from across the U.S., and international. They are joined by some 600 of their most passionate and articulate readers for a long weekend of intense conversation. Readercon 25 is 10-13 July 2014 in Burlington, Massachusetts.

      More about Readercon on Fanlore

    • Wolf's Bane The UK's second Teen Wolf convention, will be in Birmingham 11-13 July. The weekend will be complete with Guest Talks, Photo and Autograph sessions, Evening Entertainment and lots of fun! Guests include Holland Roden, JR Bourne, Daniel Sharman, Adam Fristoe, Seth Gilliam, Charlie Carver, and Max Carver.

      More about Teen Wolf on Fanlore

    • DashCon is an event on where Tumblr fans can gather and meet. Tumblr is a community so full of love, support, and creativity, and DashCon will be a place where they collaborate and connect outside of their laptops in Chicago 11-13 July 2014.

      More about Tumblr on Fanlore

    • System Administrator Appreciation Day is held to show appreciation for the work of systems administrators and other IT workers. It is celebrated on the last Friday in July. The first System Administrator Appreciation Day was celebrated on 28 July 2000. There are many suggestions for the proper observation of the holiday, the most common being cake and ice cream, so if you're reading this, thank your SysAdmins!
    • Comic Con International returns to San Diego, California for its 45th year. This mult-media, multi-genre, multi-fandom convention features panels involving celebrities, entertainers, and creators from a diverse range of entertainment. Special events, autograph signings, an exhibition hall, and screenings of films and television episodes occur throughout the 4-day event. San Diego Comic-Con will run from 24-27 July.

      More about Comic Con International on Fanlore

    Calls for Papers this month come from:

    • “Manga Futures: Institutional and Fannish Approaches in Japan and Beyond” Manga Studies is now emerging as an important field of scholarship and criticism within Japanese Studies and Cultural Studies. Today’s students are not simply consumers of manga. They live in a convergent media environment where they occupy multiple roles as fans, students and “produsers” (producers + users) of Japanese cultural content. Many students are engaged in “scanlation” and “fansubbing” sites as well as the production and dissemination of dōjin (fan-produced) work. These practices contribute to manga’s global appeal, influence and ease of access, but also raise ethical and legal issues, not least infringement of copyright.

      Invited proposals include, but are not limited to, the following themes: Fan appropriations of and contributions to manga culture in Japan and beyond, Ethical and legal challenges in the production and consumption of manga, Institutional support for or criticism of manga culture, The use of manga in Japan studies and Japan language pedagogy, The future of “manga studies” – theory and methods.
      Due date for proposals: 13 July 2014

    Help out a researcher!

    This month we have received a request for research participation from Barbara Galiza, a masters student of Digital Culture & Society at King's College London. She is writing a thesis on the evolution of digital platforms used for fandom and is looking for participants to answer a survey. Her study was approved by the college's Research Ethics Office.

    If you have any questions about her research, she may be contacted at barbara.galiza [at] kcl.ac.uk. Her supervisor is Btihaj Ajana who may be reached at btihaj.ajana [at] kcl.ac.uk and by telephone at +44 (0)20 7848 1011, or by mail at:

    King's College London
    Room 222, 26-29 Drury Lane
    London WC2B 5RL

    The research results will be presented at the Digital Research in Humanities and Arts conference in September and her completed dissertation will be published online and shared with the OTW.

    If you have requests for research participation, please view our policy for inclusion at our website.

    The OTW encourages anyone to submit an event that's not already listed, and to check out the calendar throughout the year!

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: Fannish Histories

    By Kiri Van Santen on mercredi, 4 June 2014 - 5:49pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Gender and Sexuality, Movies, Music, Television, Fanart, Fannish Histories

