One of my favorite fandoms, as I have written before, is that of Star Trek. In addition to 6 television series, at least 4 of which were smash hits, 12 movies, video games and comic books, there is the one area of which I seem to have an abundance: books. (Well, I had a few, then people kept buying them for me. Now I have a whole shelf-level of them. Dozens or more.) These books depict the various exploits of the characters in each respective series, also including new series, characters and crossovers. This, of course, is a type of "expanded universe."
After this, I began thinking. "Expanded (extended) universe" is a term (I believe) that originated in describing additional media of the Star Wars universe. One difference between Wars and Trek, however, is the factor of canonicity. Much of the Star Wars extended fiction is a canon continuation of the saga. Star Trek, while having new series and some continuations, has a more nuanced canon mechanic. Doctor Who, with its many novels and audio dramas, seems to function similarly. How is that, you ask? Think of the events of the respective series. In the case of Star Trek: Voyager, there is a very tight constraint for extraneous narratives: the entire journey (with some help from outside individuals and groups) took about 7 years. This is not a lot of time to insert many narratives, considering that much of the time would be taken by television episodes. Additionally, some characters, such as the Ocampan Kes, whose species had a shorter life than humans, or the child Naomi, who grew up during the course of the series, also put restraints on the number of stories that could occur. (Unfortunately, the Pokemon solution - characters simply not aging - cannot be applied.)
With all that in mind, then what is the point of the extended fiction? Why go to all the effort to authorize the different novels, comics, and sundry other media? Yes, they tell good stories, but then, so do the canon television stories. The answer is, in fact, the "episode effect."
An episode, by definition, is any event that occurs in one's life. Most classic literature is not written in this form: they are movie-like in their use of characters and events. Granted, there are things like Shakespeare's history plays, but sequels do not equate to (our definition of) episodes. To my knowledge, the advent of the episode has been aided greatly by newer, faster forms of media. Radio, TV, digital media, internet, etc... are all much faster and more adept at handling smaller narrative units. Hence the birth of radio serials and later television serials. TV episodes weekly engage the viewers with a story about their favorite characters.
And that's the point of the extended fiction: to engage the readers with a story about their favorite characters. It is to show what the characters would do, given a particular set of circumstances. What would Captain Picard do if Scotty stole an old Constitution class starship and a Romulan cloaking device with a mind to rescue? What would Picard do if a TARDIS appeared on his ship? Questions like these can be explored, in full, in the extended fiction. I would be remiss in forgetting to mention the limitless possibilities that books and comics grant: there is no limitation of what can be depicted. Extended fiction is for exploration. What will my characters do?
Friday, May 31, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Literature - What's a Poem, Really?
What is a poem?
Movement
Of letters
On a page?
Sound?
Feeling?
For a few years, even before I was an English major, I wondered: what is the appeal of poetry? It is understandable for things with a concerted structure: either the rhyme, the connection of words through techniques like alliteration or consonance, or by the rhythmic flow. Some poems "flow" off the tongue or "dance off the page." Especially when a fair-voiced maiden is reading them, poems just sound right. However, what about modern poetry? There are some forms that derive their appeal from the visual aspect. Nevertheless, the question is still there: what is the appeal?
One way to think of it is in terms of music. I love hearing my friends sing an aria or duet in Italian, German or whatever other language. My appreciation does not stem entirely from the text itself, no matter how high the quality. Rather, I enjoy the words themselves - how they sound, separately and with the rest of the song - and the delivery of those words. Recently, my college gave an honors recital for those performers that did exceptionally well in previous recitals. One of my favorite pieces was "The Girl from Ipanema." I had always been familiar with the song, and some of its English lyrics. However, these were only added later: the original lyrics were in the melodic Portuguese language. Sitting there, listening, I realized that the sound of the words were really what I was enjoying. They did indeed flow together. Also, the singer's silky tenor added to the effect. "The Girl from Ipanema" illustrates, as do many other foreign language songs, that poetry need not be understood to be enjoyed.
"The Girl from Ipanema" illustrates that appeal can come from beautiful sounds. However, appeal can also come from a lack of beauty. Onomatopoeia (words that sound like what they describe) has always existed in some form or another. In this way, "The Bells" has great appeal. Just last week, our Directing class put on a series of one acts. One director chose to transform the work into a stage piece. One particular section, the alarm bells, illustrates my point. Upon beginning, the actor spoke the lines in a loud and harsh manner. His tone of voice underwrote the text and brought out the ugliness of the alarm bells themselves. Other sections play with vocal dynamics, but none were so apparent as this section. Here, the director's instruction to the actor brought out the appeal of the poetry: "icky" sounds that grab our attention.
