Interview with leading transmedia developer Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment. In this conversation we discuss the art and craft of transmedia development, including the successes and failures of franchises like Dark Universe, Star Wars, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more. Continue reading Talking Franchises: The World of Transmedia Development with Jeff Gomez
Presentation at the Superheroes Beyond Conference, convened by the ARC-supported research group Superheroes & Me and hosted by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne, Australia — 6–8 December, 2018. Continue reading The Legacy of Superhero Film Serials: Early Adaptations, Crude Licensing Agreements, and the Case of Republic Pictures’ ‘Captain America’ (1944)
Presentation at the 2018 Screen Studies Association of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand (SSAAANZ) conference, hosted by the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Caulfield. Continue reading The Franchise Economy: Commercial Longevity and Poetic Utility in Contemporary Hollywood
It was a pleasure to be invited as a guest for the June edition of the Senses of Cinema podcast, to discuss Ocean’s 8 (2018). Continue reading Senses of Cinema Podcast, June Edition
Wakanda’s isolationism doesn’t separate Black Panther from the Marvel Cinematic Universe—it reinforces its connection. Continue reading ‘Black Panther’ Defies Wakanda’s Self-Containment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
A recap of the CG Futures event recently held in Melbourne, March 2018.. Continue reading ‘CG Futures: The Art of Entertainment’— Melbourne, March 2018
Every year the online film journal Senses of Cinema calls for written contributions from film critics, scholars, and cinephiles around the world that reflect the most memorable and significant viewing experiences during the year gone by. I would usually read this annual poll with interest and curiosity but also a sense of disconnection with the type of film and viewing practices that regularly appear. Since my … Continue reading Senses of Cinema, World Poll 2017
In The Last Jedi, rebooting is significant as a transformative strategy because it doesn’t reboot in the ways we usually expect. The Last Jedi pushes the boundaries of rebooting, franchising, and audience expectations by re-negotiating the mythos, or brand essence, of the franchise itself. This is is not a reboot of surrounding ornamentation, but of franchise mythology. Continue reading “That’s Not How the Force Works!” Rebooting the Franchise Mythos in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
Star Wars and the History of Transmedia Storytelling, edited by Sean Guynes and Dan Hassler-Forest. Published by Amsterdam University Press, 2017 I am delighted to have contributed a chapter to this edited book collection on the Star Wars franchise and its role in the history of transmedia storytelling.Download Open Access PDF here. Paperback available for purchase from Amsterdam University Press and Amazon. Chapter 1: ‘Thank the Maker!’ … Continue reading “Thank the Maker!” George Lucas, Lucusfilm, and the Legends of Transtextual Authorship Across the Star Wars Franchise
Conference presentation at the Sydney Screen Studies Network (SSSN) Symposium, University of New South Wales 8 December 2017 It was great to attend and present at the Sydney Screen Studies Network‘s 2017 Symposium earlier this month, focused on the topic “Intersections in Film and Media Studies”. Full symposium program available here My presentation reworked my thesis methodology to consider the role of medium specificity within the … Continue reading On Being Cinematic in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Medium Specificity in Transmedia Storytelling and Media Franchising
