Henry Jenkins - fandom blog tasks (factsheet 107)

Factsheet #107 - Fandom

1) Fan: A person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal.

2)  Types of fan are:
  • Hardcore/True Fan - the 'insiders' within any given fandom and they consider themselves to be aficionados of their chosen media text. They also pride themselves in how long they have been a fan and also how much knowledge they have about the media text. They spend a lot of money and time to become hardcore fans.
  • Newbie - New fans of the media text. They do not have the depth of knowledge about the text or have rooted passion about the media text. They are viewed as the 'outgroup' within the fandom.
  • Anti-fan - People negatively associated with the media text - they loathe or hate the text, and do not develop this opinion/attachment through close readings/experience but "at a distance" (e.g.Gray-trailers)
3) Fandoms exhibit a "passion that binds enthusiasts in the manner of people who share a secret - this secret just happens to be shared with others."  (The Vulture Website)

Fandoms are subcultures and share a sense of camaraderie with each other.

4) Bordieu’s argument regarding the ‘cultural capital’ of fandom: fandom offers a symbolic power and status for the fan.

5) Examples of fandom are provided on pages 2 and 3 of the factsheet:

  •  Rituas and participation
  • Ironic Readings
  •  Text creation
  • Defying the critics
6) Imaginative extension and text creation are a vital part of digital fandom because without it fans won't be able to express themselves/their opinions on certain issues or the narrative. It wouldn't allow them to make fanfictions or various otgher artforms. 

Tomb Raider and Metroid fandom research

Tomb Raider fansite

1) Types of content on offer in this fansite:
  •  Chat rooms
  • Games and movie sites
  • Screenshots
  • Wallpapers
  • Quizzes
  • Blogs
2) The various links and high number of content offered suggests that there is a large online fan community for Tomb Raider and Lara Croft. There are 247 subscribers and 7k Facebook likes which indicates that this is  a large online community.


Metroid fansite

1) This site offers:
  • Gameplay
  • Games
  • Design
  • Social media links
  • Debates
2) Community Spotlight page:  The types of people who enjoy and participate in fan culture are active creators- artists and musicians. 

3)  Specific feature on Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: The fans asked questions. This shows that they are very invested in the Metroid franchise, and hope that they will continue to feature the elements that they enjoy. 

Henry Jenkins: degree-level reading

The final chapter of ‘Fandom’ – written by Henry Jenkins.

1) “It’s not an audience, it’s a community”- Suggesting tht they are active producers who have the same interests ad passion- interconnectivity.

2) "In the age of the internet, no one is a passive consumer anymore because everyone is a media outlet.":  links to the idea of 'prosumers' and how they are active creators too.

3) 
  • Prosumers
  • Inspirational consumers
  • Connectors
  • Influencers
4) Wired editor Chris Anderson regarding the economic argument in favour of fan communities suggests you can lower costs of production and replace marketing costs by building a much stronger network with your desired consumers.

5)  Examples Jenkins provides to argue that fan culture has gone mainstream:fan culture is no longer automatically associated with the stereotypical 'geeky' fan, and that fan culture ultimately dominates the media now. 

6) "...will generate enormous creativity, but it will also tear apart some of the categories that organise the lives and work of media makers." 
Audiences will "reshape the media landscape from the bottom up" by creating innovative content.

7) Jenkins suggests that the new ideal consumer is someone who "talks up the program and spreads word abut the brand."

8) Fandom is the 'future' because consumption is social and spread by active consumers through social media. 

9) Jenkins says we shouldn’t celebrate ‘a process that commodifies fan cultural production’  mening that we shouldn't celebratre fan content the larger companies have exploited. 

10) I believe that the future of fandom is going to become much more mainstream than it is due to the large increase in new/digital media and it is becomming a trend. The amount of fandoms will increase as time goes on. 

Extension: EU copyright law - is a meme ban coming?


3) Yes,I think that this is a typical example of fandom in the digital age because it shows that there is a bond formed between the creator of the blog and the other people interested in the Tomb Raider franchise - the internet and digitalisation of fandom enables more like-minded people to consume and create content. This suggests that the internet is used as a space for a community to come together and form a "fandom".





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