Both examples above focus less on the meaning behind the words, and more on the sounds of the words themselves. I'm sure critics have argued this point, that sound is the significant factor of poetry, before. but I would like to issue a challenge. It is this: write poems in, or as if you were writing in, another language. Why do I ask this? Because you would have less knowledge of synonyms and culturally-mandated context. You would chose the word based on how it works within the context of YOUR poem, and nothing else. I'm not arguing that the meaning is completely irrelevant: rather, I am imploring you to also consider the words themselves. By all means, have someone fluent in the language look it over, if you so desire. If you're not comfortable with any other language, still keep my advice in mind as you compose.
A poem, then
Is the flow
Of the words
On the page
In the air
In the soul
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Script - "A Gallifreyan Guide to Becoming a Social Butterfly"
Earlier this week, I was required to memorize a certain number of lines of Shakespeare, and also a non-Shakespearean, dramatic monologue. However, the day approached and I was running out of time and options. Therefore, to achieve the fun zaniness I sought, I determined to write my own script. After giving the monologue on Sunday, some of my friends expressed the opinion that it was well-written, or something to that effect. So, by no demand whatsoever, except my own fancy, here is the script for you to enjoy (or not.)
(Outline for a handout/visual aid that never materialized:)
A Gallifreyan’s Guide to Becoming a Social Butterfly (the short-short version)
(Text proper, with some later changes and ad-libs inserted:)
[He
looks around as if something sounded. Reaches into backpack and pulls out a
blank sheath of paper] Of course, my psychic essay! Well, technically a paper, but don't lets be confusing, eh? ... Oh dear! Somebody in the future needs my help! Something
about a 500 page paper on the Cybermen invasion of Skaro, before the Cybermen
even existed, lead by Benito Mussolini and Richard III, and ... involving me!?!
But intervention in history is not my job! That other guy! What was his name... the Professor? The Monk? The Doctor! Call him! ... What's that? He's too busy? He's a time traveler, that doesn't mat- Oh, he's been there before, in different regenerations, and... I know elementary temporal physics! Crossing his own time stream could cause a paradox that would destroy 1/4 of the known universe... [sighs, throws down ] I never asked for this...
(Note, Doctor Who, Daleks, Cybermen, Time Lord, etc... belong to the skilled and glorious writers of BBC, and the other various entities that own the stuff. I equate this to playing in a sandbox. Some of the "toys" are mine, but most belong to whoever else. It's all so confusing anyway. However, who owns what in Doctor Who is a discussion for another time and another place...)
(Outline for a handout/visual aid that never materialized:)
A Gallifreyan’s Guide to Becoming a Social Butterfly (the short-short version)
3: Break the Ice
1: Know Yourself
2: Know the Group
4: Join the Conversation
7: ???
11: Suggest Dinner
12: Introduce Companions
13: Fly to Mars
(Text proper, with some later changes and ad-libs inserted:)
Cast:
Time Lord – Edwardamendario, or “The Bachelor”
Edward: Travelling the worlds of this universe, I've only just arrived
in this country. Strange. You’d think I’d have heard of it before! Anyway.
After observing what you would call your 21st, 22nd, and
23rd centuries, I see one key problem: socialization. No, I don’t
mean any political or governmental nonsense. I mean just sitting down and
talking. You've developed these electronic-y gizmos and lost all sense of ...
of ... social adventure! For your benefit, I’ll tell you what to do. I’ll give
you a sort of “Gallifreyan's Guide to Becoming a Social Butterfly.” Not
literally, of course! I did that once, and the results weren't... Anyway! Let
me begin.
(Edward:)
Step 1: Know yourself. I, for instance, am a 121 year-old Time Lord,
still very young, with a sense of adventure. You can see from my dress that I
am still fairly conservative, but have a flair of the dramatic.
Step 2: Know your group. You are all also very young, but Earthlings.
It’s good to know about the group before you say anything. I once made an
inappropriate crack about Shakespeare’s masculinity in a small London suburb. See, I thought my TARDIS sent me to a
historic-literary convention in 2151 (they weren't ... aren't ... won't be so peculiar about things in the 22nd century), but I had actually been sent to a
regular-literary convention in 1851.
Step 7: No, errm, I mean...
