May theme: Animation and Paratextuality

NEW Deadline: May 16th, 2018

 

May’s theme invites contributions that explore the paratextuality of animated films and televisual works. How does the industry use trailers, promos, ads, spoilers, dedicated social media pages, or the various other typologies of paratexts at its disposal to control our entrance into an animated work and to shape our reading of it? What kind of paratexts do animation fans generate? How is paratextuality employed to prolong the life of an animated work and/or to expand its narrative? How has the paratextuality of animated films evolved across time? These are only some of the questions that this month’s theme seeks to tackle. Indeed, we invite posts looking at industry-generated and fan-generated paratexts of animated works from any perspective.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • fan-generated paratexts and animation;
  • industry-generated paratexts and animation;
  • genres, paratexts and animation;
  • opening titles, end credits and the animated film;
  • animated features and their promotional campaigns: posters, ads, dedicated websites and social media pages, trailers, promos, spoilers, and so on;
  • paratexts, narrative expansions and the animated film;
  • the paratextuality of animation today and yesterday;
  • animated films and television works and their reviews;
  • “making of” documentaries of animated features.

Posts of between 600 and 900 words, which discuss any aspect of the above topic are welcome. Contributors are encouraged to include clips and at least one image to support their posts. Please also include a short bio and 3 keywords. All permissions are the responsibility of the contributor. Please contact the editors Nichola Dobson (nichola_dobson@yahoo.co.uk) and Cristina Formenti (cristina.formenti@unimi.it) with submissions or questions.