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Transcript

Case Study:

The phenomenon of fan-edit around the Kai Patterson Cut of the Obi-wan Kenobi television series by Disney.

Question: i can only find "positive" things about fan participation and fan agency, do you guys know a source that fits in this debate? (maybe one thats argues or sees it different?

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Background

The debate

Kai Patterson, a dedicated fan, reimagined the Obi-Wan Kenobi series with a unique editing approach.

RQ: How does Kai Patterson's "Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Patterson Cut" fan edit contribute to the discourse on fan agency and participation in shaping entertainment experiences, particularly within the context of the "Star Wars" fandom?

TS: By condensing the six-part series into a single 2.5-hour movie, Patterson's edit not only demonstrates the creative potential of fan engagement but also underscores the ongoing debate surrounding fan-driven content and its impact on mainstream narratives. Through an analysis of Patterson's edit and its reception, this research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between fans, creators, and popular culture, and to clarify the significance of fan participation in shaping contemporary entertainment experiences.

Too Broad

Technical Expertise

Topic of the debate

Why does it matter?

Scholars

Challenges

Reception

Aim

Henry Jenkins, “Textual Poachers,” in The Fan Fiction Studies Reader, ed. Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse (Iowa City: University Of Iowa Press, 2014), 26-43.

- Jenkins challenges the traditional view of fans as passive consumers and highlights the ways in which fan practices reflect broader cultural and ideological tensions. Through examples like fans' memories of watching Batman and their complex responses to the series, Jenkins demonstrates how fan engagement with media texts can reveal deeper insights into identity construction, resistance to dominant ideologies, and the negotiation of meaning within popular culture. Fans engage with popular culture actively, creatively, and critically, reshaping and reinterpreting texts to suit their own needs and desires. (concept textual poaching)

Joli Jensen, “Fandom as Pathology: The Consequences of Characterization," in The Adoring Audience : Fan Culture and Popular Media, ed. Lisa A. Lewis (London: Taylor & Francis Group, 1992), 9-29.

- The article challenges stereotypes about fans, arguing against portrayals of them as deviant or obsessive. Joli Jenson highlights the complexities of fan agency and participation in popular culture, advocating for a nuanced understanding of fan behavior and motivations beyond pathologizing practices.

The topic of the debate revolves around the significance and implications of fan agency and participation of fan edits, focusing particularly on Kai Patterson's "Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Patterson Cut".

It gained a lot of attention on social media, which resulted in the removal of the edit on Google platforms. "The Patterson Cut" is now only available for streaming on his website, with a messages that says: “DO NOT watch or download this movie if you haven't paid for a Disney Plus subscription.” He emphasizes that his intention was not to diminish the original series or the work of its creators but to offer a different viewing option for fans.

Patterson gained attention after presenting the cut as a TikTok video, arguing that the series would have been better as a movie. The cut has received positive reception from fans, with praise for its pacing and emphasis on Obi-Wan's character. Some appreciate the trimmed-down version for its more focused storytelling, though opinions vary on its overall impact. It has sparkled discussions about fan agency and the role of fan communities in reinterpreting media content (Fan participation and textual poaching)

It’s a fan-edit project that condenses the 6-hour-part series into a single 2.5-hour movie. His aim was to reimagine the Disney+ series as a standalone film experience.

He made the edit because certain elements of the series could have been improved with better scripting, editing, pacing etc. He wanted to address "fluff," fix "some of the ordering to some of the scenes just to make them more effective or impactful," "awkward pacing, whole scenes that ultimately amounted to nothing, goofy dialogue and directing choices," and Moses Ingram's character, Reva, to make her "more menacing."

While other studies look at how fans use entertainment stories to talk and fantasize about, Patterson's cut gives a detailed look at changing a popular story into an alternate story viewing experience. It stands out for its emphasis not only on fan involvement but also on the convergence of creativity, narrative construction, and audience interaction within a specific media context.

Additionally, the Patterson cut has gotten a lot of attention and started discussions in fan groups and media. It was also taken down by Disney for copyright reasons, now it is online again with a warning “DO NOT watch or download this movie if you haven't paid for a Disney Plus subscription.” It goes beyond typical fan edits, making it worth studying further. Looking at this case study can help researchers understand the relationship between fans, creators and popular culture.

The debate of fan agency and participation is important because it challenges traditional notions of authorship, ownership, and storytelling. Fans are nowadays increasingly able to remix, reinterpret, and share their versions of beloved stories, blurring the lines between creator and audience. This shift reflects the evolving power dynamics within the media industry and prompts us to reconsider the roles of fans, creators, and corporations in shaping popular culture.

Andrejevic, Mark. 2008. “Watching Television Without Pity: The Productivity of Online Fans.” Television & New Media 9 (1): 24-46.

- The text discusses how online fan sites, like TelevisionWithoutPity.com, influence TV shows by providing feedback to writers and producers. These sites create communities where viewers discuss and analyze shows, which can increase viewer loyalty. The concept of mediated interactivity explores how viewers engage with TV content and producers through online platforms. (concept fan participation)

Jenkins, Henry. 2006. “Conclusion.” In Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, 240-260. New York: NYU Press.

- Jenkins calls himself a critical utopian. He talks about the effects of convergence cultures and why people look at it in a negative way. He then explains that there are also many possibilities to change the current digital culture

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