Henry Jenkins - fandom blog tasks

 Factsheet #107 - Fandom

1) What is the definition of a fan?

People who are devoted to a media text as opposed to simply consuming it.

2) What the different types of fan identified in the factsheet?

Hardcore: someone who's extremely obsessed with the text

Newbie: Someone who just started to become a fan of a text

Anti-fan: Someone who hates the fans of a particular group, almost like a racist for this group

3) What makes a ‘fandom’?

A group of people who share the same passion for a particular media text that want to talk about their interest in it and express themselves freely.

4) What is Bordieu’s argument regarding the ‘cultural capital’ of fandom?

The fans feel a certain sense of power and status with their chosen fandom, not just a preference that turns into a fandom. 

5) What examples of fandom are provided on pages 2 and 3 of the factsheet?

Apple 

Sherlock Holmes

Liverpool FC

Rocky Horror Show

Lord of the Rings

Family Guy

Game of Thrones

6) Why is imaginative extension and text creation a vital part of digital fandom?

The digital fandoms use the original media texts and get creative with their interests. The fact that they create content online is not only for monetary gains but also explores the deep rooted values and conventions of that particular text such as shipping. 

Tomb Raider and Metroid fandom research

Look at this Tomb Raider fansite and answer the following questions: 

1) What types of content are on offer in this fansite?

Fan directories to different Tomb Raider websites including games and information such as bios and geography facts about the game itself, suggesting that fans spend a lot of tie maintaining these websites in order to keep them relevant and attractive.

2) What does the number of links and content suggest about the size of the online fan community for Tomb Raider and Lara Croft? Pick out some examples from this page.

The Tomb Raider community is vast and extensive,you can find out anything about the franchise in this website. There's fan fiction, Lego renditions of the game, online gaming platforms and even cosplay websites.

3) Scroll to the bottom of the page and look at the short ‘About me’ bio and social media updates. Is this a typical example of ‘fandom’ in the digital age? Why?

Yes because they use a social media platform that is the most popular right now. The creator of the site is a 'typical' gamer. However she does seem older than 30 so that could be a split from the norm of the average gaming age.

Now look at this Metroid fansite and answer the following: 

1) What does the site offer?

Archives to content including podcasts, articles and games which relate to the Metroid franchise.

2) Look at the Community Spotlight page. What does this suggest about the types of people who enjoy and participate in fan culture?

These members look like hardcore fans because of their extensive knowledge about the franchise and they seem to like a specific character of section of the game which makes it an even smaller and niche topic for a fandom.

3) There is a specific feature on Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. What do the questions from fans tell you about the level of engagement and interest in the game and franchise from the fan community?

The younger fans are much more interested in the franchise now and are seeking new ways to increase their engagement with the game by asking for tutorial guides and just general trivia. The demographic are 10-25 year old males, supporting the entitles gamer view.

Henry Jenkins: degree-level reading

Read the final chapter of ‘Fandom’ – written by Henry Jenkins. This will give you an excellent introduction to the level of reading required for seminars and essays at university as well as degree-level insight into our current work on fandom and participatory culture. Answer the following questions:

1) There is an important quote on the first page: “It’s not an audience, it’s a community”. What does this mean?

Fandoms take each other in like a family, the more connected they are to the franchise, the closer they feel to each other because of their shared interest in that subject.

2) Jenkins quotes Clay Shirky in the second page of the chapter. Pick out a single sentence of the extended quote that you think is particularly relevant to our work on participatory culture and the ‘end of audience’ (clue – look towards the end!)

The end of audience debate is further supported by the inclusion of the fans actively blurring the lines between consumer and producer, creating a new field called 'inspirational consumers', adopting the role of an influencer. Often known as "connectors" they assume a more active role in the fandom and shape media flows, creating new constructed values and ideologies.

3) What are the different names Jenkins discusses for these active consumers that are replacing the traditional audience?

inspirational consumers

connectors

loyals

media actives

4) On the third page of the chapter, what does Wired editor Chris Anderson suggest regarding the economic argument in favour of fan communities?

