Pottermore: Transmedia Storytelling and Authorship in Harry Potter
2016; Pittsburg State University; Volume: 58; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0026-3451
Autores Tópico(s)Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies
ResumoPottermore, the website spearheaded by J.K. Rowling since July 2011, has been one of the cornerstones the development of the Harry franchise since the culmination of the film series that same year. Pottermore is one a line of recent products and experiences, alongside the likes of the Fantastic Beasts film trilogy and Cursed Child stage play, that seek to reinvent the brand and prolong engagement with the transmedial wizarding world. The Pottermore project is particularly interesting because of its connections with author J.K. Rowling and its status as a unique digital franchise text that can be updated and rearranged according to shifting brand strategies. Pottermore has evolved significantly since it first went live worldwide April 2012. In its launch video, Rowling positioned the website as a conversation between herself and the fans, where users could share, participate in, and rediscover the books an online reading experience which she would be joining in (The Telegraph). This concept remained much the same until September 22nd 2015, when Pottermore was dramatically overhauled; no longer revolving around the books, it now acts as a hub of information (P. Jones) that contains thousands of encyclopedia entries, shareable features and news articles optimised for mobile devices--responding, according to Pottermore CEO Susan Jurevics, to the corresponding habits of an older, digitally-literate audience (P. Jones). The updated Pottermore comes at a crucial time the brand management of Harry Potter. In 2014, the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie trilogy was announced. Set the wizarding world of 1920s New York, the films demonstrate an attempt by Warner Bros.--and screenwriter J.K. Rowling--to rejuvenate the brand and expand its intellectual property beyond an existing British-boarding-school framework. London stage play Harry and the Cursed Child, which premiered 2016, also dramatically reconfigures existing parameters: a localised stage production, set nineteen years after the culmination of the initial story and starring a black actress as Hermione Granger (Ratcliffe). These franchise developments demonstrate a willingness on the part of creatives to depart from dominant narratives and iconographies. The history of Pottermore is part a reflection of the history of the Harry franchise, and the changing industrial context which it operates. This article will demonstrate the ways which Pottermore's revamp is underpinned by a greater awareness of transmedia franchising than its predecessor, responding to the need for cross-promotion of new brand extensions. The website seeks to make its increasingly promotional role more palatable through its continued association with author (and authority) figure J.K. Rowling--who has throughout her career transitioned from a traditional author to a wider brand ambassador, whether through establishment of a charity for orphaned children, stage appearances at film premieres, or her continued involvement with Fantastic Beasts and Cursed Child. Pottermore is knitted tightly to Rowling as a means to retain authenticity and prestige; but, interestingly, as the franchise begins to recognize and recruit other creative and commercial contributors for its expansions, so too is this echoed the website. This is a monumental step for a franchise historically reliant on the construction of Rowling's aura of artistry and authority. However, as James Russell notes, is easy to identify the author of a novel. It is more difficult to single out one creative participant as the author of an entity as economically and culturally all-encompassing as Harry Potter (Russell 392), and Pottermore's growing acknowledgement of the realities of Harry Potter's brand development--which owe much to other commercial and creative contributors--indicates changing notions of authorship, synergy between Rowling and Warner Bros. …
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