HIGH POINT, N.C., Dec. 28, 2015 – Dr. Kate Fowkes, professor of communication in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication at High Point University, recently delivered the closing keynote speech at an international conference, The Fantastic in a Transmedia Era, in Odense, Denmark.
The conference brought together scholars from around the world to discuss “fantastic” media that portray otherworldly or supernatural events. This includes the genres of fantasy, science fiction and gothic horror as they are featured in movies, television shows, literature, games, blogs and other media.
Fowkes’ speech, titled “The Fantastic Today: Imagine That,” drew from her book, “The Fantasy Film,” and articles she’s recently published on the work of iconic filmmaker Tim Burton.
“The conference was exciting on many levels, not the least of which was the opportunity to interact with a body of scholars from different parts of the world, all who take an interest in the recent resurgence of these types of stories,” Fowkes says. “I thoroughly enjoyed my discussions with noted international scholars such as conference organizer Rikke Schubart, Cristina Bacchileg, Martin Barker, Stephanie Genz, Anne Gjelsvik and Angela Ndalianis.”
Her presentation covered recent trends in fantastic media and the tension between mainstream media, fan culture and independent cinema. She also stressed the importance of imagination and creativity, and the link between those values and the fantastic.
Fowkes also reminded the audience of the ways media content is highly influential in people’s lives and that media shouldn’t be mistaken for mere “escapism.” This is an idea she shares regularly with her classes at HPU, which include “Myth and Media,” her course on fairy and folk tales, and a new course she created this semester based on the research of Tim Burton films she shared at the conference.
“It’s important for students to study the fantastic in media – it’s a hugely important trend,” says Fowkes. “But beyond its current popularity, students need to have a critical and nuanced understanding of the value of this type of storytelling. I often tell my students that people think going to college is about learning the right answers, but there isn’t always one right answer. More importantly, who comes up with the questions? For that you need creativity and imagination, both hallmarks of the fantastic. Before you can live in an extraordinary world you have to envision it, and that, in my opinion, is truly fantastic.”