G5 fan content?

[Mana Minori]

Every Pony gen has the fans making the staple art of it- fan drawings, fanfiction. But I have to wonder if this expanse from staple fan drawings and fanfic and expansion into other artistic expressions, through PMV, music, fan animations, plushies, crafts, etc. will become the norm for Pony generations going forward- namely g5z How do you guys feel, if it is?

[lovesbabysquirmy]

definitely a product of technology and the time period! 

[CloudyGlow]

I think I agree with lovesbabysquirmy.  The internet has given a platforms to different artforms. A lot of franchises have fan content like music videos and songs. I remember when Harry Potter was at it's peak popularity I'd listen to fan music and watched more than one video of movie clips to Evanescence songs.

[LadyMoondancer]

I thought it was delightful!  Though I never had much interest in the music.  (But I appreciate the effort that goes into it.)

One of my favorite fan item was a homemade music box (? I think) and when you turned the handle the pony on top of it was jointed so she would move her head or tail.  I feel like I saw one with Fluttershy on it and one with Rarity.  (Almost typed Glory, oops!)

I also loved "Moonstuck", a homage to Homestuck but with adorable baby Luna stuck on the moon.  Very cute and wholesome.

Found the link for it:  https://woonastuck.tumblr.com/page/187

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I agree that this sort of fan content is intrinsic to a fandom in the years of major internet use and technology development. I can't see it going away, perhaps lessening in volume if the generation does not gain as much traction as G4 if anything.

[Sawkinator]

Speaking as a millennial (and someone who was initially drawn into ponies by fanmade G4 content and memes), it would very much depend on the show.

FiM was one of the first in a big resurgence of high-quality cartoons alongside shows like Adventure Time and Gravity Falls, which appealed to both kids and those in my age group who grew up in the 90s/early 2000s during the 'Golden Era' of cartoons (and that's not just my nostalgia goggles talking, it actually is called that in animations circles ). I think a lot of fan content was a perfect combination between millennials getting to an age where we had the time, skills and energy to make ambitious content like fanmade episodes and tons of fanart, and the appeal to our childhoods with Golden Age cartoons.

The next gen cartoon (not sure if Pony Life stuff counts as G5?) would probably need to be in the same kind of vein, with a good overarching plot and worldbuilding, decent animation/visuals, good characters, and also be lighthearted enough to offer an escape from everyday life. Although 10 years later and following on the heels of things like Steven Universe, the bar might be higher now than it was when FiM really took off. It would also have to appeal to those who are currently teenagers since they're likely to be a major force for content creation today - but I think their cartoon tastes do overlap with millennials, seeing as they literally grew up with AT and SU.

I think it's plausible, but the people who make the next show would need to be ambitious and committed to making a good cartoon and not exclusively see it as a vehicle for selling toys. Most of the 'good' cartoons with lots of fan content these days are made by people who genuinely love making a show and bringing their creation to life, which really shows and is much more appreciated by fans.

I just hope the next show wouldn't also draw in a large and... less savory crowd. I genuinely think FiM had a huge problem with that, and it's part of the reason I and many other people fell off the FiM bandwagon.

[Mewtwofan1]

As someone who has grown up in the age of technology, I think it’s a good thing. It has given so many people so many creative opportunities, allowing them to discover more about themselves. And as someone who hopes to one day produce a show that people will love the same way they love Steven universe, MLP and adventure time, it would fill me with such joy to see fan made content of what I make. If someone believes it is worth putting the effort into making a fan made music video or artwork, then I shall make sure my work is worth every ounce of their time.
With regards to g5 and fan work, I do think they will need a solid world to build upon and good characters. I wouldn’t make good work for something I didn’t believe was worth my time, and I think many creators would agree. We make art for the passion and joy it brings. If it’s not something that brings joy, why make it?

[SpacePinto]

Every Pony gen has the fans making the staple art of it- fan drawings, fanfiction. But with g4, we saw a whole flood of different forms of pony art- from original fan made music and remixes of the official music, to PMV’s, custom sculpts and crafts, to fan made fracking animations!

To be honest, I find plenty of G4 fan works to be pretty cringeworthy.

[Leave a Whisper]

Other then fanmade animation none of what you mention is new to any franchise that lends itself to creative endeavors. I don't know why anyone thinks sculpting, writing, customs, songs, crafts and stuffed toys got their start with FiM fans?  Sorry, but if some of them actually think that, they are full of themselves.

I remember my friend drawing and writing stories about new characters, because it was her dream to work at Disney's animation department some day.

I've seen handmade crafts at swapmeets with popular characters before and during the time when the internet was what it is today.

 When I started going online to research G3s and look up my old G1s, I saw lots of pony customs and fan crafts. I've even commissioned a few.

 The only difference is that it can be widely shared. Why would it be some recent thing when lots of people have tried their hand at it even as kids?

