it's business time

well, now that i've actually pondered some of the things i'm going to actually cover for this thesis, i'm going to have to get down to business. i believe that it's important to connect with your potential research participants and subjects in more than just a superficial manner, and i've made some great friends out of my previous fieldwork endeavours. the only problem is, now i'm a) on the other side of the world, making old contacts a bit harder to reach, and b) doing the majority of my research online with people i'll never meet.

and so, i'm going to make this blog a place for us to connect, shoot the breeze, and to debate and/or make fun of my various insane ideas. i've revamped the sidebars and links sections and hope to have a new layout at some point as well, so here's to the future of this blog!

and here's hoping i make it out of this thesis (mostly) intact.

my next post will hopefully detail a few of the things i want to cover over the course of my writing. 'til then!

thesis topic FINALLY chosen

okay, so i finally had a proper meeting with two professors here at uni about my thesis topic, and it now seems that i will be (honestly and truly) writing my MA on fan music vids.

totally.

and the best part was the two profs seemed really interested/fascinated by the entire topic. i was surprised, let me tell you! there are a ton of aspects of this that could potentially be covered, and they both seemed worried that i would have too much to write about! (awesome.)

i'm super excited about this now, in case you couldn't tell.

a request - i would love to hear about your absolute fav vids (whether amv or vid proper) and why. also, what makes a good vid? what constitutes it? what components are essential for a good vid and why? any thoughts? no need to be too elaborate, but if you have time to share your thoughts, go for it. (links to vids always appreciated.)

some new vids i'm crushing on:

- Lost in an Anime Dream by Hana no JudgeHolden Productions for combining Read or Die with the Lost in Translation flick and footage from the original Madonna vid for the song, and making the city of Tokyo a character. i love how this one collapses boundaries between "real" footage and animation, between the song and the video... rockon. LINK!

- Ordained from Above, by Many Lemons Productions for making a amv about making amvs. i'm still in shock that this even exists, but i love it. it shows quite clearly the crazy dedication and mania that can go into creating a vid. LINK!

- Moons of Jupiter by Eunice (doctor who), because i was just so overjoyed to find a vid that highlighted the rather wonky happiness of who, and was not an angst-filled "ROSE/TEN 4-EVAR OTP!" type of vid. also, i love the licking / monster / running / hugging montages. love. this vid seems to me to be a ten/tardis 'ship vid. or maybe i'm drunk. one never knows. the point is, this vid captures the mad and quirky energy of who.

(also, i can't help but smiled back at scenes 1.44-1.50.) LINK!

- Rodeohead by Absolute Destiny. I've loved this guy's vidding since his early days in amvs. the song can be a little annoying, but if you can get over that then i think the vid grows on you.

- Jack, Or Adventures in Reading Against the Text, by LC, just for being so aware of what she is doing when she makes vids. (also, i like the song.)

- Vids=Joy! by CounterAgent, for having the hutzpah to make a vid about how much she loves vids, using clips from other people's vids that she loves - without actually making any cuts to them at all! craziness. it makes my heart happy. LINK!

- Filthy Mind, by SE. i love the stream-of-consciousness methodology behind this vid, crossing boundaries between shoes at will. i love love love worship the idea of sydney bristow, faith, the life on mars cops, captain jack, angel, and the lot all in the same club. brilliant. talk about collapsing boundaries between shows. LINK!

- Improper Dancing, by Mary Crawford. because it's lovely awesome fun. lovely awesome. the joy of seeing rarely-vidded older shoes, as well! and as she says in her commentary: "hiro wins at life." LINK!

- Walking, by Seah and Margie, for giving a great old mockery towards all who don't understand/know about vidding specifically, and that great series of tubes we call teh internets in general. don't worry, old peoples, it will all make sense one day. LINK!

and thus begins my proper foray into researchy-type stuff. hopefully i'll get this blog arollin' again to be used for actual communication with people in the internets.

so hello again, big world! bring it on

online ethics

see below for some various methods of collecting consent online gleaned from AoIR list:

second life - online digital notecards.

