Fan Cinema Today

While every fan film seems to have its own website these days, there’s very few websites that cover fan films as a genre; take a look at the list of websites here on FCT’s Resources page and you’ll see what I mean. So it’s an exciting day when not one but TWO of them show up. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, it’s that time of year again—the time when the voting opens up for the annual Star Wars Fan Film Awards Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge (I still like the old name better). If you wanna cast your ballot for the Audience Choice Award, vote by July 10; winners will be announced at the San Diego Comic Con on July 24, and will walk away with trophies and bragging rights, but not $2,000 like the old days (lame). Reportedly, there’s been some weirdness where the site wasn’t working properly for voting on all films, but they say it’s been resolved. Read the rest of this entry »

Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos are two of the three guys who famously spent seven years in the 1980s making a shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark. While it’s their biggest claim to fame so far, they’ve spent the last few years writing a new action adventure script, What The River Takes, that they’re shopping around Hollywood. Now Vanity Fair has unveiled a bit of what they have in mind for their next flick.
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Godzilla is the Elvis of Movie Creatures—after all, they do call him the King of the Monsters. The analogy is particularly apt, however, because just like the Big E, today’s culture has neutered Godzilla into a cartoony, bloated, pop culture joke. I don’t know anyone who can think of Elvis without picturing cheesy Las Vegas impersonators, and similarly, most folks associate the big lizard with garbage like the junky 1960s movies, the 1980s cartoon series (Gadzooki, anyone?), the stupid 1990s feature film, or something equally crummy. With a track record like that, it’s easy to forget that a heavyweight actor like Raymond Burr was in the first Godzilla flick.

Despite the cultural chuckles at his expense, there’s people out there who get Godzilla. For instance, I have a friend who has the monster’s action figures, ranging from a few inches to maybe two feet tall, in every room of his apartment, even the bedroom (and yes, he is married). People like that understand the power and turmoil that Godzilla is supposed to represent. It sounds as if the folks behind the upcoming Godzilla: Zero Hour understand, too. I’d describe their fan film, but this summary from their website does a pretty good job on its own:

GZH is the world’s first-ever, full-length Godzilla film made by non-professional artists. Set for release this coming summer, the first episode of Godzilla: Zero Hour will run approximately 45 minutes in length. Containing all original CG effects and an original score, this project is the first to ever pit the classic Japanese monsters, GODZILLA and GAMERA, against each other in a battle to the death—both fully realized without the use of suits.

You can get even more info—including pictures and filmmaker interviews—over at the Undead Backbrain blog. And if all that makes your mouth start watering in anticipation of some serious monster mayhem, well, you probably get Godzilla, too.

Way back in May, I mentioned an article where Trey Stokes, writer / director of the Pink Five fan film series, gave advice on how to take what you’ve learned in the real world and apply it to creating a fan production.

Taking things in the opposite direction, now there’s an article where Mark Hildebrand, producer / director of the Starship Farragut fan film series, gives advice on how to take what you’ve learned creating a fan production and apply it to the real world (if you work in marketing or public relations). Read the rest of this entry »