Gender, Paratexts and Everyday Superheroes? FROM #WHERESREY TO “THE CHEWBACCA MOM”

Luke Webster (@lukeweb) and Dr Tama Leaver (@tamaleaver)Department of Internet Studies

Overview1. Fan activity as paratext

2. Heightened networked connectivity, transmedia and The Collective Journey

3. Questioning gender roles in superhero franchises

The role of fans• Collective intelligence • Attracting new audiences• Creating pathways and acting as guides• Keeping a franchise within the zeitgeist

Transmedia Storytelling

“Transmedia storytelling is the art of world making.”

- Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture, p. 21.

Shift to the Mothership Model

“Hollywood has shifted toward a “mothership” approach; that is, the focus is on one core property that may be extended into other platforms depending on the market response.”

- Henry Jenkins, Wired TV, pp. 246-7

Participation

Good transmedia implementation requires an “architecture for dialogue”

- Jeff Gomez, C.E.O. Starlight Runner

Paratexts“…the “peripherals” are often anything but peripheral. Instead, they often play a constitutive role in the production, development and expansion of a text.”

- Jonathan Gray, Show Sold Separately, p.175

The Collective Journey

- Jeff Gomez, 2016

For producers and storytellers…

• Narrative integrity• Trend towards diversity• Inevitable fan participation

The Collective Journey?

The Hero’s Journey

For the original Star Wars films…“[it was] the toys that kept the trilogy alive”

- Jonathan Gray, Show Sold Separately, p.181

The Collective Journey

The Mothership text

#WheresBlackWidow Vs #WheresRey

Both protests about lack of female character toys

#WheresBlackWidow reinforced the lack of strong female character activity in Avengers: Age of Ultron

#WheresRey reinforced the prominence of strong female characters

20 May 2016https://www.facebook.com/candaceSpayne/videos/10209653193067040/

Candace Payne: Chewbacca Mom

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Chewbacca Mom Takes James Corden to Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQereoIxioI

The Star Wars Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IVW0aIO2Lg

“Chewbacca Mom Holiday Special” Hasbro Ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knsbtus_f80 (23 Nov 2016)

Where do we go from here?

1. Gender is one example2. Fan paratexts are important3. Expect to see more everyday superheroes

References Gomez, J. (2012, October 20). The 10 commandments of 21st century franchise production. Business Insider Australia.

Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com.au/10-commandments-of-21st-century-franchise-production-2012-10

Gomez, J. (2015, December 1). The Collective Journey. Paper presented at ASCILITE Conference: Shaping the future of tertiary education, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

Gomez, J. (2016, February 23). The Collective Journey: Transmedia and the rise of a new form of story. Paper presented at The National Arts Club, New York, USA.

Gray, J. (2010). Show sold separately: Promos, spoilers, and other media paratexts. New York, USA: NYU Press.

Jenkins, H. (2006a). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York, USA: New York University Press.

Jenkins, H. (2006b). Fans, bloggers, and gamers: Exploring participatory culture. New York: New York University Press.

Jenkins, H. (2010, March 8). On anti-fans and paratexts: An interview with Jonathan Gray (part two). [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://henryjenkins.org/2010/03/on_anti-fans_and_paratexts_an_1.html

Jenkins, H. (2014). The reign of the “mothership”: Transmedia’s past, present, and possible futures. In D. Mann (ed), Wired TV: Laboring over an Interactive future. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/lib/curtinuniv/reader.action?docID=10828499&ppg=42

Thank you!Questions or comments?

@lukewebL.Webster@curtin.edu.au

Slideshare / LinkedIn

www.tamaleaver.net@tamaleaver

t.leaver@curtin.edu.au