What is the attraction of alternate realities like Second life?

In the words of Godin Second life lets players “find their tribe”(TED2009 2009) be it vampires, sports fanatics or single people looking for dates, all kinds of groups exist in second life and players can communicate and form relationships within the virtual reality game. Unlike real life people in second life represent themselves through self-constructed avatars enabling then to project the image they wish people to see.

Second life has its own currency which can be exchanged for real money (Linden 2011) therefore people can get real paying jobs, buy clothes, houses, attend events, learn, invent, create etc through the virtual environment. Therefore it is possible to make money from second life to support your real life.

Therefore it could be said that alternate realities like second life allow people to transcend their physical location and embodiment and in order to live in an virtual world, although as Malpas points out this doesn’t “release from the limitations of embodiment” (Malpas 2009) in the real world. In order to contribute to this online society users still need to operate a form of ICT of some description, therefore second life doesn’t replace real life it just an alternative way for people to connect and to contribute to their tribe.

 Linden, R. 2011. How to sell Linden dollars. http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/How-to-sell-Linden-dollars/ta-p/1018151 (accessed 16/11/11).

Malpas, J. 2009. On the Non-Autonomy of the Virtual. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies 15 (2): 135-139. http://con.sagepub.com (accessed

TED2009. 2009. Seth Godin on the tribes we lead. TED Ideas worth Spreading.

Unpack the tenuous and complex tensions between game pirates and games companies.

According to Coleman and Dyer-Witheford Game Pirates can be categorized as follows:

Black Market Centers:

·      Businesses that produce high volumes of copied games for sale and profit. They run factories in “Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America” (Coleman and Dyer-Witheford 2007 p.938) that are professional and sophisticated and mimic the business model of legitimate games producers but within a criminal syndicate.

Warez Groups:

·      Peer to peer file sharing. Warez groups believe that once they have purchased a game that they own it and have a “right to redistribute it” (Coleman and Dyer-Witheford 2007 p. 938) to other games lovers. They see laws that prevent redistribution as part of a “greedy corporate order” and therefore “gift” games to others within the group without seeking financial reward. The Warez economy works on sharing games and payment comes in the form of “thrill of technological accomplishment” (Coleman and Dyer-Witheford 2007 p. 938) and a good reputation within the group.

Other:

·      People making the odd copy of a game, sharing them in small groups, businesses copying the odd game to restock their shelves, and games lovers uploading out of production “retro” games online – keeping them in existence which in some ways can be seen to support the gaming industry through the dissemination of gaming culture (Coleman and Dyer-Witheford 2007 p. 940).

In the eyes of copyright law all three types of piracy are seen as equal in severity and no distinction is made between them despite their vast differences. As Coleman and Dyer-Witheford point out, the games industry was founded on the back of hackers who shared, improved and redistributed games for the fun of it. This was not an illegal activity until big business commodified games, turning their originating producers into criminals (Coleman and Dyer-Witheford 2007 p. 937).

Further tensions arise within the gaming community when the games industry seeks to recoup their financial losses due to piracy by increasing the sales price of their games, effectively punishing their law-abiding customers while black market groups continue to copy. Furthermore the addition of “anti-coping” technology to games software aimed at reducing piracy has, in the past, reduced the quality of the product – resulting in law suits for the gaming industry (Coleman and Dyer-Witheford 2007 p. 940) and again punishing the customer base rather than the black market criminal. 

Coleman, S., and N. Dyer-Witheford. 2007. Playing on the digital commons: collectivities, capital and contestation in videogame culture. Media Culture Society 29:  Sage publications. http://mcs.sagepub.com/content/29/6/934 (accessed 26/10/11).

How do you rationalise your gaming? If you are not a gamer (and if you are), what role does this type of rationalising play in understanding what is gained by online gaming?

Show Parent Post

I don’t play games very often but when I do my game playing gets rationalized as “fitness” or “ socializing”. I like to play wii games because they get you up and moving around. I play wii sports by myself and its really the only game I like as it not only tests your abilities as gamer (mine are pretty poor) but physically challenges you too. I play other wii games when friends come around as they are more fun when there is someone to play against.

In the terms of Thornham this type of rationalization is just another example of adults “ perceived necessity . . . to justify gaming . . . as something other than pleasure, escapist or entertainment”

(Thornham 2009 p.142). By stating that I play games for fitness I am giving the games console secondary function. It is now a piece of fitness equipment, not a media device. I am deliberately ignoring the idea that its fun and entertaining and probably doesn't really get me that fit!

In reality what is gained from this type of game playing is a study break (is that rationalizing again? I can't tell), a time to unwind and clear my head and be absorbed in something else. 

