Theory Recap: Henry Jenkins & Film Fandom

Adapted form a case study from Pete Fraser: Fans

Henry Jenkins' work on fan fiction suggests that fans are engaged in quite a range of cultural activity. 

‘Transmedia’ looks at the ways in which a film can be produced in a number of different forms.

E.g. remixing, sweding of films - "Forest Gump in One Minute, One Take".

Jenkins argues that the web has created ‘knowledge communities’ where fans meet together online to share interests and discuss them in depth. 

He sees fansites as having a sort of 'collective thinking' and sets of rules and credentials, where some things can and some things can't be said and where individuals can gain kudos for their knowledge as expert contributors in the same way as they would in the academic world - for example site admins or the most regular posters often have special status in fan groups and forums compared to newbies. 

E.g. Pete, has some good examples on his blog

Jenkins' definition of convergence is wider than the generally used definition around technology and the digitalisation of media content, as he looks how the online age creates a social and cultural convergence too - with audiences coming together socially online from all over the globe and start to make things which they share online. This cultural production by fans of fiction that extends beyond the original text has been around since long before the web, but the distribution of it has become significantly easier since the online age began. 

E.g 'The Potter Puppet Pals'