The Case Study of Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Scholarly Commons ...

subject had the potential to be cultivated further. Hence, I embodied Tulloch and
Jenkin‟s definition of a follower (as cited in Hills, 2002, p. x). The product I engaged
with that helped cultivate my fandom to this state was the cast and crew interviews of
Sherlock Holmes (2009). Found on YouTube, these unofficial secondary products
contained traces of the film‟s enchantment. Interviews with actors, directors, producers
and even the authors of a media product are an interesting aspect of fandom. According
to Saler‟s (2003) theory of enchantment, each viewer, whether a fan or not, possesses an
“ironic imagination” (p. 606) and the ability to embrace both fiction and reality.
Interestingly, it follows that a follower and a fan often seek out interviews and behind-
the-scenes footage. I obviously did, for I found the real-world aspects of the film‟s
production to be equally as enchanting as the final product. I believe this is because,
without knowledgeable discernment, I associated all forms of memorabilia with the
enchantment of the primary product, Sherlock Holmes (2009). I soon progressed from
Tulloch and Jenkins follower (as cited in Hills, 2002, p. x) to Hills (2002) proto-fan.
According to Hill‟s (2002), proto-fans are “fans in the making” (p.55). They have yet to
claim the status of a fan but they show signs of lasting commitment. At this stage of my
fandom, general audience knowledge still guided my choices in products, so, in an
attempt to engage with the original Holmes products, I read The Hounds of the
Baskervilles (1902/2003). When I encountered the original character, all previous
commercial enchantment conjured by Sherlock Holmes (2009) was replaced with
genuine intrigue; I soon became enchanted by the contradiction of characterisations that
I witnessed. Between viewing Sherlock Holmes (2009) and reading The Hound of
Baskervilles (1902/2003), I was similarly enchanted by my own inability to understand
what I thought was a seemingly straightforward character. I therefore returned to
YouTube with the hope of finding a visual adaptation that would define the character
for me, for while the internet is one medium in itself, it is also a platform for many
others, making the internet an extremely powerful tool in the cultivation of a fan. The
messages this medium transmits draws upon the combined efforts of all the mediums
that precedes it. Through it the consumer can not only relive their fandom but revive it
as well. YouTube often influenced the direction of my fandom by displaying television,
film and literary products alongside each other. There I soon found Granada‟s Sherlock
Holmes (1984-1994).
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