It is often difficult to answer the question often posed by those that have never seen Fringe – “What’s it about?” Fringe is so many wonderful things, that a few minutes to explain just doesn’t do it justice. This show dares us to think beyond what is known to be possible. After all, Walter said that just because talking lions and flying monkeys have not been documented, does not mean that they don’t exist. He also once told Peter to open his mind before someone else did it for him. We have opened our minds, and we can use our hearts and imaginations to create the world we want.

The show challenges us to be more than who we are. To cross the line – to see how far we can go.

However, “Crossing the Line,” like many things in Fringe, has a double meaning.  Fringe can be summed up very simply: How far will you go to save someone you love?

From the start, Fringe shows how this is the case. We were introduced to Olivia Dunham, an FBI agent in a secret relationship with her partner, John Scott.  When John’s life was put in the balance, Olivia went above and beyond in her efforts to save him, flying to Iraq to drag reluctant Peter Bishop back with her so that she could receive help from his father,  Dr. Walter Bishop. Little did they know that they had met as children, because of what Walter and Bell had done to Olivia as a Cortexiphan trial subject. Little did they –and we- know that love would grow between the two hurt souls.

However, the “zero event” that started it all was revealed in the iconic episode, Peter. Walter risked a world in order to save another version of his son.  In Over There, Olivia crossed into the parallel universe, a hostile unknown world, because she believed Peter’s life was in danger.  After almost losing him, she realized that she had feelings for him. And finally was able to tell him, “You Belong with Me.”  In Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Peter risked the unknown, by trying to find Olivia, lost in her own mind.

Some of the best examples come from characters other than our main Fringe Teams.

In Midnight, Nicholas Boone used his own spinal fluid to keep his wife alive.

In White Tulip, Alistair Peck repeatedly tried to go back in time to the moment that his fiancé was killed, hoping to save her.

In August, an Observer –despite their known unemotional nature- gave his life to save fated-to-die Christine Hollis, because he grew to love her over the course of her life.

In The Same Old Story, Dr. Penrose allowed his surrogate son to kill in order to stay alive.

And perhaps the ultimate expression of love came in The Day We Died, when Peter made a different choice in the machine,  essentially giving up his life in exchange for the lives of those he loved.  Now, tossed into a new time-line, his mission is to get back to the people he loves.

Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly said it best:

At its big, red, throbbing heart, the show tells the story of a love so powerful, it crosses universes.

 This week, the Fringenuity Team wants to celebrate that heartfelt sentiment. And we’ve come up with a fun event that will ask Fringe fans to do what they do best – creatively express their LOVE for the Fringe LOVE story.

We’re having a contest! 

 

Overall Rules

• The theme of the event is #FringeIsALoveStory.  We want to convey the love that fans have for all the types of love in the show.
• The contest is open internationally.
• Get Creative & Have Fun! It can be serious, humorous, whatever – just show us you had a good time making it.
• Make sure all submissions are your own and not made by someone else.
• Plagiarism of any kind will result in disqualification of entrant and all associated submissions. Please credit sources.
• You may submit entries to any multiple contests.

DEADLINE for all submissions  extended to 12am PST / February 18, 2012

We will announce the winners via Twitter, Facebook, and the Fringenuity website.

There are prizes for the winner of each category. Each winner may select either a mug, coaster set, or mousepad from the Warner Brothers Shop. We’ll pay for shipping anywhere.

Fan Video Rules

• 2 minute time cap
• Multiple entries are accepted
• Upload your video to youtube – tweet link to @Fringenuity and include #FringeIsALoveStory in the tweet
• Video should highlight theme of love – can include more than one ship or showcase different types of love seen on Fringe (Peter loving bacon, Altverse loving coffee, Walter’s love for his son or food, Astrid looking after Walter, Olivia loving Rachel and Ella etc).
• Videos can use any music and text titles but all video clips must be from Fringe, interviews, or DVD extras (e.g. the gag reel).
• Previously made videos can be submitted providing it fits the parameters of the competition
• Be creative, videos can be mashups of other shows/movies (e.g. Friends style video of Fringe – http://youtu.be/81nWbGibtYg) but need to support theme of love

Notes

• Fringenuity may RT your entry(ies) for everyone to enjoy
• If your vid is blocked by YouTube, we will contact you to retrieve your entry through other means (e.g. media file share site)

 Artwork Submission Guidelines:

A) Original Work Category

• Includes drawings, comics, paintings, cosplay, photography, digital art, portraits (use of reference acceptable) as interpreted by the artist

B) Composite Work Category

• Try to work with untouched photos, or photos that have not been previously significantly altered (like with some poster images)
• All submissions should be digital, and sent as either .jpgs or.pdfs.
• For .pdfs, find the smallest file size that is optimal to have your work evaluated.
• Name your files with following convention [name]_Art[category].jpg , for example, Cheribot_ArtB.jpg
• If we need to print out your art for judging, please ensure that the size does not exceed two letter-sized/A4-sized pages (we are not looking for billboards)

 Notes:

• Proof your PDFS because sometimes things sneak in on layers you may have hidden.
• If working with photos, look for high resolution photos so your work doesn’t look pixelated. Remember for RGB,  screen resolution is 72 dpi (300 dpi is optimal for print)
• If using scanned images, consider scanning at a higher resolution and tweak it later
• Multiple entries accepted but may require other transfer mechanisms for larger files
• All entries to be submitted to fringenuity@gmail.com

Written Works Rules

• Short fiction, essays and poetry.

 General

• All written entries must be in English, and well-written, with few grammatical/spelling errors.
• Entries may not have been published professionally (online amateur posts are OK) prior to the competition and must be original works by the author.
• The author retains all rights to his or her work.
• All entries to be submitted to fringenuity@gmail.com.
• Include your name and/or Twitter ID in the body of the email. Files should be sent as  attachments in a Microsoft Word file (.doc)
• Entries may be posted on Morethanoneofeverything.net for others to enjoy. Credit to author.

Short Fiction

• All short stories may be in any style or tense.
• Collections of snippets or “drabbles” are also acceptable.
• Any genre as long as the story fits the “Fringe Is A Love Story” theme. Examples include Romance, Drama, angst, Comedy,  Case File, Action/Thriller;  non-canon.
• No crossover stories from other shows or crack!ships  (relationships between characters from different shows.)
• Any couple pairing is OK as long as it meets the next requirement.
• No Mature (M) content please. For an idea of what is considered “M,” please see the standards set by Fanfiction.net.
• Stories are to contain 1,500 words or less.

Poetry

• Poems can be any style
• Each entry must be under 30 lines.
• Up to three unpublished, original poems may be submitted.

Essay 

• Essays must be non-fiction.
• They can discuss any topic related to Love in Fringe.
• Essays must be 1,500 words or less.

JUDGING

The Fringenuity Team: @dalliel, @cheribot, @fringeship, @birdandbear and @aimeeinchains. Along with the amazing @bubblevillefan and @DianaD76.

• Judging for videos will be based on meeting the above guidelines, creativity, and technical execution.
• Judging for short fiction will be based on originality, imagination, character development, and organization.
• Judging for poetry will be based on achievement of purpose, imagery, vocabulary, use of poetic device, and scope.
• Judging for essays will be based on clear subject matter, forming a solid introduction, and attracting interest and attention with connections and examples from the show, science, culture, literature, or other humanities.

 

 

Countless inspirational stories of love abound in Fringe  No matter what the case, or the relationship, there are “people that leave an indelible mark on the soul. An imprint that cannot be erased.”

Be creative and have fun!