A Big Bang is a fandom creation event where writers and artists collaborate to create new fanworks. Classic Big Bangs often require a minimum word count of around 50.000 words for writers, with artists claiming writing projects once first drafts or outlines exist - our Big (or Mini) Bang is going to work a little bit differently.
We want to center fun, lower the barrier for participation and spark collaboration more than anything, so:
* no minimum word count or minimum anything
* no drafts/outlines needed for the “claiming” process
* both artists and writers will put themselves out there (personal ad style) with as little or as many ideas or wishes as they have.
They can approach each other in the matching period. We might suggest matches and help where we can to make sure everyone ends up with a match.
We haven’t done this before and this setup is a bit experimental, but given that we’re a relatively small group of people, we trust that it will work out somehow and be fun.
Timeline
(subject to change as we go)
Sign-Ups Open: NOW - February 22nd
Matching Period: February 23rd - March 8th
Creation Period: March 8th - May 1st (not a hard deadline) + Regular Check-Ins
Posting: First week(s) of May
The Stages
SIGN-UP
Fill out the Google Form and let us know what you want to work on and how many projects you have time and capacity for as an artist and/or writer. All this information will be channeled into an overview over everyone who has signed up and made available to the other participants. It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist or a writer - matching will be possible in both directions. Maybe you have a concrete idea for a great image you want to draw and it inspires a writer who didn’t have a prompt so far?
Don’t worry about making your responses perfect - if you want to edit them at a later point, because you got a great new idea or you have less time than you originally thought, you can always message us and we’ll adjust!
MATCHING PERIOD
We make the “personal ads” of everyone available to all participants. Message each other on tumblr and see if you want to work together - as soon as a match is formed, let us know and we’ll lower your number of available matches or mark your “personal ad” as taken entirely and log your match. Congratulations! You’re welcome to start working on your projects whenever you’d like to!
Towards the end of the matching period we might start to talk to people individually, suggest matches or (with your consent) shout out your ideas and wishes to see if additional people want to get involved or existing participants want to take on another project. Maybe an unconventional artist-artist match makes two people happy? The world is (y)our oyster.
CREATION PERIOD
Time to write, draw, paint, collage, embroider… We’ll check in with everyone frequently on Discord and Tumblr.
If you need to drop out or lower the amount of matches you’ve committed to, let us know as early as possible so we can find new matches for people or get pinch hitters involved. Or let us know that it will simply take you a bit longer. The deadlines are supposed to help all of us have something to work towards, they’re not supposed to be an obstacle or source of stress!
POSTING
The results of our hard work will be posted on ao3 and added to a Big Bang specific collection. You’re obviously welcome to post fic links and art on tumblr as well so we can share and promote each others’ work!
We’re currently planning a posting schedule spread out over 1-3 weeks, depending on how many works we’ll end up with, but this is still subject to change.
What can I write/make art about?
Any Shakespeare play is game! Closely related stuff (like Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, Motive and the Cue) is allowed as well. It doesn’t have to be directly related to a role DT has played, but keep in mind the more obscure it gets the harder it might be to find a match!
If you’re unsure feel free to shoot us an ask or DM one of the admins (see end of post) before signing up and if you don’t have any concrete ideas yet, don’t worry! You might just find the idea you want to work on in the “personal ads” during the matching period, or you can brainstorm from scratch with your match once you’ve found each other!
We’re also hoping to get a bit of a prompt and idea economy going on this blog… Stay tuned!
How do I get on the discord server?
Once you’ve signed up via the form, send us an ask with your discord name on tumblr or DM one of the admins (see end of post) with the same account you’ve put into the sign up sheet and we’ll send you a link!
Please change your server specific name to your tumblr handle as soon as possible, so we can all find each other!
Who is behind this?
@tinysartorius, @elsinore-and-inverness, @thedemonraym @halfaninchofwater, @ancient-lesbian and @geese-villain at your service!!
To open sign-ups for our very own Shakespeare Big Bang!
We’ve been working away (through tears, given the Macbeth cinema release) and we’re finally ready to get this party started!
Join us in playing with century old dolls characters, making new mutuals and geeking out about Shakespeare.
If you have any questions, concerns or thoughts check out the FAQ and feel free to send us an ask or DM one of the admins (see FAQ) at any point! We absolutely do not bite and we only yell when we're really excited.
We’re very much looking forward to getting to know you all, so don’t forget to join us on Discord as well! (instructions in the FAQ)
Sign-Ups are open until March 7th!
HERE’s the FAQ outlining details and explaining how it will work
HERE’s the original announcement post in case you missed it!
FAQ - What is a Big Bang
Do you have questions about the rules, or deadlines?
Feel free to shoot us a message at @Shakespeare-Big-Bang on tu
I saw a production of Taming of the Shrew where the characters were gender-swapped, the aesthetic was 80s glam hair rock, and Petruchio was the lead singer of a band that played original songs between scenes.
Also, Petruchio was played by an incredibly hot Asian actress, and she winked at me.
