Multifandom
Synonyms: | Multimedia (Multiple Fandoms) |
See also: | multifannish, monofannish, serially monofannish |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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
Vidding
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
AMVs, in contrast, routinely use clips from many different sources.
As vidders migrated to sites like YouTube, multifandom works have become more common and popular. These vids often use dialogue, as well as clips from multiple fandoms to examine common themes in these works. Vids may even focus on the use of a common phrase across multiple fandoms. Some works can be set in the same universe, with MCU multifandom vids often taking clips from multiple movies and TV shows to draw parallels.
The title of the vid often first identifies it as a Multifandom vid, with variations including Multifemales, Multimales, Multicouples and Multiheroes common. The remainder of the title often refers to the song used, or the common phrase/theme which the vid focuses on.
More recent examples of vids that draw from multiple fannish sources:
Zines
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
- WIP Big Bang
Archives
- The Archive at the End of the Universe
- An Archive of Our Own
- Fanfiction.net
- The Glass Onion
- MediaMiner
- .moon
- Silverlake
- Skyehawke
- The Wonderful World of Makebelieve
- Yuletide (challenge-based archive)
- Lunaescence
- Fictionesque
Awards
Multifandom awards and contests allow entries from many different fandoms, sometimes from any fandom. They include:
- Fan Q Awards
- Huggy Award
- No Rest for the Wicked Awards (Buffy, Star Trek, Heroes, and X-Files)
- Pegasus Award (for filk)
- Screwz Awards or 'Slash Creativity Recognition for Entertainment and Writing in Zines' (for slash)
- Sizzler or 'Slash In Zine Literary ERotica' Awards (for slash)
- STIFfie (for slash)
- Titanium Whip Awards (for kink)
- UFO Awards
Conventions
Multifandom conventions may be devoted to a certain type of fandom, such as an anime convention, slash fandom convention, or science fiction fandom convention. They may also be devoted to a particular type of fanac, such as cosplay or vidding, across fandoms. Some examples:
- A Weekend in the Country (US)
- Boskone
- Comic-Con
- Comiket
- Detroit Triple Fan Fair
- Escapade
- Muskrat Jamboree
- SinpOzium
- Vividcon