Some of my favorite fan films

[jimmylace]

I really really like a fan-film called batman vs alien vs predator...it's just a fight but the costumes are great and the joker is pretty cool for a fan effort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf2j8dH19xk

EDIT: no, its called Dead End and is mentioned right at the top of the post *durrr* it's still so ****ing cool though!

 

[CFE]

I think you all underestimate some fan filmmakers.

I've only made one Batman film so far, and the only reason I haven't released it yet is that I know enough to realize it's not ready to be seen yet.

But whether they're not so good or whatever, I think you should all be ashamed for dismissing what me and a slew of other fans are doing.

1: We're all fans. So sue us that some of us are either trying to be or actually are creative enough to do something with our fandom rather than just commenting on it in message boards or bashing other fans that are trying to do something with their fandom of these characters...

2: For fan filmmakers, making movies is what we want to do. It's the career path we want to take. I think fan filmmakers should be commended. One filmmaker, William Phelps, especcially. While they're not on par with professional films, the fact that he's made three Superboy films and he's only 11 is a great achievement. He's done something at 11 I didn't even think of doing back then. And in all honesty, these fan films are practice. Do you really expect us to be able to cut it in the business without doing these little films first. And since we're comic fans, we liek to put the two together. I mean why make some boring romantic comedy as practice when you can attempt to do something with your favorite comic character, regardless of the quality.

Unless you tried to make your own fan film, and are just being sour for not being able to, I don't think you have the right to look down on these projects. Some of them, from 'Catwoman: Nine Lives' to 'Nightwing: A Knight in Bludhaven' are great. And while they may not live up to your expectations (how can you expect them to; no matter what incarnation of Batman it is, there's always going to be fans that are dissappointed. I know Batman fans that frown upon 'Begins' and 'Batman: TAS) They are just as valid in their own way as everything that's come before and will come...

And since its obvious that Kevin Roegele seems to be the one most strongly against fan films, I have a proposition for him:

Make your own fan film.

You seem to have your own idea of what should be done for a fan film. Go on and make a fan film to the best of your ability. Write the script, get actors, shoot it, and let us all see it.

Then get ready. Because you'll be critizied for your work by a slew of fans. And we'll see how you feel when something that you will have worked on for months or more (and trust me, it will be for a long time) is crapped on by other fans. You probably won't feel too good about yourself then. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll come back and say some snobby comment about how you'd never try to make a fan film. Most likely because you seem to think you're incapable of being creative enough to do so.

I mean do you honestly think I or any other fan filmmakers care what you or anyone else thinks?

I couldn't give a rat's ass what people thought of my fan film work. I like Batman, and I want to make movies. So by putting the two together now, I'm doing what I love, and how dare you look down upon people just doing what they love. I don't see anyone doing that to you for any of your hobbies. And if they are, then perhaps you do already feel the way I'm sure your comments have made some other fan filmmaker's feel.

That's all I have to say for now...

CFE

 

[CConn]

I really really like a fan-film called batman vs alien vs predator...it's just a fight but the costumes are great and the joker is pretty cool for a fan effort.

Probably because it was made by professional moviemakers for more than most indie films cost.

 

[Kaizer]

Patient J - This one is a little masterpiece of a fan film. The actors are top-notch - I wouldn´t mind seeing Molnar play Joker in a feature film, he was creepy, not too over-the-top, and actually nuanced, great make-up too - and the story does a really good job of telling a Killing Jokesque sum-up of the main events in Joker´s criminal career and his personal "philosophy", and has a couple cool twists in the end. The highlight is Batman fighting Joker on an empty stage with spotlight and even an "invisible" audience.

I thought Patient J was a pretty lame film that really needs a re-edit...It was too slow-pased throughout and no the acting wasn´t top notch, it was way over the top, anybody could do that Joker, and we don´t want that, we want a Joker that no one else can do, we need originality...The film tried too much to be a psychological drama and came out boring... At least this is my opinion...

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I think you all underestimate some fan filmmakers.

