Fan Sites: Film Tourism and Contemporary Fandom (Fandom & Culture)

Theme parks break attendance numbers with the promise of “stepping inside” a film’s world. Pop-up “experiences” are a regular part of promotional cycles. All this is accepted in the contemporary media environment—but why? What is the appeal of film tourism, and what can its rise tell us about contemporary fandom? Fan Sites explores why and how we experience film and television-related places, and what the growth of this practice means for contemporary fandom. Through four case studies— Game of Thrones tourism in Dubrovnik, Croatia and Northern Ireland, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks in Orlando, Florida, fandom of The Prisoner in Portmeirion, Wales, and Friends events in the United Kingdom and United States—this book presents a multifaceted look at the ways place and fandom interact today. Fan Sites explores the different relationships that fans build with these places of fandom, from the exploratory knowledge-building of Game of Thrones fans on vacation, the appreciative evaluations of Harry Potter fans at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, to the frequent “homecoming” visits of Prisoner fans, who see Portmeirion as a “safe vault” and the home of their fandom. Including engaging accounts of real fans at each location, Fan Sites addresses what the rise of fan tourism and places of fandom might mean for the future of fandom and its relationship with the media industry. "Film tourism-travel associated with a movie or television show-is big business. Whether it is a filming location such as the Game of Thrones set in Northern Ireland, a newly-created themed area like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or the myriad of "pop-ups" that have become part of television marketing such as FriendsFest and The Seinfeld Experience, film tourism is booming. In Placing Fandom, Abby Waysdorf presents an in-depth investigation of contemporary film tourism, drawing on both fan studies and tourism studies perspectives. Its overall focus is on the tourist experience, building on previous research in that direction, but with a stronger focus on the relationship that tourists have with what they are traveling to visit. It asks, what role do film-related places play in contemporary fandom? By looking at film tourism from both the perspective of the tourist and the effects of this experience on broader fan ecologies, Waysdorf presents a more holistic understanding of film tourism today, looking at not only its appeal and meaning to tourists, but considering the structures that underlie it as it becomes a recognized, and potentially lucrative, part of contemporary fandom. Incorporating dozens of fan interviews, Placing Fandom provides case studies of today's biggest fandoms and the sites they frequent. The monograph is set apart by its comparative approach that engages with multiple forms of film tourism, from filming locations to simulated locations, frequent visitors to one-off tourists, and at the same time presents a new overarching theoretical framework for the practice"-- Provided by publisher

Theme parks break attendance numbers with the promise of "stepping inside" a film's world. Pop-up "experiences" are a regular part of promotional cycles. All this is accepted in the contemporary media environment—but why? What is the appeal of film tourism, and what can its rise tell us about contemporary fandom? Fan Sites explores why and how we experience film and television-related places, and what the growth of this practice means for contemporary fandom. Through four case studies— Game of Thrones tourism in Dubrovnik, Croatia and Northern Ireland, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks in Orlando, Florida, fandom of The Prisoner in Portmeirion, Wales, and Friends events in the United Kingdom and United States—this book presents a multifaceted look at the ways place and fandom interact today. Fan Sites explores the different relationships that fans build with these places of fandom, from the exploratory knowledge-building of Game of Thrones fans on vacation, the appreciative evaluations of Harry Potter fans at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, to the frequent "homecoming" visits of Prisoner fans, who see Portmeirion as a "safe vault" and the home of their fandom. Including engaging accounts of real fans at each location, Fan Sites addresses what the rise of fan tourism and places of fandom might mean for the future of fandom and its relationship with the media industry.

Theme parks break attendance numbers with the promise of “stepping inside” a film’s world. Pop-up “experiences” are a regular part of promotional cycles. All this is accepted in the contemporary media environment—but why? What is the appeal of film tourism, and what can its rise tell us about contemporary fandom? explores why and how we experience film and television-related places, and what the growth of this practice means for contemporary fandom. Through four case studies— tourism in Dubrovnik, Croatia and Northern Ireland, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks in Orlando, Florida, fandom of in Portmeirion, Wales, and events in the United Kingdom and United States—this book presents a multifaceted look at the ways place and fandom interact today.__Fan Sites____Game of Thrones____Prisoner____Fan Sites__