Fan films: Behind the scenes

I have three comic book fan films under my belt. Comic books, as a medium, can still be looked down on by some people, particularly older adults. But they have made an impact since at least the 1940s, when the Batman and Superman serials were released. They achieved even more exposure when the 1966 Batman television series debuted on ABC on a cold, wintery night.

Fast forward to spring 2002. I was having difficulties in my living situation. The 1966 Batman series was running, and that inspired me to visit the comic book shop, which I had not done. It may not seem like such a big deal, but that move would end up initiating a series of events that has changed my professional and personal life on so many levels.

Through message boards, I learned of the work that James Cawley and Chris R. Notarile did in the area of independent video work, and I was inspired to do an alternate take on the 1966 series. The work unofficially began as early as 2005, but by 2007, I was in full swing.

On the surface, it seems like a hobby.

But there are a LOT of creative, administrative and business decisions involved.

First, one has to come up with an idea of what would work. Once the idea and then the story line is set, then there is script writing. And with that, one has to start paying attention to what is actually feasible.

And when it comes to existing properties, don't plagiarize. And don't do this for profit. Period. The studio's legal department will serve you with notices. If anything, fan films are designed for fans, and when done right, credit is immediately given to the creators of the properties in question. Also, disclaimers are put in place, stating that the project is a non-profit entity, designed for fans to enjoy.

Beyond that, one corollary of all this is that it gives the project creator a chance to create something more original. It may mean using comic book elements and stories that were done as early as 70-80 years ago. Again, if there's a character that someone created, give them credit.

Secondly, there will be business decisions to be made. If you don't have equipment to shoot with or use in video production, that has to be procured. Even with a non-budget production, one has to pony up the money to get (ideally) quality equipment. Then, there's the costuming.

And then there are the administrative decisions. Casting has to be done to fill the roles, locations need to be scouted and shooting schedules devised.

Add to that the video editing and scheduling the release of the project, and you have quite an undertaking. Yes, there's work involved. However, it also has a truly fun element to it as well.

And finally, these projects end up with all sorts of benefits that go beyond Vimeo or YouTube. Fan films for such comic book heroes as Batman have existed for decades, but technology and the Internet have meant a huge growth of independent video projects, which can fill in niches that the major film studios so often overlook.