    fannish histories

    • The New York Daily News was one of several media outlets reviewing a book about Bob Dylan fans. "These anecdotes are juicy enough and artfully told, but they don’t get at the heart of what makes Dylan fandom different from other kinds of fandom. The Beatles, the Ramones, Neil Young and Madonna, just to name a few, have all inspired similar obsessions. Hyperactive tape trading, for one, certainly isn’t unique to Dylan fans. Just ask any Deadhead. It’s only when Kinney turns to the Dylanologists that have devoted their lives to ferreting out the meanings behind Dylan’s music and art — rather than collecting his grandmother’s candy bowls — does he get at what makes Dylan so singularly attractive, and infuriating."
    • While quite a few sites highlight fan art, Hypable's look focused on the fan as well as the work. "I don’t think there was ever a time in my life when I didn’t spend all day watching TV. It started with Cartoon Network and as I grew up it moved on to sitcoms, crime shows, medical shows, sci-fi… I always loved making manips, I started when I was about 10 years old. I didn’t have photoshop back then so I used Paint to crop pictures and it could take a few days to crop one. Then my uncle gave me a CD with Photoshop and made my life 100 times easier and my manips 100 times better."
    • K-Drama Stars also did a fannish profile of a Nigerian fan whose homesickness was eased by fandom. "Oky thinks that American television has a lot to learn from k-dramas in terms of the way they portray romance. Less can be more when it comes to creating dramatic romantic tension. 'They can express it more PG,' she said...Watching the dramas made her more curious about Asian culture, which she knew little about when she first moved to America. Now, she is learning the Korean language and has plans to visit South Korea next year."
    • Club Jade looked at the history of women in Star Wars fandom. "I have been very lucky in that I did most of my fandom growing up in spaces that were heavily female, from the early ship-war days to Club Jade to the fanfic community. That’s not to say jerks don’t happen in such spaces – the Star Ladies invented Attack Pattern Clinique back in the days of AOL chat rooms for a reason – but for the most part I ‘grew up’ in fandom areas where women and their contributions were unquestioned, where the idea that Star Wars needs more women was simply a given."

    What's your fannish history been? Write about what you've seen on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • Events Calendar June 2014

    By Angela Nichols on dimanche, 1 June 2014 - 4:10pm
    Message type:
    Event
    Étiquettes:
    Academia, Conferences, Call for Papers, Anime and Manga, Television, Fan Conventions, Fanfiction , Fannish Communities

    Event Calendar Icon

    Welcome to our Events Calendar roundup for the month of June! The Events Calendar can be found on the OTW website and is open to submissions by anyone with news of an event. These can be viewed by event-type, such as Academic Events, Fan Gatherings, Legal Events, OTW Events, or Technology Events taking place around the world.

    • Archive of Our Own is the site for the Crossovering Challenge. Crossovering is a multi-fandom crossover exchange. It’s your opportunity to request crossovers between your favorite fandoms and to write them too! Sign ups are open June 4-13. If you do not have an AO3 account and would like to participate, please let the mods know before sign-ups and they can get you an invitation.

      More about Crossovers on Fanlore

    • Alpha Con on June 6th is an unofficial Teen Wolf & Vampire Diaries Convention in Vösendorf, Austria. At AlphaCon fans will have the opportunity to meet your favourite actor/actress first-hand, attend Q&A panels and themed parties, get autographs and photo shoots and participate in a few more surprises!

      More about Teen Wolf on Fanlore
      More about The Vampire Diaries on Fanlore

    • Sinpozium, aka “Sinpoz” is a multifandom Sydney slash gathering. It is a fan-run, not-for-profit weekend-long slash slumber party! Activities will include discussions, fandom pimping, games, vid watching and more. Sinpozium is open to programming ideas. You must be 18 or older to attend.

      More about Sinpozium on Fanlore

    • VuPop2: An Academic Conference Where YOU are the Hero: Interactive Fiction in Print and Online For several decades gamebooks like Choose Your Own Adventure and Fighting Fantasy have been finding ways to directly involve the reader in the narrative of the book and to encompass multiple possibilities within a single volume. Computer games and other digital media have brought fiction into new and infinitely variable realms. On 9 June in Villanova, PA VuPop2 conference will examine the evolution of interactive fiction and discuss ways in which it can be studied and used pedagogically.
    • Supanova is Comic-con, Australian style!
      Supernova is where the adoring public comes face to face with Supa-Star celebrities and the creative talent that inspire their imaginary worlds under one big roof. The event includes comic books, animation, science-fiction, TV/movies, toys, gaming, fantasy, technology, books, internet sites and fan-clubs, the result is an amazing atmosphere tailor made for expressing your inner geek and where getting into cosplay obvious thing to do! Notable Guest include Jon Heder, Michael Rosenbaum, Robin Hobb, and many more! Supanova will be in Sydney June 13-15 and Perth June 20-22!