Step 3: Break the ice. This is easy for a suave Time Lord such as
myself, but not everyone has it so easy. The key to this is relatability. You've
got to figuratively, and sometimes literally, disarm the people around you. I
do so by doing zany things, like this: [does some zany things]. The people are
then so confused that they have no choice but to accept me into the circle.
Step 4: Join the conversation. This is the dull bit. I don’t even know
what you people talk about. Barbecue? Cheese? Imported television programmes?
It’s all still a little fuzzy to me.
Step 5: ... Do you hear something? Sort of a "chwhchwhchwh" sound? Wait, now it's a "abdabungabungadundabada..."
Step 5: ... Do you hear something? Sort of a "chwhchwhchwh" sound? Wait, now it's a "abdabungabungadundabada..."
(Note, Doctor Who, Daleks, Cybermen, Time Lord, etc... belong to the skilled and glorious writers of BBC, and the other various entities that own the stuff. I equate this to playing in a sandbox. Some of the "toys" are mine, but most belong to whoever else. It's all so confusing anyway. However, who owns what in Doctor Who is a discussion for another time and another place...)
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Life - The Curse of the Liberal Arts and Sciences College
I am a student. First and foremost at Erskine College, we emphasize being "whole persons," cultivate interests in all fields, etc, etc, blah blah blah. But what does that really mean? Well, several things for me. One, however, is a most fun/trying habit. This habit is the overwhelming need to come up with topics and fields that combine one or more academic disciplines.
I doubt this is a wide-spread thing for most people. It probably stems from when I was a Music-English double major, trying to qualify/excuse the combination. I thought of things like "Incidental music in plays" and "Literary analysis of texts" and other things of that sort. Ways to creatively combine the two areas of study. Naturally, as I transitioned to other subject matters and classes, I carried that habit with me. For instance, in a presentation for the psychology class, Abnormal Psychology, I discussed three creative art figures (Schumann, van Gogh, and Hemingway) and how their respective disorders (Bipolar disorder) affected their art. In Developmental Psychology, my first ideas for that class's presentation would have involved an intense examination of the developing psyche of Henry V in Shakespeare's history plays. Finally, in a later English class, Modern Drama, I was overjoyed to be able to cite the DSM-IV in the course of a paper (Examining the manipulative nature of a character: one sub-topic was that she was almost a caricature of the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic disorder).
I was sitting in another class, during a bonus lecture about the creation and formatting of manuscripts (the original kind, that were animal skin) which got me thinking about biology. Part of the identification process involves figuring out out what animal gave its skin for the particular parchment. Apparently, many identifying aspects of the animal remain, like impressions from ribs, pores, follicles, etc... So I then surmised that a good paleographer would need a smattering of biological study in his or her background. Part of this discipline includes the dating (and, no doubt, localizing) of the manuscripts. Then I made the deduction that a manuscript studying class could be a biology and English double credit class.
At least, in my mind. I'm sure there's not enough aspects of biology involved to justify it. However, my days as a double major have changed me now. Combined with my somewhat mercenary view of academic exploration (Ooooh, I can take a Bible class to study the Bible and get credit for it! Ooooh, I could go to Greenville Tech to learn about cars and get a degree for it!) I now like to imagine ways of creating double and even triple credit classes. Part of my motivation is because of a genuine interest: many general ed requirements have sparked interests in aspects of different fields (for biology, the study of insects, cicadas specifically; for music, the analysis and composition; for Bible, the literary qualities of the text; for math, trigonometry). Part of it is because of pragmatism: if I can get two elective major classes at the same time, it frees up time for another class or some breathing room. Perhaps dreaming up class ideas could get me a job as a dean or adviser at a college someday. For now, it is just my curse. The curse of the liberal arts college.
I doubt this is a wide-spread thing for most people. It probably stems from when I was a Music-English double major, trying to qualify/excuse the combination. I thought of things like "Incidental music in plays" and "Literary analysis of texts" and other things of that sort. Ways to creatively combine the two areas of study. Naturally, as I transitioned to other subject matters and classes, I carried that habit with me. For instance, in a presentation for the psychology class, Abnormal Psychology, I discussed three creative art figures (Schumann, van Gogh, and Hemingway) and how their respective disorders (Bipolar disorder) affected their art. In Developmental Psychology, my first ideas for that class's presentation would have involved an intense examination of the developing psyche of Henry V in Shakespeare's history plays. Finally, in a later English class, Modern Drama, I was overjoyed to be able to cite the DSM-IV in the course of a paper (Examining the manipulative nature of a character: one sub-topic was that she was almost a caricature of the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic disorder).
