"Naomily Phenomenon" INTERVIEW
Dra. Cook: Could I just take this opportunity to thank all of your fans who took the time to submit questions. I am so pleased by your interest in the book. Although I cannot go into too many details that will be covered in the book, I have tried to answer as best as I could. Please feel free to follow me on Twitter and ask me more things if you wish!
- Do you know if the book is going to be translate in spanish? Bárbara, Chile (17)
Apologies to all the non-English speaking fans, but my publisher does not have the resources to release translations of any of their books at this stage. There might be a possibility of making arrangements with foreign publishers if there is sufficient demand for translations, but we would have to wait and see what happens.
- The book just talk about the Phenomenon or the book will have story about Naomily? Did you think to write a book just for Naomily story? Mariane, Brazil (16)
The book will not be a fictional story about Naomi and Emily. It is a study of how the story developed in the writers' room, how it was brought to life by the directors and the actors, how Skins and the storyline were promoted in the media, how critics reacted to it and, of course, how fans all around the world have responded. I'm interested in why the storyline is important to so many people and I'm also going to use it as an opportunity to consider how the internet has changed the way people interact with television shows that they might normally miss if they live outside the show's primary broadcast market, as well as how they interact with actors and other fans. Basically, I'm studying how Naomily became an international phenomenon and why it's important in terms of television history and cultural studies. Although the book is aimed at fans, it will also be of interest for people who are interested in film, media and cultural studies.
- It's quite clear to why there are many people in the world who are interested and are fans of the Naomily storyline, but what exactly made you so interested that you wanted to make this book? (In which I am extremely looking forward to!!) Meg, England (18)
I was intrigued by the way a low-budget, post-watershed, teen show made for a cable network became way more popular and generated much more intensive feelings among fans than anyone expected. Theoretically, Skins should not have made much of an impression outside of its target UK market, but it did and that was something that seemed to me to be worth studying. I take a personal pleasure in the Naomily storyline and I wouldn't be doing a project like this unless I loved the subject matter. Researching and writing a book takes a lot of work and it's never good to go into it unless you have a deep feeling for the material because that's what gets you through all the challenges that arise along the way.
- This book will translate to turkish? thank you Meryem, North Cyprus (17)
Unfortunately, there are no plans for translations at this time.
- Is the book will have several volumes or just is going to be a one volume? What did you like about this couple which made you to take the decision to write a book? Angelica, Colombia (14)
The book will be a single volume but I will be publishing articles and doing conference papers based on the research I have done, so there will be a variety of publications coming out about the Naomily phenomenon. I was drawn to Naomi and Emily initially because I could see aspects of myself in their characters (as I'm sure many fans can). I was also quite attracted to the storyline because it is quite a simple love story that draws upon a range of emotions and experiences that make it feel like something you can really believe in and support. I love the purity of their love for each other and the way that Skins treated it as an ordinary relationship rather than some exotic, unnatural coupling. The more I've talked to the production team, the more I've come to appreciate everything about Skins as a show--especially the way it tries to encourage emerging talent and celebrate the experiences and viewpoints of teens. So many shows treat teens in a patronising way and the vast majority of the shows I've seen don't do justice to the teen characters because they make them so one-dimensional and predictable. Personally, I think that teenage years and the most terrifying and thrilling times in life; I'm also coming from a background in teaching teenagers so I come at the project with a real appreciation of the things teens are capable of accomplishing!
- Is your book going to be writen as a psychological analisis of the influence entretainment (Naomily in this specific case) has on audiences, a study on the Naomlily phenomenom from a sociological/cultural point of view or a compilation of facts about Naomily, that people does not know about? Viridiana, Mexico (23)
Yes, I'm very interested in the relationship between film and television and society, so the book definitely won't be just a compilation of facts that people don't know already. Even when I talk about the unseen bits I will be discussing them in the context of how the Naomily phenomenon has expanded beyond the seen bits to include sequences that were never part of the broadcasts. As some of the unseen footage was revealed through previews and the mashup competition promoted via the website, this is another aspect of the internet's influence on the fan's relationship to the show. In addition, I will be delving into things like fan psychology and the psychology of stardom, plus I will be looking at the relationship between online fan communities and real life, as well as the issue of how the Naomily phenomenon engages with attitudes about sexual orientation.
- I wonder how did the idea of doing the book? If you followed closely the story of Naomily during the series? And what did you think of the interpretations of Lily and Kat? Raisa, Brazil (18)
I heard of Skins when it first came out but I never watched it while it was being aired on E4 in the UK. I had never even heard of Naomily until I was doing some research for a different project and came across the After Ellen website, where Naomi Campbell and Emily Fitch were ranked among readers' favourite lesbian characters. I was interested in the show's representation of the schoolgirl romance because there aren't that many films or television shows that treat teen lesbian storylines seriously (in a non-exploitive way). I watched series 3 and 4 back to back thanks to the wonders of on-demand viewing and I was absolutely bowled over by what I saw. As a film and television scholar, I watch a lot of shows and it's rare to discover performances and storylines that move me as much as Lily and Kat's interpretation of Naomi and Emily did. It's the sort of performance that you feel in the pit of the stomach because it's so raw and authentic. My admiration for their work was definitely a major source of motivation to write the Naomily book. This was also one of the reasons why I wanted the book to serve as an outlet for them to talk about their characters in ways they couldn't when the show was still being aired on television.