      More about Supanova on Fanlore

    • EyeCon is well known for bringing our attendees the absolute most "personal" time with the stars is announcing their first ever convention devoted to the fandom surrounding the epic, ultra popular MTV series Teen Wolf! Meet and mingle with Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Adelaide Kane, and more! at Q&As, Autographs, parties, and more in Atlanta, Georgia on June 13-15.

      More about Teen Wolf on Fanlore

    • CON.TXT on June 13 in Silver Springs, Maryland id a place to gather and celebrate the joy of slash fandom. Indulge in endless conversation about your favorite guys (or girls), debate metaslash topics of great import, and squee over the pretty, all in the company of like-minded folk.

      More about CON.TXR on Fanlore

    • Cakebang: The Supernatural and Supernatural RPF Podfic Big Bang Cakebang is open to podficcers and artists. Podficcers can submit 10,000 word minimum for the Mini Bang and/or a 20,000 word minimum for the Big Bang. Artists may check out the claims post and claim any available podfic. If you wish to create art or can sign up and make note that you would like to be alerted when a new podfic is added to the list. Cakebang will be accepting new sign-ups until Friday, June 13 with posting scheduled to begin Monday, June 16.

      More about Big Bang challenges on Fanlore
      More about Supernatural on Fanlore

    • Join tens of thousands of fans as they converge on the Pennsylvania Convention Center June 19-22 at Philadelphia Comic Con to celebrate the best in pop culture. Philadelphia Comic Con brings it all - Movies, Comics, Toys, Video Gaming, Games, TV, Horror, Wrestling, MMA, Original Art, Collectibles, Anime, Manga & More! Guests include Cast from Marvel Films, Doctor Who, the Whedonverse, The Walking Dead, and more
    • Days of the Wolf Join Teen Wolf fans from around the in celebrating this fantastic MTV hit show on June 28-29 in Chicago. Join guests Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden, JR Bourne, and Linden Ashby for on stage events, Cosplay, Music Video Contest,Gala Party, Trivia and more!

      More about Teen Wolf on Fanlore

    Calls for Papers this month come from:

    • Manga Futures Postgraduate Workshop Manga Futures is hosting a postgraduate workshop entitled, “Research and Career Futures in Japanese Popular Culture Studies”. Postgraduate students who are currently working on topics related to contemporary Japanese popular culture and are looking for an open space where they can share their knowledge and experience in their respective fields are welcome to submit a proposal on the following themes: Commonalities and differences in fandom-based creation and criticism between Japan and other countries, Ethical and legal challenges in the production and consumption of manga, The use of popular culture in Japan studies and Japan language pedagogy. The due date for proposals is 13 June 2014
    • Intellect's Fan Phenomena book series is now seeking chapters for a new volume on fandom and James Bond. Phenomena: James Bond is aimed at both fans and those interested in the cultural and social aspects of James Bond. As such the book is intended to be entertaining, informative, and accessible to a broad audience. Suggested topics include: Bond as lifestyle icon, Bond merchandise, memorabilia and collecting, Bond fans’ use of different media to create community, etc. Please send a 300 word abstract and a short bio by 30 June 2014 to be considered.

      More about James Bond on Fanlore

    The OTW encourages anyone to submit an event that's not already listed, and to check out the calendar throughout the year!

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: Fans running the culture

    By Claudia Rebaza on mercredi, 28 May 2014 - 4:14pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality, Television, Fan Conventions, Fanfiction , Fannish Communities

