Here’s a roundup of stories on awareness of fanworks that might be of interest to fans:
- An increasing number of media outlets are noting the influence of fan practices in a variety of areas. For example, a review of a new “active publishing” platform claimed that its ability to incorporate reader input was something previously sequestered in the nerdiest of fan-fiction forums, while CNN’s GeekOut blog opened an interview with a new filmmaker by citing how “The fan who created the recent “Voltron” short, did so in part to show that he could possibly direct a feature film. And that seems to be an inspiring concept. Fan conventions like Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Georgia, are increasingly including panels on how to create science fiction and fantasy content, from books to online comics to films.”
- Other stories focus on the inventiveness of fanworks such as this piece on Starwars Uncut in a physics blog titled “Crowd-Sourced Star Wars: Combining 500 Clips into One Film,” or this feature on the BBC America site featuring a Dr. Who/Sherlock crossover vid as an example of “the Wholock phenomenon, which has been expressed in various ways from fan fiction to Deviant Art works.”
- In some cases the awareness is leading to paying gigs for fans. One cosplayer “began as an amateur, but her talent has landed her a paying job this year with Red 5 Studios.” The article notes “At first glance, cosplay seems like a hobby too specific to require its own social network. However, stories like Graziano’s are becoming more and more frequent, making the case that social networking can mean the difference between an amateur fan and cosplay pro.” Certainly the visibility of fans and their work online is likely to lead to an influence feedback loop to creators as this essay about Madonna’s superbowl halftime performance suggests.
If you are a vidder, a cosplayer, or a filmmaker, why not contribute to Fanlore? Additions are welcome from all fans.
We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, event, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent Links Roundup — on transformativeworks.org, LJ, or DW — or give @OTW_News a shoutout on Twitter. 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.