Thornham, H. 2009. Claiming a Stake in the Videogame : What Grown-Ups Say to Rationalize and Normalize Gaming. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies: 445-462. http://con.sagepub.com/content/15/2/141 (accessed 19/10/11).

ASSMNT 1 2.3: Audience and Context of Remediation Project

I have been thinking about this weeks readings Pop Cosmopolitanism: Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence, Fans bloggers and gamers: exploring participatory culture and Indigenous, ethnic and cultural articulations of new media in terms of my remediation project. The TV series Gavin and Stacey was created in the UK for a UK audience so what is it about the show that had drawn me – an Australian, to the show? Who will my remediation project be aimed at? And are my interpretations of the shows themes, when viewed in the Australian context different from the intentions of the original producers?

Why am I drawn to the show?

In the terms of Jenkins – I guess you could say I was originally introduced to the show by a “Grassroots intermediatory” (Jenkins 2006)

 – My husband who was born and raised in Wales (which is where part of the show Gavin and Stacey is set) and now lives in Australia. He not only keeps up to date with the goings of friends and family at home, but also likes to keep up to date with music, TV shows and news. Gavin and Stacey was a hit in Wales and box sets promptly posted over to us upon release in the UK.

One of the themes of the show is based on the idiosyncrasies of different cultures – that being of the English and the Welsh or to be more precise of Barry in South Wales and Essex in England. I can in some ways relate to the humor based on these idiosyncrasies as I compare my own experiences of living in Wales, being married to a Welsh man and becoming part of a Welsh family and as such also recognize the character traits and stereotypes presented. This would then make me part of what Srinivasan describes as an “imagined community” (Srinivasan 2006) made up of not only U.K. viewers who inherently understand the humor, but also of other cultural outsiders who have joined families from these two parts of the world, and so too can relate the humor based on cultural difference.

I initially chose to remediate Nessa’s storyline due to time constraints but after this weeks topic I think it could also be because I understand the character. She is an over exaggerated welsh stereotype that I can recognize more easily than other stereotypes presented in the show such as Smithy from Essex. I have learnt about Smithy’s stereotype through others telling me about it but can see elements of Nessa’s persona in people that I have met or worked with in the past and as such feel I am better equipped to retell her story than other characters in the show. Nessa also in some ways appeals to my sense of “Pop Cosmopolitanism” (Jenkins 2006)

  - My ties to Wales now see me wanting to keep up with the current affairs of the country, and a lot of Nessa’s stories tie into current day events. Nessas stories are littered with UK pop culture references and to piece them together is something like a treasure hunt.

Who will my remediation project be aimed at?

As an understanding of Nessas stores and humor comes from an understanding of UK popular culture and current media events  - my remediation project will be aimed at those who are not up to speed on such things. Using blog to recreate Nessas little black book (a list of all the people Nessa claims to have had a relationship with throughout the show) allows me to link the real life media stories to the stories Nessa tells. In other words when she claims to have slept with John Prescott I can hyperlink his name to real life press articles about John Prescott – linking the story to the pop culture reference.

This media format also works within the current day context of viewing the show. Gavin and Stacey is no longer being produced – so if one was to watch the show today the pop culture references will all be old, and possibly forgotten even by those residing in the UK – they will be old news so to speak. Therefore the little black book will not only inform those who were out of the loop in the first place, but will refresh the memories of those who are watching or re-watching the series again – appealing to my entire “imagined community” (Srinivasan 2006).

Does this change of context change the meaning?

Having never met the writers and producers of the show I cannot say what the original intention of this part of the story line was, but in creating an online hyperlinked little black book I will not be changing it. I will merely be changing the way in which the story is presented. Time itself has changed the context of this storyline, but the recreation of it in an online media form will bring it back closer to its original time, preserving rather than altering the meaning.

 Jenkins, H. 2006. Pop Cosmopolitanism: Mapping Cultural Flows in an Age of Media Convergence, Fans bloggers and gamers: exploring participatory culture: New York University Press.

Srinivasan, R. 2006. Indigenous, ethnic and cultural articulations of new media. International Journal of Cultural Studies 9: 497. http://ics.sagepub.com/content/9/4/497 (accessed 15/10/11).

2.1 Notes of Vidding

Vidding | Organization for Transformative Works

Click on this link and you will find a series of short films about vidding. Although the term is new to me - after watching a few of the films I realized that I have seen a great many "vids" on YouTube.

So what is vidding?

Well you know that part at the end of every chick-flick you have ever seen - where one lover dies and they cut to a montage depicting all fun the couple had together - the highs, the lows, the good times and the bad... all set to music designed to make you ball your eyes out and reach for the ice cream? Well I guess this could be described as the forefather of vidding.

