[Commlist] CFP: Sound on Screen III: Music and Sound in Transmedia Franchises study day

Sound on Screen III: Music and Sound in Transmedia Franchises

Wednesday 3rd July 2024
Oxford Brookes University

The Departments of Music and Film at Oxford Brookes University are 
pleased to invite abstracts to present at a study day centred on "Music 
and Sound in Transmedia Franchises”. This study day seeks to delve into 
the intricate relationship between music, sound, and transmedia 
franchises across diverse media platforms. Co-convened by the 
collaborative effort of the Sound on Screen research network and Dr Tim 
Summers and Will Farmer, this study day will offer the opportunity to 
respond to an initial provocation (see below). As well as hosting formal 
papers, this study day offers the opportunity to partake in a group 
critical analysis task and discussion. Delegates who are not presenting 
are invited to take part in the critical discussion.

We invite abstracts for papers, each limited to 20 minutes, on a variety 
of subjects pertaining to music, sound, and transmedia franchise, with 
the provocation in mind. The study day will feature no more than six 
papers in total. Additionally, poster presentations are welcomed.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  *

    The transcendence of music across film, television, video games, and
    other media formats.

  *

    The role of sound design in constructing transmedia narratives.

  *

    Adaptation of sonic narratives across different media platforms.

  *

    Sonic interactivity and immersion in transmedia storytelling
    experiences.

  *

    The integration of music and sound in virtual and transmedial
    augmented reality environments.

Abstracts, not exceeding 300 words, should incorporate a title for the 
presentation, a preferred presentation format (oral presentation or 
poster presentation), and an indicative bibliography, and be submitted 
via email to (Matt.Lawson /at/ brookes.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(Matt.Lawson /at/ brookes.ac.uk)>by Friday 10th May, 23:59.

In-person attendance is expected due to the collaborative nature of the 
activity, but a remote viewing option may be available for the formal 
papers. Prior to the study day, a pre-recorded video will be made 
available for viewing.

Expanded versions of the papers presented may be considered for a 
special issue of a journal.

Provocation:

The multimedia franchise is a cornerstone of contemporary popular 
culture. As a franchise connects texts and diversifies content across 
media boundaries, the music and sound establish expectations for its 
sonic identity. Audio is one of the ways in which a franchise is 
articulated and navigated by audiences. Advancing technologies and 
on-demand services have made transmedial proliferation prevalent in the 
modern media landscape, though audiovisual franchises have a long 
history dating back to the advent of broadcasting. Franchises encompass 
film, television, video games, and radio, but also include a multitude 
of further sonic possibilities such as theme parks, fan gatherings, 
audiobooks, merchandise, toys, and unofficial (yet often popular) fan 
contributions such as fanfilms, cosplay, and filk (fan songs).

This non-linear and ever-expanding way of engaging with content raises 
questions on how audiences hear and understand connections across the 
franchise. Sound operates across franchise materials in both overt and 
subtle ways, creating a complex web of connections which exist beyond 
thematic replication (though this remains a helpful way to link 
iterations). Scholarly work for theorising music and sound in the 
franchise is an active site of discussion. We have tentatively proposed 
one model: a franchise’s ‘musical register’ offers a label for 
consistent and identifiable sonic gestures (this might include 
instrumentation, orchestration conventions, harmonic language, timbre, 
etc.) which are less granular than melodic quotations or specific 
harmonic progressions, and can be charted alongside the musical 
‘transformations’ audiences encounter as they explore the franchise 
space. Similarly, Dan White has explored ‘suturing’ to help explain how 
musical ideas are stitched together across texts, while James Buhler has 
investigated music and studio branding as sonic transmedial connection. 
Scholars including Todd Decker, Jonathan Godsall, Janet Halfyard, Ron 
Rodman, Jamie Webster, and Ben Winters have used specific franchises as 
illuminating case studies. Yet there are many more questions, 
alternative approaches and challenges to be explored.

We must also account for moments where music seems to be wholly, or 
partially, at odds with the established sound world and the potential 
issues this creates. The diversity of production and corporate contexts 
leads to questions surrounding the different strategies for deploying 
music across a franchise. We must consider where we can adopt or adapt 
existing theories, or where new ideas are needed to help us understand 
musical approaches and results. Media franchises continue to be 
commercially significant, creatively rich, and emotionally meaningful to 
viewers. Research helps us to understand both the practical and 
conceptual challenges faced by creatives, alongside the aesthetic 
experiences they offer to viewers.

- Tim Summers and Will Farmer


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