VOIP - email before scheduled interview, and agreed to contents of letter verbally, which is recorded along with the interview. advises against reading consent form aloud as too time-consuming and difficult for interviewee to follow.

mail survey: cover letter and consent form sent out. if a respondent returned the questionnaire, it represented their consent to participate. also an online version where consent form popped up after respondent logged in, and must click to indicate their consent before able to answer any questions.

IM interviews: send out informed consent form with information sheet, and respondents emailed back to say they had read, understood, and agreed to participate.

Skype: emailed consent form - faxed back or scanned & emailed. read a short statement at beginning of interview instead of entire form.

tracking bbc's transmedia

the bbc, apparently, has a mandate requiring them to create extra content and behind-the-scenes items for all of their shows. in particular, see doctor who's website counting down to xmas/the next episode with an advent-ure countdown clock and new items everyday:

1. xmas wishes from tennant/minogue

2. short story - winter themed (fic??)

3. behind-the-scenes photos of new episode

4. companions quiz

5. xmas cards with photos from new ep.

6. extra track from episode "gridlock" of choir.

7. xmas posters (who related)

8. 10 second preview of new episode

9. jigsaw puzzle to review painting of titanic, if complete then get to see RTD's script extract

10. 15 desktop wallpapers with images from new episode

11. behind the scenes video of filming of dvd commentary for episode gridlock

12. game where you fly the TARDIS through time/space collecting energy while trying to get to 21st cen. Cardiff to refuel at the rift.

13. 30-sec vid of cast and crew singing "we wish you a merry xmas".

14. 1.30 full trailer for the new episode.

15. make a christmas tree ornament of one of the villians.

16. 20-sec vid of clips from new episode.

17. "dalek break-out" game.

18. additional features added to comic maker, with festive themes.

19. interviews with executive producer, producer, and creator/head writer regarding upcoming season, etc.

20. preview of upcoming new website design for episodes, with some new content.

21. yet another version of the trailer - 40s.

22. video of actors recording commentary for s3 finale.

23. podcast excerpt from commentary for xmas special by exec trio.

24. screensavers with episode pictures, etc.

25. preview of "confidential" for xmas episode.

thoughts on a thesis

ponderances stemming from a MA thesis by donald jones from georgetown
university on gender/sexuality and identity formation in second life.

- refers to lacanian theory of the self, a postmodern re-imagining of
identity as no longer unitary, but also questions if it exists at all
when it is constantly in flux.

"To Turkle, in virtual space the imago is shattered into multiple
shards, each of which reflect aspects of Self that can be explored by
the user in question for their (theoretical) betterment. To her this
validates Lacan?s thinking as ?Lacan insisted that ego is an illusion.
In this he joins psychoanalysis to the postmodern
attempt to portray the self as a realm of discourse rather than as a
real thing or a permanent structure of the mind? (Turkle 178).
Multiple online persona are simply parts of the signifying chain." p. 76

"the avatar functions as Other, the idealized Other of the mirror in
which the user derives pleasure in the looking", p. 79

the boundary between fiction/reality

...is disintegrating as we watch.

see this post on jenkins' blog under "stretching the canon versus canonical fidelity", regarding heroes and the transmedia storytelling. can now receive text messages, etc. from characters...

i should figure out how to use del.i.cious...

viral marketing masterpiece

i can't believe how complex and detailed the viral marketing campaign for the dark knight has gotten. i love it.

check out http://www.whysoserious.com/, and click on each letter for a different clue for a different american city. fans working together must find letters in each clue and assemble them to make a phrase that will somehow give them some sort of prize.

this is absolutely awesome.

nerd news coverage:

superhero hype
AICN
see also: forum

and check out the sneak pics at "Rory's Death Kiss" - a take on "rory's first kiss", or the code name they're filming dark knight under. ROCKIN'!

impact of facebook

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/tech/hightech/facebook.html

 

expansion of the cool nerd

nbc especially is pushing a number of sci-fi shows this season,
including "journeyman" about a time-traveller, "chuck" about a nerd
who has to save the world, season 2 of "heroes", and a "bionic woman"
remake. suddenly SF is all the buzz again, and shows pandering to
fannish tendencies (esp. "chuck" - living the fanboy dream). see also
explosion of "doctor who" fandom in north america - suddenly
old-school cult shows are also all the buzz.