Perhaps. But we can only judge them on what we see.

I've only made one Batman film so far, and the only reason I haven't released it yet is that I know enough to realize it's not ready to be seen yet.

But whether they're not so good or whatever, I think you should all be ashamed for dismissing what me and a slew of other fans are doing.

Why should we be ashamed? If you make a film and throw it on the internet for all to see, what makes you immune to criticism? Because you're fans? If someone makes a crap movie for $50m or $5, it's still crap.

1: We're all fans. So sue us that some of us are either trying to be or actually are creative enough to do something with our fandom rather than just commenting on it in message boards or bashing other fans that are trying to do something with their fandom of these characters...

I'm sure you are creative. So am I. Many of the the pros in the film and comic industries began as fans.

That doesn't add anything to the quality of the fanfilms.

And you use the word creativity. Hardly. Most fanfilms are not exercises in creativity, they are attempts to recreate the comicbooks in live-action.

Let's not use the word, 'bashing'. Bashing is mindless hate. At the very least, you can see I have considered my arguments.

2: For fan filmmakers, making movies is what we want to do. It's the career path we want to take. I think fan filmmakers should be commended. One filmmaker, William Phelps, especcially. While they're not on par with professional films, the fact that he's made three Superboy films and he's only 11 is a great achievement. He's done something at 11 I didn't even think of doing back then. And in all honesty, these fan films are practice. Do you really expect us to be able to cut it in the business without doing these little films first. And since we're comic fans, we liek to put the two together. I mean why make some boring romantic comedy as practice when you can attempt to do something with your favorite comic character, regardless of the quality.

Because you could feasibly make a romantic comedy with the budget and resources fanfilms have!

The point is that most fanfilms are not wannabe-directors practising to get into the industry. They are fanboys living out wish fulfillment fantasies by dressing up as Batman, or showing Nightwing in his 'proper' comicbook costume.

Unless you tried to make your own fan film, and are just being sour for not being able to, I don't think you have the right to look down on these projects. Some of them, from 'Catwoman: Nine Lives' to 'Nightwing: A Knight in Bludhaven' are great. And while they may not live up to your expectations (how can you expect them to; no matter what incarnation of Batman it is, there's always going to be fans that are dissappointed. I know Batman fans that frown upon 'Begins' and 'Batman: TAS) They are just as valid in their own way as everything that's come before and will come...

Fanfilms are about as valid as tijuana bibles.

I've never made fanfilms, I've made short films for Film Studies.

Regardless, I look down on some $150m movies, why can I not look down on fanfilms?

I have no issue with fanfilms or any film re-interpreting characters from any source material.

And since its obvious that Kevin Roegele seems to be the one most strongly against fan films, I have a proposition for him:

Make your own fan film.

You seem to have your own idea of what should be done for a fan film. Go on and make a fan film to the best of your ability. Write the script, get actors, shoot it, and let us all see it.

Do you not understand my argument? I can't make a Batman movie or an X-Men movie, it waaaaaaaaaay beyond my means. I can make a ten minute comedy about a band in suburbia, I can make a short romantic drama about two twenty-somethings at the beach. I can't do convincing special effects and action scenes, I can't find actors good enough and of physical statue to play superheroes. I can't create the costumes.

I don't have the resources to make a good superhero film, just like almost all the fanfilm makes don't.

Then get ready. Because you'll be critizied for your work by a slew of fans. And we'll see how you feel when something that you will have worked on for months or more (and trust me, it will be for a long time) is crapped on by other fans. You probably won't feel too good about yourself then.

See, you've just revealed that your arguments are based on emotion rather than any logic. You're defending yourself, not actually looking at fanfilms as a whole with any real clarity. I have. Believe me, I'd love it if there were loads of fantastic low-budget, ten-minute live-action Batman and X-Men shorts allover the net. Love it. And there are some wonderful amateur movies that aren't attempting to be superhero movies.

But let's face facts. Most fanfilms are woeful.