I was sitting in another class, during a bonus lecture about the creation and formatting of manuscripts (the original kind, that were animal skin) which got me thinking about biology. Part of the identification process involves figuring out out what animal gave its skin for the particular parchment. Apparently, many identifying aspects of the animal remain, like impressions from ribs, pores, follicles, etc... So I then surmised that a good paleographer would need a smattering of biological study in his or her background. Part of this discipline includes the dating (and, no doubt, localizing) of the manuscripts. Then I made the deduction that a manuscript studying class could be a biology and English double credit class.
At least, in my mind. I'm sure there's not enough aspects of biology involved to justify it. However, my days as a double major have changed me now. Combined with my somewhat mercenary view of academic exploration (Ooooh, I can take a Bible class to study the Bible and get credit for it! Ooooh, I could go to Greenville Tech to learn about cars and get a degree for it!) I now like to imagine ways of creating double and even triple credit classes. Part of my motivation is because of a genuine interest: many general ed requirements have sparked interests in aspects of different fields (for biology, the study of insects, cicadas specifically; for music, the analysis and composition; for Bible, the literary qualities of the text; for math, trigonometry). Part of it is because of pragmatism: if I can get two elective major classes at the same time, it frees up time for another class or some breathing room. Perhaps dreaming up class ideas could get me a job as a dean or adviser at a college someday. For now, it is just my curse. The curse of the liberal arts college.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Culture - Fandoms, Episode V: The Fandom Menace
Through the different fandoms, we've been able to see some aspects belonging to specific ones. Nevertheless, all strong fandoms have a large number of traits in common. Fans must be passionate. Also, they are often very creative. Fan fiction has developed as a genre, with leaps and bounds in progress due to the advent of typewriters and personal computers, mostly over the last 100 years. Additionally, because of the improvement of living conditions, the fans have more leisure time. This extra time also translates into time to gather and discuss the franchise: this phenomenon is known as the convention. These traits coalesce to make a fandom what it is.
Fan fiction:
This is a variable aspect of any fandom. It can be both rewarding and dangerous. Fan fiction stems from a person's desire to play with someone else's toys. For instance, if I want Iron Man to meet Doctor Who and do battle with the entire army of Soviet-era Russia, I would write a fan fiction. Fan fiction, or fanfics for brevity's sake, have existed since literature began. However, early ones do not count as such because they were not written in the same manner. First, they differ in their authors: medieval "fan fiction" would have been written by learned scholars. Modern fanfics are written by fan girls and (not using the term offensively, honest!) nerds. The quality of both are often diametrically opposed. Nevertheless, both types have their good and bad stories.
Another reason that medieval authors wouldn't have been writing "fan fiction" as we term it is because the narratives that stories would have been based on had no official structure. What I mean by that is that the franchise did not exist. There was no "Iron Man" who was always the wealthy inventor Tony Stark, with his trusty friend Rhodey and various other acquaintances and enemies. Stories of eras before, not limited to just medieval, were based on legends and folk stories. King Arthur is a notable example. While there is some variety that occurs in franchises today, as with reboots and alternate continuities, King Arthur is far more open to drastic changes. In one story, the wicked Mordred may be a son by incest, or an evil nephew, and Merlin can range anywhere from being Arthur's protective guardian to being a feared enemy.
Conventions:
These events are where you would certainly find true fans of any given franchise. With their costumes and cast and creator appearances, conventions are a physical embodiment of the franchise itself. While some might consider dressing up as a fictional character, buying merchandise and writing stories to share at the convention weird, the activity is not as bad as all of that. As with all things, moderation is key. Many of the fans who attend can walk away from the convention and return to the rest of their lives, without being completely obsessed with the given franchise. Conventions also allow fans to meet their favorite actors, show staff, producers, animators, artists, etc... For some franchises, this allows direct feedback.
Result: Synergy
Conventions and fan fiction ultimately realize the quintessence of the fandom: synergy between fan and creator. For instance, in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the decision was made to kill a central lead character: specifically, the Vulcan science officer, Spock. Due to great fan backlash, the next movie was crafted to bring the character back to life. Still later, many show creators and staff are internet savvy, and see the general desires and ideas of the fans. Internet memes often appear in television series and comic books. In some cases, such as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, fans can send in their own stories to be published. From starts like these, fan writers occasionally rise to become official writers. Sometimes fan episodes of animated series can spark the interest of the show's creators and bring the artist to their attention.
