Hey everyone!
Meet the Fandom Star, Étiolles!
We're back with another Fandom Star Highlight! Join us as we explore the perspectives and contributions of the fantastic Stars who bring passion, creativity, and expertise to the Fandom platform. Today, we celebrate a fantastic editor who has contributed to the platform not only as a supportive and encouraging editor but continues to contribute to as many events and expand opportunities to fellow editors as possible. As Fandom continues its efforts to expand the conversation about the impact of global entertainment, this editor continues to ask critical questions about putting editors first and ensuring they continue to have the information they need. If you haven't met the Star Étiolles, bureaucrat of the French Lord of the Rings wiki, you're in for a treat. Read on to learn more about him, his editing journey, and his thoughts on entertainment.
Fandom Stars[]
1. How long have you been on the Fandom platform?
Étiolles: Hello!!! Let me just introduce myself first: my username is Étiolles but you can call me Louis, my real name. I am a French man living around Paris, I like to travel and learn, and also being curious! You may not have seen me a lot the past year on Fandom, I was in the US from September to June (I’m very proud of that!) thus I took a wiki break.
I’ve been registered on the platform since 2021 but actually, I’ve visited wikis like Harry Potter and Star Wars years before to join because I didn’t know “Fandom” as a wiki farm, I just visited those wikis as “normal websites”. I started to read a lot of Star Wars novels by 2020~2021 and therefore, visited much more the Star Wars wiki on my phone. I didn’t like much the experience on Safari and then decided to download the app, the day I created my account, May 3rd, 2021.
I was just exploring the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) French wiki and participating in some discussions when I saw in September of the same year that they were hiring new moderators. Without hesitation, I proposed myself for thread moderator and, without any knowledge about Fandom or anything "wiki", they recruited me. I didn’t believe it (and I still don’t) and then started my Fandom journey! I felt that I needed to contribute and did my best to get a computer (I didn’t have a personal one before, I wouldn’t have had any use for it) and I discovered Fandom, the wikitext, and the templates, and etc.
After, I became a content moderator in November 2022 and an administrator in February 2023; and you know what? A few days ago, on the 25th of August, after working a lot for the wiki outside of the community (presentation, participation in experiments, etc.), I got nominated bureaucrat!!! Globally, I also became Admin+ (thanks to a trick in the rule but shhh) and Star in the exact same month!
Aside from my journey on my home wiki, I’ve always been passionate about the community as a whole and, as I love to dig through the archives and old hidden stuff, I got to know well the history of Fandom and how the system was working pretty quickly. In fact, people usually thought that I was part of the old community members! I wanted to apply to the Community Council since February 2022 but it wasn’t open anymore. When I discovered the Star program, I jumped in, and without a big Fandom CV, I got accepted!
2. What inspired you to become a Fandom Star and contribute to wikis on Fandom?
Étiolles: So like I said in the previous answer, I’m passionate about the communities and the collaboration between users at Fandom. It is really what I’m seeking as a user and a Star. I always say that the most important difference between Fandom and Wikipedia is the community. Having an active and dedicated community is such a wonderful thing and that’s why I’m still on the LOTR Wiki: my coworkers, even friends now, make me feel safe and happy every time I am on that wiki! Also, the other programs such as the IVT, IWR, and other groups of volunteers motivated me! One of my biggest regrets is that I had to refuse to join the IWR when I got the job offer because I was going to the US for a year and I couldn’t spend 20 hours a week working for Fandom but I wanted so much to accept!
Also, I’m not going to lie, I am an ambitious person and like to be aware of my global environment so being a Star fulfilled all my goals as a user, administrator, and person!!!
3. How has being a Fandom Star enhanced your experience as a contributor on various wikis?
Étiolles: Being on Fandom taught me a lot of things, like coding, community building, writing skills, communication & diplomacy but also a bit of English. Being a Fandom Star allows me to communicate with other users like me but also users who are not like me and that’s what I like: the program is made out of many people who are culturally, intellectually, and socially different and sharing our experiences and teaching/learning from each other is, from my point of view, a key point of the program!
I never cared about some coding languages or features, but with all our discussions, I realized that it could be interesting to look at them. Finally, by being close to the staff members who share experiments and feedback, I feel recognized and valued for my work and it also allows me to share the Staff news and information with everyone and share feedback from users/visitors to them.
4. What has been your favorite wiki to edit?
Étiolles: My favorite wiki to edit has always been the Lord of The Rings Wiki in French. Our group of administrators and moderators is wonderful and the wiki environment is amazing! We collaborate closely and respectfully with each other, and every one of us is valued for our job and what we can do. Since 2020, the wiki has been at its peak of activity (while still having a very tiny community though) but I think the number of pages was 700 in 2020 and is now 4250.
I do most of the communication stuff: all of my friends there work on the wiki itself while I spend most of my time on other Fandom stuff. I do also the cleaning/administrative/technical tasks: I like that (I don’t like writing articles), and they create all the content. We complete each other, we respect each other, that’s all I can wish for and from a community!
