Storytelling Across MediaFandom Facts

By Sid MotaghiAnd

Adam Morgenstern5/16/13

Fandom Facts- Transmedia for Social Activism, Documentaries, and Change

• About- Fandom Facts is a Transmedia project trying to expose the truths about fan culture and deviate what’s seen in the media and its stereotypes i.e. creepy male fans and hyperactive teenage girls who are turned into social outcasts and labeled as “freaks” of society. Fan Guy is a character who will be played by an actual fan who will merge his identity with that of the character’s for the sake of hosting the Transmedia series.

• Log Line- Most people are confused or are misperceived by the mass media as to what fandom today really is, but Fan Guy will show you what the truths are.

• Tag Line- What is a fan really thinking about?

Audience/Niche• The niche audience that Fandom Facts will reach out to first will be young people of

all sorts of races and backgrounds in the U.S. who are fans of several geeky-like properties but mostly those within anime, manga, video games, comics, and new media. These fans can be separated into sub-groups: a younger and older demographic. The first sub-group are people ages 21-30 as of 2013, who grew up with Nickelodeon and Toonami in the 1990’s and most of their first anime they were exposed to have largely included: Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Cowboy Bebop. Many of these fans are now cosplayers and gamers who attend conventions, cosplay meet-ups, and game tournaments for the more serious gamers. Younger- ages 13-20 as of 2013 who are first exposed to newer anime and manga; many of these fans are girls who participate in their own original fan art and fan fictions that are largely posted on www.deviantart.com . Many of these newer fans also have fondness towards web comics including the popular ‘Penny Arcade’ and ‘Homestuck’, which the latter having gained so much popularity that it is cosplayed just as much as any anime title, and has even been confused for being an anime.

Goal

• What really is fan culture today and demystify some of the confusion and misconceptions that surround it. Most fans are everyday people like you and I, although the majority of them have to a certain extent an eccentricity or quirk to their nature. Also Fandom Facts wants to make sure that people recognize there is a lot of crossovers in artistic influence between American and Japanese media.

World of the Story

• The world that will be built around Fan Guy is one where he is the guide, the host, the leading face of the Transmedia, to help introduce people who are fans to the audience, as well as make fans themselves feel good about themselves knowing there are many more people in the world like them that they may relate to in life even outside of just the common interests.

Tone

• The tone of the world built around Fan Guy will be subjective throughout the Transmedia and documentary film. For the most part the tone should not be extremely grim but should not be too sappy or lighthearted either. Moments of fun and good nature should be captured righteously as well as some of the darker stories that may be shared by fans.

Character

• Fan Guy must be a witty, likeable character in this Transmedia world who is a fanboy who shows audiences all aspects and views of otaku and cosplay culture and breaks it down for them realistically and entertainingly so that others who don’t know anything about it may become curious and at least take in the information and learn to respect their peers who are part of the culture and fandom.

Timeline • Blog of Fan Guy• Website and Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, and Tumblr Accounts• Promo, early launch of Web series, video interviews, and period of conducting surveys at

conventions• Web series (more developed)• Live Events- Have Fandom Facts co-op with cosplay groups in live events starting with the

cosplay photography/media group I am part of, Otaku Haven in New Jersey and also co-op with MashFest events (video game playing and socializing) in NYC which and then partner with any other cosplay groups in NJ and New York. Take this time get more sponsors.

• Kickstarter for distribution costs and any additional costs for film• Ask the fans to submit fan art submissions and winners will have their’s featured in the

film and will be given a free giveaway as their prize• Feature film and release of graphic novel• Have the finished film play public screenings of conventions in between festivals• Webisodes continuing the exploits of Fan Guy

Transmedia• Blog of Fan Guy- a Tumblr blog focusing on Fan Guy’s more personal, real life and promoting the web series

and web site• Website- Fandom Facts website where everything online-wise is collected including- Fan Guy’s Blog, Twitter

updates, News Blog, webisodes, Facebook Fan Page, forum and information about Fandom Facts• News Blog- giving news updates of major events/conventions Fan Guy will be attending• Web Series- a series where Fan Guy talks about fan culture and gives his opinions on it which may be

debated or engaged with the audience; Fan Guy promotes through Twitter and Facebook and a link to the website should be on the description

• Twitter- Fan Guy’s Twitter account where he will use it as the main source of communication between him and his audience in order to give regular updates.