also plethora of comic book movies in the works - and even indies! "30
days of night", "y: the last man" in pre-pro, etc.

fan vid links

http://www.henryjenkins.org/2007/09/gender_and_fan_culture_round_f_2.html

directly relevant to thesis topic with book tips and links to vids.

links collection

New Media Studies

Theory.org

Blogging article

Blogging and politics

"future" documentary EPIC 2014

OnlineFandom.com

Jenkins blog - re: gendering of fandom, rising popularity, mainstream perceptions

corporate sponsors of fannish practices, fostering fan bases, under "HP And the Media Revolution"


all regarding the future of the internet, media, and communication studies

society for the promotion of japanese animation

maybe this group, the SPJA, has something to do with the sudden accessibility and acceptability of japanese pop culture products.

boy's love a positive role model?!?

fumi yoshinaga's moon and sandals has made The Young Adult Library Services Association's list of "great graphic novels for teens"!!! YALSA is a part of the American Library Association, and has published a list of recommended graphic novels for teens, and a large majority of the titles are either manga or manhwa.

see ANN's coverage here.

how did moon and sandals end up on this list? who choses? what is the selection process? and are they aware that this comic contains GAY? this i just cannot believe.

not only have comics suddenly become more respectable in the eyes of "the institution", but the uncontrollable popularity of anime/manga/manhwa as well.

i am literally in shock right now.

fandom as positive pasttime for youth

creators of philly's tandokucon cite one of the reasons for arranging the con was to prevent youth from becoming involved in violence (link here).

this is quite strange, considering that anime is usually considered excessively violent and otaku prone to both self-destruction and harming others.

there is a definite change in the wind regarding mainstream perceptions of fans.

in popular culture, "nerd" characters such as "Heroes" (Hiro), Densha Otoko, etc. may be slightly laughable and piteous, but also increasingly popular (nominated for Emmys, etc.)



Fandom is gaining mainstream cultural capital!!

move over democracy

it's time for wikicracy.

(see article on history of wikis here.

know your fanbase

nbc seems to have finally caught on to that there internet, and is actively using it to communicate and interact with the fans of its cash-cow masterpiece "heroes". the website invites fans to read supplementary comics, write their own works, and make music videos for chances to win prizes, as well as conducting a "world tour" and taking advantage of fandom's internal communication.

see the official website here.

it appears i'm not the only one who noticed

about geeks suddenly becoming not only cooler, but a quality money-maker for the mainstream.

see time's article "geek god".

dark knight's viral marketing continued

once again, and always, covered by our good friends at AICN. taking full advantage of the nerd pilgrimage to comic-con, the deliciously secretive marketing campaign continues.

the appearance of cool nerds

perhaps it is only a wishful thinking on my part, but why does it seem as though, all of a sudden, the geeks, the nerds, and even the dorks have recently managed to become an accepted and even beloved part of mainstream culture?

when did words like "con" and "cosplay" enter the everyday vocabulary? the most popular shows on television now practically require one to become a fan - following the content online, debating cast changes, buying all the associated products...

who is to blame for this transformation in the general consciousness? is it the dvds and their special features? the ability to easily watch and re-watch cult shows from decades past? hear actor's commentary?

or was it the internet, the readily available information on every minute detail of the ppre- and post-production of media, follow the blogs, interact with the creators, influence popular opinion through forum posts?

i really think we have reached a new age of media, where everything is connected, crosses over, and there are no boundaries between genres or formats any longer. some may call this postmoderism, but i hate labels like that.

as i write this, i am pondering gaiman's storytelling while watching koop's rahxephon amv euphoria.

Presidential YouTube Debate

Official Youtube site

- Youtube as sponsor of debate
- hailed as new age of "participatory democracy", "new media"
- See Daily Show coverage, Jul. 24/07
- importance of involving youth by appealing to new technologies, but debate itself filled with same ol'