5. What are some of the most rewarding moments you've had while editing and engaging with the community on Fandom wikis?
Étiolles: I would say it’s just the discussion my partners and I have and looking at the results of our common work. We don’t talk much, but when we do have discussions, they are meaningful and help the wiki progress in a good way. It’s so rare nowadays to be very productive that just seeing us working together and being productive is rewarding. After all that, looking at our work and saying to each other “Good job, what’s next?” is the best thing I can hear in my day!
6. How do you balance your time between creating content for wikis and interacting with fans and fellow contributors?
Étiolles: I actually don’t know… I spend a lot of time on Discord reading and participating in discussions with my fellow Stars but I’d like to spend more time editing on my wiki. The problem is that talking is easy and quick (just get on your phone and type) while editing requires a computer and a lot of time. (I also used to help a lot on the CC FR before a wiki break, I should think about going back there and giving some help sometimes!).
I consider that the hardest thing for an administrator or a regular user isn’t in wiki editing or communication, but balancing our time correctly. I sometimes have days where I only think about projects for my wiki, but I can’t spend my whole day on the computer. It’s hard to find a good balance, and I’ll probably never get it! But the most important thing is definitely thinking about our time as humans in real life. Wikiing is great, but it’s sad to waste good moments outside, with the family or anybody else because of a wiki. Some of my fellow users apologize for being absent because of family problems. I tell them it’s fine and between abandoning the wiki or the family, I’d give up the wiki first.
7. What advice do you have for aspiring Fandom Stars who want to make a positive impact on the wikis they are passionate about?
Étiolles: I’m going to tell you this: "Think global". Do your best to see Fandom as a whole, your wiki as part of a bigger community, and yourself as one of the many members and acknowledge the different scales. The key to understanding is to always take a step back and try our best to consider the situation both neutrally and from the many points of view that are part of the situation. How can you solve a problem by taking a side? How can you understand why there’s nobody on your wiki if you don’t look at other wikis or if you don’t ask yourself some questions? Sometimes I just say: stop having too many opinions about things you don’t know and instead, document yourself to understand the different opinions.
You can be passionate, but don’t let passion blind you. If you want to become a Star, an ambassador, and a mentor, you must be able to step back to look at what the situation really is and be able to understand what’s really going on.
Movies and TV[]
1. What movie or TV show has the best soundtrack in your opinion, and why?
Étiolles: I do love all the Star Wars soundtracks, they are absolutely wonderful and touching!!! I have a playlist on Spotify lasting several hours full of Star Wars songs. I also like the soundtrack of The Untouchables (1987), I think it really helps to get into the movie! I globally love movie soundtracks because they help feel the movies and the moments and how they are meant to be. Like if you hear tense music during a coronation, you know something wrong is going to happen; but instead, if you hear happy music, you know everything is normal and meant to be that way.
2. Who is your favorite actor?
Étiolles: I love Tom Hanks, he is, in my opinion, a very good actor and you can truly feel the character in his acting, it looks authentic And he looks like a very nice and humble person as well. I also love Louis de Funès, one of the most famous French actors. He made a lot of hilarious movies and they are all wonderful! I can also think about Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Ewan McGregor (in Star Wars of course but in Angels & Demons too, I love that movie), and a lot more that I can’t think about right now…
3. How do you think social media has influenced the way we consume entertainment and pop culture?
Étiolles: I think social media makes it easier to consume pop culture and to be aware of what’s going on, which is great! I’m not an expert at all on social media, besides Instagram to post pictures of my trips, I don’t use them!
4. What is your favorite movie, and what makes it stand out to you?
Étiolles: I have too many! There are spectacular movies like The Lord of the Rings, innovative movies like Star Wars, some comedy movies like The City of Fear (see next question), the Western movies like Tombstone. To be honest, there are far too many and I’m far too indecisive to select one!
5. What pop culture reference in a video game, movie, or music video do you find the most clever or amusing?
Étiolles: The comedy French movie “The City of Fear” has thousands (not lying) of cultural references, jokes, and puns. According to some movie analysts, the movie has a joke or cultural reference every 10 seconds, or six per minute. All of them are elaborated and not just bad. For those who think they can understand French, try that movie and we’ll see!
6. What is your favorite movie genre?
Étiolles: I don’t know, I like a lot of movies! If I find one, the summary looks nice to me, then I’ll watch it! Now that I think about it, I particularly love Western movies, especially after a year of living in Missouri wearing boots, big belt buckles, and a cowboy hat (that I still currently wear in France by the way)! I also like old and new comedy French movies from time to time, some action/thriller movies, but I globally like all genres.
7. What movie or TV show are you currently binge-watching, and what do you enjoy most about it?
Étiolles: I’m currently watching Suits on Netflix. Besides the Star Wars series, it’s the first one I watch. I started two weeks ago and I’m already in the third season, I simply love it! I like the fact that the action is at the center of Manhattan (even though they are filming in Toronto), it creates a kind of suspense and tension!
