Ethnographic Survey by the University of Chicago

[hekauuc]

Hello! I'm composing an ethnography of the "Buffyverse" for a class at the University of Chicago, where we've been asked to find and observe an Internet "subculture". I chose the collective you, in part because of nostalgia-- I grew up watching Buffy, with family members on the boards-- but also in part out of curiosity, never having participated in the fandom myself.

After much observation and lurking, I have devised some quick questions to ask of you. While I do not expect to get a profound and all-encompassing image of who you all are in so short a time, both as a whole and as your very separate parts, I hope that through your answers I can gain an accurate if general picture of you.

You may either post your responses here or email them to me at [e-mail], whichever you would prefer.



1. What drew you to the discussion boards?
1A. Did you end up connected to any particular one? Why?

2. How did the board you most frequent/frequented come into existence?

3. Were you more drawn to the intellectual aspects of the show, or more to the entertainment aspects?

4. Now that BtVS/AtS are both "over" in terms of TV, what effects have you observed on the boards?
4A. How have the Season 8 comics affected the boards?

5. Did you find that you learned anything about other cultures, etc, due to the international composition of the boards?

6. Did you find that interpretations, observations, or opinions concerning BtVS/AtS were linked or varied according to region/culture? Did you find the opposite?

7. Did you have any interaction with board members outside of the discussion boards? If not, were you aware of any? Did you wish that you could meet any in real life?

8. What would you say is the importance or place of the "ships" in BtVS/AtS? Would you say that the relationships were integral to the plot, or did you find them to be to the side of the main story?
8A. What role did these relationships play in the fandom?

9. What role did fanfics play in the boards? What do you think their relationship to the shows are?

10. For those who have been in fandom for awhile, please list 3 moments in the fandom, good or bad, that you felt were particularly momentous. Of particular interest are events that occurred on the boards.

11. There is a widespread use of acronyms amongst the "verse", ranging from actor's names to episode names, unique events/elements of a board to the boards themselves. If you could, please list five and provide their "real" names (i.e. SMG= Sarah Michelle Gellar), and if you choose to mention an element of a board please provide some rather brief background information if needed for context.
11A. Did you use any other, non-acronym terminology? If so, please list up to three.



Thank you, I really appreciate you time.

[commandercool]

1: I was drawn to discussion boards because I'm a hopeless nerd and I love discussing my geeky hobbies with other fans.
1a: I found this particular board from a link or google search, I think. I don't remember for sure.
2: I have no idea. I joined significantly after it started existing.
3: I guess I was drawn to Buffy for the entertainment aspects. Actually, I first checked it out last year because I am a huge fan of Runaways (a terrific series of comic books by Brian K. Vaughn) and I had heard that Joss would soon be taking over the book. I wasn't very excited about losing the writer who made the book what it was, but I decided to give Joss a chance. My mom had received season 1 of Buffy as a gift a few years before, but I hadn't ever seen the show. I watched three episodes and was immediately hooked.
4: I wouldn't really know. They've both been over since i started watching them, much less participating on boards.
4a: The comics are the main focus of the boards for me. The discussions of older episodes are very cool, but I'm here for the comics.
5: Very little. I don't necessarily know any of the foreign members at all, so I can't say I've learned anything.
6: From what I've heard and personally experienced, enjoyment of the shows is pretty much universally the same, except maybe in countries where the episodes are edited differently (such as China editing most of the lesbian themes out of the story)
7: I don't think I've ever met anyone from the boards, but it's a small world (but not really) so who knows? I suppose in theory it would be nice talk with some of these people in person, since they all seem like very nice people who share many of my interests, but it's nothing I'm looking for specifically.
8: The relationships between the characters were absolutely essential to the story. That is why I watched the show. The characters were so well written that watching them interact was amazing.
8a: A lot of what we talk about is plot based, but we certainly talk about the characters and their relationships sometimes, too. It's all a rich tapestry, etc. etc.
9: I don't know. I've never really gotten into fan fiction. I've written a few scripts myself, but they suck horribly and no one can ever see them. I assume fan fiction has probably helped shape the show. I would be amazed if the writers weren't occasionally inspired, even unintentionally, by something they read online.
10: I don't feel that I've been a fan long enough to answer this, or involved enough in fandom.
11: There are some acronyms, but not enough that it gets really perplexing like it tends to online sometimes.
BtVS: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (duh)
SMG: Sarah Michelle Gellar
OMWF: Once More, With Feeling (the Buffy musical)
I can't think of any more offhand, but I'm sure someone else can.
11a: I'm pretty sure at least some of what I say can be considered terminology, but I'm not sure what exactly.

Wow! That's a lot of typing. Sorry there were so many questions I was unable to answer. It's cool that you chose our little cadre of crazed fans for your project.

[Ferg]

1. I was drawn to discussion boards because no one in the "real" world really has the same love for this kind of thing like me, and then you go on internet and it's like wow there are hundreds of people out there like me!

1A. I'm not sure I know what that question means.

2. Not a clue.

3. Both really, you always need good old fashioned fun but a show without brains just doesn't work for me.

4. Ah, thats a tricky, if anything I've only seen the Buffy/Angel fanbase get stronger since the shows have ended.

4A. Well they've given us something new to discuss again, which is cool.

5. Americans are idiots... nah just kidding. Honestly I dont think I've learned anything.

6. Um no, I think people from all around the world love the show for mainly the same reasons.

7. No, and I'm not sure I'd want to, it would probably be kinda weird.

8. Ships? Never heard that one. Anyways I think relationship are key to the show, I mean come one of the main storylines in season 3 is about buffy and angels relationship. I don't think the show would work without the relationships.

8A. I think they play are large part of fandom because people are always arguing about who is better for Buffy, Angel or Spike etc... It can get very heated.

9. No idea, I dont like fanfic.

10. no idea on this one too

11. Only one I can think of are the ones commandercool listed, sorry

11A. I don't think so

sorry I couldn't really anwser a few of the questions