Before it begins, the group go into conversation about Game of Thrones as Nicole just began the series
Interviewees between 16 -18, female students
C: One by one, so you can go crazy when I reach you, what are your favourite/major fandoms?
N: There are tears in my eyes
L: So Avengers is destroying my life at the moment and Doctor Who –pause- There’s too much pressure, God what do I like?
I: You know what? I’m not as into it now but I always love Supernatural fandom. It was just good. I just loved it
M: Right now. From the start: Star Wars from when I was little. Games of Thrones is pretty much the reason I live. Because I read those books when I was younger and it’s on TV. And uh probably, you [Ivana] got me into Sons of Anarchy. I have no emotions anymore after that show, like, it just ruined my soul.
I: Does it feel like your life is not adequate?
M: Yeah. And they’re probably my three major ones.
N -Hyperventialtion-
I: I’ll tell you: Sherlock.....
N:At the moment, I’m sorry, I’m fine. At the moment it is Sherlock, Supernatural and the Avengers because you can’t live without them and...yep
L: Just everything
C: Define the word fandom
M: That you love something so much your body hurts when you think of it
N: Perfect
I: Ok moving on, I think it’s tied in with a fandom. Likes just a massive group of people, like, I can look at you, right, and you know that I’m think about Dean right now
M: A group of people that love something so much their bodies uniformly hurt
N: And that they cry instead of sleep
M: Yeah that’s pretty important
L: The show sort of rules your life. Not so much the show but the love of the show
N: The EMOTIONS YOU FEEL from the show
M: Not in a crazy way but if Obi died I would want to kill myself
I: Threatening to kill yourself at this point is completely allowed
M: Or just dying. The feeling of dying.
N: Killing yourself, kill others
M: I threaten the show, like I watch the show and go: “If you kill him, I WILL KILL MYSELF”
L: I probably should have mentioned True Blood before
M: OH
I: Oh and making really over exaggerated noises
N: Of a highly sexual nature
M: All the time and for no apparent reason
C: What makes a hardcore fan?
-Mila starts pointing to self-
I: People that can lift seasons, episode names, how many episodes in each season…
N: Guest stars
L: What the guest stars have also been in
N: The filmography of every single actor
I: And who they’re married to and their kids, like I go that far...
L: And then what THEY’VE been it
M: Hardcore shit.
C: How has it changed your life?
M: I just feel so much more emotional about everything now. Everything reminds me of things that I love.
L: When that thought goes: “Oh that would be like that” and you can’t say it out loud ‘cause that thought comes every five minutes and you’re like “You really need to shut up. My obsession is not helping but oh my god I love it.”
M: Pretty much you think about it now and when you look at things around you…
I: Oh you have a permanent scar in your head of when the next season starts
M: And you don’t know how you’re going to live until the next season starts
C: Do you think the fandoms you have now, are they life long?
N: Forever
M: Forever. My kids will watch Game of Thrones
N: MY GRANDCHILDREN WILL WATCH IT
M: I’ll make then sit down and watch
L: Mine last forever but my mine go through shifts
Everyone: Yeah
L: _____ I am totally devoted to True Blood
I: Or if that show has stopped making episodes, they stop for a bit and you know___________
L: If that changes you go onto something else but you always still love it ____________
N: That applies to everything except Sherlock. SHERLOCK. IS. FOREVER.
M: I think for things that have books, like not just Game of Thrones, but even Hunger Games and shit, stuff
that have other things that when it’s not a TV show _____
L: That Vampire sex series that I ______
M: Yeah you can keep them pretty constant through that
I: Oh my mum started going on about the horror, the horror show?
L: American Horror Story?
I: American Horror Story. That is horrible.
L: That IS a horrible
I:
L:It is but you have to stick with it because you have to know what’s happening
I: That’s true
L: Don’t start it
C: Do you get really territorial about your series?
M: Oh yeah
N: -sarcastic- nooooooo
M: when people say stupid shit that doesn’t like - I just want to punch them in the ovaries.
