DSM6133 - Fandoms and Franchising

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 - Demonstrate systematic understanding of relevant theoretical accounts of contemporary forms of intertextuality across media, through adaptation and extension;
2 - Demonstrate understanding of salient industrial contexts of production and creative practices for cross-media storytelling and Franchising, encompassing Adaptation, Transmedia, Remakes, Sequels/Series and Franchises;
3 - Deploy and evaluate relevant concepts in the analysis of a specific media franchise, adaptation or other form of cross-media storytelling (and their intertexts or paratexts), communicating a coherent argument supported by appropriate evidence drawing from and synthesising academic and authoritative sources;
4 - Apply key skills in the exploration of industry and professional relationships and their influence on cult texts; and,
5 - Apply key skills in understanding contemporary fan practices in connection with a range of media platforms.

Content:

In this module in Semester 1 you will explore and interrogate contemporary forms of intertextuality across media. Drawing upon theories of Adaptation, Transmedia, Remakes, Sequels/Series, Franchises and more generally on intertextuality and paratextuality, you will analyse diverse ways in which intertextuality functions in relation to presold media products. You will consider intertextuality in relation to processes of production, encompassing adaptation, updating, recontextualisation, rebooting, extension and expansion through spin-off content and transmedia storytelling.

You will contextualise creative choices in individual texts in relation to relevant contexts of production and broader cross-media storytelling including the prevalence of franchising as a strategy in the film, television, video game and wider media industries.

In Semester 2 you will examine contemporary ”cult” Media texts in the form of “quality” film and television drama productions produced in the UK, USA and Europe but marketed, distributed and screened globally.

You will address industrial, technical and aesthetic issues relating to “quality” production values (production context); cultural, political and societal issues in relation to the “contemporary” nature of textual content (cultural/historical context); and critical and theoretical issues in relation to ‘scholarly’ definitions of cult film, television drama, narrative, storytelling and in terms of cult audiences and fandom and the reception/interactive use of cult film and TV texts in a “post-television” convergence age.

You will also have the opportunity to study texts beyond film and television and will explore fandom in music and video games as well.

Learning and Teaching Information:

You will be taught in one timetabled block and this will be broken down into three distinct elements. The first will be an interactive lecture that will focus on a different topic each week (one hour). The second will be a seminar which will explore the post-activity from the week before and may take the form of a group work exercise or quiz in Semester 2 (one hour). The final element will consist of a relevant screening aligned to the weekly topic, followed by a discussion of key themes (one hour).

Lectures
Hours: 20
Intended Group Size: 15-20

Seminars
Hours: 20

Screenings
Hours: 20
Intended Group Size: 15-20

Guided independent study
Hours: 240



Further Details Relating to Assessment

Early Assessment: there will be a formative assessment within the first 4 weeks and this will help unpack the assignment details for the 1st assignment as well as guide and inform student preparation and help introduce the University grading criteria. Full details can be found on Moodle and in the Module Handbook.

Essay - (or equivalent in the form of a video essay or creative artefact) You will theorise and analyse your choice of case study media franchise, focusing on a central text/product, elaborating how intertextuality functions in the text and accounting for this in relation to relevant contexts of production and industry practices.

Essay - (or equivalent in the form of a video essay or creative artefact) You will complete a case study on a cult film, TV series or other media form.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 6
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

Click here to go back to previous page