A "vid" is short film created by fans that uses both the footage and the techniques of film and TV production companies to create their own montages based on the characters and events of their favorite media text. Just like movie montages they are set to music and good ones usually follow a theme that is based on the fans favorite TV shows or movies. Fans can use vids to create new narrative or to support the narrative of an existing storyline and create vids out of love for the characters, the plot or both. Or as one vidder puts it:  “it’s the three minutes I want to see set to really good music”  (Coppa 2008).

As Jenkins states in his blog - Vidding is not something that is all that new, having been around for the past 20 years  (Jenkins 2008) but as the technology to create and distribute vids has become more accessible, vidding has risen in popularity. Jenkins also states that although there are a great many vids out there in cyberspace many people are reluctant to claim ownership due to the possible consequences of infringing copyright (Jenkins 2008).

Having only really seen vids based on sci-fi shows I cant say I ever really liked them - but in the name of higher education I set out to find one based on my favorite media text Gavin and Stacey.

The below vid created by cyberwoman007 takes clips from various episodes of the TV show Gavin and Stacey and sets them Taylor Swifts Love Song. The result is a polished, professional film clip that tells love story of the two main characters that makes me think that maybe Ive been a little harsh on vidding. It seems that like with most fan based artwork you need to actually be a fan to get a full appreciation for it.

Now... wheres that ice cream?

cyberwoman007. 2010. Gavin & Stacey Love Story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liJk5NPWlxU (accessed 5/10/11). 

Jenkins, H. 2008. Fan Vidding: A Labor Of Love (Part Two). http://henryjenkins.org/2008/12/in_many_ways_the_emergence.html (accessed 14/9/11).

What is Vidding. 2008. Transformativeworks.org,  http://transformativeworks.org/node/579 (accessed 14/9/11).

2.1 Activity 2: Fan Fiction

Why do people write fan fiction?

• There are many reasons people write fan fiction
• To further the plot of a media text they are interested in
• To develop minor characters
• To explore issues of identity, sexuality, and relationships through writing and character development
• To look at plot or story line from other points of view
• To change the genre of the media text
• To create the plot line that they would like to see

What is in it for them?

Fan fiction is written by fans for other fans to enjoy. People who write fan fiction connect to others, and give back to their fannish communities by creating content. It is also a creative outlet that improves writing skills and allows people to exchange ideas about a common theme

Have you ever written fan fiction? No

Would you ever write fan fiction? Probably not

Under what circumstances would you engage in this activity? I’m not sure I am that fanatical about any media texts – but if I do ever become this much of a fan maybe I would write fan fiction

Fanfiction.(2011). Fanlore Retrieved from http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fanfiction

2.1 Activity 1: what is a fan? How are fans different to regular viewers/listeners/readers? What types of activities define fans?

In the iLecture Dr Leaver discusses some of Jenkins theories on media audiences. He describes them in three different categories:

Zappers – who basically channel surf

Casuals – people who have a few media texts they like and try to watch or read them when they can

Loyals – people who really connect with their media text of choice and watch or read it religiously, buy all the books and DVDs etc

He states that the Loyals and fans are quite similar but not the same

After reading about fanfiction and vidding I would say that fans go further than people who are loyal to a particular text by creating communities around it. Fans feel a real emotional connection to the characters or people in the text, they form groups to discuss characters and create artworks (such as vids) to express their emotional connection and to connect to other fans. They further the story lines and through fan fiction and want to have input into how the story progresses.

Leaver, D. T.(2011). The Horrible Future of Entertainment Media? MCCA 104: Engaging Media - Lecture 2.1 Retrieved from http://dbs.ilectures.curtin.edu.au/lectopia/lectopia.lasso?-MaxRecords=50&-SkipRecords=0&-Op=bw&ut=2908&CallbackID=c9abfe8d9710a2f9e3b4ac53998a2578&usr=15055147

Vidding.(2008). Organization for Transformative Works Retrieved from http://transformativeworks.org/node/579

Fanfiction.(2011). Fanlore Retrieved from http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fanfiction

2.1 ilecture notes: The Horrible Future of Entertainment Media?

Of all the readings this week  it was the ilecture that I think I got the most from so thought it would be a good idea to write a bit about it.

The biggest idea I took away from the lecture is that brand loyalty is not just something to be associated with the logos and corporate stationary of financial institutions and fast food outlets but it also plays a large part in today's media production. Loyal consumers of media texts are what makes production companies money as they are the ones that will purchase the DVD box sets, merchandise and pay big money to see live shows. Therefore the emphasis is first on creating "loyals" (Leaver 2011 quoting Jenkins) and then keeping their attention. Here enters the term "Convergence"- the method of telling a story through multiple channels which allows "loyals" to access their favorite media text in a variety of ways - through websites, blogs, movies, merchandise, etc and also allowing fans to interact with their favorite media texts.

