We live in a KathNiel world: A short documentary on the KathNiel fandom culture

Date of Publication

8-7-2023

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Major in Communication Arts

Subject Categories

Film and Media Studies

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Communication

Thesis Advisor

Eleazar L. Del Rosario

Defense Panel Chair

Gerardo A. Mariano

Defense Panel Member

Kristian Agustin
Fatrick Tabada

Abstract/Summary

Illustrating Filipino fandom culture through the lens of the ‘KathNiels,’ a community of fans of the renowned love team of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, We Live In A KathNiel World takes us into the inner workings that drive the long-standing fandom—from participating in events that support the love team’s current projects to creatively organizing their own initiatives for a bigger cause. The 23-minute short documentary follows Alexis Jabon, a 12-year fan and an admin of the KathNiel KaDreamers Tacloban chapter, who flies from Tacloban City to Metro Manila to finally watch All-Star Games, an annual star-studded sports event that Bernardo and Padilla will attend.

Covered in the documentary are distinct activities and practices that the fandom invests a massive amount of emotional and financial resources into, with KaDreamers Tacloban’s mangrove tree planting initiative and the KathNiels For Leni-Kiko movement at the core of these mobilization efforts. Guided by the theories of group dynamics and participatory culture, the documentary explores the profound transition of KathNiel fans from passive audiences of media to active agents of social and political change by harnessing their passions.

The short documentary is a hybrid production consisting of online interview clips conducted with the consulted experts and in-person film footage accomplished with the fan participants in Tacloban City and Metro Manila. Shared and sourced-out photo and video materials are likewise incorporated to aid in the storytelling.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Documentary films; Fans (Persons)

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Embargo Period

8-11-2023

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