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll come back and say some snobby comment about how you'd never try to make a fan film. Most likely because you seem to think you're incapable of being creative enough to do so.

I mean do you honestly think I or any other fan filmmakers care what you or anyone else thinks?

You've just typed out all this because you don't care what I think? I've obviously upset you to some degree and whilst that was not my intention, I can't alter my views just to make you happy. And you also just wrote:

And we'll see how you feel when something that you will have worked on for months or more (and trust me, it will be for a long time) is crapped on by other fans. You probably won't feel too good about yourself then.

Of course you care what other fans think. You want you movies to be popular, you want people to watch and say, "That was so cool, just how Batman is in the comics."

I couldn't give a rat's ass what people thought of my fan film work. I like Batman, and I want to make movies. So by putting the two together now, I'm doing what I love, and how dare you look down upon people just doing what they love. I don't see anyone doing that to you for any of your hobbies. And if they are, then perhaps you do already feel the way I'm sure your comments have made some other fan filmmaker's feel.

Making films is not ANY hobby. It's different. You make these films, you advertise them, you make posters and taglines, show them on the net. To do all this, to hype yourselves up and then argue, "You have no right to criticise us," is ludicrous to the extreme.

You make something for an audience, expect an audience reaction. If you can't get beyond that simple fact, you'll never make it in the film world.



Let's put it another way. You have a friend who wants to be a builder. He only has enough money and talent to build a small bungalow, but he wants to skip that and indulge and build a mansion straight away. Once it's built, he gleefully shows it to all his friends and it falls apart as soon as they walk inside.

 

[Molossus]

Here are some quotes from big names for some big fanfilms

Patient J

"This director we will be hearing alot from in the future."
-Spiderman producer

"Aaron has made every fanboys dreams come true"
-Xmen producer

Batman Dead End

"Batman Ive always wanted to see"
-Alex Ross



I couldnt find any for grayson, I guess it wasnt critically aclaimed enough to be recongized by any important.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Here are some quotes from big names for some big fanfilms

Patient J

"This director we will be hearing alot from in the future."
-Spiderman producer

"Aaron has made every fanboys dreams come true"
-Xmen producer

Batman Dead End

"Batman Ive always wanted to see"
-Alex Ross

LOL

Don't you think that maybe these guys HAVE to be encouraging to fan film makers? I'll tell you where these quotes are from - comic conventions where the professionals have no choice but to watch the fan films, and even less choice but to say they like them. Can you imagine, say, Lauren Schuler Donner or Avi Arad saying, "No, that's embarassing crap,"? Of course not.

 

[Hades]

Dayum, you just owned everyone in this thread, Kevin.

Please think of the children...

I'd have to agree with you for the most part though.

 

[Molossus]

I think Kevin needs a life, or at least needs to learn that he cant control the way people think. We're talking and enjoying something here and you come in here and bash it, some people like some things, others like other things. Learn to live with that, we dont go critizing you on your likes buddy.

As for the quotes, those DONT come from conventions, if you actually understood how quotes work, you'd know that you need written permission and usually have to go through that persons agent to grab a quote. True, big names can say nice things at conventions, but your legally not allowed to quote them, without a release form.

Back to the first topic, these films are made by people who enjoy films and comics, they do them for themselves, for fans and for whoever wants to enjoy them. No buddy is forcing you to watch them. If you have a problem with the ACTUAL filmmaker, take it up with him, but dont broadly bash films, especially ones you HAVENT seen.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I think Kevin needs a life, or at least needs to learn that he cant control the way people think.

Back to the first topic, these films are made by people who enjoy films and comics, they do them for themselves, for fans and for whoever wants to enjoy them. No buddy is forcing you to watch them.

Joel Schumacher could say exactly the same thing.

Just because these films are made by fans, it doesn't mean they are somehow beyond criticism. I bet if I said a fanfilm was great, they'd be all to happy to accept that compliment, but if I criticise it.....no, that's not allowed according to you.

This really makes me laugh.