    Banner by Diane of a concert crowd depicted as colored outlines

    • Arthur Chu wrote at the Daily Beast about Battlestar Galactica as the turning point for fanfiction invading popular culture. "[T]echnological change has accelerated to the point where nerdy and obsessive and living inside your own personal fantasy world you seek to realize is not only no longer the liability it once was, it’s practically a requirement for the new economy. Try getting a job at a 'disruptive' Web 2.0 start-up and saying that your favorite entertainment is reassuring sitcoms about ordinary domestic life. The creepy kid who was once ostracized for drawing weird futuristic cityscapes populated by cyborgs all day is now your boss, and his utopian/dystopian vision for the future just got him a million-dollar round of investor capital."
    • Mary Grace Garis at Elle agrees, discussing how fanfiction made her a writer. "[W]e live in a weird postmodern society that celebrates media reinvention. People livetweet Scandal and then write think pieces on why Olivia should end up alone. They form snarky communities in the comment section of episode recaps. They create dialogues, make critiques, and most of all, take creative agency with these texts, be it in the form of memes or mashups. So knowing this, as well as insider language that communicates fan ideas and beliefs, is valuable currency in this economy."
    • Alan Kistler wrote at The Mary Sue about a psychology of cult TV panel. "Scarlet added, 'I think that TV shows allow us to form a really important connection at a time when we really need it.' She then had the audience show, by raising their hands, how many of them had gone through something difficult in their lives and then saw the experience or the feelings surrounding it reflected in a favorite TV show, book or comic book. Many hands went up. Scarlet said, 'It can feel really validating and you can feel like someone gets it . . . Over time, we learn to trust characters. We learn to open up with them, we become vulnerable with them.'"
    • The Phillipine Daily Inquirer discussed the pop-culturization of Philippine mythology. "'Our teen readers gobble up YA novels from the US. They’re reading! We should give them Filipino YA novels to gobble up.' The Philippine Board on Books for Young People, of which Sabido is chair, is putting together a 2014 middle grade and YA novel writing workshop called 'Kabanata.' 'We hope the workshop will produce 10 novels in English and 10 novels in Filipino.'" They hope to hook readers by developing fan communities. "'We’re really hoping people would contribute their fan art and fan fiction when they finally get to know the world of Janus Silang'."

    What examples of fans running their cultures have you seen? Write about them on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: Fandom and food

    By Claudia Rebaza on samedi, 24 May 2014 - 3:27pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Movies, Television, Fannish Practices, Fannish Communities

    Banner by Ania of the edge of a food plate

    • Singapore Showbiz wrote about the rise of TV-themed dinners surrounding fandoms with a strong focus on food. "Passionate fans have even taken it upon themselves to create a Game of Thrones' cookbook...with recipes for the dishes described in the series." The group featured has "plans for more TV- themed dinners, with plans for 'The Hunger Games', 'Downton Abbey', and 'Hannibal' dinners in the works."
    • As an article on KDrama Stars points out, fan meetings with or without food are hardly new. The Korean Drama Group started as a yahoo group in 2003 and has been meeting annually. Its fans discussed how their interest branched out from TV shows. "Some of the group's members have been inspired to learn more about Korean culture. Some take language and Korean cooking lessons. Some members of the group traveled to Korea on the k-drama tour inspired by 'Winter Sonata.'"
    • Eating celebrations can be city-wide as shown in this article by Colorado Public Radio on Star Wars themed events in Denver. "The vegetarian restaurant City O’ City and its adjoining live art space Deer Pile are hosting their third annual 'May the Fourth Be With You' party. This year, Mutiny Information Cafe, 3 Kings Tavern and City Hall have joined the roster of venues participating in the interplanetary festivities, helping spread the 'Star Wars' fandom from South Broadway through Capitol Hill."
    • MomClick featured one fan who connected with actor/writer B.J. Novak through food. "Known for his role as the intern on the popular NBC sitcom 'The Office,' he was also one of the writers for the series...In honor of Novak's book...Jen's sugar cookies were shaped and decorated around a theme of one of [his] stories, 'From the story about a red shirt, a mirror the size of Earth, to a story about what happened when the tortoise rematched the hare...I tried to get as creative as possible and to add a little bit more showmanship. They were delivered in a box decorated as the book jacket.'”

