Converging Media: Fan Scripts Touted as New Force in TV
| News Media Commentary | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Converging Media: Fan Scripts Touted as New Force in TV |
| Commentator: | Wayne Friedman for "Television Week" |
| Date(s): | December 15, 2003 |
| Venue: | online |
| Fandom: | spotlights Harry Potter, but multifandom is scope |
| External Links: | Converging Media: Fan Scripts Touted as New Force in TV |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Converging Media: Fan Scripts Touted as New Force in TV is a 2003 article for "Television Week." The article is by Wayne Friedman, and it has the subtitle: "FanLib Could Bring in Viewers; WGA a Stumbling Block."
Some Topics Discussed
- FanLib
- fandom and profit and rascally copyrights
- Snitchseeker, a Harry Potter writing contest
From the Article
Broadcast network programming and marketing executives are being heavily pitched a new technology called FanLib, which allows fans of TV shows to jointly write scripts for a particular episode. However, standing in FanLib's way are key hurdles, including resistance from the writers union.
FanLib is an Internet-based software developed by a New York-based company, My2centences, in response to the growing online activity of fan fiction, where people write screenplays or entire episodes of their favorite shows.
"We are looking to harness fan energy," said Chris Williams, co-founder and CEO of My2centences, a 3-year-old company that also produces theatrical movies. "We also want to harness this as a promotional vehicle."
Special fan episodes or perhaps even a fan night would be created for a network to pump up existing TV shows with a one-time special program-possibly during nonsweeps periods. FanLib is targeted to young people ages 13 to 20.
High-rated "CSI" and "Friends" are two of the most active shows on fan fiction Web sites, Mr. Williams said. But he added that network executives are specifically looking at FanLib to bolster newer shows that have a strong core young audience but aren't pulling in big ratings yet.
My2centences executives have had multiple meetings with CBS, Fox, The WB and ABC. Marketing executives generally like the idea but are leery about whether FanLib can actually work.
"Our concern is whether it would bring in new viewers," said Bob Bibb, co-president of marketing for The WB, who met with the company. "If the project doesn't work out, you could disappoint core fans. It's a good idea, but labor-intensive."
"It has a lot of marketing potential," said Mike Benson, senior VP of marketing, advertising and promotion for ABC Television Network, who also met with the company. "It will harness the resource of the Internet. It is a great marketing idea-but there are content and labor issues."
Chief among them is how to get the approval of the Writers Guild of America, of which a writer needs to be a member to write for network TV shows. My2centences has hired an executive specifically to work with the WGA in coming up with an agreement.
"We are approaching them proactively to create a roadmap to success that conforms with their missions and goals as well as the networks,'" Mr. Williams said.
The Writers Guild of America West has not met with My2centences executives, but according to Grace Reiner, assistant executive director of Writers Guild of America West, the union has a problem with TV writing contests and promotions.
"It is clearly a new thing," Ms. Reiner said. "The contests have been a problem for us because producers are asking people to perform [writing] services. We call that employment. Even if it's voluntary."
Ms. Reiner said the WGA has no problem with people writing TV shows and not belonging to the union. "But you have to pay everyone you've asked to perform services," she said, adding that would include anyone who has entered a contest such as FanLib's-not just the winners. Many TV production companies have contacted the WGA inquiring whether fans can write or suggest, for example, an ending of a specific TV series or episode. "It's a serious problem for us," Ms. Reiner said.
For years, TV showrunners have looked at fan fiction sites to get ideas for shows. But it's a double-edged sword. Staff writers on networks shows sometimes feel threatened, Mr. Williams said, because they fear fans' ideas could replace their own. But Mr. Williams is confident these problems can be solved.
"This is much more of a game that allows people to express their creativity," said Mr. Williams, who added that FanLib is not for professional TV writers.
Mr. Williams predicted he'll have a deal within 60 days. "The technology will be launched in a major way; there's a 99 percent chance," he said.
A Fox spokesman said its marketing executives met with the company but had no comment. George Schweitzer, executive VP of marketing and communications at CBS, said, "It's novel, creatively different. There is a committed fan base."
Earlier this year, FanLib did a beta test with a Harry Potter Web site called Snitchseeker.com, working on a seven-scene effort for a new Harry Potter adventure. Some 6,000 people submitted scenes, and some 125,000 visited the site during the test.
Each person who submitted a scene was given instructions so there would be continuity through the story.
This could be a possible format for how a TV network program would be written. "The arc of the story is created before the content goes live," Mr. Williams said. "Showrunners and writers would be moderating and creating the story from the beginning."