Investing in niche fandoms is economically sound as the production costs would be low and the yield would be high due to the commitment of this small group of fans. Marketing costs are not needed because of the strong and closely-knit network of fans that share the same passion. 

5) What examples does Jenkins provide to argue that fan culture has gone mainstream?

Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Apple

6) Look at the quote from Andrew Blau in which he discusses the importance of grassroots creativity. Pick out a sentence from the longer quote and decide whether you agree that audiences will ‘reshape the media landscape from the bottom up’.

"This bottom-up energy will generate enormous creativity"

The fans that start as newbies or even hardcore fans will create content separate from the original producer and will sometimes generate just as much engagement as the text they are fans of. This one to many production could revive the media landscape to become more relevant to the younger generation.

7) What does Jenkins suggest the new ideal consumer is?

They "talk up the program and spreads word about the brand"

Jenkins suggests that the ideal consumer is always active and is finding new ways on how they can get more involved with the brand.

8) Why is fandom 'the future'?

Fandom is a test of commitment and passion and so in the next few decades, it'll be interesting to see whether it's enough to simply like a text. Fandoms could be the norm when liking something.

9) What does it mean when Jenkins says we shouldn’t celebrate ‘a process that commodifies fan cultural production’?

Big conglomerates will take advantage of the rise of fan culture and try to charge them money for their passion, they see that monetary gain will increase with the increasing number of hardcore fanbases online.

10) Read through to the end of the chapter. What do you think the future of fandom is? Are we all fans now? Is fandom mainstream or are real fan communities still an example of a niche media audience?

I don't really know if I'm even a fan of my chosen interests now. Liking something is one thing, dedicating your life to it is taking it further. I still think fandom has a few years until it becomes ultra mainstream but in the last few years we've seen the rise of fandoms like K-Pop and a few Netflix shows like Stranger Things and 13 Reasons Why. The online medium could accelerate the fandom movement and will definitely set the scene for decades to come. Some fandoms like motoring have been around for over half a century and still aren't exactly mainstream. It depends on the topic. But I think, with the right topic and the undying passion of fans, fandoms are definitely something to look out for.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - blog tasks

 Language

Analyse the game cover for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (above).

1) How does the cover communicate the genre of the game?

The sci-fi style font tells you that it's set in space. The strange creatures tells you that the antagonists aren't human so it's different from most action games. 

2) What does the cover suggest regarding gameplay and audience pleasures?

Nostalgia - metroid is a franchise that started in 1986

personal identity -  females might connect with Samus

Personal relationship - the narrative allows you to make a strong connection to the protagonist

3) Does the cover sexualise the character of Samus Aran? Why/why not?

Yes

The curves of Samus are highlighted with her thighs, hips and breasts. Her stance is also in a way that the cover accentuates her curves, making the male gaze more obvious.


Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for the game:




1) What do you notice about genre?

It's centred around space, it's sci-fi.

2) How is the character introduced? Is Samus Aran obviously female?

With a slightly sexual slant as she walks, the camera is positioned to highlight her curves and sexual parts.

3) How can we apply Steve Neale’s genre theory that discusses “repetition and difference”?

Although she's a female, she still shares some similarities with some action heroes in gaming. 

Gameplay analysis

Watch the following gameplay clips again:





1) What does the gameplay for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes involve?

Shooting, combat - things typical in an FPS game

2) Write an analysis of the media language choices in the construction of the game: e.g. genre, narrative, mise-en-scene, camera shots etc.

Genre - the use of bright colours, space greys and strange looking aliens conveys that this is indeed  sci-fi action adventure game.

Narrative: Your XP is furthered by the killing of the creatures and the player learns a lot about Samus and the antagonist and how the narrative develops our understanding of what kind of character Samus is.

Mise-en-scene: The way that the HUD is displayed tells you that it's set in space. The use of dull colours contrasts with Samus' colourful costume. 