• Facebook Page- A Facebook Page will be up early on but as the web series grows and gains popularity, this will be used to get the most amount of “Likes” and spread the word of the series even further

• Documentary- Fan Guy’s pursuit to find fans from a different country (Ireland?) and compare them with fans in the U.S.

• Graphic novel/manga- could be a story of Fan Guy at a convention and his experiences in it• Post-web series after documentary- should be a higher production value series where Fan Guy takes a slightly

different direction and possibly partners up with someone else• License Fandom Facts on to products for sale including the DVDs, graphic novel, t-shirts, hats, and possibly

licensing fan collectibles only available in Japan

Website

• http://www.thelizardstale.com/fandomfacts/index.html

Webisodes Timeline• Starting platform- YouTube• Introduction Video• Adults Cosplaying• How do college students balance out their school work and fandom habits?• Comic fans of the newer generation vs. old comic fans/Marvel and DC movie influx• Females doing cosplay• Indie game developers• Old Toonami/Cartoon Network vs. New Toonami/Cartoon Network• Browncoats• Bronies• Homestuck fans• Transformers Fandom• Voice Actor Special• 2 videos/month June-November

Team

• Blogger- Fan Guy and Creator• Facebook, Twitter- Social Media Marketer• Web Series- Creator, Editor, Production

Assistant/Consultant, Fan Guy• Advertising- P.R. and Otaku Haven• Equipment/rentals/space- Creator, Otaku

Haven, Ambitious Media

Potential Sponsors• MeaphandJunk (YouTube critic)• AnimeAmericaPodcast (YouTube Podcasters)• Geek and Sundry/Felicia Day (YouTube production group)• Egoraptor (YouTube Animator/Comedian)• ThatGuywithTheGlasses/Nostalgia Critic, JesuOtaku• Cosplay in America (Photographer at Conventions)• D20 Girls (Cosplay group)• ScreenTeamShow (Youtube production group)• Angry Joe (Game Critic)• Angry Videogame Nerd( Game Critic)• Presshearttocontinue (Game Critic)• FinalCutKing (YouTube Film tutor)• Chronic Candy• Andrew Pattison (SFX Make-up artist on YouTube)

Partners/Investors• Otaku Haven• O-ta-ku / ō’täko͞o : [Noun]: Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, or video games.

Ha•ven / ˈhāvən: [Noun]: A place of refuge or sanctuary

We are a not-for-profit group organization composed of people ranging from experts in the fields of science, business, music and art; to college students studying within their own respective fields; to high school student just starting to out. We have banded together to accomplish three goals:

1) To create a location created for and operated by otaku’s, designed to support and share everyone’s attained knowledge base, skills, and understanding.2) To provide a starting platform for all starting or up-and-coming individuals within the fields of art, music, science and etc. in order to foster creative and innovative thinking within the local community.3) To support local communities and business’ through the development and creation of interconnected business relationships

Our group is founded on these core principles that guide our efforts. 1) share and teach what you know and love, 2) learn for sake of learning and understanding, 3) help the community, help the world, 4) start small, support locally, 5) creative, innovative, alternative and eco-friendly 6) respect for diversity.

Why are we doing this? We’re doing this because:1) We love anime, manga, video games, comics and all things people think are nerdy and geeky. These are the things that we grew up with and have deeply influenced our lives. We want to create a place in which we can all physically teach, share and celebrate what we all know and love with everyone.

2) Times are tough and has made it much harder for any local business to remain in business. We need to help our community by assisting and supporting local business’ that many of us know and love by creating a place in which many of these places that are complementary to each other may continually grow .

"Built by otakus, for otakus"

Partners/Investors Cont’d

• Ambitious Media: Ambitious Media is a community-based full services media company with a focus on immersive integrative experiences. Here’s what you’ll find inside: Media Production, Rentals, Talent Development, Promotional Marketing, Event Production http://ambitious.ly/3266-2/

Partners/Investors (cont’d)

• Valiant Comics• http://valiantuniverse.com/ • Valiant is a leading character-based entertainment

company with a library of over 1,500 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Shadowman, Eternal Warrior, and many more. Established in 1989, Valiant has sold over 80 million comic books, and today its characters continue to be forged in publishing, licensing, film, video games, and beyond.