N: When Grace said “I didn’t like season 2 episode one” I’m like “Sorry what? What? You said-you said- I COULD KILL YOU, OH GREAT”
M: Like when people make mistakes, I don’t know. In Game of Thrones I’m very like...people who just watch the show and haven’t read the books make stupid remarks like “This one’s the best one in the show.” I’m like: “Shut up you haven’t read the books you don’t know what you’re talking about”
N: That’s what I’m like with Harry Potter
C: Would you get more angry with people who say bad stuff about the show or people who say they love the show but say the wrong things?
Collectively: Love the show
I: I think we can all equally say if you’re obsessed with a show and you get someone else hooked on the show its just like, like...
M: You’ve had a child
I: ...you’re so happy
N:IT’S SO MUCH BETTER THAN HAVING A CHILD. You don’t have to push anything out of you.
Just emotions and tears.
C: Is television and film fandoms the same as other fandoms like music and celebrities?
All: No
C: In what way? How is it different?
M: We’re smarter than people who are obsessed with the Kardashian’s.
L: Because there’s these characters who are doing new things. They’re always changing and evolving. So you’re not obsessed with this - well you ARE obsessed with the one person in the show but you’re also obsessed with the show that is changing and is getting better or worse but you stick with it sort of thing
M: I think with music’s like, everyone likes it
I: It’s the outlet. like you can go and find fan fiction about music but it’s more common with TV shows
M: And Tumblr just does a lot for TV shows
I: Tumblr is THE source i think
L: Yeah and with TV shows, that’s in your life for a few years, like that spans out. Music, well depending what you’re doing, you like a song for a month but then you can get sick of it or it’s overplayed. But you can’t with shows
C: Oh yeah, what are your main sources to keep your fandom alive?
M: The internet
C: Yeah, but what on the internet though?
M: Tumblr
I: Season box sets
N: Illegal downloads
I: Youtube, Comic-Con
M: All that behinds the scenes stuff
N: Blooper reels? C’mon guys
M: Be still my heart
I: Deleted scenes
M: CAUSE THEN THEY’RE REAL PEOPLE WHO ARE FUNNY!...I can’t handle stuff sometimes
C: What about merchandise and stuff? Would you be willing to-?
M: I’ve bought shit
L: I’ve, yep
I: No but see, I think it depends on how - like. What’s something? Ok I really like Game of Thrones but I probably wouldn’t go out and buy a Games of Thrones shirt
L: That’s true
N: If I feel like I would feel lame with that merchandise because sometimes you’re like: Buy a games of thrones shirt, someone going to walk past and go like “Look at that idiot wearing a Game of Thrones shirt. She doesn’t know about that!” But you do. So you don’t want them to underestimate your level of fandom
I: Not necessarily that. It’s just that I don’t haven enough money to buy that
N: That too
L: Yeah cause everything’s in the States and it’s normally...
N: IT’S 6000$ OUT OF YOUR LIFE
L: ...and normally costs more for postage than the thing
M: I have a really comfy Game of Thrones jumper that I sleep in. I don’t go outside in it but I sleep in it
L: More private, no judging
N: Exactly it’s a private thing. I think merchandise should be a more of a private sort of thing
M: But do box sets and books count?
I: No that’s the source
C: It gives you behinds the scene stuff though
N: That’s true. For instance I have 9 different versions of one of the Harry Potter books because they all look different
L: Wow
N: Yeah I know and are from like different box sets that came out at different points and were released in different countries. Only one of them but...yeah
C: Are there aspects you’re ashamed of that you wouldn’t talk to “normal” people about or is everything open?
-nervous coughing from all-
M: The craziness I exhibit right now, it’s because of you guys
N: This doesn’t leave this room
C: So to your group, the people you sit with....
I: I’ll be honest, probably like, fan fiction
M: Oh fan fiction?
I: Yeah
M:I don’t want to tell people I read it. But I do
C: All the time?
M: Not all the time
N: ALL THE TIME
L: I’m more videos and behind the scenes and millions and millions of interviews because I am going to say I’ve probably seen every Avengers cast interview ever
N: Good, good. As you should. I think for me I avoid telling people whatsoever because I cry. Someone would say something and there would be tears in my eyes and they’ll be like “Oh Sherlock, he’s not very pretty” and I’ll be like “WHAT DO YOU MEAN?”
M: There are people that, like, I don’t know, but like, with you guys I am happy to say this but there are people that if I told them
I: When you let them know how many hours put into it
M: In like a day?