Camera shots: the camera is positioned to accentuate Samus' curves with her thighs, bum and breats in full view.

3) Analyse the clips for audience pleasures, applying audience theory and considering media effects.

Bandura's model: violence in games might influence others to commit violence in real life

personal relationship: players will feel a deep connection with Samus as she is a female, something that is different in most action games

the HUD reminds me of Call of Duty which might be special for some players

Audience

Research the audience for Nintendo and specifically the Metroid franchise, including Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. You may wish to start with the following pages:

Reddit discussion of why people play Metroid
Giant Bomb forum: Who exactly is Nintendo’s demographics?
Reset Era: Nintendo’s audience getting older

1) Who might the target audience be for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, based on your research? Discuss demographics and psychographics.

It's arguably catering to young children and family based gamers but the audience pleasures link towards an older demographic, which is what Nintendo tends to attract. I think it's aimed at peopled aged 25+ .

2) How has Nintendo’s audience changed since the original Metroid game in 1986?

There have been games like Metroid that have released as well as Metroid itself being a franchise so more games in the same genres have been released. This attracts more gamers to Metroid as it's like other FPS games.

3) What audience pleasures are offered by Metroid Prime 2: Echoes or the wider Metroid franchise?

Nostalgia - original game was released in 1986

Personal identity - women feel like they are reflected in Samus

Personal relationship - players form a connection with the protagonist

diversion - games usually distract us from our everyday lives

4) What effects might Metroid have on audiences? Apply media effects theories (e.g. Bandura’s social learning theory, Gerbner’s cultivation theory). 

Bandura’s social learning theory - violence in gaming could result to more violent and erratic behaviour in real life

Rokeach and DeFluer's dependancy theory - the more they spend playing this game, they are more liley to believe anything that relates to this

Read this Gamesparks feature on gaming demographics and answer the following questions:

1) Who is considered to be the stereotypical gamer?

Males aged 18-25

2) What has changed this?

An increase in smartphone gaming , allowing more females to become consumers

3) What role do women play in the videogames market? Quote statistics from the article here.

They play a major role in the market as they are the majority of the audience

"more than 50 percent of the gaming audience is made up of women"

4) Why are older gamers becoming a particularly important market for videogames producers? How can you link this to the Metroid franchise?

They are targeted because of the idea and feeling of nostalgia. When they see a game that they played when they were younger brings back fond memories, encouraging the gamer to buy the game to relive those moments. This applies to Metroid because they targeted the generation that would've played the game in 1986.

5) What does the article suggest regarding audience pleasures and expectations for different generations of gamer?

As you get older, you look for more of a diversion from your busy adult life, one would suggest. Therefore nostalgic games are targeted to an older audience to maximise success in a 'risky business'. Younger gamers want something new and dynamic, pushing the boundaries of gaming technology, which is why they might look for personal relation/identity.


Industries

Read this Destructoid blog on the Metroid franchise. Answer the following:

1) Why has Metroid never quite fitted with the Nintendo brand?

Nintendo cater towards family centred games whereas Metroid is an FPS, something quite different from the Nintendo norm

2) What franchises have overtaken Metroid in the sci-fi hyper-realism genre in recent years?

Halo, Mass Effect and No Man's Sky

3) Why does the writer link old boy bands from the music industry to the Metroid franchise? Do you agree with this reading of the brand?

Boy Bands should quit whilst the're at the top BUT they have to meet profits margins so they will tr to exploit the genre and it's usual conventions in the name of profit. 

4) What is an ‘AAA’ or ‘triple-A game’ in the videogames industry?

Big blockbuster games, usually from a well known videogames developer

5) Do you think there will be further Metroid games featuring Samus Aran? Should there be?

I think that Metroid will make another game on the switch because of the appeal of it frontwards folder people too. I think that there shouldn't be another Metroid game because they have explored every avenue of the game to make it somewhat interesting. 