Synergy is what makes a fandom what it is. Without a connection between the fans and the creators, the fandom would merely be another literature-studying group. However, the fandom rises above being only literature. It is a symbiosis of imagination.
Fan fiction:
This is a variable aspect of any fandom. It can be both rewarding and dangerous. Fan fiction stems from a person's desire to play with someone else's toys. For instance, if I want Iron Man to meet Doctor Who and do battle with the entire army of Soviet-era Russia, I would write a fan fiction. Fan fiction, or fanfics for brevity's sake, have existed since literature began. However, early ones do not count as such because they were not written in the same manner. First, they differ in their authors: medieval "fan fiction" would have been written by learned scholars. Modern fanfics are written by fan girls and (not using the term offensively, honest!) nerds. The quality of both are often diametrically opposed. Nevertheless, both types have their good and bad stories.
Another reason that medieval authors wouldn't have been writing "fan fiction" as we term it is because the narratives that stories would have been based on had no official structure. What I mean by that is that the franchise did not exist. There was no "Iron Man" who was always the wealthy inventor Tony Stark, with his trusty friend Rhodey and various other acquaintances and enemies. Stories of eras before, not limited to just medieval, were based on legends and folk stories. King Arthur is a notable example. While there is some variety that occurs in franchises today, as with reboots and alternate continuities, King Arthur is far more open to drastic changes. In one story, the wicked Mordred may be a son by incest, or an evil nephew, and Merlin can range anywhere from being Arthur's protective guardian to being a feared enemy.
Conventions:
These events are where you would certainly find true fans of any given franchise. With their costumes and cast and creator appearances, conventions are a physical embodiment of the franchise itself. While some might consider dressing up as a fictional character, buying merchandise and writing stories to share at the convention weird, the activity is not as bad as all of that. As with all things, moderation is key. Many of the fans who attend can walk away from the convention and return to the rest of their lives, without being completely obsessed with the given franchise. Conventions also allow fans to meet their favorite actors, show staff, producers, animators, artists, etc... For some franchises, this allows direct feedback.
Result: Synergy
Conventions and fan fiction ultimately realize the quintessence of the fandom: synergy between fan and creator. For instance, in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the decision was made to kill a central lead character: specifically, the Vulcan science officer, Spock. Due to great fan backlash, the next movie was crafted to bring the character back to life. Still later, many show creators and staff are internet savvy, and see the general desires and ideas of the fans. Internet memes often appear in television series and comic books. In some cases, such as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, fans can send in their own stories to be published. From starts like these, fan writers occasionally rise to become official writers. Sometimes fan episodes of animated series can spark the interest of the show's creators and bring the artist to their attention.
Synergy is what makes a fandom what it is. Without a connection between the fans and the creators, the fandom would merely be another literature-studying group. However, the fandom rises above being only literature. It is a symbiosis of imagination.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Culture - Fandoms, Episode II: Fandoms are Magic
Some fandoms, on the other hand, form because of either the obscurity or infamy of the work, or because of a non-traditional fan base of the franchise. Upon researching the topic a little (a little Wikipedia, heh...) I have found many great examples. For the sake of time, however, I must limit my study to only a few of them.
A cult following differs primarily because this form of fandom is a smaller, more intense variety. While it is true that many mainstream fandoms like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and most superhero franchises have a sub-fandom which could be identified as a cult following, they are not cult followings in and of themselves. In these instances, it is the dedicated fans that make up the sub-fandom: for Harry Potter, those who read the books before the movies and who can recite precise details from any given book; for Lord of the Rings, there is a similar aspect of book reading; and for super hero franchises, it is those who read the comics and can point out many (if not all) of the inconsistencies in the movies. The cult following, however, is usually based in an entirely obscure work, that for whatever reasons, only few people follow. It could be off-the-wall, eccentric, against the cultural norm, or something that has recovered from a bad start. Still others are obscure for a particular place, or divisive because of the structure of the thing itself.
Eccentric, against the cultural norm: One notable example here is the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Fans of the movie would understand why I place it under this category in particular. The show itself is a difficult musical to describe. The basic premise is that two travelers, new husband and wife, somehow end up at a large castle/mansion thing. Initially, it seems rather mild, but as we meet other characters, it is anything but. To say the least, with its rampant sexuality and leading man dressed as a transvestite, it is not the kind of movie to watch with family. I say this not to judge, but rather to point to the fact that it would not garner much support from a main-stream audience. However, from some close friends (Theatre people, we know how they are!) I know that fans adore it.
