In the spotlight – FE Quality
A fanedit from the very meaning of the word is any kind of alteration to a media, done by a fan. On fanedit.org there are specific rules though to define what a fanedit is and can be presented on the website:
Fanedit.org contains fan edited movies that have to be significantly different to the original movie and have a minimum length of 15 minutes.
The word “significant” is of course a wide open space to interpretation, but is basically meant as a guideline for changes that count, that truly alter the watching experience. The rule exists most of all to not allow original movies and especially to not support piracy by providing illegal download possibilities. No one, who wants just the original, should bother about the fanedit.
Now there are a lot of people worldwide, who create fanedits, because they are annoyed by this or that scene or character or plot development. The digital age makes movie edits quite easy on an amateur level. Basic tools are available for free. Most people create fanedits just for themselves, which also means that they can easily forgive inconsistencies and flaws of any kind.
But that is not what fanedit.org is about.
On the website fanedits are presented as quality artworks. And to qualify for that, they need to be beyond amateur level. To create this a faneditor needs devotion, care, patience, technological knowledge and creativity. The goal is to create a new, flawless and entertaining movie that an audience can enjoy.
To achieve this, fanedit.org has its own system of quality management, based on firstling checking and trust. Each new faneditor has to be approved for his works, before he can join the website in the true fanedit or extended edition section. This approval can only be given by an advanced and trusted forum member and requires a detailed review about the overall quality of the fanedit, both technically and plot-wise.
Quality management like this does not exist in the world of original movies. Original movies are business though. Their goal is to be successful in financial aspects. This is a natural quality management that will prevent the worst crap from ever appearing on DVD or being shown in a theater or on TV. Fanedit.org’s quality management is on a seriously higher level. Since the website does not care for financial aspects, entertainment is the thriving force. Many original releases would not get through the website’s quality control.
With this we are hoping to promote the art of fanediting, make it attractive to an audience and motivate faneditors to take real care of their projects. It pays off by the reactions of a pleased or even ecstatic audience.
The “hell” that some new faneditors have to go through is an intense one. They spent weeks, sometimes months working on their edits and then have to wait for someone to approve their works. And this can, depending on the interest in the project, take many weeks again. That is a mirror of the world of original art. The painter, who has to wait patiently for his first exhibition. The author that has to hold his breath until he gets a response from a publisher. The actor, who bites his fingernails while awaiting the reaction for his audition. Waiting is the toughest part.
Once finally approved the “trust system” starts:
every following fanedit of the same faneditor will automatically be posted on fanedit.org, because he/she already proved to be capable of delivering quality. There are no more waiting periods, but an audience that cannot and does not have to wait for the next release. The “trust system” stays in place, until… yes, until fanedit is disapproved for its quality, usually caused by the faneditor getting sloppy. It happens. And it puts the faneditor back to the “unapproved” status.
links:
http://fanedit.org/feed/http://fanedit.org/comments/feed/