Buffyverse (fan films)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Several notable fan films have been inspired by the fictional universe (Buffyverse) established by television series Buffy and Angel.[1] Although 20th Century Fox and its licensees are the only organizations legally allowed to create any commercial products with the name and trademark Buffy and Angel, related fan films have become more common, as computer and digital technology has advanced, to allow films to be produced for less money. Furthermore the growth of the internet has allowed such films a way be distributed amongst a potentially wide audience. This has led to several productions which have received hundreds of thousands of downloads, an entry on Internet Movie Database, and at least some attention from external media. In 2006, the periodical technology magazine, Wired featured a two page article about several of these films.[2]
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[edit] Cherub
Cherub is an internet series that parodies Angel. It is produced by Caution Zero Network.
[edit] Consanguinity
| Consanguinity | |
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| Engine(s) | Neverwinter Nights, D20 System |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Animation, Machinima |
| Running time | Five minutes per episode (average) |
| Created by | Damien Valentine |
| Voices | None (subtitles used instead of voice acting) |
| Release(s) | 19th September 2004 – 27th November 2004 |
| Format(s) | XviD, MPEG |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Bathtub-productions.com/vampire/ | |
Consanguinity is a a Machinima series. It was produced by Bathtub Productions, and was created by Damien Valentine. The story is set in the fictional Buffyverse established by TV series, Buffy and Angel.
The series is important to many Buffyverse fans as the only attempt to create a notable Buffyverse series using Machinima. Response was generally positive, for example comments by fans at Whedonesque might be summarised by the comment a "bit rough, but it's pretty good"[3]. The series was reviewed at Machinima.com which positively reviewed the series as one which was "getting better every episode, and the " last couple of episodes have been particularly strong"[4]. Knowledge of the series by Buffyverse and Machinima fans is still growing.
[edit] Episodes and story
The series is set in the Buffyverse, in the year 2004, some time after the Angel episode, "Not Fade Away".
None of the fictional characters featured in Buffy or Angel. The creator of the project decided to only use original characters:
Season 1
| Title | Original Airdate | Running time | Episode № | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Immortality" | 19 September 2004 | 5:47 | 1 | 1x01 | |
| Damien and James (two vampires) begin hunting for a woman called Sylvia. | |||||
| "Lessons" | 25 September 2004 | 6:30 | 2 | 1x02 | |
| Damien tests Sarah's skills in the sewers. James continues the search for Sylvia. | |||||
| "Watching" | 01 October 2004 | 5:34 | 3 | 1x03 | |
| Sarah's is still haunted by her nightmares, her watcher reveals himself and James arrives. | |||||
| "Night Trip" | 09 October 2004 | 5:09 | 4 | 1x04 | |
| Sarah is captured and little time is left. | |||||
| "Turning Points" | 16 October 2004 | 6:12 | 5 | 1x05 | |
| Damien finds Sylvia and is forced into a fight with her whilst Sarah rises again. | |||||
| "The Vampire Strikes Back" | 23 October 2004 | 6:05 | 6 | 1x06 | |
| James and Sarah locate Damien in the sewers, they await Sylvia's return beyond the grave to return as a vampire so that Jen may be confronted. | |||||
| "The New World" | 1 November 2004 | 5:35 | 7 | 1x07 | |
| Jen has transported the vampires into a future in which it seems the world has been destroyed. | |||||
| "Fortress" | 13 November 2004 | 6:12 | 8 | 1x08 | |
| Damien, Sylvia, James and Sarah launch an assault on Jen's fortress with the last remaining vampires. | |||||
| "Slayer" | 20 November 2004 | 5:51 | 9 | 1x09 | |
| The vampires return to their own time but are confronted by a new Slayer. | |||||
| "Apocalypse" | 27 November 2004 | 7:24 | 10 | 1x10 | |
| Damien follows Adzar to Jen's Fortress for an epic showdown. | |||||
Season 2
Season 2 has yet to be confirmed/released, however Damien Valentine has revealed the first titles of Season 2 episodes should they go into production/release: Episode 2x01: "Missing, Presumed Undead" and episode 2x02: "Ulciscor".