And people have been making up lyrics to songs for ages, often parodies belted out on the playground. Or Weird Al.

As for G5, I've seen a few pics but with it only an announcement, Hasbro wildly see-sawing between two different styles and no further official information in sight, people can only speculate, and there will be little of it till further notice.

[Carrehz]

yeah, this sort of stuff didn't start with G4. Although to be fair, I can't think of many other fandoms that have/had every sort of fan content like G4 does. Pokemon, definitely... Sailor Moon has most of it... prolly Harry Potter too... but this definitely isn't a FiM-exclusive thing, or anything FiM started, or whatever.

Honestly I think most of it is just that FiM was made at a time when it was very possible and easy to make elaborate fan content, share it, and profit from it. It's a huge fandom so you're pretty much guaranteed to get some attention for it, too. Whereas with older fandoms (pre-technology boom fandoms) there may have been the desire to do those things but not the ability, or the ease of attracting a wide audience, or what-have-you.

I think any fandom will get fan songs, videos, games, plushies, whatever, as long as someone wants to make them.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Previous to G4, we didn't  have as much tech to have a platform to share fanwork. 

Well, yes you can upload images of your plushies to a website, but having web platforms like Youtube, DeviantArt, and Imgur and Flickr really helped.  plus all the social media sites! 

[Leave a Whisper]

Disney, Star Wars and comics have gotten a lot of creative stuff over the years. And I agree with you on Pokemon.

[banditpony]

It stems down to what programs are now available at people's fingertips, and the ability to spread it all over in an instant, and how many people have access to the internet now...

The sky is the limit because of how many platforms we have to share, and the tools available to so many fans.

And quite frankly, that goes for ALL fandoms, and isn't limited to ponies. But the creativity in all fandoms has ALWAYS been there, but they certainly have evolved and grown in the past 30 years.

[Carrehz]

well, in the pre-internet days you had to pay postage, long-distance call fees, figure out how to get people together.. etc. Had to work with what you had.

In the early internet days you had to get internet access, figure out how to get your stuff online, get your hands on some webspace... etc. To say nothing of getting people to actually find it.

But these days everything's so easy! Used to be it'd take a good hour (at best) to get something on YouTube. Nowadays, you want to put something online? Just stick it on Tumblr, or Twitter, or YouTube, or whatever and slap a few hashtags on. Takes about five minutes. No need to worry about where to host it, cause there's all these free hosting places and social media sites and whatnot. It's a different climate to the one that older fandoms were born in.

[Mana Minori]

Every Pony gen has the fans making the staple art of it- fan drawings, fanfiction. But with g4, we saw a whole flood of different forms of pony art- from original fan made music and remixes of the official music, to PMV’s, custom sculpts and crafts, to fan made fracking animations!

To be honest, I find plenty of G4 fan works to be pretty cringeworthy.

um...care to elaborate on that?

Post Merge: June 08, 2020, 11:15:34 AM

Other then fanmade animation none of what you mention is new to any franchise that lends itself to creative endeavors. I don't know why anyone thinks sculpting, writing, customs, songs, crafts and stuffed toys got their start with FiM fans?  Sorry, but if some of them actually think that, they are full of themselves.

I remember my friend drawing and writing stories about new characters, because it was her dream to work at Disney's animation department some day.

I've seen handmade crafts at swapmeets with popular characters before and during the time when the internet was what it is today.

 When I started going online to research G3s and look up my old G1s, I saw lots of pony customs and fan crafts. I've even commissioned a few.

 The only difference is that it can be widely shared. Why would it be some recent thing when lots of people have tried their hand at it even as kids?

And people have been making up lyrics to songs for ages, often parodies belted out on the playground. Or Weird Al.

As for G5, I've seen a few pics but with it only an announcement, Hasbro wildly see-sawing between two different styles and no further official information in sight, people can only speculate, and there will be little of it till further notice.

ok, didn’t mean to offend, and I know these mediums of art existed before g4, but I was saying that I haven’t personally come across any, so either I’m looking in the wrong places, or they are rare and few and far between. I asked for a correction if I was wrong and there are some out there. And I appreciate you bringing this to light. I would also like you to point me in the direction of these earlier gen forms of art, if you please.

Post Merge: June 08, 2020, 11:18:03 AM

Previous to G4, we didn't  have as much tech to have a platform to share fanwork. 

Well, yes you can upload images of your plushies to a website, but having web platforms like Youtube, DeviantArt, and Imgur and Flickr really helped.  plus all the social media sites!

yeah, SnS has been a huge help to finding and discovering people’s Pony works for sure! And there are so many now that it’s hard to compile them all in one space. I know that Takara pony crafts and crochet plushies exist out there, for sure! (I actually forgot about those when I was writing the op).