CHANGING THE MEDIA INDUSTRY:
FRANCHISE ELEMENTS
Franchises are built on a foundation of common/set elements, which are then shared amongst different platforms, allowing for interpretations amongst audiences.
Johnson (2013) also expresses upon how within a franchise, there was to be a balance between sameness and difference, particularly between main texts and para-texts.
Johnson further quotes Shredder expressing how world building is reliant on multiverse dimensions.
Most importantly, the differences and similarities identified are significant in franchises to allow for a creative input, which allows for negotiating production identities. This produces longevity within a franchise that can be produced further.
These creative identities produced are therefore characterised by the sharing of resources in an industrial context (relevant to the franchise).
BUILDING TO SHARING WORLDS
According to Jenkins (2006), seriality and world building has the biggest significant in producing a franchise.
By building a foundation world, the world can be expanded continuously and shared among audiences. This can be developed through para-texts including sequels, spin-offs, comics, games, etc.
However, with the producing of shared world, it questions whether the content in canon with the main text, therefore meaning franchising would decentre authorship and creativity.
To build a successful world that can be identified and shared, a series of creative constructions have to occur.
According to Hill’s (2003) hyperdiegesis theory, he believes that worlds need to be vast, with detailed narrative space that isn’t completely open on screen but can be explored and identified.
Likewise, Lancaster (2001) believes worlds should produce an imaginary entertainment environment, where fantasy worlds can become tangible amongst Paratexts.
Art design is also an important construct, allowing for detailed mise-en-scene to generate authenticity and coherence of cinematography (Bordwell, & Thompson, 2003).
Thompson & Bordwell (2003) also express how overdesign is important to render a world beyond the screen that fans can engage with and explore.
Lastly, Jenkins (2006) believe franchises need a narrative architecture, allowing for audiences to create their own story and emerge themselves within the narrative through interaction and play.
Following all these techniques, the franchise would then allow for emergence of narrative and complex creative relationships between creators and industries.
CONTINUING THE FRANCHISE: EXPLORING PREQUELS
Prequels allow for narratives and universes to be further expanded and explored.
Prequels can produce the sense of a fresh new film within a franchise, even it follows from a previous narrative to provide context.
The use of prequels also produces a sense of seriality – providing the audience with episodic glimpses of the universe to further engage and entice the audience,
An example of how prequels were successful in engaging an audience can be seen within the Star Wars series: Three episodes (The Phantom Menance (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)) allowed for audiences to interact with a history that Lucas Films had created.
Furthermore within the series, Star Wars produced prequel para-texts, such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). This allowed for new characters to be established and create an impact on the franchise.
These Paratexts allow a retrovisioning of iconic elements, such as characters, music and mise-en-scene.
Further to this, Disney (who bought the series in 2012) also used this prequels as a story foundation for the new series, by involving characters from the Paratexts. These meant audiences have to induce themselves with all the Paratexts texts to fully understand the universe and narrative. Therefore, the series becomes canon and coherent.
Disney’s ownership of Star Wars meant relying on other conglomerates. This led to partnerships and synergy to further the franchise.
An example of this synergy is with Marvel Comics – a series of comics was produced to showcase a further narrative to the Star Wars series.
Likewise, Disney partnered with EA to create video game Battlefront (2015).
Lastly, a large partnership is between Lucasfilm and Lego (which has last from 1999 – present).
This agreement is systematic in both Lucasfilm’s and Logo’s brand – building on nostalgia and identity.
The Lego Star Wars games allow audiences to play and perform in the universe. Aldred (2014) expresses how character abstraction is significant. This allows for audiences to engage with the narrative and characterisations what are built within the universe.
Lego explores Star Wars context to produce toys and games from. These products are nostalgic and understanding of fans of the franchise.
The toyetic nature of the brand subverts of typical narrative away from war play to playfulness.
To achieve a balance between economy of design and recognisability of salient features is signiciant in producing a successful trasnmedial and trasngerational franchise (Wolf, 2014).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aldred, J. (2014). (Un)blocking the Transmedial Character: Digital Abstraction as Franchise Strategy in Traveller’s Tales’ LEGO Games. LEGO Studies: Examining the Building Blocks of a Transmedial Phenomenon. Routledge, New York and London.
Bordwell, D. & Thompson, K. (2003). Film Art: A Introduction. US: Harvard University Press.
Hills, M. (2002). Fan Cultures. London: Routledge.
Jenkins, H. (2006).Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: NYU Press.
Johnson, D. (2013). Media Franchising: Creative License and Collaboration in the Culture Industries. New York: NYU Press.
Lancaster, K. (2001). Interacting with Babylon 5: Fan Performances in a Media Universe. Texas: University of Texas Press.
Wolf, M. J. P. (2014). LEGO Studies: Examining the Building Blocks of a Transmedial Phenomenon, New York: Routledge.