Representation

Read this BBC3 feature on Samus Aran and answer the questions below:

1) What was notable about the original Metroid game in 1986?

The protagonist was a female as opposed to the usual strong male protagonist

2) What were the inspirations behind the gameplay and construction of Metroid?

They took inspiration from iconic Nintendo game titles like Zelda and Mario, as well as the well known Alien movie. 

3) Why are the endings to the original Metroid considered controversial?

If you played the game quick enough, more of the Samus' clothing would be removed, presenting females as a reward. The quicker you finished the game, the more clothes would be removed from Samus.

4) What reaction do you think the reveal of Samus Aran in a bikini would have got when the game was first released in 1986? Have attitudes towards women changed?

In the 80s, seeing the woman as a reward was a normalised view and was probably an expectation with Metroid. The growing feminist movement would've been outraged by this and since then they have been calling for change. I think attitudes towards women have changed, but not too far from those around 40 years ago.

5) How have later versions of the Metroid franchise sexualised the character of Samus Aran?

Instead of removing her clothing, they've take a leaf from Lara Croft's book and accentuated Samus' curves to imply that she's a female. The way she walks also tells you that she is not male.

6) How can we apply Liesbet van Zoonen’s work to Samus Aran and Metroid?

Van Zoonen refers to the female body as a spectacle as "a core element of western patriarchal culture" this is also evident in Metroid as we see Samus' body being a token/reward for completing the game. In more recent editions of Metroid, her mannerisms and physical attributes are clearly that of a female, supporting Van Zoonen's view that the media "frames women differently"

7) What did Brianna Wu suggest regarding the character of Samus Aran?

That Samus is transgender as opposed to just female

8) Do you see Samus Aran as a feminist icon or simply another exploited female character?

I see Samus as an exploited character because although she's a female, it's not really explicit but because of the male gaze, her identity is revealed to be the one that straight males desire.


Read this Houston Press feature on Samus Aran and entitled male gamers. Answer the following questions:

1) What does Anita Sarkeesian suggest regarding Samus Aran?

The body parts of Samus were used as a reward for the male gamers skill, diminishing the videogames industry for having this sexist view and convention.

2) Why does Brianna Wu (and others) suggest Samus Aran may be transgender?

Samus is not a ciswoman but a transwoman. Her appearance and identity is somewhat androgynous and hints to a both male and female background.

3) Why is Samus Aran useful for male gamers trying to argue videogames are not sexist?

It's one of the first games not to include the female as a side character, subservient to men. Although it's mainly males that control the level of clothing of Samus, the fact that it includes a female in a main role is still somewhat progressive for 1980s feminism.

4) Why are Lara Croft, Zelda and Peach not ideal examples to argue for female equality in videogames?

Lara Croft is overly sexualised with her curves to appeal to the male gaze and Peach & Zelda are often depicted as damsels in distress. Not representative for a progressive female identity. 

5) What does the ‘SJW’ in ‘SJW-gender politics’ refer to?

It stands for "Social Justice Warrior". That's someone who fights for a cause they do not particularly believe in or support but do it anyway, mirroring actions of a big influencer online. 

6) How can we apply Gerbner’s Cultivation theory to representations of women in videogames as discussed in the article? How might this lead to ‘entitled male gamers’? 

Because of the typical representation of men and women in videogames, the new wave of female-centered games has replaced a key set of pre-existing symbol systems that usually depict the male as the stronger, dominant one. Because of this change in values older, more reformed gamers stick to the view that they can gatekeep certain  franchises because of a lack of female influence.

7) Does the videogame industry have a problem with gender? Provide evidence for your argument.

Personally, I think that modern videogames have done a great job to mitigate the gender issue that was once present a few decades back in games like Tomb Raider and Metroid. Nowadays, many games have the option to make your playable character either male or female, with some games taking a step further and introducing gender neutral characters, making the choice for players even broader. So no, I don't think there is an apparent gender issue in the gaming industry but I can agree that there once was one.