Canadian English-Language Web Series and the Production of Culture Online
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TELLING OUR STORIES ON THE WEB: CANADIAN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE WEB SERIES AND THE PRODUCTION OF CULTURE ONLINE by Emilia Zboralska Master of Arts, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2010 Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2009 A dissertation presented to Ryerson University and York University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Joint Graduate Program in Communication and Culture Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2018 ©Emilia Zboralska, 2018 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A DISSERTATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this dissertation. This is a true copy of the dissertation, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this dissertation to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this dissertation by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I understand that my dissertation may be made electronically available to the public. ii TELLING OUR STORIES ON THE WEB: CANADIAN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE WEB SERIES AND THE PRODUCTION OF CULTURE ONLINE Emilia Zboralska Doctor of Philosophy Joint Graduate Program in Communication and Culture Ryerson University and York University 2018 Abstract This dissertation presents the first critical scholarly analysis of the Canadian English-language scripted web series industry, its cultural practices, industrial dynamics and texts. Through in-depth interviews with 48 individuals active in the production of Canadian online scripted content, participant observation, and a benchmark quantitative analysis of gender and race in key creative roles in 175 seasons of Canadian web series, the dissertation investigates the web as an alternative space for Canadian scripted audiovisual content, and the actors and forces that have shaped and are shaping its development, including its emergent patterns of inclusion. By developing a novel theoretical framework that combines the critical political economy of communication with entrepreneurship studies, the dissertation is able to mediate effectively between structure and agency to reveal how Canadian web series creators are interpreting, internalizing and resisting larger institutional dynamics and discourses in their cultural practices and texts. Through their entrepreneuring, Canadian web creators are reacting to a variety of rigidities within the contextual iii dimensions in which they are embedded, including the absence of meaningful opportunities to practice their crafts, the persistence of networks of exclusion, and inaccurate or missing on-screen representations of themselves or others in mainstream media. Through their work, they desire to achieve freedom from these constraints. The challenge of disrupting the status quo is then revealed through an examination of the domestic and extra-national structural factors that act as impediments to their agency. The dissertation problematizes ideas of participation and access on the web, and introduces new conceptual terminology through the Participatory Culture Paradox, to encapsulate the contradictory set of relations that on the one hand, enables creators’ activities in the online space, and at the same time, constrains their capacity to find audiences and monetize their work. The findings here demonstrate that as much as internet-based distribution has expanded opportunities for participation for regular users, who you are, and where you are based, continue to be salient mediators of both participation and success in the development of professional scripted screen careers in the digital age. The dissertation culminates in actionable priorities for Canadian policy that aim at change. iv Acknowledgements There is no possible way for me to express the magnitude of my gratitude to the many brilliant and caring people who shared their energy, time, knowledge, understanding, resources and patience in order to help me on this path. I could not have gotten here without you. Thank you to my supervisory committee, Dr. Charles Davis, Dr. David Skinner and Dr. Nicole Neverson, for continuously supporting me and pushing me to go further. I am indebted to your expertise and kindness. Charles, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to expand my thinking and growth as a scholar and researcher throughout the years including your contributions of time, ideas, and funding. I genuinely could not have gotten to the finish line without your guidance and support. It’s all done, including the words! I am just so fortunate to have been surrounded by so many wonderful people throughout this experience. To the entire Faculty of Communication and Design community at Ryerson, thank you for embracing and encouraging me. Dr. Irene Berkowitz and Donna Ratchford, thank you for being such inspirational and fearless women, mentors, leaders and friends. Dr. Jeremy Shtern, thank you for being supportive and always ready to listen and offer advice. You’ve gotten me out of several pickles! v Maggie Reid, I was so lucky to find someone I mesh with creatively and who shares my passion for pushing the boundaries of Canadian storytelling. We’ve been on so many adventures already and they are only beginning. Yanna Chevtchouk, it was a privilege sharing the teaching stage with you. I’ve learned so much just by watching you in action. You two phenomenal women are next! Thank you to the Independent Web Creators of Canada for welcoming me, and inspiring me. To the talented creators and individuals who shared their stories and perspectives for this work, thank you so much for your time, enthusiasm and candour. To my other friends and family, I love all of you, and I know I’ve missed a lot. Thank you for your patience and for not forgetting me! Mamcia, thank you for always supporting me, and being there for me even though I’m “becoming the wrong kind of doctor”. I would be nowhere without your unconditional love and delicious cooking. Tata, thank you for your endless animal videos. Evan, I feel like you’re owed an honorary doctorate for putting up with me these last five years. This is as much yours as it is mine. Thank you for always being willing to listen, contribute and debate ideas in the middle of the night. I could not have done this without you. Finally, this work would not have been possible without support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Creating Digital Opportunities Project, the Canadian Media Research Consortium, the Ontario vi Graduate Scholarship, and the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Graduate School Fellowship, all of which are gratefully acknowledged. vii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. v List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 - Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 - Setting the Stage: Theory and Literature Review ........................................... 21 Theory ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Why CPE as the Foundation? ............................................................................................... 22 CPE, Structure and Agency .................................................................................................. 23 A Contextualized Entrepreneurship Studies ........................................................................ 30 CPE and Entrepreneurship Studies: An Unlikely Marriage ................................................... 37 Review of the Literature ........................................................................................................... 40 Critical Political Economy of the Traditional Television System ........................................... 40 The Internet, ‘Participation’ and its Spaces and Players ....................................................... 42 Production of Scripted, Serialized Content for the Web ...................................................... 50 Canadian Production of Scripted, Serialized Content for the Web ..................................... 57 Chapter 3 - Methodology .................................................................................................. 60 Qualitative, Semi-Structured In-depth Interviews .................................................................... 61 I.a. The Method .................................................................................................................... 61 I.b. Sampling ........................................................................................................................ 62 I.c. Coding ............................................................................................................................ 64 Quantitative Gender and Diversity Analysis of Key Roles in Web