Look at how these fan films are 'marketed'. They have websites, taglines, posters, trailers, release dates. They scream in every way, "Hey, look, we're making a proper movie! We're making a proper serious dark film!"

Then people come along, watch, and say, "This is crap," and the fanfilmakers say, "Hey, you can't criticise us, we're doing this for people who want to enjoy it, nobody is forcing you to watch them. This isn't a real movie, it's just a fun hobby."

 

[Molossus]

You obviously missed the whole point I was making by side stepping that, just to make it sound like you are "right." Its people like you who make boards a bad place to come. Obviously, you spend enough time here to do it.


Anywho, to the rest of the people who enjoy fan films, anybody know of anyones coming out? What are Sandy and Aaron up too?

Cheers

 

[Kevin Roegele]

You obviously missed the whole point I was making by side stepping that, just to make it sound like you are "right."

So what is your 'whole point'?

 

[Cobblepot]

Now this is a fanfilm!!

http://www.lefrelonvert-court.com/index.php?page=ghlarge

 

[larryfilmmaker]

Kevin Roegle's opinions are the reason the hype is a bad place to visit? Are you NUTS?!?! Read everything he's typed. He hasn't made fun of anybody, he hasn't called names, he hasn't said "I'm right, you're wrong". He makes an argument for everything he says, careful not to be offensive, and he's just being honest about what he sees.

How in the hell do you make a fan film or any film for that matter and have the nerve to start arguing with somebody who says it's bad? If you put attention on something you've made by putting it on the internet, then you are asking the world not only to view it, but of course to share their opinions. Kevin's right. Most fanfilms are huge comic fans (or nerds even) who want to see themselves dressed up as their favorite characters.

I visit the Batmanfanfilms.com website pretty regularly, and I always bite my tongue when somebody says something like "yeah, I could get somebody over 14 to play Batman, but to be honest it's always been my dream to play him". So... you aren't trying to make the BEST Batman fan film, you're trying to make one for yourself.

I would NEVER EVER try to discourage young people from making films, and Roegle wasn't either. What I am saying is that you need to do what you CAN do as good as possible. You'll get better and you'll be able to accomplish more next time. Then on the next film you'll be even better yet, so you can set the bar higher. If you're 11 years old and you want to film yourself being Superboy, that's fine. It certainly shows a love of the comics and if you actually finish it, real motivation. However, there are people who have been making movies for 30 years who still can't manage to create something great so don't expect to do it so easily yourself. When I was a kid, I made little "movies" all the time. Know what? Everything I did up until the time I was about 18 will NEVER see the light of day and you know why? It's not because I'm embarrassed. It's not because I'm afraid. It's because it's NOT FAIR to waste somebody's time with something that's just plain bad.

Imagine if Nolan's Batman Begins had Batman being played by a guy with a blatant homosexual lisp because Nolan always wanted Batman to sound that way. What if Nolan's sister-in-law, who was in no way attractive and was 20 years older than the Batman actor, played his love interest because she was such a big Batman fan and it was a dream come true for her? What if there were scenes where no matter what he did, Batman could NOT beat Robin in a game of chess... ever. Nolan did this because he always saw Robin as being smarter than Batman. What if the Batman costume was white instead of black, and Nolan claimed it was because Bruce Wayne felt that Batman needed to stand out no matter where he was?

You guys would rip this film apart. You would say "HIS WIFE WAS OLD... AND UGLY!" "BATMAN IS WAY SMARTER THAN ROBIN!" "BATMAN SOUNDS GAY!" "His costume can't be WHITE!"

And what if Nolan then came on the threads and said "How dare you make fun of what I'm doing?! I'm a huge Batman fan and this is how I always wanted to see him! I'm a true fan and you're a snob and a know-it-all! I've always wanted to make a Batman movie and so I did! I'm very creative and this is my passion so stop criticizing me and my film! I dare YOU to make a Batman movie and then I'll be there to make fun of it!"

Yeah, his film would suck. That'd be the flat out truth. He'd sound like an unprofessional jerk for arguing with people for pointing out the obvious.