Obscure for a particular place: My two examples for this are simple. Doctor Who and Monty Python, undoubtedly well-known in England, are more obscure here. Here, I must make a distinction: I do not consider someone who has only seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail to be a true fan. There must be knowledge of the other movies and of the television. Alas, my knowledge of the franchise comes mostly from the Grail movie and the (probably) sanitized reruns of the show that came on PBS a few years back. Nonetheless, these British television programmes managed to achieve their cult followings in the US. In starting with Doctor Who, I can see why people go for the older show: the characters are fun, and the old special effects and costumes are fun to poke fun at, especially from this side of 50+ years.
Unusual following: Some shows transcend their set audience and achieve popularity with a demographic that the show's creators might not have expected. One good example is the television series My Little Pony. Already from the title, one can tell that the show is aimed at pre-adolescent girls, and if it a cartoon, it is most certainly a marketing tool to sell toys, a la the original Transformers. However, like Transformers before it, the franchise has indeed gone beyond being a mere 30 minute toy commercial. One reason, although it is hard to tell which came first, are the pop culture allusions within the series. There is a background pony in many episodes who resembles a certain incarnation of the Doctor from Doctor Who. Another episode's featured song is based on a popular song from a Sondheim musical. Still another references several 90's cartoons. Clearly, Hasbro and the writers know that older fans are becoming attracted to the show. Unlike older generations of MLP, the latest iteration, Friendship is Magic was specifically designed to go against the "girly" nature of the franchise to that point. I wonder if they expected it would go this far? Even famous actor John de Lancie, who voiced an eventually-redeemed villain, has participated in the fandom, composed of what are known as "bronies" and "pegasisters."
(I was going to write on Glee, but decided not to. All that is needed to know, is that it is a sort of high-school soap opera concerning a school glee team, and it often has excellent covers of various pop songs. I've only seen a few episodes, but I first heard "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Dream On" as Glee covers.)
Anyhow, from these examples, I believe it is plain that cult followings often do have quality franchises behind them. For whatever reason, though, only a relative few people actively enjoy them. Be it obscurity or controversy, they are relegated behind the main stream giant franchises.
Tune in next article for some regular, non-sci fi fandoms! Or maybe a look at the development of the fandom as a whole. Or maybe something completely different!
A cult following differs primarily because this form of fandom is a smaller, more intense variety. While it is true that many mainstream fandoms like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and most superhero franchises have a sub-fandom which could be identified as a cult following, they are not cult followings in and of themselves. In these instances, it is the dedicated fans that make up the sub-fandom: for Harry Potter, those who read the books before the movies and who can recite precise details from any given book; for Lord of the Rings, there is a similar aspect of book reading; and for super hero franchises, it is those who read the comics and can point out many (if not all) of the inconsistencies in the movies. The cult following, however, is usually based in an entirely obscure work, that for whatever reasons, only few people follow. It could be off-the-wall, eccentric, against the cultural norm, or something that has recovered from a bad start. Still others are obscure for a particular place, or divisive because of the structure of the thing itself.
Eccentric, against the cultural norm: One notable example here is the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Fans of the movie would understand why I place it under this category in particular. The show itself is a difficult musical to describe. The basic premise is that two travelers, new husband and wife, somehow end up at a large castle/mansion thing. Initially, it seems rather mild, but as we meet other characters, it is anything but. To say the least, with its rampant sexuality and leading man dressed as a transvestite, it is not the kind of movie to watch with family. I say this not to judge, but rather to point to the fact that it would not garner much support from a main-stream audience. However, from some close friends (Theatre people, we know how they are!) I know that fans adore it.
Obscure for a particular place: My two examples for this are simple. Doctor Who and Monty Python, undoubtedly well-known in England, are more obscure here. Here, I must make a distinction: I do not consider someone who has only seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail to be a true fan. There must be knowledge of the other movies and of the television. Alas, my knowledge of the franchise comes mostly from the Grail movie and the (probably) sanitized reruns of the show that came on PBS a few years back. Nonetheless, these British television programmes managed to achieve their cult followings in the US. In starting with Doctor Who, I can see why people go for the older show: the characters are fun, and the old special effects and costumes are fun to poke fun at, especially from this side of 50+ years.
