The Validation of the Internet Fandom: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Fandom and the Age of Tumblr

 photo by June Matics

At A Scintillation of Scions V, I (Curly) presented a paper entitled The Validation of the Internet Fandom: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Fandom and the Age of Tumblr. It was very well received and made a lot of people cry (gyah sorry!). My heart sort of swelled as I walked back to my seat and kept getting stopped, Sherlockians new and old thanking me, telling me how fantastic it was, and that they were so proud and pleased. I hadn't felt like I had done anything monumental or extraordinary, but after awhile I realized that maybe I had done something important.

So, here is the paper in its entirety, as well as the recording from the actual presentation (so I can prove people laughed and clapped!) I hope you like it.

To listen to this presentation please [CLICK HERE]

To read the paper, click the read more link!

Video: Sherlockian Freeze in Trafalgar Square for Undershaw

The video for our flash mob & more! Take a look!




On April 21st we, in partnership with @ReichenBex, hosted a meet up in support of Save Undershaw (www.saveundershaw.com), which has been trying to save the former home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories and much more. The idea was a flash mob freeze. Around 70 of us gathered onto the National Gallery terrace at 2PM, some holding signs, others in full Sherlockian gear (Victorian & modern alike!), and then froze for five minutes. Tourists and locals alike took notice, were confused, and then were enlightened.

It was an amazing.

Here is some video from the event, as well as an anecdote from two girls who flew all the way from Chicago just to come and support Undershaw. Brilliant, and very touching.

All music is royalty free. We do not own or claim to own any characters associated with Sherlock Holmes or BBC Sherlock.

NYC has been officially Sherlocked. #BELIEVEINSHERLOCK

More information and photos can be found on the [Baker Street Babes tumblr page].

Baker Street Babe Lyndsay, her delightfully artistic hubby Gabe, and their epic friend Melinda pranced and danced* their way around New York City with customized I Believe In Sherlock Holmes & Moriarty Was Real placards and stickers. The Sherlock Holmes ones even have The Baker Street Babe logo on them!

Times Square, Broadway, Wall Street, the subway, NYPD (heehee *snicker*), and Delmonico’s are just some of the landmark places they spread the word of Sherlock Holmes and Jim Moriarty.

More photos as well as close-ups can be found on Melinda’s [flickr page].
This was a collaboration between The Baker Street Babes & The Baker Street Journal.

Episode 20: Joe Lidster & Blogging Sherlock

---- LISTEN

Joe Lidster is the talent behind BBC Sherlock's blogs (John Watson's Blog, The Science of Deduction, Molly Hooper's Blog, & The Connie Prince website). With a fabulous writing repetoire including Doctor Who & Torchwood, it's no wonder he is a BBC fav. Babes Curly & Marie (plus Curly's snarky flatmate/BSB Science guru Stephen) got to sit down with Joe after hearing his great talk at BAFTAGames' Transmedia Meetup.

It’s a brilliant episode and loads of fun. We chat with him about our love for Molly Hooper, how he got into Sherlock Holmes, jellyfish, viagra, getting into character, and generally a lot of gushing about Sherlock. We talk a bit about the #BELIEVEINSHERLOCK campaign as well. Warning, there are spoilers for Sherlock Series 2.

You can follow Joe on twitter at @joelidster , he loves getting new followers haha, though apologizes if he only talks about lunch and going to the pub.

The event was hosted by @BAFTAGames, and the folks there are amazing. Seriously, if you’re in London, you need to follow them on twitter. They have tons of free events and talks.

The Importance of the Sherlock Fandom

 Original post is on our tumblr, which also has high-res photos: bakerstreetbabes.tumblr.com

28.01.12

To mark the anniversary of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson meeting, brave souls ventured out into the winter winds of London. Full of laughs, smiles, and an enduring love, they gathered outside the famous door and proclaimed their support for The Great Consulting Detective

The Sherlock Holmes Anniversary Meetup 2012 in London had over 50 people who Believed in Sherlock Holmes. They also want you to Save Undershaw, the home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

You can find out more about this meet up and others at sherlock-meetup.livejournal.com

Help to save Undershaw by visiting The Undershaw Preservation Trust at www.saveundershaw.com

From Ardy:

So I come home on the Sunday night after this meetup, exhausted and floating on emotions, and this photoset has a lot of notes. Like, A LOT.

I don’t even know what to say. One month ago, some friends were saying we should have another London meetup for Holmes-met-Watson Day, so I went “well, if no one else does it, I’ll just put up a post on LJ and see what happens.”

And then Curly made these cardboard letters, and this is what happened.

Thanks to all who came and made this weekend what it was. Thank you for your presence, your support, your fannish enthusiasm, your conversation, everything. It was great seeing so many happy faces and people enjoying themselves. You were fabulous.

I am moved beyond measure by the amazing response to these photos, I am just sitting here with tears in my eyes because this, this, is why I am in fandom. This is what fandom should be about: fun and friendship. Especially so if the fandom in question is centered around the greatest friendship in literature.
It was truly special and I am sure I will remember it for years to come.

From Curly:

Ardy is the one who made this meet up happen. Curly is just a dork and spray painted a bunch of boards (which nearly killed her poor flatmates).

But in all seriousness, this was an amazing moment. People who lived across the street ran down the stairs to take pictures. People stopped along the street. Everyone was smiling. To see a group of people come together with such joy and love for characters and a cause is amazing. The staggering response we’ve had to this is beautiful because this IS what fandom is all about. Sherlock has given so many of us friends, and these pictures here are real testament to that. Some of us knew each other, or had heard of each other, but we mostly didn’t. We just had one thing in common, and that is a love for Sherlock Holmes, his good doctor, and the world he lives in (regardless of the century).

We came together this weekend to celebrate these two men, these stories, and what they’ve given us. Rounding the corner to se people spilling into the streets nearly floored me. Hearing the cheers when I pulled out these boards made my poor little heart go all a flutter. This was amazing. THANK YOU to everyone who came to the meet up. THANK YOU to everyone who has liked and reblogged and even looked at these photos. PLEASE continue to like and reblog them, PLEASE continue to spread the love about #BELIEVEINSHERLOCK and especially Save Undershaw.

Thank you all. Thank you fandom.
xx Curly