Fanarchy

This documentary explores the rise of fan culture and ways in which modern fandom is threatening the Hollywood system by becoming a creative force in its own right. We're in the midst of a huge cultural transformation where media has become a participatory sport. Fans are no longer satisfied being passive consumers of content. With affordable technology at their fingertips, fans are now producing more new content per month than studios or networks combined. Whether it's an original idea or their own personal spin on a favorite film or TV show, fans are taking the reins, revamping the old system and blurring the line between amateur and professional. Fanarchy uncovers a subculture of die-hard fans who risk life, limb, and financial bankruptcy in their quest to pay homage to the films and stories they love. While the resulting films range wildly in quality but rank high in entertainment value. It's hard to resist a shot-by-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark made by a bunch of kids, a passionate makeover of a Marvel superhero, or a seamlessly accurate continuation of the original Star Trek series. Fanarchy exposes this burgeoning media landscape and the issues that potentially complicate it in terms of copyright, intellectual property, and the concept of originality in a remix culture.