Unusual following: Some shows transcend their set audience and achieve popularity with a demographic that the show's creators might not have expected. One good example is the television series My Little Pony. Already from the title, one can tell that the show is aimed at pre-adolescent girls, and if it a cartoon, it is most certainly a marketing tool to sell toys, a la the original Transformers. However, like Transformers before it, the franchise has indeed gone beyond being a mere 30 minute toy commercial. One reason, although it is hard to tell which came first, are the pop culture allusions within the series. There is a background pony in many episodes who resembles a certain incarnation of the Doctor from Doctor Who. Another episode's featured song is based on a popular song from a Sondheim musical. Still another references several 90's cartoons. Clearly, Hasbro and the writers know that older fans are becoming attracted to the show. Unlike older generations of MLP, the latest iteration, Friendship is Magic was specifically designed to go against the "girly" nature of the franchise to that point. I wonder if they expected it would go this far? Even famous actor John de Lancie, who voiced an eventually-redeemed villain, has participated in the fandom, composed of what are known as "bronies" and "pegasisters."
(I was going to write on Glee, but decided not to. All that is needed to know, is that it is a sort of high-school soap opera concerning a school glee team, and it often has excellent covers of various pop songs. I've only seen a few episodes, but I first heard "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Dream On" as Glee covers.)
Anyhow, from these examples, I believe it is plain that cult followings often do have quality franchises behind them. For whatever reason, though, only a relative few people actively enjoy them. Be it obscurity or controversy, they are relegated behind the main stream giant franchises.
Tune in next article for some regular, non-sci fi fandoms! Or maybe a look at the development of the fandom as a whole. Or maybe something completely different!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Culture - Fandoms, Episode I: In Space or in Time
Because of a culmination of several factors in the present day, an interesting new phenomenon has emerged. This phenomenon is the fandom. Certain elements are a given, such as the predominantly literate culture from which fandoms arise. However, other things are necessary. Due to the time required for one to be in a fandom, the culture must be fairly affluent to afford the fans time for immersion. Additionally, the present day allows for a varied spread of fandoms, because of a plethora of media (TV, radio, print, internet, etc...) However, instead of merely describing the elements needed to have a fandom, we should look at some examples of actual fandoms.
I count myself part of several fandoms. One such fandom is that of Star Trek. (I must preface this by indicating that I am not such a fan that I am obsessed. I have written some fan fictions and read the books, but that is about the extent of my involvement above and beyond.) Nonetheless, the show has quite an extensive following. One reason is that older fans, who started watching the series in its beginnings, drew deeper meanings from the stories. They were the people who believed that the show advocated equality, rights and social progress. This is true, if not to quite the degree as they would believe. At a time during the Cold War, the inclusion of a Russian officer, along with many of the bridge crew, indicated forward thinking on the part of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the show. Later iterations of the show also commented on society and its faults, such as the analogy that can be drawn in Deep Space 9 between the Cardassians and the Bajorans, to the Nazis and the Jews. For clarity, the Bajorans are a religious people forcibly taken over by the Cardassians and forced to labor for them. This is an ever-present conflict that appears during the course of DS9's run. Other iterations of the show make similar observations.
Another great fandom is that of Star Wars, that classic cinematic masterpiece. From personal testimony, I know that this fandom started from the beginning. Many of the people I know, who saw the first movie in theaters, saw it more than once. (Of course, shows were cheaper, but allowances were also less) From then on, the space epic and its sequels only became more and more popular. The popularity can only be due to the story: the tale presents great literary types, such as the epic hero, evil empire, and endangered princess. The music is also a plus, as John Williams makes extensive use of the Wagnerian idea of the leit-motif: major characters, events and ideas all have unique themes associated with them. Star Wars too has sparked an extensive extended universe, including books, video games and spin-off series.
On a side note, some people will tell you that you can't like both of the "Stars." I say that they are good in different ways, and that you can. However, that is a whole other issue which cannot be addressed here. It is sufficient to say that both are cool and continue on.
On another side note, I must comment that many fandoms have a certain level of nerdiness about them. Possibly it is because many of the shows are science fiction, but other genres have them too. There is an element to writing about a fictional show, or wearing costumes of characters of a show that all necessitate a certain level of devotion. (Although, I am fine with being classified a "nerd." The term is not as denigrating as it once was, especially not with most of the people I hang out with.)
