Multifandom
| Synonyms: | Multimedia (Multiple Fandoms) | |
| See also: | multifannish, monofannish, serially monofannish | |
| Click here for articles related to this term on Fanlore. | ||
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The term multifandom refers to using or following source texts from many different fandoms. A multifandom challenge may be pan-fandom like Yuletide and include RPF, Anime, Book, Movie, and Television sources. Another term for fan activities involving multiple fandoms is multimedia.
A multifannish person is one who participates in several fandoms, usually at the same time. This is in contrast to being monofannish, or serially monofannish, a term which refers to a fan person participating in one fandom at a time.
The term is not used for stories that are set in two or more fandoms -- those are usually called crossovers or xovers.)
Multifandom: History of the Term
The earliest term in media fandom for zines or other fan activities involving multiple fandoms was "multimedia." As the word "multimedia" became associated with CD-ROMs and "new media," the word "multifandom" became more widely used in places like LiveJournal, possibly to avoid confusion over the two meanings of "multimedia." In some fandoms and fan communities, "multifandom" has become the more common term, effectively replacing "multimedia" in those communities.
Fanworks
Multifandom songvids are ones with source clips from more than one show/movie/etc., set to the same song. (Garbage can vids are vids with tens, or even hundreds, of clips from different sources.)
Examples of vids that draw from multiple fannish sources:
- Hair by Media Cannibals
- I'm Your Man by Charmax
- Us by Lim
For zines see the list under Multimedia (Multiple Fandoms)/Fanzines.
Challenges
A challenge may be called a multifandom challenge if it allows for more than one source fandom. Yuletide is one such challenge, in that it includes obscure fandoms from a variety of source texts. Other challenges like this would include:
- DVD Commentary Challenge
- Remix Redux
- I Saw Three Ships - threesome challenge
- Sitcomathon
- Multiverse - space show crossover challenge
- A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