Partners/College Groups

• Montclair State University Japan Club• Bergen Community College Anime Club

Distribution/Campaign Strategy• 1st year• Start with a Tumblr of Fan Guy to promote the web series of Fandom Facts• Have the blog link to the website where all the social media and online media is collected on

there including pictures and About sections for Fandom Facts• Launch the web series on YouTube and link to the Twitter and Facebook pages along with the

website• Use the Twitter to keep Fan Guy constantly updating the audience on what is happening with

him and his series and use the Facebook Page to increase as many “Likes” as we can get. We can get endorsements for more Likes when other cosplayers and fans share our page and web series on their Facebook Fan Pages to increase our audience and awareness.

• Partner with as many sponsors while it’s still early on in the web series, especially ZenithwillRule from ThatGuywithTheGlasses.com

• Live Events- Have Fandom Facts co-op with cosplay groups in live events starting with the cosplay photography/media group I am part of, Otaku Haven in New Jersey and also co-op with MashFest events (video game playing and socializing) in NYC which and then partner with any other cosplay groups in NJ and New York. Take this time get more sponsors.

• Early development and shooting of film

Distribution/Campaign Strategy Cont’d

• 2nd year• Continue the web series and its expansion, see if you can merge on to Blip.TV• Start raising money (slated.com, Tribeca Institute grants for Transmedia projects,

Creative Capital) for the film and do a Kickstarter campaign for distribution costs and any additional costs. The film will have a global pull as it will be Fan Guy going to Ireland at a major convention there interviewing fans and seeing what the fandom is like there, and perhaps compare it to the fandom here through a major convention in the U.S. such as Comic Con or Otakon

• Ask the fans to submit fan art submissions and winners will have theirs featured in the film and will be given a free giveaway as their prize

• Approach Ambitious Media for any resources/investment they can give for the film and Valiant Comics for any investment they may make for the graphic novel

• Shooting and editing of film• Release of the film along with a manga style graphic novel

Distribution/Campaign Strategy Cont’d

• 3rd-5th year• Submit the feature film to major festivals across the nation such as SXSW, IFC, Slamdance, and

some international as well to run in the festival circuit. Also have college groups I know screen my film at their colleges to increase the awareness and support of the film. Then work out an online hybrid distribution either through VHX, Filmbuff, Vimeo on VOD, or Distribber to potentially get the film on Netflix, iTunes, etc.

• Have the finished film play at public screenings of major conventions such as Otakon in Baltimore and Comic Con in San Diego in between festivals. Have a social media campaign and get more marketers on your team while marketing the film in the festival circuit and globally.

• Once the film is online and international, sell t-shirts and hats on the fandom facts website as beginning phases of licensing and then DVDs of the film a few months after its initial release.

• Continue expanding the web series where it should be a higher production value series where Fan Guy takes a slightly different direction and possibly partners up with someone else.

• Consider licensing fan products outside the U.S. such as anime, cosplay, and fan collectibles in Japan that normally would be sold through e-Bay or www.jlist.com . Maybe partner with Jlist to sell collectible figurines, light novels, visual novels, cosplay, gothic lolita and fashion, J-pop/J-rock CDs, and doujinshi you can only buy in Japan to the fans under a Fandom Facts brand for a more reasonable price than at an online American store such as Amazon.

Budget• Fandom Facts Domain Name hosted by GoDaddy- $72 for 2 years, then free• Paid actor- $200/$250 per day for 12 episodes a year- $6,000. Friend actor- Free• Expenses on Conventions:• Animenext (Somerset, NJ)- $250 per person• Otakon (Baltimore, MD) -$400/person• NY Comic Con- $100/person• Akumakon (Ireland)- $2, 352- 1 week• Katsucon (Washington D.C.) - $400/person• Castle Point (NJ)- $40/person• AnimeNext- $250/person• Otakon - $400/person• San Diego Comic Con- $1200 total trip 3 days• Film- Otakon or Comic Con and Akumakon; other travel/miscellaneous- $2000, Editing/Sound costs-

$20,000, Festivals and Distribution costs- (10 festivals) $800• Graphic Novel- ?• Total estimated budget w/o paid actor- $30,004 w/o novel• Total estimate with paid actor- $36,004 w/o novel