Fan Films... are they worth it?

Jon Starr

Jon Starr

Veteran
I, like some members here, have come from, or still post on the boards of theforce.net (fanfilms.com) fan film making boards. But my question to all of you is how you view fan films. Not on a stance of if you enjoy them or not, but more about if you feel it's worth making one?

Now I've heard many times before that it's worth making something original rather than something using another person's material. I love being original and working on my own thing.

But here's the issue. Audience. Most of us have come out with several films, and some people here have come out with amazing, outstanding films, however we struggle to get a large audience.

Fan Films on the other hand have a huge audience. People love watching them. From Troops, to Ryan vs Dorkman, to various other films out there. So the question is, then does it become worth it? We've heard success stories, such as Ryan from Ryan vs Dorkman getting hired by Lucas Arts, then working on the special effects for Heroes and winning an Emmy for it.

What does everyone else think?
 
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I don't get fan films; why not change the names and events to protect your own innocence ?

Imagine all of these Star Wars FF that simply could have been orignal SciFi material ? Same for the gas ass INDY Fan Films; why not just crate your own Serial Adventurer ?
 
J.R. Hudson said:
I don't get fan films; why not change the names and events to protect your own innocence ?

Imagine all of these Star Wars FF that simply could have been orignal SciFi material ? Same for the gas ass INDY Fan Films; why not just crate your own Serial Adventurer ?
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Well a lot of people do it just for the love of the series. Some of them aren't in it for film making, just for love of, say, Star Wars. Heck, Lucas even holds a yearly fan film competition.

I suppose I'm stating it from the point of view of an aspiring film maker though, not the one that does it as a hobby.

Plus, a lot more people look online for films of people bashing lightsabers in their backyard, more than they do for original stuff.
 
Are they worth it? Sounds like a question with an answer that varies from person to person.

I guess it depends on what you're after. You'll never make any money off it. It's not likely anyone will see it and then award you the helm of a multi-million-dollar feature.

But if you do it just because you want to, what's the harm?
 
It's not really that I want to or not, I'm just curious about what others think. A discussion. I suppose I should have worded it better. I'll edit my post.
 
I've only ever seen a couple but I can see why people would do them. I'm going to get into fx make-up so I might take a stab at doing a Freddy Krueger short.
 
if your goal is VFX and stuff, I can see doing one. But there is no lack of indie filmmakers who will give you a shot to do VFX on their original films.

But Star Wars fan films are pretty much universally terrible. Largely because the people making them seem to have no original ideas. Which I guess is why they are making them in the first place. But also because they are not concerned with the things that make movies good. They are concerned with funny helmets and lame-ass light saber battles.

But let's be honest, out of the ACTUAL Star Wars films, only two of the six don't completely suck in the first place. So it's not like they are even starting with the best material.

The only good Star Wars fan films I've ever seen are the Leah's birthday one and this one:

http://www.sequentialpictures.com/moviestarwarsepisode3.html

I saw some Buffy ones too, but those were just unwatchable.
 
I got into making (or trying to make) original short films about 2 years ago. I try very hard to create original stories, ideas etc... I bum out on movies that I see that are not original. AS with a lot of people in this forum, we've seen a LOT of films, so it's always a little discouraging when you're watching a film and think "it's been done" or "I saw that before in this other film".

However, everyone steals. Just look no further than Shakespeare. There are so many films based on his plays it would be impossible to list them here. Yet people have taken his stories and put their own creative/original spin on them (Akira Kurosawa's RAN is one shining example....King Lear).

A few years ago, just before the first Star Wars prequel came out, I was working in a nightclub. We had a Star Wars party a day or two before the film was to screen. I had never seen my club so packed! People were lined up around the block all dressed as their favorite Star Wars character. In that respect, there is definitely an audience for these fan films. You probably won't make any money, but who cares if you are doing something that you love. AND to echo previous posts, it's good practice, shooting, acting, editing, visual FX etc...

Not something I'm into, but for those who are, I see no problems with it.
 
Well certainly everyone "steals," but comparing RAN's relationship to Lear with fan films is ridiculous. Now if someone took the story of Star Wars and re-wrote it and re-set it in High School, or as a film noir, or a cop story, with the same architecture/relationships/archetypes, etc, that is entirely different than one more light saber done in AE wielded by one more Darth Maul wannabe.

Like I said, the Leia's birthday thing was a pretty well done and creative little piece that shows a lot more initiative and creativity than most.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOwXIarEpzI
 
Mark Harris said:
Well certainly everyone "steals," but comparing RAN's relationship to Lear with fan films is ridiculous.
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Well, you kinda/almost got what I was trying to say.

Certainly not everyone (or probably ANYONE) who makes these fan films will ever realize the scope of something like RAN. Not many people in general can turn Shakespeare into cinematic greatness. But maybe somewhere, someday someone who is making FF's will put a strange, bizarre and original twist on a Star Wars (or Indiana Jones/LOTR/Harry Potter...whatever).

All I was trying to say (in leaning towards originality) was that it is possible for a FF maker to think outside the box and put their own spin on a story that they obviously love. I'm sure the Leah video (although I've not seen it....but will do so now) is probably one example.
 
It could get you some recognition. Look at the guys who made a full-length shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark in their back yard. Not saying they're famous, or anyone is banging down their door to make films for them, but it still gave some aspiring filmmakers some exposure.
 
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