Books[]
1. What are your favorite genres of books?
Étiolles: A category we never think about is documentary books. I’m the kind of guy who can spend hours in a library looking at a bunch of books and encyclopedias. But if we talk about novels, I love the Tolkien books (I wouldn’t say Fantasy in itself though, I only like Tolkien because there is an authentic and complete universe). I like also fiction, I enjoy reading two or three Star Wars novels during my summer!
2. What is your favorite book and why?
Étiolles: I would say the Silmarillion, taking place before the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. I read it in French (sorry) and it is complete, with rich vocabulary and description, and passionate stories. I think I could re-read it every year, I would discover more and more things!
3. What character from a book do you relate to the most, and in what ways?
Étiolles: For once, I’m not gonna talk about the Lord of the Rings but about Star Wars: I identify the most in Reath Silas, from The High Republic because we are very similar people. I love being in libraries, reading and learning new stuff and I’m not well known for my physical capacities. I also don’t like to leave my home, depending on where I’m going. There are some parts of the world I’m not interested in at all and I’d refuse to go even if you offer me to, just because I don’t see the point, and other places I literally dream to go to. If you haven’t read the High Republic novels, I exhort you to, they are very nice!
4. What was the last book you read, and what emotional impact did it have on you?
Étiolles: I’m currently reading Gargantua, from François Rabelais, written in 1542; the story is insane! The story and sentences are so odd that sometimes you wonder if the author meant to write it that way or was just drunk. To understand, you must almost consider everything at the second degree and have a bit of knowledge about Renaissance/Antiquity but it’s funny to read some chapters, I’m like "What the heck does that even mean?!?!".
5. If you could write a story, what would it be about and what would you want the takeaway to be?
Étiolles: I’d love to have a story where a lot of universes are mixed up together. Like Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Avatar (the Last Airbender of course), and a lot of references to many universes. It would be totally messed up but I’d love to see that one day!
Gaming[]
1. What was the first video game you ever played, and what memories do you have associated with it?
Étiolles:I believe it is Star Wars LEGO on the Wii, it was wonderful! All the LEGO games on the console are very good! I have a lot of memories associated with it, playing with my brother late nights of summer, or other stuff like that. I like this question, bringing back old memories!
2. What gaming platform (console, PC, mobile, etc.) do you prefer, and why?
Étiolles: I only use my Xbox and my Wii (and used to play on DSI but I didn’t use it for a long time) to play and I think the Wii is better because it is more family-friendly than the Xbox. The whole family can play fun games on the Wii while it’s harder on the Xbox…
3. Who is your all-time favorite video game character, and what makes them special to you?
Étiolles: Definitely Minecraft, I spent the last five years playing on a creative world, it’s never gonna be done but the game in itself is such an incredible concept. Just love it!
4. What is your proudest gaming achievement or moment?
Étiolles: I finished the Clone Wars LEGO on my old DSI. I am not good at games, that’s actually the only achievement I have…
5. If you could live in the world of any video game, which game would you choose and why?
Étiolles: Again, it would probably be Minecraft but as a villager. I’m too scared to be an adventurer, explore big caves, and defeat the Ender Dragon. Just let me be and trade some potatoes…
6. How has gaming impacted your life and what do you love most about being a gamer?
Étiolles: I wouldn’t consider myself a gamer but I like the fact that gaming allows us to be on another dimension and sometimes escape the reality. I don’t like spending too many hours in a row playing a game though. It impacted me just by offering different points of view on some questions, some creativity and happiness by playing, simply, but also for not feeling alone while being with other fellow humans who are talking about games for hours.
7. Who are your top three favorite video game voice actors, and what performances do you admire the most?
Étiolles: Cannot answer, Minecraft doesn't have any voices, and the only voice I remember in Star Wars LEGO is the scream of the guys of the Cantina when they got disassembled!
Bonus Question[]
1. What is your favorite pop culture collectible or merchandise from a movie, game, or music artist?
Étiolles: I don’t collect anything from movies or games because I’m too cheap for this but actually (do you see the contradiction in my mind coming?), I love LEGO and I have a lot from a different universe, especially Star Wars. Otherwise, I would like to collect Pops but yeah, I’m too cheap for that…
Étiolles, I can't thank you enough for the enthusiasm and warmth that you bring to the Fandom Stars program! Your positivity and dedication to see the program improve is refreshing and motivates me to continue creating a space where I can provide events and opportunities for Fandom Stars to have a worthwhile experience. Your passion for everything you put your mind to as well as you impeccable design skills are admirable, always showing other that you can achieve great things if you simply take a step back and create something special. Finally, thank you for always entering Fandom Star events with with an open mind and creating a pleasant environment for our guests and fellow Stars, your hard work certainly does not go unnoticed and I am thankful you are in this program! Thank you for being a Star!