N: Just an entire day
M: There are people out there that if I told them the level of obsession I have with something I would be judged so bad and I just, like, I don’t...
L: Yeah
C: School, fandom, priorities?
All: fan fan fan fan
L: My chemistry test with testify for that
C: There’s an exam at the end of the week but theres a new interview up
All: Interview
M: Are you kidding me?
I: C’mon
C: What if the exam was on the next day?
N: Um, had an SOR exam today. Didn’t study until about quarter to 12 cause I was rewatching season 1 of Sherlock
M: Um english advance is due at the end of the week right? Games of Thrones season finale came out on Sunday. I’ve just been watching it for four days, haven’t started english.
I: I don’t have anything that’s come out this week but. See I got Games of Thrones Season 2 yesterday so I should be doing english tonight but that’s not going to happen
C: Season finale of your favourite fandom comes out but your friend wants to go out, what do you do?
Everyone: Season finale
M: I go out but when I come home then I...
I: Make her wait outside
N: Depends on what friend. If they can sit in silence, they can watch with me
I: If you don’t watch it then you avoid any kind of media that would tell you what was happening.
C: If the event was just a group movie thing
M: Then I would stay home and watch the show
C: When you hear a spoiler how do you reaction?
N: Cry
M: Tears
N: I’m pretty good at avoiding spoilers but when they happen, they hit me hard. They hit me hard.
M: Feel like your arm been broken a little bit
L: Particularly cause I just announced the season finale of Gossip Girl to the entire class without actually announcing “SPOILER ALERT”
I: Oh and Serena’s on the coke again?
N: EXCUSE. ME.
L: With GABE from Cobra Starship
I: I KNOW I HEARD ABOUT THAT
M: WHAT is he an actor?
C: WAIT WAIT WAIT. Are you into gossip girl? [To Nicole who was currently hiding her head in her arms]
N: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!?!?!
C: Apparently. This the reaction to spoilers
-Rest of the group listens to L explain the season finale-
N: Oh my god. I can’t believe you would do this to me. YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT. Please stop. Oh my god. [covers ears and eyes and tries to avoid]
Explanation of Gossip Girl
C: Ok it’s over. I promise. Do you know any guys who are just as “hardcore” as you in real life
ALL: no
C: What about online?
M: I have guy friends who like the same shows and we watch them together but it’s not the same level
N: It’s just not the same
L: Probably because we find everyone attractive
M: He doesn’t like it like the way I like it. He enjoys the naked women but thats about it
N: Even on tumblr the majority of the time you pick its girls who run the fuckyeahs and such...
M: And the fan fiction’s aren’t written by dudes
N: C’mon, they’re not that creative
L: Like 50 Shades of grey? The Twilight fan fiction and they slightly changed it?
N: My sister’s friend is reading it and she tells me all about and it is shocking
C: But what about Star Wars and Star Trek and those types of shows?
L: Oh right
N: There are different genres and different levels within the genres. I think it depends on the genre of the
show or movie
M: I love Star Wars, like I have a Star Wars poster on my wall
N: Oh how hardcore
M: But you know what I mean
L: Yeah like I love Star Wars to but I’m not a massive fan
C: So do you think today its, fandom in general including all genres, is dominated by guys or girls?
All [Unison]: Girls
C: Definitely?
All [Unison]: Girls
C: No balance?
All [Unison]: Girls
M: Even in sci-fi genres. if you want to talk about Star Trek of something, it’d still be girls
I: The only thing that comes close are gay guys
N: Yeah but even though their fandoms are like, Glee. It depends on the fandom cause
I: And Glee’s not a real show. Glee backwards is shit
M: When you listen to Nickleback backwards you hear satan but its even worse when you listen to Nickleback and you hear Nickleback. I hate Nickleback.
I: Thats another thing, Nickleback is just communally hated
L: I don’t hate them that much, like I don’t particularly like their music but I hate them because everyone hates them
I: I’m jumping on that bandwagon
N: I have to admit I thought you were going to say you like their music
L: Oh nooooo. I’m not a fan and I don’t like or listen to it
I: If the band wagon makes it ________
C: How many hours per day, estimating, devoted to fandom?
