Author Archives: laurenbowne
Transmedia Franchise
GAME OF THRONES as a Transmedia Franchise
Spreadability vs Drillability:
Game of Thrones has a more drillable narrative. The books are much differnt from the movies, and there exists a lot of fan fiction. So, there is an opportunity for fans to get very deep in the narrative of the universe. There is also a Dungeons and Dragons like role-playing guide set in the Game of Thrones world which allows for almost endless narrative possibilities.
Continuity vs Mulitplicity:
It depends on how deep you go into this narrative. You can have continuity if you choose to attach to only the book narrative or only the show narrative, but you can have multiplicity if you choose to attach to both, and especially if you choose to get into the role-playing universe.
Immersion vs Extractability:
There is much more extractabilty for the Game of Thrones narrative. There is a plethora of Game of Thrones merchandise that one can purchase, like these:
However, DragonCon and other conventions can provide some immersion by being surrounded by many people with the same passion for Game of Thrones. It could also me said that one could me metaphorically immersed in the role playing universe that one can create with the role playing guide.
Worldbuilding:
There are many fan-fiction sights for the Game of Thrones world, like this one:
http://www.fanfiction.net/tv/Game-of-Thrones/
Through these sights, fans can create and extend the Game of Thrones world. There are also Game of Throne video games on Steam where players can manipulate the plot line based on the choices their character makes.
Seriality:
The Game of Thrones narrative is currently broken up into five books, and three television seasons, each consisting of different episodes.
Subjectivity:
The books chapters are broken down by different characters. While the characters themselves do not narrate, we are able to see how each character is reacting to the same things that are going on in the universe.
Performance:
The internet offers so many opportunities for fans to participate in this transmedia franchise. While none of these have been invited by the creator, it doesn’t keep fans from participating. Perhaps the most popular fan performance is the “Game of Thrones 90s Version” fan trailer:
There is also Game of Thrones as a Sienfield Sitcom:
Reading and Writing Trajectory
For the life of me I couldn’t figure out how to get the drawing I made in Drive to show up here.
Here is the Link: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1aTrD5dGp00C1J_qE0L2xeKhTgerodoVc-KO6LHIebeo/edit?usp=sharing
A few comments on my trajectory: I’ve made an art out of procrastination and it seems to work for me. It’s obviously more stressful, but I seem to always succeed (especially in the paper area).
Digital Identity
Over the past few years at Kennesaw, I’ve tried to be conscious about what I post online. I don’t post anything too incriminating, but I also feel that I should be allowed to be a human being just like everyone else. I don’t believe that because I’ve chosen to have a beer with a friend and there happens to be a picture of it somewhere in the depths of the internet, that that makes me a bad teacher or a bad influence for my students. Frankly, I’m disgusted by how overly “politically correct” we have to be now. Everyone is terrified that they will offend someone. It seems that common sense doesn’t matter anymore when it comes to what you have online.
I’ve heard that some employers ask for your Facebook password while interviewing for a job. I know that if I said no that they would hire someone else that would, but I’m not willing to work for a person or company that believes that someones personal life and privacy should be invaded for a nonsense reason.
After student teaching and after seeing the way that this country values education and educators, I’ve decided that I cannot work for such a system. The attitudes and resources of public education ebbs and flows, and it may be better in a few years, but I do not think that working so hard and for so little pay, only to be forced to do things that I do not believe in is a good way to spend my life. So, I’m not really working on creating an online teacher identity. The things that I’ve done the past few years at Kennesaw are out there, but beyond that I’m not planning on putting any more work into something that I do not believe will make me happy or make me very much money. I can honestly make more money and work less hours as a waitress. I know this post seems very negative, but to me it’s just honest. Until society puts a greater value and trust in teachers, I can’t work in that profession.
Remix: Keep Calm Posters and Other Merchandise
When thinking about something that is a remix, I thought about the Keep Calm and Carry On posters like these:
What a lot of people don’t know about these posters is that they were British propaganda posters created by the government in 1939 to raise morale because air attacks were widely predicted and feared. Tons of these posters were made then, but they never saw much public display. These posters have come into pop culture recently and left relatively unchanged. Thinking about the five factors of fair use here is how the Keep Calm merchandise weighs in:
1. Purpose and Character of Use
This merchandise weighs against fair use because it has been put back into the market for profit. In fact, the rights to this phrase has been recently fought over.
2. Nature of the Original Work
Since this poster didn’t see public display, and now has recently been thrust into the public, that is also working against fair use. Additionally, this work is creative and not factual, so using someone’s creative work is also working against fair use.
3. Amount and Substantiality of Portion Used
Like I said earlier in the post, this poster has remained relatively unchanged. Again, working against fair use. The only thing that has changed about the poster is the context in which it is being used.
4.Effect of the Use on the Potential Market for or Value of the Source Work
Since this poster hasn’t been used since 1939 before its recent use, I’d say this category is working for transformative use. Nearly one hundred years has passed since its last use, so its value was lost until now.
5. The “fifth” Category: Transformative use
The most obvious transformative use of the Keep Calm posters are the parodies. Like these:
The fight over the trademark for this phrase is interesting. There have been several companies that have tried to trademark it, but the British Intellectual Property Advisor has submitted a request to cancel the trademark because the phrase had been too widely used for one person or company to own the exclusive rights. They are still fighting about it.
Also there is this remix that I didn’t want to write about, but wanted to include because it’s hilarious:
Make-Up Your Pet!
I decided to hop on the pet train with this one – it just looked so fun. I’ve turned my dog, Japhy, into a transvestite prince 🙂
Art Comes to Life
This assignment was to take a famous painting or print and recreate it. I chose a print of Salvador Dali. Unfortunately, I don’t have an ocelot, so my dog had to stand in.
http://assignments.ds106.us/assignments/art-comes-to-life/
Haiku Recipe
Making ginger tea
is spicy relaxation
in the afternoon
Water heats until
bubbling in the kettle
it steams wet, humid
Water is poured
cup filled, hot to touch
a saucer helps
Spoonfuls of honey
yes, dissolve in hot waters
add the tea bag now
It’s hard waiting
fifteen minutes is long
no wait, too hot
Link to assignment:http://assignments.ds106.us/assignments/haiku-recipe/
ENGL 3241 KSU 