- Just wondering is there actually a Naomily novel coming out. Who is it written or being written by and what can I except from it? How soon will it be available in Australian bookstores? Grace, Australia.
I have not heard anything about plans to release a Naomily novel, so I'm afraid you'll just have to look forward to my non-fiction book. :-)
- What do you think about the Naomily fans? Eileen, England (20)
I have to credit fans on the Naomily threads of Fan Forum with helping to inspire me to write this book. After watching the show, I wanted to see how other people felt about it, and after seeing the massive response to it on messageboards I realised that this was something special that needed to be studied. I am so grateful for the support and involvement of all the fans who've written to me. Given the huge role fans played in making Naomily the golden couple of Skins Generation 2, the book will explore how online communities, fanfics, fanvids and fan sites contributed to the phenomenon and keep it going even after the show has ended.
- Do you think Naomily storyline helped, in some way, teenage girls? Laia, Spain (21)
Definitely. Although I would never suggest that they are perfect, they embody 'girl power' with their intelligence, strength and unwillingness to be dominated by boys around them and their coming out story normalised a relationship that a lot of people still find immoral, unacceptable and unnatural. To girls watching the show (or, indeed anyone), it offers a sign that it's okay to be assertive and independent and and love whomever you like.
- Would you give me a book? Just kidding... I heard many people say "this book is a waste of time and they are doing this only for earn money" What would you say to this people? Den, Mexico (22)
When I decided to write this book money was the last thing on my mind. I'm an academic by trade, which is hardly the job one goes into if they are driven by the desire to make money. I loved the storyline and I saw it as something quite significant in terms of television history and cultural studies. Since my background is in film and cultural studies, anytime something attracts the level of attention that Naomily has generated, I want to know why. The story means a lot to fans and I wanted to write something that would not only celebrate that, but show why the storyline is important beyond its entertainment value. Although Company Pictures and Channel 4 have supported the project and given me access to everything I have asked to see, they are not involved in the publication nor do they receive a portion of the sales. My publisher is a new academic press that I chose specifically because they were willing to give me the flexibility to write something that would be interesting to fans as well as academics. The publisher liked this topic because they are interested in media, cyberculture and some of the other themes involved in the Naomily phenomenon. As a publisher, they need to turn some level of profit to keep themselves afloat, but if you want to learn more about their commitment to fostering dialogue and the exchange of ideas, feel free to visit them at http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/publishing/. They currently sponsor conferences, journals and publishing in a variety of topics and I am extremely proud that the Naomily book will be part of their range of publications. If anyone out there is interested in getting involved with the Inter-Disciplinary.net projects, feel free to contact them for more information.
- If you could do a little resume about the book... What was the opinion from all people you interviewed? Marta, Spain (22)
If this question is asking for a summary of the book, I think I answered it with my response to another question. I haven't worked out specifically how I'm going to organise the book, but that information will be made available closer to publication. Everyone connected with the show from the writers and directors at Company to the PR people and marketing executives at Channel 4 have been so helpful and I am extremely grateful to them. While I can't really do justice to everyone's opinion, everyone was extremely proud of the storyline and the way it was received by fans. They never expected that it would take off, but once they became aware of the following they knew they had something special. They have been very complementary of Lily's and Kat's performances and they are pleased to see a book being written about the Naomily phenomenon. For more specific information about what we talked about in interviews, you'll have to read the book.
- What do you think is due this phenomenon? Alison, Venezuela (19)
This is one of the themes of the book, so I can't go into too much detail at this point. To some degree there will always be something about any 'phenomenon' that defies total explanation. Perhaps that indefinable element is what makes something a phenomenon. However, I think a large part of the Naomily phenomenon hinges on the fact that there is something about Naomi, Emily and their love story that nearly everyone can relate to, regardless of who they are, where they live and how they identify sexually. It offers a basis for viewers to connect across age groups, cultures, national borders, sexual orientations, etc. and interact in online communities. It spurs viewers' imaginations and inspires them to be creative with their fanfics, fanvids and drawings. I think that anytime so many people love something the way that fans have come to love Naomily it's worth exploring.
- You mentioned something about some delete scenes, if you would get the permission, how would you put them in the book? Eve, France (21)
Ideally, I would like to get permission from Company Pictures to post entire sequences online so that fans can see them. But even if I can't get clearance for that, I will reproduce excerpts from the shooting scripts that describe scenes and dialogue and I will probably be able to reproduce still images from those missing sequences.
- I heard you will interview Lily Loveless and Kathryn Prescott, you are going to interview them together? Or separately? Rachel, Canada (17)
I wanted to interview them separately because I thought it was a more effective use of time and because I wanted to give them each a chance to express their own viewpoints. I love the television interviews where they appear together, but in this case it was important that they each had their own space to think and respond to the questions.