[edit] Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer
| Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Henry Burrows |
| Produced by | Foiled Productions |
| Written by | Henry Burrows Richard Hassall |
| Starring | Louise Anne Bateman (Fluffy Winters) Paul Andrade (Alex Harrison) Kat Whitaker (Ash Johannesburg) Peter Kidson (Ted Farmer) Steven McCombe (Count Von Whedon) |
| Music by | Mike Varty Sue Element |
| Release date(s) | December 2001 |
| Running time | 18 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | Low |
| IMDb profile | |
Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer is a short film parodying the TV series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
Despite being described as "one of the first widely watched Whedonverse fan films"[5], reviews of "Fluffy" have been mixed. Some appreciate the parody, (for example a BBC reviewer who says "it works in my book."), the film also has a fan site. Others are less positive of the production: As of December 2006, the film's rating on Internet Movie Database was 3.6 out of 10.[6]
[edit] Characters
- Fluffy Winters - In every generation there is a chosen one. Although Fluffy is not that chosen one, she considered her role in life to help keep the demonic underworld at bay.
- Ash Johannesburg - Grade-A student, and a whiz with a computer, Ash is one of Fluffy's best friends. She is recently trying to get to grips with the use of magic.
- Alex Harrison - Since leaving school, Alex has been permanently "seeking employment". Alex is also one of Fluffy's best frinds.
- Ted Farmer - Farmer was rejected from the Watchers' Council because he was American. He moved to Sunningdale and has now taken charge over Fluffy's fight against evil.
- Count Von Whedon - Believes himself to be the master of Sunningdale underworld, some would disagree.
[edit] Story and episode(s)
Fluffy, a vampire slayer based in England, has to defeat the evil Count Von Whedon when he gets his hands on a magical ring giving him surprising new powers.
Whilst on a routine patrol, Fluffy is surprised by a vampire who does not die when she stakes him. At her American Watcher's (Farmer) house the next day she and her gang research the unusual vampiric encounter.
Fluffy, Ash and Alex go back to the place where Fluffy met the mysterious vampire but come face-to-face with an old enemy. Fluffy and Alex are led into a lair of vampires and must fight for their lives - while Farmer and Ash attempt to use technology to save them.
The project was originally planned to be a series, the fan film known as "Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer" is actually one episode within this series (1x04, "Lord Of The Ring").
Ren later wrote some fan fiction based on "Fluffy", and used the titles already chosen for the unmade episodes:
| Episode number | Episode title | Story |
|---|---|---|
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"A New Town" | Fan fiction story by Ren |
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"Farmer, Himself" | Fan fiction story by Ren |
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"Beer Good" | Unavailable |
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"Lord Of The Ring" | Fan film directed by Henry Burrows |
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"Goodbye, Basingstoke" | Unavailable |
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"Who Are We?" | Unavailable |
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"Shush" | Unavailable |
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"Dream Time" | Unavailable |
[edit] Soundtrack
"Noscaferatu" were responsible for all the music in the film: the theme tune, and the orchestral music. "Noscaferatu" is made up of Mike Varty (keyboards and other instruments) and Sue Element (vocals). They received assistance from Dave Hobbs and Ian Salmon on guitars, Paul Brown on Bass and Martin Meads on Drums.
The "Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer Soundtrack" contains the following songs:
| Track number | Song title |
|---|---|
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Fluffy Theme Tune |
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Undead |
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Naked |
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Last Count |
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Black Maserati |
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In Time |
[edit] Forgotten Memories
| Forgotten Memories | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Action, Adventure |
| Creator(s) | Emma Paige Langley |
| Starring | Emma Paige Langley (Buffy) Jeremy (Spike) Katie Elliott (Willow) Jason (Xander) Damian McGuiness / Lachlan Monstead (Giles) Samantha Sheridan Pether (Faith) Diego (Angel) |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Production | |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Internet |
| Picture format | N/A |
| Original run | 2007 – |
| Links | |
| Official website | |
Forgotten Memories is a Buffyverse fan-made production, an internet fan film that takes place in the fictional Buffyverse established by the TV series, Buffy. It was written and produced by Emma Paige Langley.
It was announced by a contact of the creator, that the film was in "the finishing touches of editing, and special effects" in May 2006[7], and the film premiered in autumn 2006. A number of teaser trailers have already been released by the film's creator. The "Forgotten Memories" teaser and opening credits sequence was put on YouTube in May 2006, and as of summer 2006, it had already received over ten thousand downloads. Fan response has been good and is reflected by the positive comments where the fan film has been reported[8]. Forgotten Memories is now available to download from its official website.
[edit] Story
Little has been revealed about the content of the story: The series is set in the Buffyverse, 2-3 months after "Chosen". It breaks with canon by assuming that Spike goes to visit Buffy after "Chosen" after he becomes corporeal.[9] Emma Paige Langley has revealed that "it is like a 'what if' episode. What if Spike had gone to see Buffy after Chosen, like he had wanted to? What would have been the repercussions? How would it have ended?"[10]
Langley reveals more hints about the story by asking more questions at her "Forgotten Memories" Yahoo! Group: "Could Buffy and Spike ever see each other again? Did Xander cope with losing Anya, and did he find someone new? Did Faith stay with the gang permanently? Did Giles go back to England?? And what about all the new slayers??"[11]
[edit] Characters
- Buffy Summers - Buffy was "The Slayer", one in a long line of young girls chosen by fate to battle evil forces.
