Everything is a Remix Part 2

Kirby Ferguson continues his Everything is a Remix series by showing us how many of our most cherished and familiar films combine elements taken from or inspired by other films to create their seemingly unique experiences. Sometimes, shots are reproduced almost exactly. Yet, the movie industry is extremely aggressive in prosecuting or suing anyone who tries to use their material.

First Star Trek Fan Film Made by Kids in 1969

Ha ha!  This is great!  Jr. Star Trek is one of the very first fan films ever made for the original Star Trek series.  Peter Emshwiller made it in his house at the age of ten.  It actually made its way onto PBS television and has been a feature of many Star Trek conventions over the years.  Do kids still do this kind of thing?  They should.  What a fantastic effort and how much it must have taught the kids about making a movie.  They somehow capture the atmosphere of the classic television show by taking it very seriously.  Kids at that age didn’t see anything funny about Star Trek.  Their imaginations and intellects were fired by the show and they revelled in its deeply optimistic vision of the future.

You can read much more about this film and its maker at a great fan film blog from Clive Young called Fan Cinema Today, which chronicles all things related to films made by fans.  This kind of filmmaking has an important place in art and entertainment.  Unauthorized films are an expression of profound interest and respect by fans who go this far with their endeavors.  They extend the life of a fictional world that has been established in a particular medium and provide many people with an excellent outlet for their creative minds.