The screenwriter - Joss Whedon was used as great example of the powers of a loyal fan base. Leaver states Whedon interacted with fans when writing the television series Buffy the Vampire slayer taking their ideas on board to develop characters and storyline. This removal of the boundary between the producer and consumer created not only a strong fan base for the show but also for Whedon as a writer leading him to experiment with producing a show sans media production / distribution company. The result was Dr Horrible Sing Along Blog - a musical presented in blog format, distributed over the internet and now only available on DVD. 

This is an idea that I found inspiring because of the quality of the production. Although a great many of us have access to the technology to make, record and distribute our own media texts  - it is not often that one sees a professional looking, well written, series  starring well known actors - broadcast primarily through new media outlets. That would be because traditionally one does not make money from releasing their media content for free on the internet. Whedon managed to do it though, by recognising the value of a loyal fan base that wants to be involved with their media, having them contribute to the media text itself and releasing it for sale on DVD.

The point is that loyal fans are crucial to the success of media, especially of those wanting to utilize new media to get their ideas out into the world. This is something that I will need to think about when it comes to my remediation project.

 Leaver, D. T. 2011. The Horrible Future of Entertainment Media? http://dbs.ilectures.curtin.edu.au/lectopia/lectopia.lasso?-MaxRecords=50&-SkipRecords=0&-Op=bw&ut=2908&CallbackID=c9abfe8d9710a2f9e3b4ac53998a2578&usr=15055147 (accessed 14/9/11).

1.2 Notes: Henry Jenkins on Participatory Culture

This short film features Henry Jenkins who discusses participatory culture, convergence culture and transmedia. For me it really made it easy to see that we are are currently at the centre of a cultural shift - going back to the days of when story telling was pastime for all and not just limited to major media corporations. Here I have outlined the central points Jenkins raises and followed up with an example below.

Key Points about participatory culture:           

• Prior to the 20^th Century we lived in a participatory culture, telling and retelling stories.  The stories or folklore belonged the people or “folk”
• The 20^Th Century saw large companies monopolise folklore, by claiming ownership of the stories, placing them under copyright to prevent the stories being told by others
• 20^th Century media technology allowed for stories to be told to a maximum audience but without involvement from them.
• Limited access to 20^th Century technology meant that only a few large companies could tell stories.
• New forms of media technology such as the internet and mobile phones allow people once again participate in the telling of stories without the inclusion of large media companies.
• New forms of media technology are accessible to the general public and not monopolized by industry
• We are returning to a participatory culture, but on a large scale using media and technology
• Those who are repressed can tell their stories
                                                                                                                              (Jenkins 2009)

Key Points about convergence culture:

• It is where multiple modes of media are used to tell a story including old media (such as reporting for a newspaper) and new media (such as citizen journalism – reporting events on Facebook)
• It is also where groups of people come together to create media content through “collective intelligence” – pooling their information piece together the story
• It is where different media technologies are used to tell a story (e.g. using the internet, TV, comic books, movies to tell the one story)
• It is not limited to large corporation but relies on input from all walks of life
• Obama used convergence culture in his political campaign, advertising his message on all forms of media to reach maximum audience and allowing participation by others by uploading his speeches on YouTube along side mashups, fan videos and protest videos.
• Challenges the validity of copyright law, as people reclaim the principles of folklore by reusing and recontextualising the stories put under copyright by large companies and create new meanings
                                                                                                                             (Jenkins 2009)   
  
  
  
• Example: The Woman to Drive Campaign on Facebook and YouTube
  
  Under Saudi Arabian religious law the woman of Saudi Arabia are banned from driving. Using social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube they are protesting the ban to a global audience (AlJazeeraEnglish 2011) in a way not possible using traditional media sources. This is an example of participatory culture allowing the repressed to tell their stories as they now have access to the technology for recording and distribution. It is also and example of convergence culture - as demonstrated with the below movie the story has now been picked up by traditional news media and has appeared in newspapers, on television and in other online environments (such as this blog). The message of the campaign is spread through different media sources (old and new), subsequently raising awareness of the issue to the largest possible audience.
  
  
  
  
  
   

Favorite Quotes from Jenkins:

“We are definitely in a moment of transition. A moment when an old media system is dying and a new media system is being born” (Jenkins 2009)

“We take control of the media as it enters our lives and that’s the essence of convergence culture” (Jenkins 2009)

AlJazeeraEnglish. 2011. Saudi woman driving for change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEETb3SOuc4 (accessed 4/10/11).

HDCMediaGroup. 2009. Henry Jenkins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJaqXVaOaI (accessed 13/9/11)

Pereira, N. 2009. Henry Jenkins on Transmedia. http://cinematech.blogspot.com/2009/05/great-video-w-henry-jenkins-on.html (accessed 13/9/11).