'The global screen industries are rapidly changing. Digital disruption has altered the way content is produced, distributed and consumed, and 'screen' no longer refers to just film and television. Audiences increasingly favour convenient access to content over remaining loyal to established providers of watching on particular devices/platforms (Neilson 2016). Despite this ongoing state of change, screen - and we consider that term broadly - remains an integral part of how we consume and create popular culture. Access to popular culture is increasingly pervasive and all-consuming for audiences, signalling what Jenkins et al. (2013) identify as 'spreadable media' in which circulation (or participatory sharing of content) is becoming more meaningful than distribution of content. This shift has led to greater demand for new content, niche content and the revival of many nostalgic forms of popular culture. This issue of the Australasian Journal of Popular Culture examines the theme of 'Screening Popular Culture'. (Elizabeth Ellison and Tess Van Hemert: Editorial introduction)
'Upon its 2014 release, Australian film The Babadook (Kent, 2014), gained critical acclaim worldwide. While the film gathered high praise, its domestic release was impeded by a lack of marketing support and ongoing debate about the quality of Australian horror films. By 2015, The Babadook was available to stream on Netflix in the United States, and one would imagine, to gradually fade from view. Yet a seemingly innocent categorization error on Netflix in 2016, which listed The Babadook as an LGBT interest film, resulted in a revival of the film’s popularity as a cult film and the emergence of the Babadook as ‘a frightening, fabulous new gay icon’. This article will trace the production history of The Babadook from its theatrical release through to its Netflix premiere and the evolution of the Babadook as a gay icon. Using Jenkins et al.’s work on spreadable media, the influence and spread of Internet content will be highlighted against the backdrop of contemporary political movements. In turn I will propose a number of categories essential to gay iconography, and explore how Internet cultures continually refine and expand these categories for widespread dissemination. The case study of the Babadook’s representation at American Pride Month in June 2017 will be used to illustrate the ability of Internet cultures to appropriate popular culture for political impact in marginalized communities.' (Publication abstract)
This article argues that, for Australian comedy series creators, the web platform has opened a new space in which the 'rules' of script development are being expanded, enhanced or othenoise refashioned through having direct connection with and input from their audience. With the audience's potential as a 'comedy gatekeeper, the web series audience becomes integral to the ways in which these texts are developed, namely skipping the erstwhile second-guessing of demographic tastes by more traditional broadcast development executives and commissioners. Referring to a range of well-known Australian comedy web series, such as Bondi Hipsters (2011-2017) and The Katering Show (2015-2017) — including what their creators, writers and audiences have said about them — we investigate the processes behind the success of these series...' (Publication abstract)
Examining the global media controversy and debates surrounding the first season of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (2017—present), this article focuses on the Australian context and identifies key issues in these debates through a discussion of current media guidelines far responsible portrayals of mental illness and suicide. The article presents a survey of media and academic responses to 13 Reasons Why, including contributions from people with a lived experience of mental illness and suicide. It argues that the way forward for screen portrayals of mental illness and suicide is for screen producers to collaborate with mental health organizations in the development and exhibition of these stories.' (Publication abstract)
'The image of two women with a shotgun, speeding down a barren highway in pursuit of a man on foot, is an uncommon image for an Australian film. For an audience, the unexpected power of this scene is as shocking as it is delightful. As the women steadily close in on their target, it is evident, despite the complex plot line, that the two women have been clear in their intentions from the start. Directed by Mairi Cameron, and written and produced by Stephen Lance, The Second (2018) was funded, developed and produced under the Screen Queensland Originals Fully Funded Features programme, in partnership with the Australian streaming service Stan. The film's hybrid distribution model was the first for an Australian feature, and allowed for screenings in commercial cinemas, national film festivals and an SVOD release on Stan, The film was shot at Jimbour House, a cattle station established in 1841, at Dalby, Queensland, and features music written by Queensland composer Ryan Walsh and performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.' (Introduction)