    What examples of fandom and food have you seen? Write about them on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: Authentic fandom

    By Claudia Rebaza on samedi, 17 May 2014 - 3:37pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Movies, Music, Sports, Television, Fannish Practices

    • An article in Connecticut College’s The College Voice insisted that there's no room for art that isn't "original", complaining about the success of cover bands. "Wicked Peach is certainly an example of this. One sophomore said her adoration for the band was because 'they play songs I like without trying to make it their own.' The Cover Band is Pop without the music. Wicked Peach is not music; it’s entertainment. They haven’t contributed a single original note to the universe, but they can certainly get 200 hundred drunk ’90s kids into a mosh pit. In their defense, at least they’re upfront about their unoriginality. With the majority of Pop music consisting of the same four chords, most contemporary music is essentially just slight variations on what’s come before."
    • "Phony" fandom remains an issue for many Deadspin readers who took offense at a profile of soccer fans. "As insufferable as the characters in the story come off, I'd much rather have a beer with them than with anyone who tells someone else they're being a fan the wrong way. This is the 22-year-old at a punk show scoffing at the 15-year-old who probably didn't even know about the band until its major-label release...The self-important fan is convinced his fandom is a signifier of something larger than liking the sport. The self-confident fan doesn't give a shit what brings other people to the sport. Be the self-confident fan."
    • A post at io9 's Observation Deck instead asked at what point you should "turn in your fan card." "I haven't really cared since about anything 'new' related to Star Wars. Pink Five was the best thing Star Wars to come out since the extended editions (and when I say that, know that I refused to buy the extended edition on video), and of course it was fan-made. I couldn't be arsed to watch more than a bit of the Clone Wars. I haven't even clicked on the recent casting announcements. But still, if I'm flipping through channels late at night and come across A New Hope on some godforsaken channel, or if I'm suddenly in the mood and grab my DVD of The Empire Strikes Back I'm transfixed again...So, I'm definitely still a Star Wars fan. I guess. From a certain point of view."
    • This review of a My Little Pony parody concludes that fandom doesn't have to be tragic. "This is probably the hardest comic I’ve ever had to give a rating to. Much like My Little Pony itself, it’s not my cup of tea, but there’s nothing particular wrong with it. It promises a parody of bronies and fandom culture and it delivers upon that just fine. I think the moral of this story is this: Regardless of your fandom, enjoy it the way you wish to enjoy it, and let others do the same. If you absolutely feel the need to argue your opinions to other members of your fandom please do so calmly and constructively and don’t bully others for disagreeing with you."

    What fandom authenticity debates have you seen? Write about them on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in a roundup post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

  • OTW Fannews: Fandom risks

    By Claudia Rebaza on dimanche, 11 May 2014 - 3:22pm
    Message type:
    News of Note
    Étiquettes:
    Gender and Sexuality, Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality, Books, Television, Fanfiction

    • A variety of articles derived from an Anhui TV segment reported that 20 women writing slash fiction were arrested in China as part of an effort to "create a healthy cyberspace." As The Diplomat pointed out though, the purge was very narrowly targeted. "Indeed, if the various crackdowns in the past were actually aimed at porn, it’s hard to understand how some of the largest porn sites have somehow slipped through the cracks. If you want to read reports from Amnesty International or the New York Times in China, you are bang out of luck unless you have a VPN. Still, the glorious proletariat can look at Porn.com until they’re blue in the face."
    • Anuradha Lingappa wrote in the Whitman College Pioneer about sexual assaults in Harry Potter fandom. "The recent accusations mirror an incident a couple years ago when an Internet-famous musician who wrote songs about similarly 'nerdy' topics was arrested on several counts of child pornography. He pled guilty to soliciting sexually explicit content from underage fans. He moved in the same circles as some of the men who are currently accused, even accompanying their bands on tour. The response to his arrest was disappointing. No one wanted to talk about it. If there had been serious discussion about preventing sexual violence within fandoms, maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so far."
    • Author N.K. Jemisin discussed confirmation bias. "Confirmation bias doesn’t cause the phenomenon of Mysteriously Whitewashed Medieval Europe. (Or Peculiarly Denuded of Women Europe, or Puzzlingly Focused On The Nobility Europe, or any of the other bizarre things we tend to see in medieval Europe-flavored fantasy.) Confirmation bias causes the freakouts that occur whenever somebody points out these phenomena, and names them as inaccuracies. Like the 'go kill yourself' messages Medieval PoC has gotten for simply pointing out that people of color could easily have been present in a game set in central Bohemia."

    What examples of fandom risks have you seen? Write about it on Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.

    We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn't guarantee that it will be included in an OTW Fannews post, and inclusion of a link doesn't mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.

    En savoir plus

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