Veronica: This time it was Blinky with Marvel. But no one remembers that Black Friday a bunch of Star Wars fan films were taken down. It was a really hush-hush thing, but it was still a buzz on Facebook and Twitter that these were taken down. I’ve been a fan of what Chris has done for a long time, so much so that I started doing my own Resident Evil fan film. I’ve started writing it, but after hearing what’s been going on with the removal, I don’t even want to finish writing it. I don’t want to make it and put it up. No one should have to be afraid to make a fan-film.
Chris: It’s a blow to the ego when you find out that the content owners will stop at nothing to squash you. You really try hard, you put in everything you can. And as a fan, a lot of fans want to have this validation that what they’re doing matters. That at least it’s being looked at and it’s being respected.
Andrea: Especially when you’re not getting money in return for it. When you’re going into the negative trying to do something, and putting all your time and effort into doing this, it should be something that you get looked at and get appreciation for, not get looked at as you’re doing something wrong.
Chris: I can relate to fan-films on a different level because I put out Methodic in 2009. That was my first horror movie. And I’ve had Methodic fan-films surface. I’ve seen them all, they’ve been sent to me directly. Anyone who messages me and says “Can I do a Methodic fan-film?” I always go “Absolutely! Please! I’d love to see it when you’re done with it.” I’m honored, and I embrace that kind of thing. Another example of a fan film that was a success, believ it or not, was Len Wiseman, the director of the Total Recall remake. When he was 15 years old, he did a Die Hard fan film. And then twenty something years later, he directed Die Hard 4. It’s like, you want that kind of embrace. You want that success. You aim for it. That’s why you do the fan film in the first place, because you have those hopes and aspirations. When you hear a story like that, you’re like, “that’s really cool”.
Damian: Everybody is looking for a break. We all love the characters, but maybe it’s an opportunity for Chris’ work to finally be seen and get discovered like he should have been years ago. And also some of the actors and actresses that we have. Thankfully through my wrestling, a lot of fans that I have just decided to watch it, and they’re not fanboys, they’re not comic book readers, and they were instantly like “I’m going out tomorrow to buy merchandise and buy comic books.” Only the companies stand to win at the end of the day.
Chris: Without getting onto a pedestal, we’re essentially trying to defend freedom of speech. We’re trying to defend artistic creativity and bunch of other things.
Damian: Save one to save many.
AP2HYC: So where do things stand now?
Veronica: Damian checked the petition while you guys were talking. It’s up to 752.
Damian: It’s going pretty cool.
AP2HYC: And your goal is to get to 1,000, right?
Chris: 1,000 would let us sleep a little better.
Damian: Chris and I are already on the same page on this one. If it hits 1,000 we’re a little more comfortable.
