an online reader creativity community - hocklife 2013

PART 1: THE AUTHOR AND THE BOOKS •  Conflict in Nature Mage •  A brief reading

PART 2: NEW MEDIA FORMS OF THE BOOKS

•  INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH •  COMMON ADAPTATION PRACTICES •  THE PRACTICE-LED WORK •  ACADEMIC FRAMING

PART 1: THE AUTHOR AND THE BOOKS

DUNCAN PILE WAS BORN IN 1975 IN CHELTENHAM, AND SPENT MOST OF HIS CHILDHOOD IN MANCHESTER. HIS EARLY CREATIVE INTERESTS WERE IN CLASSICAL

MUSIC, A PASSION HE PURSUED AT DEGREE LEVEL. AFTER GRADUATING, DUNCAN MOVED TO HONG KONG AND SPENT THE NEXT TWO YEARS TRAVELLING AROUND SE ASIA, AUSTRALIA, THE ARABIAN GULF AND AFRICA, ENGAGED IN

HUMANITARIAN WORK. SINCE THEN, HE HAS STUDIED IN THE U.S.A AND TRAINED AS A LIFE COACH, SOMETHING HE PRACTICES TO THIS DAY.

DUNCAN HAS ALWAYS HAD A LOVE OF WRITING, AND IN RECENT YEARS THIS HAS TAKEN OVER FROM MUSIC AS THE MAIN FOCUS OF HIS CREATIVE GIFTS. HE WRITES IN

THE ORANGE TREE PUB IN NOTTINGHAM MOST WEEKENDS, AND DURING WHAT REMAINS OF HIS SPARE TIME. SINCE CHILDHOOD DUNCAN HAS HAD A PASSION FOR FANTASY FICTION, AND SO IT’S ONLY RIGHT THAT HIS FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEL IS

IN THAT GENRE.

IN FEBRUARY OF 2012, NATURE MAGE WAS AWARDED TWO ACCOLADES BY LOVEREADING4KIDS: DEBUT OF THE MONTH AND 11+ OF THE MONTH, AND HAS SOLD ACROSS THE WORLD SINCE THAT TIME. NATURE’S SERVANT WAS RELEASED IN KINDLE FORMAT ON 9TH JANUARY 2013. NATURE’S PERIL, THE THIRD IN THE SERIES, IS BEING RELEASED IN PARTS AND LINKED TO AN ONLINE COMMUNITY FAN-SITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT ARTWORK AND CREATIVE WRITING

BASED ON THE SERIES.

CONFLICT IN NATURE MAGE

A BRIEF READING

PART 2: NEW MEDIA FORMS OF THE BOOKS

INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH

COMMON ADAPTATION PRACTICES

THE PRACTICE-LED WORK

ACADEMIC FRAMING

INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH

Transmedia Games

Books Adaptation

Professional Doctorate

Crossing Media Boundaries: New Media Forms of the Book Practice-led research into the adaptation of books into digital media - looking at: •  Fan works and audience involvement •  ‘Brand consistency’ / canon •  The role of the author

WORK IN PROGRESS!

COMMON ADAPTATION PRACTICES

COMMON ADAPTATION PRACTICES From book to other media •  Publisher and licensor-led •  Best-sellers adapted into new media forms (especially

games, films – and lots and lots of merchandise!) •  Examples: Hunger Games Facebook game, array of media

adaptations based on Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. Publishers exploring digital forms •  Mainly e-books (remediated form of the printed book) •  Also enhanced books - example: War Horse (with extra

multimedia material) •  Apps and games - sometimes simply adapting existing

stories, others exploring new forms of storytelling

Adaptations typically commissioned to digital agencies •  With direction from publishers •  Different levels of involvement from authors

– typically little involvement •  Sometimes offer their 'stamp' of approval in

marketing activities Readers / fans rarely heard •  Fan works often seen as a threat to the brand

owners •  Sometimes considered by authors, but rarely

taken on board beyond feedback and inspiration for stories

•  Exceptions: Kindle Worlds; Japan, where fan works often recycled back into the brand

THE PRACTICE-LED WORK

GAME •  Initially: make a game based on Nature Mage •  With traditional market research used to inform

adaptation of story into game (common Dubit practice) BUT! •  wanted an actual output - budget barriers to make game •  A more feasible output (whilst keeping game dream)… •  NOW: ONLINE READER COMMUNITY •  SOON: FAN-INSPIRED ENHANCED BOOK

ONLINE READER COMMUNITY

Reader community serves multiple purposes: •  Crowd-sourcing: fan works •  Insight and research / testing ground •  Dialogue with readers •  Encourage creativity •  And other: promote books, showcase collaborators, etc.

OUTPUT: FAN-INSPIRED ENHANCED BOOK •  Gather material for an enhanced book •  Original story coexisting with new material: •  ‘Parallel’ stories: alternative stories, deeper backstories •  Artwork, Music •  Videos (story-based, author interviews, reader

interviews, etc.) •  Evolving ‘encyclopedic’ catalogues of different themes:

weapons, magic, demons, etc.

ACADEMIC FRAMING

WHAT’S DIFFERENT? Between Professional vs. Fan / Community approaches

•  CONTROL / GUIDANCE vs. CREATIVITY /

FREEDOM •  Brief to professionals vs. virtual freedom to create •  With some guidance and ‘censorship’

•  SINGLE / SMALL GROUP vs. COMMUNITY TRANSLATION •  Large number of different interpretations •  Interaction between users, and between users and

author – a web of influences: comments, likes •  Re-mixing of each other’s works

QUESTIONS What is the role of the author? •  How does he define ‘canon’ (e.g. feedback on creations;

selection of material for enhanced book) How is he influenced by the dialogue with readers? •  Comments about the books, alternative writing,

ideas for enhanced book •  By the creative writing and predictions for the

next parts of the story What are the affordances of the new medium? •  iBooks Author by Apple •  How does this frame the adaptation?

POSSIBLE ‘CONFLICTS’ IN PROCESS •  Readers’ views vs. author views •  Influence / power of community •  Control exerted by author

•  Quality / consistency vs. Co-existence of styles •  Straight from community •  Treated / edited fan works

•  Formative / Positive vs. Free Fan Labour •  Encouraging creativity / showcasing talent •  Easy way to get work done for free

•  Linked to: Copyright, Authorisation, Rewards

The End

Please feedback!

•  Have you ever done anything like this? •  Know of any similar projects? •  Any relevant literature you can

recommend? •  Any suggestions to improve the

research questions and approach?

naturemage.com

claudio.pires.franco@gmail.com

duncan@duncanpile.com