Macbeth as a post-apocalyptic mad-max style warlord, in which every faction spoke a different language. Subtitles were not provided. As the play went on everyone became progressively more mutated from radiation until Lord and Lady Macbeth were rabid dogs (Lady Macbeth’s descent into madness was chillingly well-done) and Birnam wood was played by extras dressed as mutated trees. Deeply entertaining, incredible feat of costumes and makeup.
vs.
The Comedy of Errors that was the adaptaion “Boys From Syracuse” but rewritten to be in 1960′s route 66, played out on a stage that consisted of a single run-down hotel room where there had been a double (hah!) booking. Absolute Masterpiece of Physical comedy and stage managment becuase they gradually destroy the set as the play reaches it’s fever-pitch of confusion. The finale was sung while parts of the stage were on fire.
I love batshit insane interpretations of Shakespeare with a burning passion.
Macbeth performed by three goblins in FULL head goblin masks - the premise was that the goblins had found the complete works of Shakespeare and decided to do Macbeth as it was the shortest and bloodiest. Several audience members were stabbed. The goblins craved realism above all else.
The Royal Shakespeare Company is currently doing Hamlet set on the Titanic where the ship hits the iceberg right before Ophelia’s funeral and Hamlet T-poses at the end after he’s dead like Leonardo DiCaprio doing “I’m the king of the world”
Have any “production concepts”? You can bring them to the Shakespeare Big Bang! We’re not a real production company but we are a real worm, an actual worm, we live like a worm… wait, no…
The Macbeth cinema release is on the horizon and we are still entirely unable to not think about this once in a lifetime production every single day… So we have decided to create an opportunity to celebrate David Tennant's Shakespearian genius, make new mutuals and friends and create amazing transformative works and art!
We're organizing a David Tennant-centric Shakespeare Big Bang!
The Basics:
sign-ups open after the Macbeth cinema release (early February)
matching artists and writers end of February
creation period in March and April
deadlines towards the beginning of May
Especially the deadline at the end might be subject to change though! Don't feel discouraged from signing up if this might seem too busy for you now
Fun is Central!
no minimum length requirements
soft deadlines!
any form of media is welcome - including but not limited to: drabbles, one shots, lengthy explorations, Shakespearean language, crackfic and modern aus, digital or traditional art, collages, playlists, music, metalwork, embroidery… if you're unsure feel free to ask!
we're hosting a Discord server to connect with others, share WIPs, ask for help and cheer each other on (also on offer: regularly scheduled crying-about-Macbeth breaks)
I'd like to...
write
create art
create something else (music, playlists...)
do multiple things!
peruse the results with delight
Voting ended onFeb 7, 2025
We're excited to make some cool stuff and be nerdy about centuries old stories and incredibly talented actors with you all!
- @tinysartorius, @elsinore-and-inverness, @thedemonraym @halfaninchofwater, @ancient-lesbian and @geese-villain
To open sign-ups for our very own Shakespeare Big Bang!
We’ve been working away (through tears, given the Macbeth cinema release) and we’re finally ready to get this party started!
Join us in playing with century old dolls characters, making new mutuals and geeking out about Shakespeare.
If you have any questions, concerns or thoughts check out the FAQ and feel free to send us an ask or DM one of the admins (see FAQ) at any point! We absolutely do not bite and we only yell when we're really excited.
We’re very much looking forward to getting to know you all, so don’t forget to join us on Discord as well! (instructions in the FAQ)
Sign-Ups are open until March 7th!
HERE’s the FAQ outlining details and explaining how it will work
HERE’s the original announcement post in case you missed it!
FAQ - What is a Big Bang
Do you have questions about the rules, or deadlines?
Feel free to shoot us a message at @Shakespeare-Big-Bang on tu
The Macbeth cinema release is on the horizon and we are still entirely unable to not think about this once in a lifetime production every single day… So we have decided to create an opportunity to celebrate David Tennant's Shakespearian genius, make new mutuals and friends and create amazing transformative works and art!
We're organizing a David Tennant-centric Shakespeare Big Bang!
The Basics:
sign-ups open after the Macbeth cinema release (early February)
matching artists and writers end of February
creation period in March and April
deadlines towards the beginning of May
Especially the deadline at the end might be subject to change though! Don't feel discouraged from signing up if this might seem too busy for you now
Fun is Central!
no minimum length requirements
soft deadlines!
any form of media is welcome - including but not limited to: drabbles, one shots, lengthy explorations, Shakespearean language, crackfic and modern aus, digital or traditional art, collages, playlists, music, metalwork, embroidery… if you're unsure feel free to ask!
we're hosting a Discord server to connect with others, share WIPs, ask for help and cheer each other on (also on offer: regularly scheduled crying-about-Macbeth breaks)
I'd like to...
write
create art
create something else (music, playlists...)
do multiple things!
peruse the results with delight
Voting ended onFeb 7, 2025
We're excited to make some cool stuff and be nerdy about centuries old stories and incredibly talented actors with you all!
- @tinysartorius, @elsinore-and-inverness, @thedemonraym @halfaninchofwater, @ancient-lesbian and @geese-villain