- Xander Harris - Possessing no special skills, Xander often functioned as comic relief, but also provided a grounded, "everyman" perspective in the supernatural Buffyverse.
- Willow Rosenberg - Willow was initially a 'nerdy' girl when she first met Buffy but eventually Willow developed into a confident and powerful Wiccan.
- Rupert Giles - Giles was a Watcher, a member of an academic council whose job was to train the Slayers.
- Spike - Another Vampire with a soul, Angel is his grandsire. Spike has a complicated relationship with Buffy.
- Faith Lehane - Faith is a Vampire slayer who was drawn into darkness after accidentally killing a man. After three years in prison she returned to help Buffy fight evil.
- Angel - The vampire Angel was in the past Buffy's love interest. Once an especially vicious and destructive vampire, Angel suffered under a gypsy curse which restored his human soul.
- Dawn Summers - Buffy's younger sister, sent to Buffy in human form as a disguise for a dangerous magical artifact.
- Kennedy - She was a potential slayer who became empowered with the powers of Slayer after Willow (her partner) divided the mystical power of the 'Slayer' amongst all the Potentials.
[edit] Canonical and legal issues
Joss Whedon has implied that materials associated with him are considered "official" and "canon" [12]. 20th Century Fox also grants licenses for companies to produce official Buffy and Angel merchandise, these include books, comics, novels, toys and so on.
Buffyverse fan films such as these are not considered by fans as part of canon. They are not licensed by Fox, and they are not closely associated with any of the crew from Buffy/Angel.
The attitude of the Buffy and Angel copyright and trademark holders towards fan works has so far largely ignored fan productions providing they are not made for profits. Buffyverse fan films currently operate in an informational vacuum, since 20th Century Fox has made no official statement regarding their existence, pro or con.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ The term 'Buffyverse' is used amongst fans of Buffy/Angel online to describe the fictional universe established by Buffy/Angel. It is also used in published materials such: Walton, Andy, "Slang-age in the Buffyverse", CNN (February 18, 2004 ), and the book, Ouellette, Jennifer, Physics of the Buffyverse, Penguin Books (January 2007).
- ^ Newitz, Annalee, "Fan Films Reclaim the Whedonverse", Wired.com (June 8, 2006), page 1 of 2.
- ^ ""Consanguinity" fan-series." Whedonesque.com (April 09 2006).
- ^ Hancock, Hugh, "Consanguinity showcase", Machinima.com (October 19, 2004).
- ^ Newitz, Annalee, "Fan Films Reclaim the Whedonverse", Wired.com (June 8, 2006), page 2 of 2.
- ^ "Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer" Imdb.com (updated 2006).
- ^ "Teaser trailer for 'Forgotten Memories' - a Buffy season 8 fan film", Whedonesque.com (May 16 2006): Nixygirl, contact of creator, Emma Paige Langley announces film is in last stages.
- ^ E.g. "Teaser trailer for 'Forgotten Memories' - a Buffy season 8 fan film", Whedonesque.com (May 16 2006)
- ^ Langley, Emma Paige, ""About", Official Forgotten Memories site (May 27, 2006).
- ^ Langley, Emma Paige, ""About", Official Forgotten Memories site (May 27, 2006).
- ^ Langley, Emma Paige, "Forgotten Memories Yahoo Group, Yahoo (2006).
- ^ See: Rudolph, Ileane,"Buffy the Vampire Slayer Is Back: The Complete Joss Whedon Q&A". TV Guide (December 7, 2006). Whedon, Joss "Joss to never learn how to work site!". Whedonesque.com (November 09 2005)
[edit] External links
- Fanfilms.net entries
- "Cherub" (updated July 18, 2006), "Consanguinity" (updated July 18, 2006), "Forgotten Memories" (updated July 18, 2006), "Vangelis" (updated July 18, 2006) and "Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer" (updated November 23, 2006). Fanfilms.net entries.
- Other
- Newitz, Annalee, "Fan Films Reclaim the Whedonverse", Wired.com (June 8, 2006)
- Kiley, Brendan, Theater News: Fringe TV, Thestranger.com (June 2006).
- "Fluffy the English Vampire Slayer" Imdb.com (updated 2006).
- Hancock, Hugh, "Consanguinity showcase", Machinima.com (October 19, 2004).