I: Well that all depends on what fandom and when it came out-
M: If the show came out yesterday, I’d be online for a while
C: An ongoing and in the middle of the season
I: oh, oh, oh
C: One fandom daily
N: Minimum of 3 hours
M: Cause it depends, you’re online for 3 hours but then sometimes I get offline and I want to watch it too
I: TOP GEAR!
N: TOP GEAR!
I: I totally forgot about Top Gear! OH MY GOD
C: How do you feel that you’ve forgotten about Top Gear?
I: I’m sorry. I hate myself right now. But that’s the only thing I would buy, freaking Top Gear shirts. All douche bags wear Top Gear shirts but I don’t care, alright? I’d buy everything. I want a life size replica of a Stig alright?
N: I was just about to say that
I: I WANT IT
N: You know I became friends with someone about 6 months ago because they were wearing a Stig shirt and I was standing next to them and we were getting coffee right? He was standing next to me wearing Stig shirt and I just turn to the side “You’re a good person” He was like “What” and I was like “Your shirt” and he was like “Do you like Top Gear?” and I was like. “....I like Top Gear”
I: James May for life
N: James May for president
I: Ruler of the world
M: Stephen Fry, I love Stephen Fry
L: And Tim Minchin, I need to put it out there. They need to rule shit
M: Hugh Laurie had to be in here
C: So you’ve made made online and real life friends?
M: My online friends, I don’t know them. They could be 60. They could be 40....
I: It wouldn’t matter. There was a point I was very, very heavily involved in the Facebook page for Supernatural where they had all these discussions. I was running them, I was making new ones and everyone would start and I would fight people. And I’m friends with a lot of people from that
C: It started at the beginning when I thought you were going to say: There was one point I got very heavily involved in drugs
I: See that’s on par
C: Equivalent?
L: All the jokes about it being like crack...
N: It’s accurate
C: Would you prefer real life or fandom online life?
All [Unison]: Fandom life
L: Real life sucks
M: What are we doing here? If I could just live in Winterfell...
C: Any last comments?
M: I love Game of Thrones so much and it hurts
T: I can’t believe that I forgot Top Gear
M: Just when you go home and you’ve had a shitty day and there are people waiting
N: They’re always there for you
M: To tell you its ok and to share their problems, and then you go bike riding. And then you go on drug runs with them and....
C: Anything you want to add, say or want to talk about?
I:I think if you just left it, we’d keep going...until midnight?
C: What fandom phrases do you use most?
M: Winter is coming
L: Miss Van - well Courtney and I were on the stairs, getting ready to go and Miss Van said: “Winter is
coming” and we both said “OH MY GOD” and she just meant the weather!
M: I think fandoms have given me an unrealistic expectation for all men
L: That is also true. Also applies to life. Like when I drink tea, I expect to turn into Sherlock.
N: As you should!
L: Everytime I do it to the point my brother is like “You’re not Sherlock, stop drinking tea.” “I WILL SOLVE SOMETHING!”
N: See for me, I see someone in a coat with the lapels turned up and a scarf I go “So you’re Sherlock? You are aren’t you?! I KNOW!!!”
C: Do you get territorial about “ships”?
All: Yes
N: I get pissed off when people ship things and I’m like “That is not occurring!”
C: Do you go with canon shipping or non canon shipping? So in the film they’re together but outside people say different characters should be together
M: I don’t like when two characters in a show who have never met, on the show I mean, like their characters have never crossed paths. And then when people ship them, I don’t like that.
L: Yeah they need some kind of contact
N: They can’t just be based on pure fiction
I: Like Dean and Cas right? [Supernatural] There is many a time when there is a little thing there and you go
“SHIP!” and you can call that because it makes sense
M: But you can’t call Sean Bean from Game of Thrones and Dean [from Supernatural]. Like you can’t call things from different shows
I: Oh different shows? Did you mention that?
C: Yeah what about crossovers of different shows?
M: Why? There’s no reason
N: Sorry but can just pop back onto Cas and Dean. Jump back onto that train for a minute
C: Gay ships seem to dominate don’t they?
M: Gay ships are THE BEST
Explosion of noise due to lunch being over
C: Thank you guys!
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