Back on topic, a key fandom to consider is that of the hit British television programme, Doctor Who. Having only recently started the show, I of yet only know a little bit personally. However, I know from the internet that there is a large contingency of fans. This is to be expected of a show whose life spans 50 years. As with the franchises mentioned above, Doctor Who has shows, movies, books, comics, etc... There is, in Doctor Who, an element not present in the others. In a bit of crafty writing, the titular Doctor has the ability to regenerate himself if he is critically injured. This allows the show to live on, even if the main actor falls seriously ill or dies. I have always admired this simple, but effective means of prolonging the show. (Plus, it allows for those great "meet yourself, and yourself, and yourself" episodes that time travel is kind enough to bestow.) Anticipation of the next Doctor is a particularly Whovian phenomenon. "What will he look like, how will he act, will he FINALLY be a ginger?" are the types of questions that arise. (Doctor Who fans, please forgive any inaccuracies or gross mistakes; I'm new here.)
These are examples of fairly mainstream fandoms. (Although, in the US, Whovians are more of a cult following, but more on that later.) All have fan fiction bases. All have merchandise and costuming. All have fans that adore the franchise for one reason or another. It is something that they can share, and laugh or cry about. Here, too, a sense of community is necessary. A fandom is the community surrounding any work or works of fiction.
As this article is almost too long, tune in next article for a closer look at cult followings and more!
To be continued....
I count myself part of several fandoms. One such fandom is that of Star Trek. (I must preface this by indicating that I am not such a fan that I am obsessed. I have written some fan fictions and read the books, but that is about the extent of my involvement above and beyond.) Nonetheless, the show has quite an extensive following. One reason is that older fans, who started watching the series in its beginnings, drew deeper meanings from the stories. They were the people who believed that the show advocated equality, rights and social progress. This is true, if not to quite the degree as they would believe. At a time during the Cold War, the inclusion of a Russian officer, along with many of the bridge crew, indicated forward thinking on the part of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the show. Later iterations of the show also commented on society and its faults, such as the analogy that can be drawn in Deep Space 9 between the Cardassians and the Bajorans, to the Nazis and the Jews. For clarity, the Bajorans are a religious people forcibly taken over by the Cardassians and forced to labor for them. This is an ever-present conflict that appears during the course of DS9's run. Other iterations of the show make similar observations.
Another great fandom is that of Star Wars, that classic cinematic masterpiece. From personal testimony, I know that this fandom started from the beginning. Many of the people I know, who saw the first movie in theaters, saw it more than once. (Of course, shows were cheaper, but allowances were also less) From then on, the space epic and its sequels only became more and more popular. The popularity can only be due to the story: the tale presents great literary types, such as the epic hero, evil empire, and endangered princess. The music is also a plus, as John Williams makes extensive use of the Wagnerian idea of the leit-motif: major characters, events and ideas all have unique themes associated with them. Star Wars too has sparked an extensive extended universe, including books, video games and spin-off series.
On a side note, some people will tell you that you can't like both of the "Stars." I say that they are good in different ways, and that you can. However, that is a whole other issue which cannot be addressed here. It is sufficient to say that both are cool and continue on.
On another side note, I must comment that many fandoms have a certain level of nerdiness about them. Possibly it is because many of the shows are science fiction, but other genres have them too. There is an element to writing about a fictional show, or wearing costumes of characters of a show that all necessitate a certain level of devotion. (Although, I am fine with being classified a "nerd." The term is not as denigrating as it once was, especially not with most of the people I hang out with.)
Back on topic, a key fandom to consider is that of the hit British television programme, Doctor Who. Having only recently started the show, I of yet only know a little bit personally. However, I know from the internet that there is a large contingency of fans. This is to be expected of a show whose life spans 50 years. As with the franchises mentioned above, Doctor Who has shows, movies, books, comics, etc... There is, in Doctor Who, an element not present in the others. In a bit of crafty writing, the titular Doctor has the ability to regenerate himself if he is critically injured. This allows the show to live on, even if the main actor falls seriously ill or dies. I have always admired this simple, but effective means of prolonging the show. (Plus, it allows for those great "meet yourself, and yourself, and yourself" episodes that time travel is kind enough to bestow.) Anticipation of the next Doctor is a particularly Whovian phenomenon. "What will he look like, how will he act, will he FINALLY be a ginger?" are the types of questions that arise. (Doctor Who fans, please forgive any inaccuracies or gross mistakes; I'm new here.)
These are examples of fairly mainstream fandoms. (Although, in the US, Whovians are more of a cult following, but more on that later.) All have fan fiction bases. All have merchandise and costuming. All have fans that adore the franchise for one reason or another. It is something that they can share, and laugh or cry about. Here, too, a sense of community is necessary. A fandom is the community surrounding any work or works of fiction.
As this article is almost too long, tune in next article for a closer look at cult followings and more!
To be continued....
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