The Observatory

DIY Fandom

How fan-favorite movies find new life on the internet

By Eric S. Trautmann
Special to MSN Entertainment

Let's talk about fandom.

"Uh, OK," you say, wondering just who the hell I am, and why I want to talk to you about genre fans -- the "Star Wars" obsessives, the middle-aged guys in Spock ears at science-fiction conventions, the hoary tropes everyone assumes are true, simply because they've been repeated ad infinitum.

That's a lot going on in there. Let's start simply: Who am I?

I'm one of those guys in the trenches (these days mostly in comic books, but I've worked on videogames, film and viral marketing projects as well), and the good folks here think I have something interesting to say to you about the kinds of stuff you're here to read about. I'm a foot soldier in the pop culture war for your attention (which some marketing guy somewhere is going to call "mindshare"), and I spend a lot of time thinking about this stuff -- and I spend even more talking about it.

So, let's talk. Today's subject is fan-generated fiction.

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Boldly Going

By now, you're aware of a renaissance of what, prior to May 8, had been considered by many (including its most hardcore fans) a bloated, tired, dusty franchise. There's a glorious new cast portraying familiar characters, engaged in an ongoing mission to "explore strange new worlds."

It's nearly impossible to be part of Western culture in the 21st century without at least passing familiarity with these characters: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Uhura. And you may think I'm talking about J.J. Abrams' fast-paced, highly reverential reboot of the "Star Trek" franchise.

And I sort of am. There's a whole new generation of "Trek" fans, courtesy of Abrams' high-speed, low-drag reboot of the franchise.

But what I want to talk to you about is this: James Cawley, and his "Star Trek: Phase II" series.

For years after the original series limped into cancellation in the 1960s, "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry referred to a relaunched version of the franchise. The project, sometimes thought of as a film, at other times a TV series, was called "Phase II."

Over time, it eventually morphed into Robert Wise's deeply flawed but commercially successful "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." But the intervening involvement of the fan community -- the "Trekkies" (and, later, "Trekkers," and you better believe there's a distinction) -- added its own theories and stories to the ever-growing body of fan-generated lore.

And that's the crux of the discussion. Fan fiction was more or less invented by "Star Trek" fans. It runs the gamut from poorly executed wish-fulfillment, to homoerotic investigations of the relationships between these well-loved characters, to solid, near-professional stories of adventure.

Enter James Cawley.

Next Page: Recreating "Star Trek," having fun with "Star Wars" and bringing Gollum back to life