Rewrite or Remix? Star Wars Fans in the Digital Era Phillip Djwa, Agentic Communications February 2008

Agentic Communications Agentic has skill, tools, and experience to create websites that engage and deliver Services include web development and strategic planning

Agentic has skill, tools, and experience to create websites that engage and deliver

Services include web development and strategic planning

Rewrite or Remix: Fans in the Digital Era

George Lucas in Love – Joe Nussbaum, 1999 http:// video.google.com/videoplay?docid =5058529870025933880

http:// video.google.com/videoplay?docid =5058529870025933880

“ I'd like to go out and make a film tomorrow. The hardware to do it is not prohibitively expensive, and I have enough experienced friends to get the job done. ..to omit these [existing movies and television shows] is to omit expression of our true culture; one of referentialism .” Carl Moore, 19 year old cultural studies student in response to a dialogue around piracy

“ I'd like to go out and make a film tomorrow. The hardware to do it is not prohibitively expensive, and I have enough experienced friends to get the job done.

..to omit these [existing movies and television shows] is to omit expression of our true culture; one of referentialism .”

Carl Moore, 19 year old cultural studies student in response to a dialogue around piracy

Fan Universe, circa 1995

Fan Art Huge amount of fan generated art Showcases diversity of talent and ability

Huge amount of fan generated art

Showcases diversity of talent and ability

Fan stories

Expanding Universe, circa 2009

http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/sw_esb_60/ Grasp all the important plot points of the third Star Wars movie, and witness the best use of tin foil — all in exactly one minute!

Grasp all the important plot points of the third Star Wars movie, and witness the best use of tin foil — all in exactly one minute!

Fan-generated Work Fan-generated work has been around for years, so what is different? Digital tools and web distribution

Fan-generated work has been around for years, so what is different?

Digital tools and web distribution

Fan-generated Work Creates a strange grey area between the original creators and the fan Not collaboration, but not co-opting either “Poaching” (Henry Jenkins) Often the fan work is appreciated by the creator, but tension exists (guidelines and brand protection)

Creates a strange grey area between the original creators and the fan

Not collaboration, but not co-opting either

“Poaching” (Henry Jenkins)

Often the fan work is appreciated by the creator, but tension exists (guidelines and brand protection)

Hardware wars Originally done in 1977 as a film by Ernie Fosselius Starring Fluke Starbucker, Chewchilla the Wookiee Monster, Ham Salad, and Augie "Ben" Doggie.

Originally done in 1977 as a film by Ernie Fosselius

Starring Fluke Starbucker, Chewchilla the Wookiee Monster, Ham Salad, and Augie "Ben" Doggie.

Fan Work Attributes Done by amateurs (“fans”) Often spoof Leveraging characters, situations, music into new possibilities, can explain psychology of characters Often inside jokes and multiple layers – for the real fan and the casual viewer Builds on archetypes to generate new myths Allows an meshing of the worlds – fictional and RL

Done by amateurs (“fans”)

Often spoof

Leveraging characters, situations, music into new possibilities, can explain psychology of characters

Often inside jokes and multiple layers – for the real fan and the casual viewer

Builds on archetypes to generate new myths

Allows an meshing of the worlds – fictional and RL

Star Wars in 30 seconds with Lego A video created to describe Star Wars in 30 seconds, using lego Spawned a large number of Lego movies

A video created to describe Star Wars in 30 seconds, using lego

Spawned a large number of Lego movies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=CA&hl=en&v=2-6dfa2pSJQ&feature=related Star Wars Compressed into 30 seconds

Star Wars Compressed into 30 seconds

Fan Work is not… Often not commercialized – film competitions excluded Often not widely viewed beyond other fans, but exceptions, such as Star Wars Often not high-quality, but changing rapidly in the past few years Not limited in imagination or media

Often not commercialized – film competitions excluded

Often not widely viewed beyond other fans, but exceptions, such as Star Wars

Often not high-quality, but changing rapidly in the past few years

Not limited in imagination or media

Parody Film

Ascii Animation– “Death of Jar Jar Binks” Jar Jar Binks, widely reviled by Fans, finds a death in Ascii art animation, a sub-genre of Fan work if ever there was one…

Jar Jar Binks, widely reviled by Fans, finds a death in Ascii art animation,

a sub-genre of Fan work if ever there was one…

Understanding Fan Work Gives you an understanding of the current cycle of consumer culture Allows another generation to be creative using existing materials Creates opportunities to leverage niche audiences into becoming advocates for new projects Springboard into studio system

Gives you an understanding of the current cycle of consumer culture

Allows another generation to be creative using existing materials

Creates opportunities to leverage niche audiences into becoming advocates for new projects

Springboard into studio system

Padme aka “Juno” http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/sw_padme/ 2008 Winner of Star Wars Fan Films

http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/sw_padme/

Remixing Remixs: Mashups PADME is another example of a Mashup Mashups are where two unrelated cultural products/properties are combined into another derivative work

PADME is another example of a Mashup

Mashups are where two unrelated cultural products/properties are combined into another derivative work

Eddie Izzard – “Death Star Canteen” Further example – in this video, Eddie Izzard’s comic monologue is animated with Lego Star Wars, parodied by Eddie Izzard, is then animated using techniques developed in other Fan work

Further example – in this video, Eddie Izzard’s comic monologue is animated with Lego

Star Wars, parodied by Eddie Izzard, is then animated using techniques developed in other Fan work

Star Wars VS Star Trek Further examples of remix include an animated version of Lego Star Wars Vs. Star Trek

Further examples of remix include an animated version of Lego Star Wars Vs. Star Trek

Arnold as Luke Skywalker

Star Wars Kid Original video in 2002 More than 100 remixes 76 Million visits to one site alone

Original video in 2002

More than 100 remixes

76 Million visits to one site alone

Gaming is Very Expanded Universe Many commercial games exist Different for Fans today in two ways: Game Play is not always predetermined If it applies at all Construction of universe is collaborative

Many commercial games exist

Different for Fans today in two ways:

Game Play is not always predetermined

If it applies at all

Construction of universe is collaborative

MMORPG: Star Wars Galaxies Ability to become characters in a Star Wars universe Explore all areas within Star Wars universe

Ability to become characters in a Star Wars universe

Explore all areas within Star Wars universe

Fan costumes

Star Wars Pub Crawl in SWG

Second Life – Mos Eisley Spaceport Second Life is a virtual universe which includes several Star Wars locations

SIMS Cantina The Sims is another game universe with Fan work Example is Cantina and Rebel Cruiser

The Sims is another game universe with Fan work

Example is Cantina and Rebel Cruiser

The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth -- it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true. - Baudrillard, Jean (1988). Selected writings

Star Wars as told by a 3 year old http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v =RNVilbs5fE4&NR=1

http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v =RNVilbs5fE4&NR=1

http://delicious.com/juhwawa/cftpapanel Complete listing of all links

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