Ah, the last post of 2008—and what a year it was for fan films. Fan Cinema Today has been bringing you all the news since it sputtered back to life in April, and there’s been plenty to write about.
It was a year where fan films made tremendous strides forward in the public eye, with Sandy Collora jumping from Batman: Dead End to writing and directing his upcoming, heavily-buzzed feature film debut, Hunter Prey. But it was also a year where the biggest fan film story in the mainstream media was Canadian filmmaker Mark Twitchell, who police accused of murdering an innocent man in a bizarre remake of his own amateur horror movie.
(And in an effort to be consistent, I’ll be wildly immodest and say that perhaps my book on the history and future of fan films, Homemade Hollywood, was kind of important, too. It JUST hit bookstore shelves, so go to Barnes & Noble, Borders, Target, Amazon or wherever and buy one to help feed a poor, starving blogger. PS: Thanks to Stuart Basinger for the wacky illustration above!).
Here, without further adieu, are the top fan film news stories of 2008:
New York Comic Con 2008 Fan Film Panel Wrap-Up
DC Comics Officially OKs Fan Films
Max Payne Fan Film Shot Down By Fox
Smart Take on Star Trek: Phase II Controversy
From Superman Fan Film To TV Personality
Batman: Dead End Director’s New Feature Film
Indiana Jones Templars Fan Film Teaser Hits
Son of Rambow
Ireland To Get Fan Film Show: Sweded TV
MGM Kills Historic James Bond Fan Film
More On Studios Stopping Fan Films
Star Trek: Of Gods and Men Finale
Shhh! Max Payne Fan Film Revived…sort of
Raiders: The Adaptation Team Heads Up River
Everything Old Is New Again
Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge Winners
How To Not Violate Copyrights With Your Fan Films
Get Your Fan Film On YouTube’s Front Page
Jaw-Dropping Star Wars Fan Film Software
The Gremlins Are Back and Taking Over Fan Films
Troops Fan Film Action Figures at Toys-R-Us?
Homemade Hollywood’s First Review
Born of Hope: A LOTR Fan Film Reborn
Tomb Raider: Ascension Fan Film is a Hit
Who Killed Star Wars: The Dark Redemption?
OTW Debuts Fanlore & New Academic Journal
Star Trek: Hidden Frontier / Intrepid Crossover
James Bond Returns…in Moonraker ‘78
Indiana Jones Parody Fan Film Hits DVD
Star Wars: Dark Resurrection Nabs Fan Film Prize
Homemade Hollywood Gets io9 Rave Review
Star Wars Fan Film Director Arrested for Murder
Fan Film Murder Suspect Hits Court Wednesday
More On Mark Twitchell Fan Film Murder Case
Batman: Dead End Director’s Hunter Prey Peek
Homemade Hollywood Birth Announcement
Star Trek: Of Gods And Men Hits DVD
Fan Film Murder Suspect Mark Twitchell’s House of Cards Footage Released
FanEdit.Org Slammed By MPAA, Soldiers On
Upcoming Symposium on Fan Productions
Fan Film Pioneer Forrest Ackerman Passes
Classic Star Wars Fan Films on DVD For Free
Superman and Star Wars Lead To Star Ranger 7
Star Trek: Phase II’s ‘Blood & Fire’ To Debut
Homemade Bollywood Brings Relief In India


